Pokémon Legends: Arceus

If you’ve heard of video games, you’ve most likely heard of Pokémon. Ever since the series started with Pokémon Red and Blue over 25 years ago, the core games have all had roughly the same story structure: meet your rival, raise a team full of old and new creatures, beat eight gyms, and become a Champion. In addition, while many new consoles have come out since the series began, the games mostly still used the same grid-based movement system they always have. Many fans have criticized the series for its stagnation, wishing that it would make room for new innovations. That is why when Pokémon Legends: Arceus released a few weeks ago on January 28, its unique take on the franchise immediately caught fans’ attention.

While it breaks several of the norms the series is known for, its premise still embodies the spirit of the core games preceding it: Far before the events of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, the Sinnoh region was still called Hisui and the average person still saw Pokémon as threats that can’t be reasoned with. After you (the player character) mysteriously fall out of the sky, you are tasked with both completing the first ever Pokédex and calming down the frenzied Pokémon roaming the region.

The most substantial aspect of Pokémon Legends: Arceus is its gameplay. The entire game takes place in a 3D, somewhat open-world environment. Instead of randomly popping up from tall grass, Pokémon walk around the overworld. Depending on the species, some will even damage the player character. In many ways it’s like an expanded version of the Wild Area in Pokémon Sword and Shield. Players still have to catch and battle Pokémon, but the ways in which they do these are far different from usual. They can either sneak up on a Pokémon and throw a Pokéball to catch them, or they can throw one of their Pokémon nearby to battle them. Even the battle system has had somewhat of an overhaul with the new Agile and Strong Style move system. Agile Style moves let players’ Pokémon potentially land more hits on their opponents in exchange for those moves being slightly weaker than they would be normally, and vice versa for Strong Style moves. Especially in difficult battles later in the game, using these new versions of moves can help take down opponents. Players complete the Pokédex in a different way as well; they have to both catch and complete research tasks for each Pokémon. This mostly involves catching, defeating, and evolving. The process can seem lengthy at first, but the sheer speed of catching and battling Pokémon ensures that players can complete their entries just by playing the game normally. Through the reimagined catching, battling, and Pokédex systems, there’s a lot of fun to be found.

Another key part of the game is its story. Players will find many cutscenes filled with dialogue and new characters as they progress through the game. Especially in the beginning, its “tell, don’t show” approach to storytelling and repetition of key plot points can be hard to stomach. The story becomes more intense later on, but some developments can feel like they were added just for shock value. It isn’t completely bad though. The characters are all distinctive from each other, and even by just playing the game up until the credits (the post-game story missions reveal the true conclusion) most of the major details are explained. Its strongest selling point is its abundance of easter eggs that reference previous Pokémon games. As it takes place in a previous era of the Sinnoh region, its characters, plot points, and various other things can be linked to those found in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Other games are also hinted at throughout. These references get explained well enough that newcomers to the franchise can enjoy the story on its own, but they’re sure to please more experienced fans.

The graphics are also hit-or-miss. When the player is just standing still or moving around slowly, the overworld can often be a joy to look at. Up close, the tall blades of grass and the glistening oceans in particular do a great job of immersing players in their natural surroundings. The Pokémon themselves also look great. Both in battle and in the overworld, they have plenty of smooth animations that bring out their charm and help make the world feel more alive. That being said, the experience tends to fall apart when players least expect it. The game has a pitifully short draw distance, which is immediately made apparent while using some of the ride Pokémon unlocked while progressing through the game. There are also some minor graphical glitches, such as how blades of grass sometimes randomly shift around during battle, which can be jarring. The game looks nice enough to only mildly inconvenience those who don’t prioritize graphics, but for those who do, it’s worth looking into these issues before playing.

While some parts of the game can be less than satisfactory at times, the music doesn’t disappoint. Counting different versions of songs and sound effects, there are a total of 119 tracks to listen to. Much like how elements of the story pay homage to Diamond and Pearl, these tracks reference much of its music. They also often use old-fashioned instruments that capture the feeling of being in a totally different time period. A majority of these are ambient and emphasize the mystery of Hisui’s wild, uncharted territory, but the battle themes in particular still keep players feeling fired up when it counts.

Although Pokémon Legends: Arceus is by no means perfect, it ultimately succeeds at being the fresh experience it wanted to be. Being able to run around, throw Pokéballs at will, and see Pokémon go about their lives is enough to make anyone who wishes they were a Pokémon trainer feel like their dreams finally came true. The plot isn’t as impressive, yet its colorful cast and lore can still compel both old and new fans. At the very least, if its glowing reception and achievement of selling over 6.5 million copies during its first week after release proves anything, it may truly provide the change in the series many have been waiting for.