A refreshing take on the pokémon games that have been more or less the same since their inception. Having played most of the games since Pokémon Crystal version, I quite liked this new iteration of the game franchise. Pokémon Legends: Arceus explores a very early time in the pokémon world when pokémon were still considered dangerous with very little known about them. The goal of the game is to develop the ‘first’ pokédex.

Unlike the other games, simply catching a pokémon does not register the pokédex entry here. Each pokémon’s entry has several tasks which need to be completed to guarantee a completed pokédex entry. These could be from catching a certain number of pokémon, to witnessing the pokemon use a specific attack, feeding the pokémon, to battling a certain number of them. Finishing 10 such tasks guarantees a completed pokédex entry, though completing every task on the pokédex page does have some benefits when it comes to encountering the shiny variant of the pokémon.

There are very few battles within the game as compared to before where every corner had some trainer ready to challenge you. Here the main task is to explore and catch pokémon which is not always as easy as it sounds. Some pokémon run away of they sense/spot you while others will attack you, and yes, you will faint if hit enough times. You will then start off at a checkpoint but will lose items that you may have collected in your bag.

There is a new catch mechanic as well which involves aiming and throwing making it a hell of a lot of fun to sneak up and catch pokemon unawares. Pokéballs and other items in this game can be bought in a store but for the most part have to be crafted by collecting items as you travel around. Add to this the myriad of tasks and requests that you can take on from the people you encounter and you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied for a while at least.

All of this makes Pokémon Legends: Arceus quite a fun game to dive into for someone who’s a bit tired of the old formula. There are several other differences from ‘alpha pokémon’ which are much larger stronger variants of pokémon, to some region-specific variants of beloved pokémon. There is also the possibility of riding pokémon to travel faster which is very useful as there is just so much to see and explore.

All this being said the game does have problems. This is mostly in the form of its poor graphics. While pokémon games have never been known for their graphics, creating an open world game like pokémon arceus does merit a certain minimum when it comes to rendering of certain objects. Some objects in the distance just appear / disappear as you play and certain pokémon, especially those seen flying high in the air, look terrible. The other negative I felt was that while the story of the game is engaging, there is very little to do after finishing the main story apart from completing the pokédex. While interesting and fun this may be, after a while it becomes a bit of a drag unless you’re one for shiny hunting and perfecting the complete pokédex. Unlike say Pokémon Sword and Shield which added content via DLCs, there is no news of the same here in legends arceus, yet.

As for me, I really enjoyed the game. I’ve completed the main story line and have spent some time roaming about trying to catch a few other pokémon, but after 45+ hrs of game time I’m less inclined to spend more time playing this. I’ve already started playing ‘Into the Breach’ and am loving it. In any case let me know what you think of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, if you’ve played it, and if there are any games you’d recommend. Onto ‘Slay the Spire‘ soon. Until next time!

Rating: 4/5

Links:

1. Pokémon Legends Arceus
2. Nintendo switch: Pokémon Legends Arceus