Pokemon Scarlet and Violet - Area Zero / Area Zero Wild Battle | Reacting To Video Game Music!

[@Stormfall7]

I love your reaction to these- I was hoping they'd catch you a bit off guard, and I'd say they seemed to do that and more. Really glad you enjoyed. Man, these songs stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard them. It was like a feeling of "am I still playing a Pokemon game?" They're wild. They also really capture the feel the feeling of being in a strange place you're not meant to be. And absolutely feel like they belong in the endgame. Thanks for reacting to one of my requests! Also, don't forget your glasses on the floor lol 😎

[@puzzle_boy]

It's like the Megami Tensei size of the Pocket Monsters

[@ShayTheValiant]

I love that the message of the Area Zero theme is: "You are in a place that you should not be in. You are messing with forces beyond your comprehension." Toby Fox conveyed that message incredibly.

[@devranyilmaz9806]

And yet you can still kick their literally otherworldly asses. A lesson to be learned: violence usually works.

[@ArguablyTJJ]

It's interesting because in an interview (I believe it's in the booklet with the soundtrack), it sounds like it was initially quite a different mood. He says "The original version I wrote of this song was much more peaceful; it had a 'heavenly' feeling to the arrangement. ... Thanks to [Ichinose] the final product's solemn feeling and impact overall has risen." - translation by chart_carr

[@JayceCH.]

More like thanks to Go Ichinose.

[@darkiway]

In spite of its flaws, S/V is the most fun I've had playing through a Pokémon game. And reaching this part of the game really dropped my jaw to the floor.

[@zzeroara9511]

imagine if the game had another 2 years and millions more in their budget : [

[@austinsultenfuss7661]

I definitely had a blast compared to the last generation but I’m still incredibly disappointed by the state of this game

[@ppvsonicspy]

Almost like the game itself is actually fantastic in spite of the supposed glitches(I say supposed because I have not found a single one since day 1, most glitches people were showing online were only there because the game was being played on an emulator.) and in spite of the performance issues as well. If Nintendo gave Gamefreak longer than 4 years to release the next generation then they could have released the game in a better state and most likely with the full national dex.

[@GoGojiraGo]

@@ppvsonicspy I love how people tried to use all the crazy shit that happened on the pirated emulator versions of the game to attack and dump on the game. I have a Switch Lite and aside from a single crash and some framerate drops I've never experienced anything shown in those videos.

[@ToastedBread68]

I had 3 gripes about the game. The performance was terrible and never got optimized, the character customization was boring (DLC helped, but not enough), and they removed the set/switch playstyle from the options for like no reason. Besides that, I enjoyed it. I just hope the next mainline games improve upon S/V's flaws.

[@tunesea5239]

Going through Area Zero for the first time with THESE tracks playing in the background was an otherworldly experience that no other Pokemon game has given me.

[@terrancenightingale1749]

Oh absolutely. I was in stunned silence when Area Zero first started playing, and that feeling stuck with me until the very end of the area. I've only rarely felt such awe in Pokemon, the only other time I can remember being the entrance to Victory Road in Black and White.

[@professionaltrashcan6758]

Area Zero was the most amazing experience I had in a Pokemon game.

[@crispyjokingtuna1495]

Same. The music hits so hard in area zero giving it otherworldly vibes while also somehow communicating the fact you’re about to come up against the past or future. And then the professor theme… I had to sit in silence for a minute after that whole ordeal

[@dethtroy2185]

my first thought was of the pitfall valley dungeon from the first mystery dungeon games...descending into a place we shouldn't be...and the music definitely only amped things up more as we go further down.

[@elin111]

For a very summarized in-game context: Area Zero is a massive crater in the center of the game's map that you're repeatedly told not to go into though the entire game, then when you finally get in for the final dungeon and this starts playing, it is very effective at giving a "maybe the adults were right I shouldn't be here" vibes.

[@bonsouare2986]

This song is mean to represents both past and future, and it does it so well

[@JessesAuditorium]

Oh? Some kinda time warp area?

[@Mar_Marine]

@@JessesAuditorium It's a little complicated and in almost any further explanation would spoil the story, if that matters to you. So spoilers ahead. In short, depending on which version of the game you have, your character will encounter Pokemon from either the past or the future. In Area Zero - a giant scenic crater located in the center of the region - there is a high saturation of these Pokemon from the past/future. The region's Professor had been experimenting with bringing Pokemon back from the past/future, and when the machine ceased to function normally, a constant spew of Pokemon from their time period flooded into this crater. Not only are these Pokemon from a different time, but they typically boast much stronger stats than average Pokemon.

[@JessesAuditorium]

I stopped reading after the first sentence. But just showing appreciation for even taking the time to write that beforehand, some people just fire off lol.

[@BJGvideos]

​@@Mar_Marine Spoilers below! Oh the machine wasn't functioning improperly. This was exactly what the professor wanted.

