Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask Reviews
The Teal Mask is some of Pokemon's tightest storytelling, and introduces players to a fun new region. The performance issues are still a glaring scar across what should be one of Pokemon's better outings. (Review Policy)
The first DLC of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet surprised us with a more intimate story, linked to the folklore of Nordivia; A nice change of tone and rhythm, after the main story had accustomed us to much worse threats. That's what we liked most about the DLC, along with the addition of new Pokémon to catch and new areas to explore.
Review in Italian | Read full review
At first, the DLC felt like it was too little, but as we got to experience the story in The Indigo Disk, it felt more flushed out and worth the price. If you are a fan of Pokemon games, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC is worth picking up. The blend of different generations of Pokemon makes the game feel fresh and changes the game’s battle system for more competitive matchups. Despite some of the negatives, it is ultimately worth the price if you want to keep enjoying Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
So we'll see where they take it from here. With all the winks and nods to Unova I'm holding my breath as they seem to be gearing up to remake my personal favorite titles. So here's to hoping they won't screw it up.
The Teal Mask is, for better and for worse, more of the same. It tells an enjoyable story with some excellent lore that makes Kitakami feel as alive as any past region, and offers the same freedom of exploration that made Paldea so captivating. Unfortunately, it also comes with all the performance issues and poor optimisation that made Paldea so frustrating, and its short length, poorly-designed level scaling, and failure to deliver a proper conclusion to its story make it a less satisfying experience than it could have been, particularly if you’re coming into it from an endgame save state with a powerful team. The value of The Hidden Treasures of Area Zero as a package will of course be determined by both parts of it, but The Teal Mask is not as strong of a start as it could have been.
With a more focused narrative and an emphasis on meeting interesting characters, The Teal Mask does have some high points. It’s just a shame that it gets bogged down in a painfully short narrative and a lack of new or interesting pokemon inhabiting its sparse new region.
The Teal Mask could have been a great expansion for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet if Game Freak had taken the time it needed to address and fix the overwhelming amount of issues that still plague the overall package. The fun stories and great Kitakami area make for some good fun if you can look past the technical troubles.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
The Teal Mask is not an indispensable addition to Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, it is a DLC that ends up being practically more of the same. If, like me, you loved the unprecedented freedom and interactivity with Pokémon in their habitats in the base game, then you'll find more of that pleasure in Kitikami. If, on the other hand, the technical, graphical and performance problems that plague the entire ninth generation frustrate you and disturb your fun, perhaps this is not such an appealing return. How recommendable this expansion is depends on whether you hate to love or love to hate the entire ninth generation of Pokémon.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Does The Teal Mask redeem Pokémon Scarlet and Violet for the faults made last year? No, but that doesn't stop it from being an inoffensive, nice experience.
In conclusion, the first part of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC is okay, but nothing more. The story is really very light and we've already seen better in the Pokémon universe. However, I can't wait to see what happens next, because the ending hooked me enough to make me want to play part 2. For die-hard fans, the side quests and the many Pokémons to capture will easily extend the adventure by another 5-6 hours on top of the initial 3-4. So, if you're craving more Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, go for it. For the rest of you, I'll wait to see the quality of volume 2 before investing my $45.
Review in French | Read full review
While the whole affair is over in a blink, the moreish adventure of this DLC, the first part of a larger story titled The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, pushes you along with confidence. Short, sharp, and energetic, this is a DLC chapter with high stakes, and equally high reward.
The Teal Mask had the potential for something more, and in fact we got a okay story with not very interesting map, but a decent amount of content. It is worth remembering that The Teal Mask is only the first part, of a larger piece of content, so we will have a different perspective in the future after the release of part two.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Overall, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask is a quick and easy trip with good storytelling and interesting characters. Kitakami feels alive, which is no easy feat for DLC this short, and it's arguably better than either DLCs from Gen 8. As with Scarlet and Violet, though, the performance issues only slightly distract from the fun open-world exploration. The mechanics that have made Pokémon games popular for over two decades are still intact. In other words, all the right ingredients are here, even if some issues make the taste bittersweet.