On that note, one section of the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet that has fans talking is the center part of the region. Smack dab in the middle of Paldea is what looks like a caldera. Large, jagged rocks jut out on every side and enclose the area, and the caldera itself is obscured by a swirling vortex. It’s almost as if this region of Paldea is caught in a permanent hurricane.
As you might expect, this area has spawned countless theories on Reddit. Players think it could house a third legendary Pokémon or be the source of the game’s Terastal phenomenon. Though, given the recent reveal of Titan Pokémon and Herba Mystica, perhaps the mysterious caldera will serve as an endgame farming location for both, sort of like the Ultra Wormhole in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Meanwhile, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are also getting quite a few quality of life improvements that should help iron out some of the wrinkles of other recent installments. And no, we don’t just mean Koraidon and Miraidon. Well, okay, they’re part of it because of their purpose. These Ride Pokémon will let players travers the map faster — a must in any open world title — but they are also Swiss army Pokémon usable on land, in water, and up in the sky. Previous entries with Ride Pokémon forced players to switch between different mounts for different scenarios, but Koraidon and Miraidon’s one-size-fits-all shapeshifting will make the process of exploring the map more streamlined and enjoyable.
Another highly-touted feature is the “Let’s Go” mechanic. According to Nintendo, players will be able to make a Pokémon fetch items in a general direction and even fight wild Pokémon without supervision. Since open world games have plenty of collectible resources and rely on action combat instead of turn-based battles, anything that speeds up that process is welcome. But purists can always participate in every battle if they want.
Since Pokémon Scarlet and Violet won’t release until Nov. 18, we’ve still got a little over a month for potential reveals and updates. Perhaps we will find yet another reason to get excited for the game’s open world map? Only time will tell.