[@bru4773]

Yeah, so these were composed by Toby Fox and then arranged Go Ichinose, the main Pokemon composer. I absolutely love these songs, and Im glad you finally got to them! (Im Visorelle, btw) In regards to your no-corner cutting... SV have a pretty good story, very very good music, but corners were definitely cut in the programming, lol. Lots of bugs and performance issues. Oh well. I still had and continue to have a ton of fun with the game. Ive been playing Pokemon avidly since Pokemon Silver. Ive had so much fun with the series. Its been a huge part of my life. Not just the main series, but the side series as well, Pokemon Mystery dungeon especially. But yeah, there's a reason Pokemon is such a successful series in spite of rushed development on the last few titles. It's just always such an amazing time. Thanks again for getting to this reaction, it was everything I was hoping to be.

[@handsoaphandsoap]

Lots of bugs and performance issues is an understatement tbh lol, the devs were lucky the game functioned on launch

[@hideharu-xiii8852]

To be fair, those cut corners are totally on the executives for having a deadline that soon for a game like this. Up until apparently recently, they’ve always been on a three year cycle with new Pokemon generations and games, with I can imagine the devs starting on a new game already halfway into that cycle (at least for a mainline title). There’s so many little features in the game that show the devs really do care (for example, Hoppip being flown away if there is a storm). If given about another year of development it would have been near perfection

[@dawk7]

ngl, the Area Zero finale is a really good example of how their work is when they aren't cutting corners in a rush to release. It's blatant they put a lot of work on the finale, and that makes the rest of the game look oh-so-more painfully unpolished...

[@bru4773]

@@dawk7 Area Zero is plagued with its own performance problems too, the lighting in there is absolutely bonkers sometimes, flashing on and off depending on what menu item youre hovering over, lol. But Area Zero gave me a feeling of awe that I havent gotten from a main series pokemon game since Platinum's Distortion World (and R/S/E's regi caves before that). Just that overwhelming feeling of "What the hell have I walked into??". And I loved it.

[@FF-tp7qs]

I think bugs have plagued every generation of pokemon since the beginning. They're just far more flashy and in your face in the later games. Gen 1 had moves that failed to perform as advertised such as Focus Energy, a move intended to multiply your critical hit chance by four and instead reduces it to one quarter instead.

[@moonlighteh3086]

"My glasses fell, it's okay i have another pair." Loool

[@StarfieldDisarray]

The Area Zero battle theme is maybe my favorite track in the whole franchise, the bass really steals the show and I love the ethereal quality of it all.

[@JeanKP14]

Also, it's so cool how it combines futuristic + ancient sounds, to represent the past and future paradox pokemon

[@kevinmata5586]

It's the only theme I choose when doing online battles

[@earleybyrd9236]

I love- and I mean LOVE this game to death, but “The Pokémon devs cut no corners” is definitely a statement you wouldn’t hear anywhere else lmao. These devs are ABSURDLY passionate, and talented to a degree that goes woefully overlooked. The world, story, characters, gameplay, map design, QOL, ect ect- This game’s probably my favorite of the entire series. They went lengths with this game that SHOCKED me to my core. Excuse my French but Scarlet and Violet has BALLS, and for days. This is the most innovative game this series has ever seen… but it was RUSHED. Pokémon is the largest multimedia company on earth. It is a machine, they gotta align every pillar of this series- The games, the anime, the TCG, the merch- to fire at full blast for the launch of each new generation. The problem? They have NOT slowed down to account for how much larger and more complicated modern game development has became. They rush these games out to meet their deadlines. Where Sword and Shield and Legends Arceus, the other Nintendo Switch Pokémon games, are pretty good experiences, notably held back by this fact, just never game-ruiningly so… Scarlet and Violet got REAL ambitious... Im talking, the worst preforming framerate of any game I have ever played, no exaggeration. Visual bugs so baffling, massive portions of the map will just pop out of existence on occasion. The art direction is good, great even, but every technical aspect of the game is held together by duct tape, and its only gotten slightly better with post-launch updates. You will not have a technically sound experience with this game, that is impossible. And yet, I struggle to tell people to steer clear of this game. It is THAT good. By all means, if that is a dealbreaker for you, there is nothing wrong with your standards- But if you want something fresh, something different, something ambitious, something that feels meaningful, such an unabashedly fun evolution of the standard Pokémon formula that it gives me all the hope in the world despite these glaring flaws- Tamper your expectations, and you’ll have them blown to the heavens. And yes, there are FAR more bangers here, what a godly soundtrack.

[@JessesAuditorium]

Reading some similar sentiments, my question is do these games ever get polished or updated, or just aesthetics / other DLC?

[@earleybyrd9236]

@@JessesAuditorium The game’s definitely not as bad as it was at launch, but it’s not… in a *good* state. They used to release improved 3rd versions of each Pokémon generation, but their DLC practices have replaced that- Not to say the DLC isn’t good, but they’re not new games. My best hope is the rumored Switch successor that’s likely to drop next year, will probably have backwards compatibility and this game may have improvements if so. Not the optimal situation, but it’d at least be easier to recommend the game. Its hard to confirm it now when ScVl is the latest mainline game in the series, but I do get the impression that Game Freak is taking the response to this game to heart, and the next game (Pokémon Legends Z-A) is a long ways away, so there’s more hope the devs have been given a proper deadline.

