Courtesy of JB Burrows
arceus screenshot
Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes a 26-year-old franchise that’s minimally changed over the years and revamps everything, even its decades-old battling system.
For a game series that’s remained stagnant since “Everybody Loves Raymond” first aired, this rebirth has been a much-needed breath of fresh air, and it’s the most fun I’ve had with a Nintendo game to date. But like any first draft, it needs some work.
Right off the bat, the plot is a bit convoluted — the player isn’t sure if they’re being thrown back in time or starting an intense quest. Not many play Pokemon games for their stories; however, Pokemon Legends: Arceus offers a much different take than the classic collect eight gym badges and become champion motif experienced Pokemon players are used to.
Immediately, you’re tasked with completing the first Pokedex, a Pokemon database, as a new member of the Hisui region’s Survey Corps. Along your journey, you help the game’s central clans Diamond and Pearl by calming their frenzied Nobles — Pokemon of great importance to the clans. This story, strange as it is, compliments the gameplay perfectly by adding a sense of mystery to a large open world begging for exploration.
Exploring the world was perhaps the most fun I had while playing Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Coming across a rare Pokemon I hadn’t seen before was exciting. However, despite the new items to hunt for and find, like Willow Wisps, the world still felt barren at times.
With all the mystery surrounding the Sinnoh region in the original games, I expected more secrets, such as imposing temples or dungeons hidden across the map. There are five regions the player can explore, but you must complete the main quest for that location and reach a certain rank before fully exploring the area.
Personally, I preferred this method as I felt more consistently interested as I sought to unlock new locations. Though the map is bland and feels empty, I couldn’t help but have fun traveling the lands in search of some new critters to add to my team.
Battling in Pokemon games has been roughly the same since the franchise began in 1996. In recent years, it’s been criticized for how mindlessly easy fights became. The addition of strong and agile type moves has helped make a stale, old system new and interesting. By allowing the user to attack multiple times in a row or deal more damage at the cost of speed, Pokemon Legends: Arceus becomes more challenging. I thoroughly enjoyed this new addition to the battling system, even if at times it felt random.
Another unexpected addition were boss battles that separated the five playable locations in Hisui — each had similar sequences of dodging, throwing balms and battling. Even if the mechanics became boring over time, the battles were still enjoyable. If a second Legends game came out, I’d love to see them return with more individuality. That being said, it’s clear that Pokemon Legends: Arceus has some of the best combat in a Pokemon game to date.
In past games, you would have to use your hard-earned cash from wiping the floor with Joey and his Rattata to buy items like Pokeballs or potions, but players are now forced to endure the harshness of the wild by crafting items. You can purchase some goods; however, choosing to craft an item yourself always produces a better result. The new crafting system fits the setting perfectly — big blue shops would feel misplaced in the Pokemon Legends: Arceus. This addition creates a sense of preparation before heading out into the wild, making crafting in a game I never would have expected to see it in.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the graphics. Style is subjective, yet it’s hard to understand how The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a game that came out in 2017, looks better than this much more recent release. Personally, I don’t find much wrong with the graphics — the Pokemon look fine; however, the main problem with gaming veterans seems to be the textures of the ground and trees. On the other hand, the sky graphic is one of the best I’ve seen in a video game. The visual elements never hindered my enjoyment, even if they look outdated: the game is still fun to play.
Despite a couple of unsavory choices here and there, I can’t stress how much the pros outweigh the cons in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. There are some issues, like an empty map, but the game is still unlike any other of its kind. It skillfully takes a decades-old franchise and brings it into the modern era of gaming where it belongs. It excites me to see what’s next for Pokemon.