Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask Reviews
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.
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.
Gamefreak's latest DLC improves the game in some ways, while not in the ways that would matter the most.
No matter how good The Teal Mask is, it will always be held back by the issues innate to Scarlet & Violet.
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
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
If you didn't have a good time playing the games at the time, I doubt Teal Mask will change your mind, as there are no major graphical or performance improvements.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I am giving Pokemon Scarlet and Violet The Teal Mask DLC 4.5 stars solely because I did list a couple of glitches and things that made the Tera Raids and catching Pokemon a bit tricky. Otherwise, I couldn't have any complaints about this game, and I am truly obsessed with it.
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
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
Despite its flaws, The Teal Mask DLC, with its fresh setting and intriguing side quests, amplifies the experience of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet—perfect for those seeking a return trip to the vibrant world of Paldea.
Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 1 The Teal Mask offers nothing we haven't seen before. Kitakami, despite the Japanese theming, feels exactly like Paldea just with different Pokémon. The story is uninteresting and has characters changing completely on a dime, and quite a lot of the included Pokémon already appear in the main game. There's just not much going on here.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's first DLC expansion, The Teal Mask, is a commendable step in the right direction that's held back by some familiar technical shortcomings.
Technical problems and a lack of difficulty balancing spoil what would've been a neat slice of DLC, with some surprisingly good storytelling.
Once again I ask, is the Pokemon Violet DLC worth buying? That depends. If you were hoping for a smoother framerate, you’ll be disappointed. The Teal Mask DLC runs just as well as the base game. If you want more Pokemon content, you’re in luck! There’s something like 100 old Pokemon being added to the total roster. There’s also new sidequests, new story content, and new items to acquire. The battles are challenging (by Pokemon standards), and there’s a wide variety of biomes within Kitakami to explore. For me, this was a perfect excuse to jump back into the game. But I recognize that I’m a hardcore fan of these games. Ultimately, that’s who Pokemon DLC is usually for. If you’re a fan, you’ll enjoy this extra content. Otherwise, you can leave this one be.
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.
’ll spend about five hours finishing up the story, and 10-15 hours cleaning up everything else, with a full Kitakami ‘Dex. I really hope Indigo Disk brings it, because at present, the current incarnation of the season pass is tough to recommend.