[@edgarsilva4744]

@@JessesAuditorium Not.... really? It does get updated, and it is PLAYABLE but not in a good state, though it's still miles better than it was at launch. The DLCs add new story content and pokemon to catch, as well as some more banger music. All in all, not a great game when looking at the technical part of it, but an OUTSTANDING experience in terms of gameplay and story. Definitely recommend.

[@kl0764]

11:30 lol they definitely cut a few corners developing scarlet and violet. music is always quality though

[@jonieljoestarzawarudo8172]

A few corners is being generous.

[@Amitlu]

I dont think budget was the problem. Time was.

[@catscanhavelittleasalami]

@@Amitlu that and they're too cheap to hire more people

[@Amitlu]

@@catscanhavelittleasalami Fair

[@crb8124]

@@catscanhavelittleasalami They do hire more people. What GF does is pluck fresh out of college devs and programmers as contractors to do their dirty work and cut costs while the art team has fun, then puts them under 24/7 crunch to make the art team's ideas a reality, and then fires them when the game is released. We know this cause a what is basically Japan's version of Glassdoor got leaked and we can see the reviews. Art Dept. has great reviews, Dev. Dept is almost 1 star.

[@seekittycat]

Pokemon IS a kid's game at the end of the day and when my friend's kid entered this area for the first time he's like "mommmm can you sit with me 😭???" Honestly perfect composer for this area. The battle music is groovy AF 😎.

[@logainwolfe1988]

So the Pokemon developers actually have been accused of lacking in a lot of areas in regards to the amount of resources they have to put out each game. But the one area that they are never lacking is the music. It's almost like the principal where if your food smells good it must be tasty, right? If you don't look at what you're consuming in regards to the newer Pokemon games and just judge them based on their soundtracks you would think that they among the greatest games ever made. The newest games are like a casserole that was supposed to cook for an hour but got pulled after 45 minutes. The edible parts are really good, but it's visibly unfinished.

[@JessesAuditorium]

What a shame.

[@theconman6505]

Damn, I really like this analogy. Perfectly describes how I have been feeling about recent titles. Here's to hoping that the next Legends title gets enough time to bake.

[@BJGvideos]

The edible parts are REALLY good. Which makes the undercooked parts even more frustrating because it's clear that they DID have a lot of passion for this game. This wasn't something dashed out without thought. The good elements are some of the best the series has ever had. Especially the story!

[@hideharu-xiii8852]

I don’t blame the devs as much as I blame the higher ups for demanding it to be out so soon. They put out the release date. The devs just have to work with what they got

[@supremeseregios6810]

I mean, yeah... but all around, it's still a good casserole. It only gets better if you go for seconds (the DLC)

[@Hamantha]

This is so unlike any other song I’ve heard in a game. It has such a weird aura I haven’t heard be captured before

[@WatashiMachineFullCycle]

I've mentioned it in my own comment so I don't want to be obnoxious about recommending it but it's so underrated - if you really like the weird aura I highly suggest checking out Raison D'être, and Turii, from The Epic of Zektbach! Very very very similar vibes imo, and it's criminally obscure in video game music spheres

[@kevinnguyen4711]

These themes are indeed Toby Fox, but Go Ichinose, who was in charge of a lot of other amazing Pokemon tracks, arranged it as well. As for where this plays (aside from being a final dungeon), if you're familiar with the science fiction novel Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne... it's pretty much like that. Area Zero is this sort of lost world deep inside the earth where these fierce wild Pokemon displaced in time dwell, and it's at least as cool as it sounds. This final area has this alien and otherworldly quality to it, both in visuals and music, and it is _so_ different in atmosphere from the rest of the story that you'd be forgiven for thinking you stepped into a different game upon entering it. Of course, that's the intended effect, as the whole endgame experience can be described as entering a rabbit hole that gets crazier and wilder the deeper you go in. The final boss, of course, is fought in Area Zero as well, and their theme, which you've already listened to, has Area Zero's lietmotif in it. Just something to listen out for if you decide to hear that one again. I chuckled a little when you mentioned how the developers don't cut corners, because that's one of the main criticisms of the company by a lot of fans. With a fanbase as old and as massive as Pokemon's, there will always be arguments and differing opinions, but the quality of the games themselves (with graphics, performance, content, and so on) have been a source of heated debate for quite a while. As someone who's been with Pokemon since Gen 2, I stand... somewhere in the middle. I do think there are a lot of things Game Freak can do better, but I almost always enjoy the world and the Pokemon they designed, and I do believe they've gotten better at handling story and character arcs. And obviously, the music's always going to be incredible. That is one of the few things I can see fans agree on when it comes to Pokemon. By the way, I think that high-pitched instrument may be a theremin, but I'm not 100% sure. And that blue bird Pokemon with a yellow beak you were talking about is probably a Cramorant (maybe a Ducklett or a Quaxly). Goofy little guy.

[@Klefth]

I was thinking that instrument sounded like a theremin too! Such a weird and underlooked instrument so often just relegated to ambiance stuff.

