Both Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and Pokémon Legends: Arceus have come with large, detailed maps for players to explore. Each of them have had their own distinct feeling to them, featuring different regions and being set in different time periods. With both games being released over the course of 2022, it’s natural for fans to want to compare the two regions’ sizes and features, as well as the manner in which players are able to traverse them.
For many players, comparing the two titles’ maps often focuses Scarlet and Violet’s more open world than Arceus’, but that’s only the beginning of how the two areas differ. Geographically speaking, the Paldea region from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and the Hisui region of Arceus are quite different in a myriad of ways, from their climates to their landmarks. Here’s how the two Pokémon maps compare with one another.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s Map Contrasted With Arceus
Although the maps of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and Pokémon Legends: Arceus differ in many ways, perhaps the largest contrast between the two is their level of development. This is of course due to the different time periods in which the two games take place – Arceus‘ Hisui region serves as a precursor to the Sinnoh region of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, with locations that reference BDSP within Pokémon Legends: Arceus that are much more underdeveloped than their future counterpart. Conversely, Scarlet and Violet‘s Paldea is a new, modern setting filled with fully built up cities scattered across its map.
Further Differences Between Pokémon SV’s And Arceus’ Maps
This level of development can further be seen in the ways the maps themselves are split up in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and Legends: Arceus. Paldea is divided into provinces as well as its established city settlements, whereas Hisui has four simple settlements and the rest of its map differentiated by the different types of environments like coastlands and highlands. Paldea is also arguably larger than Hisui – although no mileage is ever given for either, the larger number of cities in Paldea and the fact most players would consider it larger than Sinnoh, which is the future of Hisui, support this theory.
While some players think Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ empty environments don’t matter, Paldea being more filled out and feeling more full of life certainly impacts players’ perceptions of its size as well. Paldea feels larger partially because of the sparseness of rural Hisui and the invisible walls it has in place that prevent completely free exploration, which many players felt hurt in-game immersion. Of course, all fans will have their own favorite map between the two regions for their own reasons, with both Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet offering their own unique environments with distinct different styles for players to explore.
Source: Nintendo of America/YouTube