The true open-world features introduced to the latest generation of Pokemon titles represent an ambitious shift in direction for the series, carrying a number of significant consequences for gameplay which have led to some departures of the franchise’s original mechanics in the eyes of some players. The highly-acclaimed Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which first hit the shelves way back in February, is considered to be the Pokemon title that first strived to break away from the series’ traditional formula in a way that hadn’t been seen before. While also set in an ancient time period, the game also pioneered many new gameplay mechanics to fit the change in theme, many of which were carried over to Scarlet and Violet.
RELATED: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Announce Delibird Tera Raid Event for Christmas
Though the tone of Pokemon Legends: Arceus could be considered slightly harsher, with the return to the modern-day Pokemon world featuring that same air of comfort that fans are more used to, players should still exercise caution when traversing the mountains and valleys of the expansive Paldea region. A clip shared on Reddit by the user SamourottSpurs perfectly demonstrates the fact that while falling from heights may not kill you in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, gravity still very much exists in the games. The clip features the player traveling across the region with some of the NPC companions when one of them, the Eevee-loving Trainer named Penny, gets a bit too close to the edge of the cliff. Moments later, viewers can see Penny disappearing over the edge remarkably quickly.
Though the issue is arguably a result of the many bugs seen in the new Pokemon games, many different surprised fans have been quick to share their own similar incidents across social media since Scarlet and Violet released. A very similar clip has shown Nemona falling off a ledge in much the same way, with other videos even showing wild Pokemon falling from above and landing on unsuspected Trainers.
While NPC characters willingly walking off of cliffs is likely an unintended feature, Scarlet and Violet have been criticized heavily for many other, more obvious glitches and performance issues which have impacted the experiences of players. While Game Freak has not yet released any major fixes, many fans are so content with the impressive story and gameplay that they’ve been able to see past the setbacks this time.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available on Nintendo Switch.
MORE: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: How Long Do Sandwiches Last?
