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[Andyliini]

Welcome to the ancient past of Pokemon!

Platform: Nintendo Switch
Available: January 28th 2022
Players: 1 player
Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo

Explore a vast untamed wilderness where new discoveries await in Pokémon Legends: Arceus for Nintendo Switch. Survey, catch and research wild Pokémon in this sprawling action RPG set in a long-gone era when it was rare for people and Pokémon to live in close harmony.Your adventure is set in the expansive natural majesty of the Hisui region, in an age long ago when it was rare for people and Pokémon to live in close harmony. In time, this land of Hisui will come to be called Sinnoh—a region you may know well.
Mount Coronet rises from the center of the Hisui region, surrounded on all sides by areas with distinct environments. Each area is rich in its own natural features and plays host to different Pokémon ecosystems. One such area is the Obsidian Fieldlands, which is resplendent with gorgeous flowers and verdant vegetation—what’s more, it appears to teem with Pokémon that favor meadows and forests.

Your adventure takes place in the expansive natural majesty of the Hisui region, where you’re tasked with researching Pokémon to help build the region’s first-ever Pokédex.

This land that would come to be known as Sinnoh in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl features natural wonders, stunning vistas, and is teeming with wild Pokémon – both new and familiar!

Metacritic: 86
Opencritic: 85

NintendoLife - 9/10

Pokémon Legends: Arceus feels like the result of Game Freak learning lessons for 25 years, refining the formula, and finally taking the franchise in a new, incredible, exciting direction. With its emphasis on extremely rewarding exploration, addictive catching mechanics, a fine roster of Pokémon and a genuine sense of scale that’s unlike anything in the series, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is quite simply one of the greatest Pokémon games ever made.

Gameinformer - 8,75/10

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a worthwhile spin-off adventure, even if some of the concepts aren’t fully developed. With an enticing gameplay loop, fun side activities, and a story I’m glad I saw through to the end, Pokémon Legends: Arceus sets a solid foundation for what I hope is the next evolution for the series.

Eurogamer - Recommended

There's an overpowering sense of novelty to Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This is something new, and it's also Pokémon, a decades-old series, in its purest essence. Battle, trade, collect. Even then there's a fraction of the trainer battles, nothing online, an option but no more necessity to trade. Is it overzealous budget cuts or pure, minimalist design? Is it empty, or is it filled with newfound nimbleness, of the kind that inspires all that wonder and awe precisely because so much of it has been chipped away?

Either way, this is a game crafted by subtractive sculpture. And how weirdly refreshing that is, compared to our artform's current, insatiable appetite for only adding more and more. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is either this series' bare minimum, or its purest form. I think it's both at once.

Announcement Trailer



Extended Gameplay Video



Overview Trailer

 

[Petopia]

Only if the switch had more horsepurs.

 

[jshackles]

Looking forward to this, but honestly not expecting a lot.

 

[meanspartan]

Happy to see strong reviews. I had cancelled my preorder but now I'm back in.

 

[Mr.ODST]

Anyone got a full pokemon list

 

[Termite]

I'm at what I'm assuming is the final battle and absolutely getting my butt walloped in a way that hasn't happened in a pokemon game for decades, lol. A pleasant surprise. Frustrating, but pleasantly surprising. I stacked my team with 6 lvl 70 legendaries and STILL got whacked, lol.

Anyway, if you like pokemon for reasons other than multiplayer battling/trading (which isn't in this game at all) you'll probably love this. Is it a good game by modern standards? Not really, it's miles behind other open world games in basically every way, from level design to visuals to technical performance to mission design to music to story/dialogue etc.

But is it, moment to moment, fun to play? Definitely. It pulls you in. "I'll just keep playing till I find and catch a Scyther." *catches Scyther* "Oh, I see Staravia is close to evolving. I'll just go fight an alpha for exp." *evolves Staravia* "Damn, a space rift has appeared. I'll go see if there's any rare pokemon in there." *catches two voltorb* "Oh, now I'm close to completing the Pokedex for Voltorb, I'll just try and catch another couple." And so on and so on until you've lost hours to it.

Going back to the DP remakes by comparison is laughable. This is so much more fun. But be warned - I almost always love open world games. If that's not your bag, all of the above might not apply.

EDIT: I agree a lot with the Eurogamer review that the game has gained a lot by cutting a lot of systems out. Pokemon badly needed to be streamlined of a bunch of the clutter that had built up over the years and this game feels so much more nimble and quick to play because of it. No more weather, no more abilities, no more two-turn moves - nothing that slows battles down. You fly through battles now, so quick. Just plain, basic, fun pokemon battling.