[@Catchandelier22]

To me, it sounds more like an Erhu? But a theremin can get very similar sound qualities. I genuinely don’t know what that sound is…

[@Klefth]

@@Catchandelier22 It just sounds a lot smoother than an erhu to me. With the erhu you can feel the bow rubbing on the strings some, there's like more of a vibration to it.

[@preston_s.]

What caught me most off guard playing this game for the first time was how much more mature its themes and music felt than most other Pokemon games. Don't get me wrong: it's still a very kid-friendly game, but those things specifically stand out as uncharacteristically mature. Edit: Oh, and the bass goes hard throughout the entire OST.

[@blackglurakx2409]

Now we need the Underdepths theme and then Terapagos to complete the Area Zero experience for him. MAKE IT HAPPEN PEOPLE

[@ExaltedUriel]

And the Paradox Pokemon battle theme, it's only slightly different from the "regular" battle theme but I do think it is a little better.

[@Zaltiz]

I have the final Terapagos theme on his request list. Will probably take forever to get to it since there are thousands of songs ahead of it on the list lol. Unless I get lucky and he picks it randomly.

[@NoApplePie4u]

As "bad" as the games have been lately the music in the games always slaps. I've been on a huge Pokemon binge lately so cool see you check out the newer games songs.

[@AT7outof10]

You are right about Video Game music being long overdue to being taken seriously; Video Games in general, in a perfect world everyone would know that its an interactive artform. The other thing I wanted to say is, since you are a "Gen 1-er" as they call it, it'd be so funny to watch you react to Pokemon's official video celebrating 1008 pokemon, showing all of them off while a medley of songs play.

[@NeilMarshall6]

Oh I wish he hears the team star grunt battle theme someday. I'm sure Jesse would be shocked!

[@estheraleman6043]

So many better themes than that

[@NeilMarshall6]

@@estheraleman6043 say one

[@MushyYGO]

The sense of mystery and the chorus and just everything about Area Zero's theme is so cool

[@bradensmith8682]

Unnerving, awe-inspiring, with a hint that something has gone terribly wrong and you definitely shouldn't be here.

[@Silent_Lucidity]

13:42 this is why I followed your channel since you started music reactions. It's awesome to see someone finally truly appreciate video game music. I started playing music myself 25 years ago entirely inspired by Nobuo Uematsu, an absolute legend who goes completely underappreciated in the mainstream.

[@fissilewhistle]

“Pokémon developers cut no corners.” Lol. LMAO, even.

[@Spika94]

Area Zero is the type of fantasy I love, and it is a Fantasy that is very real. We have an ancient past (and a mysterious future, thought personally I prefer the past), and despite all of it being on our own planet, it is so very alien at the same time. We can only ever peek at fragments left behind by our past. I am just dying to know what our past was like. How alien was it? How advanced did it ever get? What kind of creatures roamed our planet who failed to leave behind a clue? I get chills just thinking about these things, and these Area Zero OSTs excites my very soul as it invokes these feelings, thoughts and fantasies!

[@Firecat0]

The Area Zero theme is definitely one of my top three fave songs from s/v (Cascarrafa city theme and Sada/Turo battle theme are the other two) and from the first time I heard it play ingame I was hooked. Seeing the otherwordly vista of Area Zero spreading out before you, the very air glittering with strange and beautiful energies, then that music starts trickling in and you just know that you're in for something that will change you.

[@Game_InSky]

!The craziest thing is that this is not even my favourite wild battle theme in gen 9! Scarlet & Violet add EIGHT new wild themes and you'd think that the sheer quantity of them would impact their quality, but half of them are some of the best wild themes in the franchise, and the other half are pretty cool in their own right still. I feel no shame in saying that gen 9 has the highest standard of battle themes in the main series.

[@cIII545]

Definitely agree, the wild battle themes this gen were so good. South province is my personal favourite.

[@Game_InSky]

@@cIII545 It's all about the east province for me, but I cans ee how you'd like South Province best

[@BJGvideos]

I feel like the highest quality in the WHOLE series is probably Conquest but yeah.

[@cattenchaostherandomperson]

another east province lover?!

[@hamzahax]

The Nier Vibes are spot on with this one Especially since this takes place in an area long forgotten by time

[@angel107011]

I love how you're now using the Queen's Blood song for every video since Rebirth came out. It's such a fantastic song.

[@MsLuckyLucario]

Going to Area Zero the first time was such an adventure! The whole place, the story, the Paradox Pokémon and then this music!! OMG.. This still gives me chilles.

[@Yosh4761]

Honestly I wasn’t a huge fan of scarlet and violet, but when I got to area zero I got chills. This is such a cool part of the game and definitely worth pushing through to the end

[@BJGvideos]

The ending stays in my head over a year later. Spoilers Arven crying out for a parent he knows is gone, the AI's fear at their creator's true nature, so many questions that can never truly be resolved about the professor... it's a very impactful part

[@jellycore1316]

FOUR MINUTES AGO More Pokémonnn, thank you so much Jesse and the person or people that requested this! ^^ I hope you had fun reacting to these! I already see Area Zero, nyuhuhuh X3 That is awesome I hope you're having a great day, whoever's reading this!

