Pokémon Scarlet & Violet recently debuted their first full trailer, sending fans into overdrive with expectation. The highly-anticipated game will be a fully open-world adventure in a brand new region, which provides another layer of challenge for the classic Pokémon journey fans love and expect.
Following the critical and commercial success of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, it makes sense that the franchise would want to stick with the open-world angle. This approach also opens the door for the inclusion of more RPG elements in Scarlet & Violet, which, along with the open world, can enhance the adventure and possibly deliver the best Pokémon game to date.
Crafting
Crafting is a vital part of nearly every RPG game. It enhances the plot's immersive aspect by putting the player in charge of the necessary items to progress the story. Legends: Arceus introduced this element to the franchise, giving players the chance to craft numerous Poké Balls, potions, and tools to catch Pokémon.
Scarlet & Violet should keep this feature. The Poké Mart is a crucial part of most main series Pokémon games, but their presence is no longer necessary. Crafting would complement both games' open-world aspect, giving more freedom to the characters without sacrificing the journey.
Side Missions
Pokémon journeys are very individualistic experiences. Players occasionally cooperate with NPCs -- mainly the friendly rival and the Pokémon Professor -- but the game's plot keeps the player separate from other characters. Interactions mainly come from Pokémon battles, although some NPCs occasionally offer tips or gifts.
Quests and missions are vital for any RPG game, and they should come back for Scarlet & Violet after debuting in Legends: Arceus. The best and most replayable generations in Pokémon introduce more complexity to the classic Pokémon journey, and featuring quests and missions would be the perfect way for Gen IX to make its mark on the franchise.
Base Camp
Open-world games can become overwhelming after a while; it's always nice to have a place to return to and regroup. Most RPGs have a base, somewhere players go back to and rest after so much exploration -- from Skyhold to the Normandy, these locations are a constant throughout the gameplay.
Legends: Arceus featured this element in the form of Jubilife Village, based on one of the best cities in the Sinnoh region. Previous Pokémon games didn't feature a base; instead, players traveled from town to town, covering the entire region on their way to the Pokémon League. Bases played a role in Gens III and IV, but they never made much of a mark on the plot. Scarlet & Violet should feature a town that acts as the base, preferably at the region's center, to facilitate exploration.
Boss Battles
Most Pokémon games include multiple battles against everyday Trainers. However, only a few are truly challenging; most of the difficult battles don't come until the end of the story, usually against the evil team's leader or the box-art Legendary Pokémon. The Elite Four and the Pokémon League Champion may or may not be challenging, but they are usually a Pokémon game's final opponents.
Boss battles are important in RPGs; there are usually several throughout the gameplay, and the most challenging ones don't necessarily come last. Legends: Arceus included several boss battles in the form of Noble Pokémon, providing a nice change of pace. Scarlet & Violet will return to the Gym Challenge, but Gym Leaders aren't nearly as challenging as Noble Pokémon were. Perhaps, Gen IX could bring back the idea of Alpha Pokémon, thus providing a form of boss battle while keeping the Gym Challenge intact.
Mounts
Exploring an open world can be exhausting. Players can spend hours walking, exploring landmarks, fulfilling quests, and fighting battles, to the point where it becomes tiresome. Mounts are an easy way to facilitate exploration, especially when revisiting early locations.
The best open-world games feature a wide variety of mounts. Pokémon Legends: Arceus had Wyrdeer and Hisuian Braviary, two Pokémon that made traversing the vast Hisui region easier. Previous Pokémon games featured HMs or secret techniques that Pokémon learned, allowing players to fly or swim across the region. However, mounts are much more entertaining and add an extra layer of excitement to the exploration. Who wouldn't love to fly on the back of a Dragonite and watch the region from above?
Danger For The Pokémon Trainer
The Pokémon franchise is unique because the player character never suffers any damage. Instead, the Pokémon are the ones that get knocked out and hurt, while the Trainers stay safely on the sidelines.
Most RPGs involve intense battles that can severely injure and even kill the main character. Pokémon Legends: Arceus softly introduced this element by having wild Pokémon attacking the main character and even knocking them out. This change added an extra layer of danger to the exploration, prompting players to become more careful and aware of their surroundings. It makes perfect sense that Trainers should also be in danger during their journeys, especially considering they're literal children and fighting Legendary Pokémon and evil organizations hellbent on destroying/controlling the world.
Trainer Abilities
Abilities are a classic element of RPGs, a way for the main characters to keep evolving past their initial setup. Pokémon have numerous competitive abilities that make them even more impressive in battle. However, the Trainer never receives any enhancement throughout their journey, which seems like a wasted opportunity.
It wouldn't make sense for players to receive supernatural abilities because that's not what Pokémon is. However, characters could unlock abilities based on their training skills. The player's bond with their Pokémon would also provide abilities depending on its strength and intensity. This change could increase the player's commitment because it would involve paying extra care and attention to their Pokémon rather than just leveling them up by grinding.
Real-Time Battling
Battles are usually some of the best parts of any RPG. They keep things challenging and interesting, forcing players to strategize and balance their abilities and skills. Pokémon is the same, with the battles between the titular pocket monsters acting as the franchise's main hook.
Most Pokémon battles occur in a different setting after a brief transition. However, Pokémon Legends: Arceus battles were more faithful to traditional RPGs, occurring in real-time. This is arguably one of the best decisions made by Game Freak and one of the main reasons why Legends: Arceus is among the best Pokémon games. It makes things more pressing and exciting and keeps the action moving. Scarlet & Violet should follow suit and get rid of the battle transition for good.
