The world feels alive, there’s so much to do, and I’ve never been so immersed in a Pokémon game. I’ve also never felt so vulnerable in a Pokémon game.

This game could easily be the foundation for everything we’ve ever wanted a Pokémon game to be.

Is it perfect? Of course not, it’s their first attempt. But if they use this as the basis for all future games, I’d be very happy. I’d be happy if they at least use it for the future remakes.

I really hope this isn’t a one and done thing like Let’s Go was.

Game Information

Game Title: Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Platforms:

• Nintendo Switch (Jan 28, 2022)

Trailers:

Developer: GAME FREAK Inc.

Publisher: Nintendo

Review Aggregator:

Critic Reviews

- - Spanish -

‎"Pokémon Legends: Arceus" is a masterpiece made, not only for fans of the franchise's video games, but for lovers of the Pokémon World in general. That living ecosystem, full of mysterious creatures that are precious and magical in some cases, and terrifying in others. All this is perfectly reflected in the game, which allows us to explore with total freedom an open world composed of different areas while we advance in its interesting story.‎

- -

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an adventure that is charming, surprising, and above all else, wonderful to play.

- -

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Arceus, but the surprise was a pleasant one. There aren’t any gyms or gym leaders, but I found plenty of tough battles. The graphics are pretty basic, but the character models all look terrific. Even the environments aren’t so bad, as long as you’re playing in portable mode. I was instantly hooked by the gameplay loop. Everything you do in the field feels so seamless, so smooth. This game makes Pokémon feel a bit dangerous, something I never thought was possible. If you were hoping for a traditional Pokémon experience, you’ll be thrown for a loop. Keep an open mind however, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be a fantastic time.

- -

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the evolution the franchise has desperately needed and while there are some growing pains, visiting Hisui is nothing short of legendary.

- -

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a must-have for fans of the series as it’s an experience like no other. The only downside is that the game could do with a graphical facelift, especially the character models who aren’t anywhere as detailed as they should be.

- -

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a step in the right direction for the aging series, even if its technical limits can't always support its ambitions.

- - Greek -

The best choice you can make on January 28th is to buy Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

- -

Inspired as much by Pok'mon Go as it is Breath of the Wild, Pok'mon Legends: Arceus is flimsy and compulsive - and exhilaratingly new.

- - Italian -

Legends Pokémon Arceus is exactly what it promised to be: a new frontier for the series. Like all experiments, however, the title has room for improvement and on a technical level shows more than one shortcoming.

- -

Pokémon Legends: Arceus charts an exciting new direction for the series, while still maintaining many of the core tenants that made Game Freak's franchise so beloved in the first place.

- -

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a significant reimagining of what makes a Pokemon game, with an exciting level of flexibility that's only slightly hampered by a slow early-game grind.

- -

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a refreshing take on the Pokemon formula, stripping back the game to focus on the titular creatures with such great success. It's just let down by the graphics.

- -

Great for newcomers, even better for fans, Pokémon Legends: Arceus represents a natural evolution for the series, and it is one hell of a ride from start to end.

- - French -

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an excellent adventure that proves it can pay off to do things differently. The recipe has been reworked on several levels and all these changes enhance the player’s experience. In short, if the last titles bored you a little by their redundancy, this new title should definitely reignite your flame.

- -

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the most ambitious Pokemon game to date and while it may be flawed, it offers a fun and exciting adventure that sets the bar for the future of the series.

- -

If this is the future of the series, I'll be incredibly happy, because this just might be the best Pokemon game ever made.

- - Spanish -

‎Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the first game since Red and Blue where we feel like the formula has really changed, and it's done it for the better. There is room for improvement (especially in relation to the graphic section), but we are convinced that this is the way forward in future installments.‎

- - Italian -

Pokémon Legends: Arceus turns out to be a huge missed opportunity, arguably the biggest disappointment within the franchise.

- -

"‌The magic of Legends: Arceus stems from dozens of smaller quality-of-life improvements. Some are long-requested, others are simply revelatory — mechanics I’d never even considered in all my fantasies of the ideal Pokémon game. Whether it be Pokémon displaying unique character traits, cohesion between the different mechanical systems, or the crafting of items, developer Game Freak has the right ideas in place for the future of the series."

- GameCentral -

There's still a lot of room for improvement but this is easily the best Pokémon game for several years and a positive new direction that the mainline games would be wise to follow.

- -

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.