[@Namadu7]

Just so you know, seeing your Minior avatar on any one of these videos makes my days brighter!

[@jellycore1316]

@@Namadu7 Awww! ;w; Honestly, reading this just made me really happy, thank you so much! That means a lot! And it definitely motivates me to write even more! XD

[@thomaspereira1545]

The descent into Area Zero is one of the best experiences i've had in pokemon...in a very long time. A lot of it is due to this theme, the atmosphere here is unmatched

[@jonieljoestarzawarudo8172]

11:26 belive me, Jesse. Pokemon developers cut A LOT of corners, especially with this game.

[@zzeroara9511]

ontologically wrong but sure 😂

[@jonieljoestarzawarudo8172]

@@zzeroara9511 Ontologically?

[@sokomun]

These tracks really are amazing imo. Toby is so versatile. He can create electro, metal, rock, symphonic orchestral, mono-instrumental music, and add so many other feelings to his tracks. But always adding his own style in the mix. You can always tell if he's participated in creating the music.

[@nicholaswild2883]

Loved your commentary on longterm fans of pokemom and how it has evolved. I started playing in '97 at the age of 3 years old. I've played every mainline entry at release. This particular theme and area was wonderful to experience and a great experience. Yes, Scarlet and Violet have... a lot of problems. But this particular bit of the games was... incredible. This and the Sada/Turo theme were some of my favorite bits of music from the series. Thanks for sharing your experience with it. :)

[@franciscojaviermendezrinco1902]

The Area Zero theme tells you that the place is a full pokémon paradise that was untouched by humans, that you are not meant to be there and are not welcome. But also tells you that something that also doesn't belong there also made that place its home, something that is dangerous since when you arrive for the first time your seventh partner, koraidon/miraidon doesn't want to get out of its pokeball out of fear of something there.

[@kyuumons]

When I got to Area Zero, i took maybe 5 steps before the vocals started and I immediately stopped in my tracks. Even still I still get chills listening to this music :')

[@fed3758]

Im so glad this was requested. Its an awesome set of themes

[@Rinienna]

Man...hearing Jesse speak of such praise and wonder. It's hard. Yes, the music is great, and there are some really neat unique things that Scar/Vi do well. But- man. I really hope there's some good change in the games going forward.

[@Klefth]

"Pokemon developers cut no corners"? Man, the music is absolutely sick. that bassline in the battle theme is fucking amazing, but, oh if only you knew... "Things have downgraded, products get less and less; things just go down in quality". And yup, that is sadly Gamefreak in a nutshell. They've just been riding the brand name for years at this point. :/

[@JessesAuditorium]

Don't worry, them comments be dropping knowledge.

[@osurac14vlb]

His reaction to the music quality and knowing the games are filled with love in however possible is exactly how it feels to play it if you overlook the issues, or they arent so important for you.

[@taromilkstrike]

theres another official "unofficial" version of area zero that toby fox and ND Music uploaded on KZbin/Spotify/etc. SO GOOD. The erhu was an amazing touch

[@SorenArcwind]

10:15 I think this is the first time I've ever seen/heard anyone on the internet have that opinion, but I really like the fact that someone thinks that way XD

[@JessesAuditorium]

Compared to the small pixelated handheld screen I know, yeh.

[@germin9784]

Pokémon devs definitely cut a LOT of corners. They have a tight schedule of at least one game a year and don't really do delays. Scarlet/Violet is my favourite gen of games right now, but performance-wise, it barely functions. Bugs and glitches are everywhere, and somehow they got worse in the year since release (I last played around January). Pokemon music hits pretty good though.

[@MillieG]

Jesse! I was like you, a Millennial who only played Gen 1. But I got Scarlet for Christmas 2022 and it ignited this newfound love for Pokemon since, I've finished the pokedex for Scarlet, both DLCs, Arceus, Let's Go! Eevee, I still play Scarlet to this day, and I recently got Pokemon SNAP! 2 (never played the original-it slaps!!) - I want to get some of the other titles on Switch soon, like Diamond/Pearl and Sword/Shield. It's not too late to get back into it bud! I'm 37 fwitw. The games are super fun and you can definitely still get into them even if your Pokedex knowledge stops at Mew, its actually kinda fun learning about "new" Pokemons.

[@JanizMakudomaru]

This truly alien, otherworldly sound is one of the most ominous Osts I vibe with from Pokemon. They put the elbows and feet into ScarVio's music.

[@rgentry9]

I'm really happy to hear you say that video game music is underrated. It truly is, and I wish everyone knew how good it is. I played the first two gens of pokemon, but I'm hearing songs from the new games from your channel and they're incredible.

[@N1netbattler]

I'm that pokemon fan that's been playing since it gen 1(yellow was my first game) and god it's been fun. Like growing up with a great friend.

