With the launch of the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet gameplay trailer in June, The Pokémon Company confirmed that the Paldea Region RPGs would be the series first truly open-world game. With Pokémon Legends: Arceus just releasing earlier this year, many fans began to speculate how much Scarlet and Violet's development was actually influenced by the Hisui Region Sinnoh origin story.
In October, Game Freak held an official Gen 9 preview event, where journalists got to experience a hands-on-demo of the Scarlet and Violet games. The sneak peek revealed many major details about the generation, such as Paldea's catching mechanics, as well as how the new Team Star villain battles will work. The Pokémon Scarlet and Violet previews also uncovered several features that had previously been seen in the Hisui Region. Here is a look at how much Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be like Legends: Arceus.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet's Open-World Map Is An Improvement Over Legends: Arceus
When Pokémon Legends: Arceus was first teased, many fans thought it was going to be an open-world game. While the RPG features the series first "open-world" gameplay, the Hisui region title was actually split up into mini-map sections with loading screens. That is not the case for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, as the game's map is truly open, with the map even having a seamless transition between the cities and the wild area's. However, journalists did confirm at the preview event that Gen 9 does have a single loading screen that pops up when players enter the hideout bases that are in the Starfall Street campaign The special boss fights are connected to the new Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Team Star villains. Outside of that, Paldea is a massive improvement over the Hisui Region. Players will be able to explore the entire map from the very beginning of the game, and even be able to tackle the Gym Leader's in any order.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Has A Twist On Pokémon Legends: Arceus Mount Mechanic
Another Pokémon Legends: Arceus feature that is being carried over to Scarlet and Violet, is the Pokémon travel mount mechanic. Unlike the Hisui Region, though, Gen 9 will actually give trainers their Pokémon mount at the very start of the story campaign. Depending on which version of Scarlet and Violet players own, their Paldea Professor will give them either Koraidon or Miraidon. Just like Pokémon Legends: Arceus' mounts, Koraidon and Miraidon will be able to run, swim, climb and glide. The Scarlet and Violet mounts look much more accessible and improved, as an October trailer shows Koraidon hopping directly on to the side of a mountain and quickly running up to the top of its peak. Players can expect to have a snappier traversal experience, where they will be able to zip around the map, and hop off things to glide across Paldea's sprawling landscape.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Does Not Have Legends: Arceus Catching Mechanic
Unfortunately, Scarlet and Violet will not have Pokémon Legends: Arceus catching mechanic. In the Hisui Region, players were able to use a free-aim reticle and throw their Poké Ball anywhere across the map. Best of all, if a Trainer could even catch a Pokémon without having to battle it. This is not the case in Gen 9, which is much more limited. Pokémon will now appear in the Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Alpha Pokémon.
Those are the biggest similarities between Scarlet and Violet and Pokémon Legends: Arceus. There are also many smaller influences as well, like the new Titan Pokémon, which is a direct mirror of Hisui's epic Noble Pokémon battles. Gen 9 has also overhauled its systems to be more accessible like Pokémon Legends: Arceus, such as giving Scarlet and Violet players the ability to now change their Pokémon's moves anytime they want in the menu. While there are many similarities, there are also some pretty stark differences. In order to complete the Paldean Pokédex, for example, players will once again have to rely on Trade Evolutions. Unlike Hisui, it doesn't look like players will be able to obtain a trade cable item to by it.
According to many Pokémon Scarlet and Violet leaks, Gen 9 battles will be more similar to traditional generations, and won't incorporate Agile and Strong Style moves. Lastly, while Scarlet and Violet does have a feature that lets players create TM's and items using resources found in battle, players will have to use the game's Let's Go feature, as well as go to a Pokémon Center to do this. It won't be like Pokémon Legends: Arceus where trainers were able to just walk around and craft Poké Balls on the fly after smashing rocks and shaking trees.
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