- -

It's not without its blemishes, largely in the dreadful visuals, but the foundation laid here is what I hope the Pokémon franchise pivots to more in the future. It twists the focus just enough to make the experience of filling out a Pokédex more engaging, all the while filling battling and catching with way more variety. Legends Arceus doesn't quite catch them all, but it's satisfying the whole way through and makes me thrilled for the future of Pokémon in a way I haven't been in years.

- -

Pokemon Legends: Arceus isn't the open-world Pokemon game fans have been waiting for, but it's still the most ambitious Pokemon experience yet, and a fun collect-a-thon in its own right.

- -

Still, Pokémon Legends: Arceus made me care about battling, and I actually wish there were more trainer battles scattered throughout the world. But I missed some of the predictability found in the mainline series. Whenever I'd go to swap out one Pokémon for another mid-battle, I held my breath, never knowing if I'd have to take a hit from the enemy before I could attack. Hours in, I felt like the game didn't give me enough information to make some of the strategic decisions I wanted to. I love the direction in which the battles are going with Legends: Arceus, but a handful of "what the hell" moments killed some of my enthusiasm.

- -

While it might not provide the visual fidelity and exploration we might wish for in an open-world-esque Pokémon game, it does provide a satisfying and addicting gameplay loop, alongside a surprisingly enjoyable narrative to boot.

- -

The game does an excellent job of pushing boundaries while staying true to what has kept Pokémon popular for over two decades and is an eye-opening glimpse at what Game Freak could do in future games of the series.

- -

An experience that will appeal to longtime fans, as well as those who may have grown tired of the series’ reliance on the status quo.

- - Italian -

Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes a lot of risks but manages to be enjoyable and fun. It feels like something fresh and different from previous entries, and despite no one knows what the future will bring to the next Pokemon's games, we felt that Game Freak knows where to lead their franchise for the first time in a while.

- -

By tearing up the rule book and breaking new ground, Game Freak has created the best Pokémon title in decades

- -

Pokémon Legends Arceus is a must-play game for fans of the franchise. Not only is it the very best Pokémon game yet, but it elegantly takes the formula and flips it on its head, creating a unique new challenge that fans will love. With the nods to the anime and Pokémon games abound, Arceus feels very much like a love letter from Game Freak.

- Στράτος Χατζηνικολάου - Greek -

Is Pokémon Legends: Arceus perfect? No, but nonetheless it evolves and moves the series forwards. Game Freak delivered a title that will entertain hardcore fans, but also those who just want to enter the beautiful world of Pokémon.

- -

Technical shortcomings and minor frustrations can’t take away what this game achieves elsewhere; it’s the best main-series Pokemon game in a long, long time.

- -

Pokémon Legends is the breath of fresh air the series has needed for so long. It may not have been apparent from the trailers, but this is one of the most entertaining, engaging and engrossing games in the entire history of the Pokémon series, and is highly recommended to both long-time fans and complete newcomers.

- -

Don’t discount “Pokémon Legends: Arceus” for its looks. It’s an experience unlike any other in the series.

- - Dutch -

Pokémon Legends: Arceus may often look bad, but its gameplay is excellent. The mechanics of finding and catching Pokémon feel good and bring a sense of discovery to the game. Changes in the battle system make for more engaging and strategic fights. Some repetitive bosses and a fairly standard story can't drag down how fun it is to play this new kind of Pokémon game.

General Information

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Release Date: January 28, 2022

No. of Players: up to 2 players

Genre(s): Action, Role-Playing

Publisher: Nintendo

Official website:

Overview (from Nintendo eShop page)

Action meets RPG as the Pokémon series reaches a new frontier

Get ready for a new kind of grand, Pokémon adventure in Pokémon™ Legends: Arceus, a brand-new game from Game Freak that blends action and exploration with the RPG roots of the Pokémon series. Embark on survey missions in the ancient Hisui region. Explore natural expanses to catch wild Pokémon by learning their behavior, sneaking up, and throwing a well-aimed Poké Ball™. You can also toss the Poké Ball containing your ally Pokémon near a wild Pokémon to seamlessly enter battle.

Travel to the Hisui region—the Sinnoh of old—and build the region’s first Pokédex

Your adventure takes place in the expansive natural majesty of the Hisui region, where you are tasked with studying Pokémon to complete the region’s first Pokédex. Mount Coronet rises from the center, surrounded on all sides by areas with distinct environments. In this era—long before the events of the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl games—you can find newly discovered Pokémon like Wyrdeer, an evolution of Stantler, and new regional forms like Hisuian Growlithe, Hisuian Zorua, and Hisuian Zoroark! Along the way, uncover the mystery surrounding the Mythical Pokémon known as Arceus.