[@reliczurge]

stuck around super fan, had a great life eating pokemon music for my life and alot of fans are excited for new games because of the music and brand new ideas, it's like a different genre, amazing stuff

[@StaticGorilla]

Also I forgot to mention, video game music is definitely underated. Agreed. 😅

[@symphomaniac]

Probably the best final few hours of any pokemon game ever

[@laggalot1012]

18:28 Well, you see... GameFreak's and the overall series's reputation have been in contention for a good while. But, I'd argue it's currently on a recovering trajectory. It's not been all rainbows with Pokémon, though. The series has been dealing with notions of being samey and formulaic, uninspired or even downright lazy (made particularly worse with some truly awful PR around Sword&Shield), arguably starting gen 6 (X&Y on 3DS), and "hardcore" fan opinion really only grew worse from there and didn't really bounce back somewhat until Pokémon Legends: Arceus by breaking the mold in a pretty big way for the first time in what feels like forever. Since Arceus, however, I'd say the series has been bouncing back somewhat. Scarlet/Violet definitely still suffered from lingering fan frustrations mixed with a substantial number of bugs and a plethora of other technical problems, but manages to be a genuinely good game in spite of that and does make a number of important changes and improvements. Area Zero is a real standout segment in this game and the series as a whole, too! And now, they very recently announced a new Legends game and the initial reception seems very positive and hopeful. It's genuinely refreshing to have some Pokémon discourse that isn't dominated by such negativity again.

[@okojona]

For your question at 4:15, the instrument sounds to me most like an Erhu, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument. It's really cool, I first heard it in the track Flamerock Refuge from Borderlands 2 and I immediately had to hunt down what instrument it was, I've wanted to own one ever since lol.

[@simochilo]

10:18 "The game looks beautiful" Well...

[@Zaltiz]

Hope we get an Area Zero Underdepths and the Terapagos Battle Theme reaction from you. They are both remixes of this. I put in the Terapagos Battle Theme as a request but will likely take a while to hear it since it was part of a DLC that came out last December

[@manupm9161]

Don't forget about the Kieran+terapagos battle

[@Zaltiz]

@@manupm9161 Also very good but I don't think it would be good without the context of Kieran's other themes which he has a ton of lol

[@manupm9161]

@@Zaltiz yeah, but I doubt he's would react to the 4 themes in one video

[@Zaltiz]

@@manupm9161 I've got news for you! Subscribed to his platinum tier today and he is reacting to all 4 Kieran themes and the Terapagos theme in 2 videos! Should be up in the next week or so.

[@went22]

As a person who has been eating pokémon for decades, I can say it has had its ups and downs but it keeps going up overall. S&V are the most fun I've had in years. The gameplay and the music are gold, now if only they cared as much about everything else...

[@DrakeSilvos]

This finale was so gooooooood. Helluva trip through Area Zero.

[@TheSqueezey]

"the game looks beautiful, damn" HAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA YEAH RIGHT 💀💀💀

[@neo_b]

there’s even a more menacing version of the battle theme, it’s called “Area Zero Paradox Battle Theme” it plays for the mini-bosses you fight the deeper you go in the crater the moment you reach Area Zero you feel like the game has shifted Genres, suddenly you’re exploring an alien like space secluded from the outside world with 3 other people walking along side you also mesmerized and scared but you have a mission to reach the depths also pokemon games are infamous for being at least a decade behind in both graphics & performance, but one thing is for sure; the music is always perfect

[@ZorDonofDoom]

Yesss!! The song that made me question if I was still playing Pokemon 😂!

[@Namadu7]

15:34 This is true for me in more ways than one! I've enjoyed listening to you and this music during my lunch. ...But yes, I do tend to really enjoy these games a lot. Even the more divisive ones! (Usually!)

[@zenzangzong]

Yea such a fantastic series. Despite flaws and shortcomings that other comments have mentioned, the series is undoubtedly going strong. Still consistently a top seller and while we wish the games were better in some regards, it still continues to have that Pokemon heart and charm that makes it fun to play regardless of how we wish it could be more and better. Their moving on thin ice and might start to lose some fans if it doesn't start being more careful with their releases, but there's hope that they're listening to community feedback. Regardless of Scarlet and Violet's shortcomings, it had some excellent moments especially when this music shows up and it was such a fun experience for me.

[@daviddiett2168]

"The game is beautiful" I don't know about that but this section and the music really impressed, it felt more like something out of Persona or Undertale (for obvious reasons).

[@kmankolp3333]

I LOVE your videos so much, hope you do some more Nintendo because honestly you’ve only scratched the surface, also best of luck with your music career❤

[@Some__Guy]

No matter how rushed or messy a pokemon game might be, the music and at least some of the character designs will always be amazing.