 

[Bragr]

I wonder how many hundreds of millions this will bring in.

 

[Melon Husk]

Well I'm in. This is what "Let's Go!" should have been.

Branding is weird now. "Let's Go!" would have been *the* perfect name for an open world series.
"Legends" is generic as hell. They call this one "Legends" probably because the game has boss battles instead of gyms? Are there three main lines now or is "Let's Go!" dead?

 

[GigaBowser]

Only if the switch had more horsepurs.

To be fair, all these South Korean games are just vaporware.

 

[Punished Miku]

Im sorta considering it. I have to admit I'm intrigued. I will probably get it down the road sometime.

 

[Ryu Kaiba]

Just watched Nintendo lifes review and the review was terrible all they did was make excuses for the world while praising things like the ability to walk slow, and throw a ball. I can't trust these reviewers.

 

[belmarduk]

In times past, WalMart was open 24 hours a day and GameStop would do midnight releases for AAA games like this.. it was actually a really fun social setting and a chance to meet people and exchange friend codes.

There was none of that for Arceus. Supposedly some GameStops did a midnight release but the ones I called never even answered the phone.

 

[Banjo64]

Cancelled my steelbook and Pokeball pre-order prior to reviews. I already have BotW and Monster Hunter GU and Rise. I see no point in playing a janky looking halfway house. First Pokémon game I will ever have not owned, might get it once it’s £30.

 

[belmarduk]

Cancelled my steelbook and Pokeball pre-order prior to reviews. I already have BotW and Monster Hunter GU and Rise. I see no point in playing a janky looking halfway house. First Pokémon game I will ever have not owned, might get it once it’s £30.

But the reviews are overwhelmingly positive... I'm definitely not a long-term pokemon fan so I can't understand why some dislike this game so much.

 

[Banjo64]

But the reviews are overwhelmingly positive... I'm definitely not a long-term pokemon fan so I can't understand why some dislike this game so much.

Pokémon Sun also had overwhelmingly positive reviews, with an 87 metacritic. I thought it was dreadful. I’m out of touch with what reviewers want in a Pokémon game. For me Silver, Emerald and the DS games are the best it’ll ever be.

 

[Danjin44]

I never once played Pokémon games, I’m much more in to Shin Megami Tensei series for monster capturing RPG.

 

[Lukaku's First Touch]

Game is hardly AAA and pokemon hype is almost non existent anymore.

 

[Petopia]

To be fair, all these South Korean games are just vaporware.

Yeah but at least theres quality into it unlike the pokemon genre for the last decade even Pokemon stadium had more work done.

 

[whyman]

Too bad the game looks like total shit. Can’t get immersed in that. Apart from that it seems good.

 

[GymWolf]

That title is an insult to monster hunter.

 

[Melon Husk]

I'll get it as I haven't played with the pokeymans since the third(?) generation. Gotta keep up with the times.

 

[AV]

Game is hardly AAA and pokemon hype is almost non existent anymore.

There's no way you can seriously believe that, right? Sword & Shield have sold over 23 million copies.

 

[GigaBowser]

I don't get it. I watched playthoughs of this game and it doesn't look fun at all.

Gotta catch em all! Why? What if I don't want to run around some crappy looking world throwing pokeballs at goofy looking monsters.

Not exactly my idea of fun. Game looks dreadful.

 

[daclynk]

cant wait to play.

 

[Punished Miku]

Game is hardly AAA

Don't threaten me with a good time.

 

[spons]

Going out in an hour or so to grab it. I don't live in the US though, it's afternoon here.
Can't wait to actually play this game as opposed to all the hype and hate from people who haven't.

 

[Darkmakaimura]

I never played a Pokemon game but I want to try this.

Would be cool if they did a Shin Megami Tensei game like Pokemon Arceus.

 

[Spaceman292]

There's no way you can seriously believe that, right? Sword & Shield have sold over 23 million copies.

B-but neogaf told me no one has liked Pokemon since 1998!

 

[IKSTUGA]

I have the digital version installed already, will start playing in a couple of hours.

 

[Max Payne’s Baretta]

First Pokémon game I will ever have not owned, might get it once it’s £30.

