Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's upcoming DLC, the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, will introduce new stories, characters, areas to explore, and, of course, new Pokemon. However, there's one new feature being overshadowed, and it is an underrated feature that addresses a flaw in the base game. The new Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC will add new clothing choices for players.
Although Pokemon Scarlet and Violet was a fresh approach to the mainline games, with a unique story focused on a Pokemon academy, it underwhelmed players in some aspects, one of which was fashion. It was a big downgrade from previous Pokemon games that included custom wardrobes. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's clothing choices are limited to academy uniforms, which makes sense considering the players are students, yet it restricts players from wearing more creative outfits.
Comparing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Clothing to Past Pokemon Games
When comparing clothes from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to other games, it's clear that Game Freak did not pay much attention to the fashion aspect. Players are restricted to wearing one out of the four seasonal uniforms: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Players cannot change their shirts or pants to anything aside from uniform variants, but they can still add or change certain accessories, including shoes, socks, and hats. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's overall clothing structure is disappointing, given that clothing in Pokemon games should express the player uniquely and represent the culture of the region.
Pokemon Sword and Shield and Pokemon Legends: Arceus are games where the fashion is done right. Pokemon Sword and Shield, based in Galar, offers a variety of modern and stylish clothing to the players. Although Galar is inspired by Great Britain, they also have styles from various modern cultures, given that Pokemon's player base spreads around the world. Additionally, Galar focuses on Pokemon battling as a sport, and players can dress up in sporty uniforms to look stylish in battle. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet turned down the diverse aspect by many levels, especially considering how flashy other characters' outfits are, particularly the members of Team Star.
Although not as diverse as Pokemon Sword and Shield, Pokemon Legends: Arceus finds inspiration for their clothes from feudal Japan, emphasizing culture. Hisuian fashion mostly consists of traditional Japanese clothing such as kimonos, sandals, and traditional headgear. Hisuian clothes come in an array of different colors and patterns, allowing for players to choose how they want to look roaming the wild lands, Meanwhile, students in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet wear their orange or purple academy uniforms while exploring the Paldea region, which is impractical, and the clothes don't really pay homage to Spain, the country the region is based off of.
Clothing Shown in the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC Trailer
Thankfully, fashion is looking promising following the reveal trailer for the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC, as the protagonists appear in clothing that's vastly different from the academy uniforms. In the poster for The Teal Mask, the protagonists are all wearing variations of traditional jinbei outfits for the festival in Kitakami, a new location with Japanese inspiration. The new outfits provide hope that players can purchase and wear alternative styles of jinbei outfits and more traditional Japanese clothing reminscent of clothing featured in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
In contrast, the reveal of part 2 of the DLC, the Indigo Disk, showed off new uniforms for players to wear, although they don't look as basic as the ones in the base game. The Blueberry Academy uniforms don't have the typical student style, as the outfits are more appropriate for Pokemon battling. It's similar to the battle uniforms featured in Pokemon Sword and Shield, as Blueberry Academy will be a battle-focused school.
Players can only hope that Game Freak adds more clothing in the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC similarly to how Pokemon Sword and Shield's Expansion Pass added new outfits. Players can pre-order the DLC now to gain access to four new uniforms sets, which is a step in the right direction for more clothing options, although they're still academy uniforms. Being able to change out of academy uniforms would be fantastic, but won't be until Fall 2023 that fans see what clothes the DLC with add.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for the Nintendo Switch.