[@Huy_YT]

Pokémon is such a fascinating franchise :D With sooo many different experiences, opinions & values flying around and so many people having tons of emotional investment in it, it has become effectively impossible to decipher the "general audience opinion" without it contradicting itself constantly. So I stopped listening to that and just focused on what I like and what I don't like. My conclusion is that it's still easily my favorite franchise and it still makes me extremly happy connecting to similar minded people and exchange opinions. The games are neat, but Pokémon is sooo much more than just the games. It's a lively culture that's constantly changing and evolving. That's what makes it so fascinating^-^

[@possesedfrisk]

Fun Fact: Touhou is technically older than Pokemon, with its first song being made in '95

[@soupahmario5869]

Scarlet and Violet have a lot of problems but they've still landed a spot as my fifth favorite of the "mainline" games. (Out of like, 21, but I still consider it "S-Tier"). Some other Pokémon games I would describe as like, a full on steak dinner, or like, a large banana sundae like you'd see in cartoons from your childhood. 95% of Scarlet and Violet are like, ***really f---in' good junk food.*** Like a bag of your favorite chips that you just can't help but keep sticking your hands into for another chip to eat, But the ***finale*** of Scarlet and Violet is one of the biggest, tallest, juiciest steaks that Game Freak has ever put on a plate and the tone shift from "haha im goin on an adventure catchin funny critters" to this music playing at the start of the finale, making you wonder "what the heck have i gotten myself into" its just such a pleasant finale, i live it so much sgdksgdkshxkh

[@Hyrule-Postman]

I don't know why, but to me, Area Zero music has a very Metroid vibe. Probably the choice of instruments that make it sound alien-like.

[@WatashiMachineFullCycle]

Wait how have I missed all of these BANGERS you've uploaded?? Like somehow I've been missing your videos on my feed. These songs are like the BEST THING from the latest Pokémon, I could just stay in area zero forever. I don't know if you've ever heard of The Epic of Zektbach before, it's a Bemani series of music videos that tell a story, and these two tracks specifically feel VERY Zektbach inspired to me. It's a very unique style of composition.

[@WatashiMachineFullCycle]

If you're ever curious, and this isn't like a channel reaction suggestion or anything, just if you get curious and want to hear the similarities for yourself, check out "Raison D'être" or "Turii" from Zektbach! It's good stuff!

[@R-Otaku747]

i can hear the influence that toby had on this song! i love his style

[@AdeptCharon]

17:03 shout out to Pelipper, what a good bird

[@PyroJiro]

Really hope you react to more Pokemon music. Its like the one consistently good thing about this series lol

[@mr.mystere4999]

Oh the Pokemon developers cut corners whenever and wherever they can get away with it, except for the music. That is the only corner they don't cut. For all that Scarlet/Violet did right, there are at least four times as many things they did so very wrong.

[@fruitjuiice]

your thoughts at the end are really interesting, if you know what the popular fan opinion is on the series’ direction right now. i think it speaks to the talent of the creatives behind the series. regardless of time constraints and programming issues you can tell the people who actually make the game clearly care

[@zzeroara9511]

FUCK YEAH, BROTHER!! this is genuinely exactly how i feel and i LIVE to see this sentiment. these developers are obviously so truly passionate and loving, but they literally don't have the time and budget to do the things they are asked to...

[@twincherries6698]

Programmers are the ones who make the game too. Not saying that just because it's optimized like trash means those programmers don't care, but it's a possibility anyhow. But still I'd sooner point the finger at management

[@fruitjuiice]

@@twincherries6698 sorry if it sounded like i was trashing the programmers at all, i worded myself poorly there. i was more trying to say that the games have had technical issues as a symptom of a bigger problem, but you can tell developers still care despite the obvious flaws. management is definitely more at fault here than anyone else

[@hideharu-xiii8852]

If S/V wasn’t so rushed and the execs let the devs take their time with the performance, it honestly could’ve been the best Pokemon game to come out. But yeah I had to stop for a second when I entered Area Zero after hearing the initial vocal because I was NOT expecting that from a Pokémon game, then when the main melody came in after the intro I’m like “Toby absolutely did this track” and was vibing the whole way down. I forget the name, but the waterfall area theme in Undertale was the first thing I thought of when I heard the Area Zero track.

[@JessesAuditorium]

pokemon music

[@CommodoreMudkip]

Pokemon music

[@thend4427]

Music de pokemon

[@magmadude_]

Agreed

[@hamzahax]

Slaps

[@zilikslider]

I love Pokémon alot especially music

[@Loxren]

At this point you should totally react to Area Zero Underdepths and Terapagos battle themes

[@DBinitiate]

What I think is the best part is how the battle theme for Sada/Turo mimics the melody in Area Zero.

[@EvraeFrelia]

I love that you thought about 2B INSTANTLY Area Zero has some serious Automata vibes to it lol

[@SpectralT23]

A simply divine sound choice!

[@JetTheBaron]

''This is unlike any Pokemon song I've ever heard'' The area is unlike anything from Pokemon. A crater, filled with derelict research facilities and archaic ruins. It has light piercing through the clouds, no matter what time of day it is, and its filled with crystals, which are growing on the base of trees. It only gets worse when you get lower; crystals growing on the walls, and a large one in the middle. Once you get to the Zero Lab, you learn a dark truth...something that Pokemon would never do.

[@Sacred_Korok69]

"Pokemon rules... and pokemon rules." *truer words have never been spoken* 😂❤

[@reliczurge]

Yay another for the playlist to go back and see your reactions to!

