Will Pokemon Scarlet and Violet be like Arceus: Similarities and differences explained

gamesradar.com:

When Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were first revealed, many were quick to draw parallels between the upcoming Switch games and 2022's Pokemon Legends Arceus. After all, it's not often that we see multiple Pokemon releases in the same year, and it makes sense that Game Freak would build on the features found in the latest iterations. As such, you might find yourself wondering if Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will be like Arceus? 

There are certainly some similarities in particular respects, with select mechanics and features that share the same kind of DNA. But there are also some notable differences that set them apart. Below, we've outlined all of the key features we know about in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet so far, and detailed how they share similarities or differences with those found in Pokemon Legends Arceus. 

Pokemon Legends Arceus features open areas that you're free to explore, but it wasn't strictly speaking an open-world experience. The adventure very much felt like it was building on the open wild areas found in Pokemon Sword and Shield, with larger contained spaces you can roam. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, on the other hand, promise to be "an evolutionary step" in the long-running critter catching series as the first truly open-world RPG in the series. With the freedom to explore the entirety of the Paldea region, rather than select areas on the map, Scarlet and Violet looks set to be a real step up from Arceus. 

While Pokemon Legends Arceus does afford freedom in terms of exploration, the structure of its main campaign is fairly linear. Certain areas, for example, won't open up until you've completed particular quests. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is reportedly opening up its world to you from the outset and