Pokemon Scarlet and Violet brought about significant changes to the mainline Pokemon series with its wide-open world and free-roaming Pokemon capture mechanics. The Teal Mask expansion introduced players to the land of Kitakami and its Festival of Masks, where a long-buried secret was uncovered. Now, with the upcoming release of The Indigo Disk, players will embark on a new adventure as a visiting student at Blueberry Academy.
Discovering Blueberry Academy
Blueberry Academy, an expensive and high-tech institution, is home to the best and brightest trainers. Its major attraction is a massive terrarium at the center, resembling a wild area filled with free-roaming Pokemon. Unlike the open world found in Paldea, the terrarium is denser and consists of different environment types, ranging from snowy landscapes to canyons. These biomes are conveniently separated into quadrants with distinct Pokemon types, allowing players to explore and capture Pokemon without the need for extensive traveling.
Double battles, a homage to official Pokemon League battling, take center stage at Blueberry Academy. This introduces an extra layer of strategy and complexity to the usual battle types, as trainers must now navigate and coordinate their moves with two Pokemon simultaneously. Experienced trainers will need to carefully formulate teams and strategies to counter the complex combos employed by Blueberry’s Elite Four.
The Elite Four at Blueberry Academy is known for their use of double battles, giving them the advantage of executing more intricate combinations. For instance, battles may culminate in a Terrastalized Metagross partnered with a Reuniclus that utilizes Trick Room to alter the speed dynamics of the battle. This level of complexity requires trainers to think beyond the scope of traditional type match-ups, forcing them to adapt and devise new strategies to emerge victorious.
Flying High
The Indigo Disk expansion introduces a flying mechanic that goes beyond the glide function seen in the main game. Players unlock the ability to freely fly around Blueberry Academy’s terrarium area by passing a simple test of flying through rings on the back of their winged Koraidon. This mechanic closely resembles the flight mechanics of games like Star Fox, granting players a thrilling sense of real flight. Although the flying mechanic is showcased in Blueberry Academy, it remains uncertain whether it can be transferred to the main game’s Paldea region.
While The Indigo Disk expansion brings noteworthy additions to the game, visual bugs and technical issues continue to plague the Scarlet and Violet series. Sweeping shots of Blueberry Academy reveal jagged textures, frame-rate dips, and instances of pop-in. These issues are reminiscent of those found in the original game and can prove distracting, particularly for players who are able to freely fly over the environment.
Despite the persistent flaws, The Indigo Disk expansion offers a fitting conclusion to the open-world Pokemon experience introduced in Scarlet and Violet. The inclusion of a new biome within Blueberry Academy’s terrarium area allows for a diverse range of Pokemon types to coexist, while the introduction of double battles adds a new level of challenge. Overall, The Indigo Disk promises to keep fans engaged as they eagerly await what the future holds for the Pokemon franchise.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s The Indigo Disk expansion introduces exciting new features and challenges that build upon the foundation set by the main game. Although visual bugs are still present, the addition of a flying mechanic and the exploration of Blueberry Academy’s terrarium area provide a fresh and immersive experience for players. The Indigo Disk expansion serves as a testament to the ongoing evolution of the Pokemon series and leaves fans eagerly anticipating what lies ahead.
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