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Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare the two newest games in the Pokemon franchise, taking us to the region of Paldea. In this Iberian-inspired land, you may experience an open-world journey, choosing to go pretty much anywhere you want, granted you are strong enough. Scarlet and Violet bring a new perspective to the series, deviating from the traditionally linear gameplay.
If you have never played Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, you may be wondering if it’s worth it or not. Fortunately, we have your back. Here, we are going to answer the big question; is Pokemon Scarlet and Violet truly worth it? First, let’s dive into our review of the game.
Updated June 26, 2025 by Jacqueline Zalace:Pokemon Scarlet and Violet made waves when they first launched, for better or for worse. With both DLCs officially out, we’ve updated this guide to cover this new content, helping you decide if it’s worth the price (and time) or not.
Review
Here at TheGamer,Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were reviewed by Santi Leguiza. Like many players, Santi recognizes the ‘new’ format Scarlet and Violet bring to the Pokemon series. In terms of the story, Santi started his review by saying, “As I wipe the tears from my eyes, I witness the convergence of the three major storylines that compose my journey through Paldea with great satisfaction”.
During your adventures, you will see depictions of death, disease, trauma, and conflict portrayed in a way I never thought Pokemon would ever be able to pull off, treating sensitive subjects with the appropriate respect and maturity.
Overall, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet received a two-star review, with the poor performance and frequent bugs causing its downfall. Although the game had one of the best stories in a Pokemon game, this alone couldn’t save it.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC
In terms of the DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet,Features Editor Ben Sledge has some thoughts on its executionof the Teal Mask. Unfortunately, these thoughts aren’t too positive, as Ben describes the content as boring. The base game problems remain; “textures still look terrible, [and] the framerate still tanks if there’s more than three things going on”.
There’s basically two new Pokemon to catch and the story is dull, but at least the new region’s great, right? Wrong. It’s small and uninteresting, traveling across it is boring, and there are no iconic locations.
The second part of the DLC, titledThe Indigo Disk, has beenreviewed by Santi Leguiza, who ultimately felt a bit let downby the final part of the Paldea storyline. There are still graphical issues, as well as frame rate drops and overall quality issues.
Aside from the ongoing issues, Santi praises the Terarium, which is a facility used to help trainers become stronger. Here, you will actually be able to put your skills to the test, which is great if you feel that newer Pokemon games tend to be a bit on the easy side.
The most immediate change is that the trainers and rivals are by far the most challenging the series has been in years. From double battles to fully-built Pokemon teams, you will find yourself more often than not losing battles if you get too confident, which is a welcome change that could help players to try the competitive play more comfortably.
Time Expenditure
The main story ofPokemon Scarlet and Violet will take you around 26 to 30 hours, but this does not take into consideration time for exploration. If you explore the region as you progress through the game, completing side quests when necessary, this will increase the total time to beat to around 36 hours.
After beating the game, you can spend several additional hours completing the Pokedex and aiming for 100 percent completion. In total, this will take around 51 hours.
With the Teal Mask DLC, you are also looking at aboutsix to ten more hours of content. This includes completing the new story, as well as exploring the new location available. The second DLC, The Indigo Disk, will tack on aroundnine more hours of gameplay.
If you had both DLCs and played through the entire game without straying too far from the story, this would take you around 45 hours.
Cost
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, with both games costing $59.99 USD.
This price is dependent on retailers, as well as if you buy the game used, but $59.99 USD is the standard price for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
In terms of DLC, you have a few options when purchasing. If you have yet to purchase the base game, you can either game bundled with The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. This is the name of both The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk. This bundle is $94.99 USD.
you’re able to also buy the DLC separately, which costs $34.99 USD. There are no extra savings if you buy the bundle (there is a one-cent difference), but it’s totally okay to hold off on the DLC until you finish the base game.
What Players Are Saying
A Touching Story In An Imperfect World - Jacqueline Zalace
Yes, we all know that there are bugs galore in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, but this is one of the most fun Pokemon games to play. It’s so easy to get lost in exploration, both figuratively and literally. Aside from exploration, the story is absolutely beautiful. Rather than sticking to numbered routes, progressing towards a ‘goal’ city, you are free to explore and progress in a more natural way, creating a unique story experience for anyone that plays. The world may have its bugs and glitches, but the heart of the game is not lost.
One Pokestep Forward, And Two Backwards - Hilton Webster
I wanted to love Scarlet and Violet, I really did. I can appreciate the genuine attempts to break free of traditions. The world is open from the beginning, you can break the leveling system and challenge the gyms in any order, but it truly isreally ugly.This isn’t a subjective ‘bad art direction’ opinion, it just truly doesn’t look finished, especially in comparison to Legends Arceus.
On the flip side, we have the Teal Mask DLC which is much more reminiscent of earlier games, with a tight structure and a more character-focused plot (and finally a new outfit). Scarlet and Violet are games filled with ideas, but almost none of them have the correct execution or are even completed, and that includes the DLC.
Refining The Pokemon Formula - Andrew Scariati
Despite a rocky launch riddled with performance issues, Scarlet and Violet offer the realization of a vision over 25 years in the making. The titles fittingly pay homage to past innovations – like Pokemon appearing in the overworld – while bringing trainers into the future with several quality-of-life improvements. From making shiny hunting easier than ever via sandwiches and sprites visible from afar to minor menu improvements, Scarlet and Violet takes a huge step forward while remaining true to Pokemon’s roots. While there are still improvements to be made, particularly with Tera Raids, Pokemon games are moving toward a more accessible formula that both new and veteran trainers can appreciate.
A New Adventure For Old Trainers - Kyle Chamaillard
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are far from perfect, but they feel like a massive breath of fresh air for anyone who has been trying to catch ‘em all since the beginning. It’s easy to spend hours at a time running around Paldea’s giant map and having the option to pursue other storylines kept the adventure from feeling monotonous. Scarlet and Violet takes a step in the right direction, though the series has a long way to go to meet its full potential.
An Enjoyable Mess - Jacob Whaling
The Pokemon franchise has been taking baby steps into its more modern formula, but it has trouble keeping its footing. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have certainly improved in areas from previous games, notably in the exploration, Pokemon capturing, and story departments, but an array of graphical glitches, Tera Raid battle bugs, and a lackluster Shiny hunting experience bring the game down several notches. If you’re a die-hard fan of Pokemon, you’ll probably like Scarlet and Violet, but newer players of the franchise might want to start elsewhere.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet unfortunately suffers from performance issues and bugs, but overall is a fun game. The DLC adds a side story that isokaybut the additions to the Pokedex and the battles that ensue are very fun and surprisingly challenging.
