After months of radio silence, The Pokémon Company has released the first trailer for the upcoming Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, first announced at the end of February. This trailer gives a more in-depth look at new gameplay elements, as well as revealing new Pokémon and characters.
First off, a major change to the series—this is the Pokémon series’ first fully open-world RPG. Players are able to explore the world in any way they choose. Additionally, players can also connect with up to three other Trainers and explore the world with them together. Each of the four Trainers playing together in the trailer have a Pokémon companion following them, suggesting the mechanic may make a return. The region has some large, bustling towns as well as smaller, gas-station like Pokémon Centers scattered around the less populated areas. The end of the trailer offers a glimpse at a stadium, presumably for something like a Pokémon Gym. However, no further details are given, including how something like a Gym challenge would work in a fully open-world game.
Next, the trailer shows some of the other human characters whom players will encounter on their journey. Like other Pokémon games before it, Scarlet and Violet have Pokémon professors researching the world around them. This time, however, each version has a different professor. Players in Pokémon Scarlet will encounter Professor Sada, a woman wearing more primitive clothing seemingly made out of hide or furs. In Pokémon Violet, players will meet Professor Turo, a man in a more futuristic jumpsuit. The trailer also introduces players to their friend and guide, Nemona, who is already a talented Trainer.
Several of the region’s Pokémon were also revealed in this trailer. First up is Pawmi, the region’s electric rodent. Pawmi is the Mouse Pokémon and a pure Electric type. It has electric organs on its face and front paws, and it attacks by rubbing its cheeks and discharging the electricity through its paws. Smoliv was featured next, a Grass/Normal type known as the Olive Pokémon. It produces a bitter oil on its head that it shoots at opponents when threatened. Another Pokémon shown was the region’s token Normal type, the Hog Pokémon known as Lechonk. Lechonk is a pure Normal type that enjoys looking for rich herbs and Berries.
Finally, fans are shown a glimpse of each game’s Legendary Pokémon. Scarlet is home to the bipedal lizard Koraidon, while Violet boasts a floating lizard powered by some sort of engine, known as Miraidon. These Pokémon were only briefly shown; no information was given about their type or personality.
Between the differences in both the professor designs and the legendary Pokémon designs, it seems like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will have themes relating to the past and future, with Scarlet focusing more on the styles of the former, and Violet focusing on the latter with a more futuristic look. It will be interesting to see if other aspects of the region affect these themes, similarly to Opelucid City in Pokémon Black and White taking on a different aesthetic based on which version players have. Changes like this, which affect an entire region, could affect not only city aesthetics, but how Pokémon appear as well.
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet officially release on November 18th, 2022, for the Nintendo Switch. Hopefully more information about the region and Pokémon are shared in the future, before the game’s release.
