Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s first DLC The Teal Masks has been launched welcoming gamers to go to a second area for the primary time in Pokemon historical past for the reason that second technology of Pokemon and their remakes.
The Teal Masks brings with it new Pokemon to catch, an entertaining story to take part in, and a handful of technical points.
It is a Entire New World We Dwell In
Loading up Pokemon Scarlet and Violet after downloading the DLC, you may instantly be referred to as to the Academy and knowledgeable you’ve got been chosen to go on a really unique subject journey to the Kitakami Area.
Setting out instantly together with your professor and three generic college students (that by no means even get named), you end up on this new area. Earlier than The Teal Masks tries forcing you into the story, you are given the possibility to expertise the Pokemon newly obtainable within the area.
Spinarak, Poocheyena, Cutiefly, and extra Pokemon that have not beforehand been obtainable now encompass you. For somebody at all times striving in direction of finishing their Livingdex, seeing so many Pokemon with ‘???’ above their heads was the right buy-in.
Ogerpon, The Teal Masks, And The Three Noble Pokemon
The story of The Teal Masks revolves across the joint subject journey between your model Academy and the Blueberry Academy, a location we already know we’ll be visiting in subsequent yr’s Indigo Disk DLC.
In Kitakami, you meet Carmine and Kieran, the brother-sister pair from the Blueberry Academy however natives to Kitakami. Over the course of this story, you may study the fable of the Ogre and the three Noble Pokemon, the way it pertains to Carmine and Kieran’s household, and the way actual occasions may be distorted by fantasy.
This story is light-hearted but additionally stuffed with robust character moments as you bond with the competent Carmine… and appear to repeatedly belittle her brother, albeit unintentionally, over the course of the story. I used to be initially apprehensive about forsaking established characters like Penny and Arvin however was instantly invested within the story that the siblings offered.
The story prompts a wholesome quantity of world exploration, guided storytelling, and break up goals to make gamers at all times really feel answerable for this journey. The whole DLC would possibly solely take 5-6 hours to finish, however story-wise it is surprisingly compelling.
With out saying an excessive amount of, I will additionally add that the story and its ending has me very thinking about visiting Blueberry Academy subsequent yr in The Indigo Disk.
Environmental Storytelling In The Teal Masks
An attention-grabbing theme I noticed concerning the Pokemon I used to be seeing within the wild early on, that was regularly bolstered as I explored the Kitakami Area, was that numerous the Pokemon that you just encounter are both from Gen 1 or 2, or are associated to them. You may see Koffing and Pichu, but additionally Munchlax to fill out the households.
Earlier than you even get invested within the folklore of the land, an amusing Pokemon adaptation of Momotaro, the Pokemon you may see instantly make you perceive you are near the Kanto or Johto area.
Not like the DLC from Pokemon Sword and Defend that at all times felt samey, touring to Kitakami nails the sensation of being someplace utterly new.
This storytelling continues as you encounter new types of Pokemon just like the Ursaluna Bloodmoon kind that you just’re launched to by an extended descendant of Adaman, chief of the Diamond Clan from Pokemon Legends Arceus.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Points Are In The Basis
The shortcomings gamers will expertise all through your complete Teal Masks DLC is similar situation that we remarked on throughout our unique evaluation of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: the sport is tormented by technical points.
Gamers making their approach by way of the Kitakami area will doubtless discover themselves persistently tormented by framerate points, unusual lighting results, and awkward animations. Stunning panning photographs of the masks competition are arduous to take pleasure in when characters fanning themselves are shifting at 2 frames a second wanting extra like a metronome than a human.
I could not fairly inform if it was simply that I hadn’t performed Pokemon Scarlet and Violet shortly, however I felt that the efficiency points had been even worse on this DLC. Whereas the area itself is smaller, there’s undoubtedly an elevated presence of grass that appears to coincide with numerous the body drops.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet – The Teal Masks Evaluation | Ultimate Ideas
I had a blast in my adventures by way of the Kitakami area and I look ahead to ending penning this evaluation and diving proper again in to hunt for extra Pokemon I am lacking. This DLC is simply sufficient new, whereas simply sufficient acquainted, that it is simple to leap into even after not enjoying Scarlet or Violet for months.
Whereas I used to be a fan of the story and the relationships I made with Carmine and Kieran, I used to be much more impressed with the delicate storytelling of the area. Followers of Pokemon are subtly launched to the place Kitakami would possibly lie within the grand world of Pokemon.
Essentially the most irritating side of The Teal Masks, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet as a complete, is the efficiency points. It is clear there’s not a single perpetrator that may be pointed at; as an alternative, this situation is foundational. I can not wait to play The Indigo Disk in 2024, however on the identical time I am not wanting ahead to a different damaged expertise.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC The Teal Masks was bought by the reviewer for the aim of this evaluation and skilled over 7 hours. All photos had been taken throughout the course of this evaluation.