[@sanicthehedgehog6346]

they really don't cut corners everything they make is always full of love, this game is the best thus far switch couldn't handle it at first but the update helped

[@margathapai4010]

"I see what they're doing-" is immediately rendered blind

[@clarkside4493]

I hope you stream a playthrough of some of these games.

[@cattenchaostherandomperson]

this game is incredible if you can look beyond the glitches and unoptimized performance of it like others have said. I’m personally used to it as j have played buggier games in the past (I’m a minor Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow glitchologist and I am obsessed with Spore [spore is here because dear god there are so many game breaking glitches in there]), but this is definitely not the smoothest game in existence. still, get this game, play through it, listen to the jams, and fall in love with this series again

[@Cammymoop]

Pokemon is a series with so much love from it's players and developers, it really is such a sad thing to see it becoming one of the most prominent examples of games cutting corners. S&V seem like a big step up from the previous generation when it comes to that but even saying that, there were minor, not game breaking, but immersion breaking glitches that were even more prominent than last time. It's a bit like watching a friend struggle but they aren't open to getting help and keep insisting they're fine -_-

[@BJGvideos]

Idk they seem pretty amenable to fixing things. They just don't really seem to know how. SV comes across like they took the criticisms of SwSh having a weak story and giving it the best story in the franchise...but forgetting to bug test.

[@Cammymoop]

@@BJGvideos they didn't forget, you don't just forget to test. Corners were cut. Corners need to be cut sometimes, that's normal, but why would they need to have been cut in this case? was it just running out of time despite knowing the deadline well in advance? maybe, but the patches that did come didn't do much and didn't seem to indicate they just fell behind a bit. They have the budget, they have the fan base, they have the sales, they have good ideas and developers and artists. If the quality isn't there then they're doing something wrong, the wrong plan, the wrong deadline, or maybe they just need more people. But none of us know from the outside, they have to fix that for themselves

[@Slagomancer]

The one thing that the Pokemon Company doesn't seem to miss on is the soundtrack. Scarlet / Violet have some incredible tunes in there.

[@d-w-b-c]

To be honest, it was kinda rough in my opinion from 2013 to 2021, but I think it came back nowadays with Legends: Arceus and Scarlet/Violet

[@Jzwiz]

Area zeros music was so vastly different than the rest of the game that it makes you feel like you stepped into a different game, very nier esqe though ye, the final boss theme is so good too

[@hex__x]

13:53 This made me happy

[@cpurizumu]

Area Zero past-future vibes theme really reminds me of the Liber Ark theme from Sora no Kiseki.

[@SkyBlueFox1]

Some other people mentioned (and provided forewarnings for) spoilery stuff relating to the songs, but here's some background info that **is not** so spoilery, in case you're interested: This area - Area Zero - is at the center of ScVi's map, and is inaccessible to the general public. The games' professor (the professor differs between versions) is down there performing research, and it's that research that resulted in this generation's gameplay gimmick. The whole zone is supposedly very rough and dangerous, so you can't even consider asking about it unless you're a Champion-ranked trainer... and even then, you either need someone to vouch for your character (personality-wise, I mean), or you need to actively be invited in (by the professor, naturally). The area is tied into a lot of the region's history, lore and mythology, so throughout all three main story-branches, the mystery of Area Zero is constantly hanging in the back of your mind. The whole game is spent subtly building up to your expedition into the unknown, which is part of what makes these songs so strong. They're honestly some of my favorite pieces of music in the franchise, and that's coming from someone who's been playing since Red. :u

[@SuperHexer123]

So I've been a huge fan with the franchise since I was and started with gen 1 (granted it was the remastered FireRed/LeafGreen when they just released) and have played through all of them, but uh yeah big oof to Gamefreak not cutting corners. I genuinely loved Scarlet/Violet and the entire area Zero arc is one pokemons best, but lord the games were ROUGH. While I never had too many issues myself, there were bugs everywhere, performance is just unbearable in some places, and sometimes it could be very crash heavy. HOWEVER, there are still spots where you can see GF's passion and what they wanted to do. As always the new mons designs are great, really good characters, and the OST absolutely killed it, plus GF is starting to try and take the franchise in the direction fans wanted for a long time, being full open world. Even if with scarlet/violet it's kind of hit and miss right now.

[@xemthewildcard]

to me, all the recent pokemon games have a couple tracks that are a cut above the rest, I thought I already had heard the best until I reached this area of the game and it somehow topped everything before. The battle theme is easily top 1 pokemon song for me it's insane

[@gatr2897]

Scarlet and Violet are rough around the edges, which makes sense honestly because the concept of what it is (an open world Pokemon game) is definently a bit ambitious considering what these developers are used to, and I think there's still a lot of growing pains stemming from the switch from being a handheld series to something that can be played on a TV. People expect more fidelity now understandably but they're slowly catching up. The environments in SV are lacking in graphical polish but the Pokemon themselves have never looked better, especially not since the series switched to 3D graphics. SV is a good game with flaws but, as is tradition, the sound track is NOT one of those flaws at all.