Lol see you in 2027 if you want that price

 

[Spaceman292]

Pokemon badly needed to be streamlined

Not sure I agree with this

 

[Banjo64]

Lol see you in 2027 if you want that price

Not really. Most Switch games are available for £35 at launch. Pokémon Sword and Shield have been £29 loads of times on sale, it’s literally £30 on Amazon right now bundled with an 8 game cart holder.

 

[Rykan]

But the reviews are overwhelmingly positive... I'm definitely not a long-term pokemon fan so I can't understand why some dislike this game so much.

That doesn't say anything though. Pokemon as a game franchise has been so stale that every deviation will be heralded as an amazing game, especially when you include the typical Nintendo review score bump. Surprisingly, the IGN review actually seems to be the most fair one.

 

[Paasei]

Not into Pokémon anymore. The games still seem like little effort was made and yet it has so much potential as a proper RPG in a 3D world.

 

[Skifi28]

Waiting to grab it when it's 20$.



Hahahaha

 

[SCB3]

Amazon for whatever reason are delivering it tomorrow, I'm ok with that, wanted to finish off Zelda: Ocarina of Time first

 

[Swift_Star]

What annoys me in Pokémon reviews is that reviewrs hand wave the ugly graphics and art style. Were this, say, uncharted or forza, they’d crap out of the games.

 

[Banjo64]

Lol see you in 2027 if you want that price

£34.99 already from Curry’s.

Nintendo Switch Pokemon Legends: Arceus £34.99 with code @ Currys | hotukdeals

www.hotukdeals.com

 

[Petopia]

I never played a Pokemon game but I want to try this.

Would be cool if they did a Shin Megami Tensei game like Pokemon Arceus.

Good luck.

 

[Joey.]

I have to watch more reviews/gameplay…I’m not 100% sold yet. Never was tbh.

 

[Max Payne’s Baretta]

£34.99 already from Curry’s.

Nintendo Switch Pokemon Legends: Arceus £34.99 with code @ Currys | hotukdeals

www.hotukdeals.com

Not gonna lie bro I just realized that I have been discussing this with people in the UK sorry I’m an American Idiot and we don’t have the same pricing lol. I was thinking the guy meant $30 USD

 

[ahtlas7]

waiting on Amazon to ship. Looks like they oversold again.

 

[AetherZX]

Not sure I agree with this

You will after playing BDSP.

 

[Agent_Nobody]

What annoys me in Pokémon reviews is that reviewrs hand wave the ugly graphics and art style. Were this, say, uncharted or forza, they’d crap out of the games.

To be fair most reviews did point it out. But expecting a Game Freak game of all things to have anything but shit graphics is a pretty silly expectation considering they’ve always been over 10 years behind graphically, so holding them to the same standards as Naughty Dog or Playground Games would be pretty strange TBH.

 

[Banjo64]

Not gonna lie bro I just realized that I have been discussing this with people in the UK sorry I’m an American Idiot and we don’t have the same pricing lol. I was thinking the guy meant $30 USD

No probs mate. This is an American-centric site, so no worries luckily, for some reason, Nintendo don’t screw the UK price wise like every other publisher is doing, I know the prices are usually a rocksteady 60 bucks in America.

 

[Kacho]

Seems kinda nice. Can't wait to dig in for real tonight.

 

[Kenpachii]

U get used to the graphics, playing it now for a few hours and liking it a lot. The gameplay is far better then older pokemons.

 

[FrankCaron]

I had let the GAF anti-hype get to me and was steering totally clear, but after the most recent previews and watching a few streams, I jumped in on digital. ~5 hours in, and man, I'm glad I did. Core loop is great; welcome change of pace from the traditional Pokemon gameplay. The structure is very Monster Hunter esque, and I could see with further iteration this new formula taking over for a few generations of titles. And performance has been smooth so far; it's definitely not BOTW pretty, but it's definitely not as bad as it was made out to be.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

This type of game really needs better hardware. DF says its more of an art style issue but nah on a technical level it's so trash

The draw distance especially ruins the marvel of seeing the pokemon in the wild. Had periods of 5 - 10 minutes where i just don't see any

 

[R6Rider]

To be fair most reviews did point it out. But expecting a Game Freak game of all things to have anything but shit graphics is a pretty silly expectation considering they’ve always been over 10 years behind graphically, so holding them to the same standards as Naughty Dog or Playground Games would be pretty strange TBH.

No one is holding them to those standards. People just expect their game releasing in 2022 to not look worse than some PS2 games.