Preorder for a special in-game costume and download the digital version for Heavy Balls!

The Hisuian Growlithe Kimono Set and a Baneful Fox Mask will be gifted to early purchasers of the Pokémon Legends: Arceus game. You can receive it by choosing Get via internet in the Mystery Gifts* feature in your game, up until May 9th, 2022 at 4:59pm PT. Additionally, players who purchase and download the game before May 9th, 2022 at 4:59pm PT from Nintendo eShop will get an email with a code for 30 Heavy Balls which can be redeemed through the Mystery Gifts* feature until May 16th, 2022 at 4:59pm PT. Heavy Balls have a higher catch rate than regular Poké Balls, but you can’t throw them quite as far.

Reviews

Aggregators

• - 86

• - 84

Articles

• Areajugones - Spanish -

• CGMagazine -

• Console Creatures -

• Digital Trends -

• Enternity.gr - Greek -

• Eurogamer -

• Everyeye.it - Italian -

• Game Informer -

• GameSpot -

• GamesRadar+ -

• Geek Culture -

• Glitched Africa -

• God is a Geek -

• Hobby Consolas - Spanish -

• IGN Italy - Italian -

• Metro GameCentral -

• Nintendo Life -

• NintendoWorldReport -

• PCMag -

• Polygon -

• Press Start -

• Screen Rant -

• Shacknews -

• Spaziogames - Italian -

• Telegraph -

• TheSixthAxis -

• Unboxholics - Greek -

• VG247 -

• VGC -

• Washington Post -

• XGN.nl - Dutch -

^{This list exported from OpenCritic. Last update: 9:39am ET}

Being Social

• Join the #pokemon channel of our Discord server for all of your discussion needs -

Cheers,

The mod team

This game doesn't waste player's time, it's all about exploring, capturing Pokémon and battling, and it's fun until the end. I never expected Game Freak to listen to the players' complaints and try something new, but they did, and in my opinion, they really nailed it.

• There are open areas with a lot of Pokémon, and it is incentive the player to capture the same species in different ways for research. In the old games, I only caught the Pokémon that I liked or that were stronger, but not anymore, it's fun to catch any Pokémon, and complete the Pokémon entry to earn more money and stars, so the game progression is nice.

• Switching from capturing to battle is also seamless and fun, with a very intuitive HUD.

• They also tried something different with the story, and the lore is very interesting. You're brought from a rift to an era where people are curious and afraid of Pokémon instead of partners, and you have to research Pokémon to learn more about them.

• The traversal is also excellent; seamlessly switching between riding Pokémon, flying, jumping into the water, and sending your Pokémon to gather materials for crafting.

• It's fun to get new recipes, and searching from material to craft, in my opinion it was well implemented.

• The Pokémon animations and effects during the battles are amazing, for the first time they really make contact with each other, and you can feel the impact of the hits. And the addition of Strong and fast moves, gave a risk/reward system to the battle.

• Alphas and the space-time distortion events to capture rare Pokémon are also well implemented, and it brings diversity to the gameplay.

• Nobles Pokémon act like bosses of a region, you have to dodge their well telegraphed attacks (with good invincibility frames) while you trow balms at them, and when they're weak you have to use your Pokémon to defeat them. In my opinion, it was also very well implemented and brought something new to the franchise.

• And it has also some simple but very welcomed changes like, no losing your turn when switching Pokémon, when they have any negative status, it disperses after battle, you can change TMs at any time without the Pokémon forgetting moves, no more forcing some Pokémon moves (like CUT) just to progress in the game, and you can see at any time the enemies' Pokémon type, it helps a lot.

• The soundtrack and the cinematics are also very good, and the final battle is epic.

It for sure has problems, like low textures and a lot of pop-in, low framerate Pokémon at distance, and the lack of character's animations, like in the main village where the NPCs stand still making it fell less alive, and instead of animate some scenes, Game Freak opts to black out the screen.

And I still think that the writing could be better, and more mature, I didn't care that much about the characters and plot. And having to return to the main village every time you have to fast travel to the other locations can be a little annoying. It's an easy game, not very challenging, but not as easy as Pokémon X and Y.

I had a blast playing it, and I believe they found the right direction for the franchise, which had been stagnant for a while and afraid of changes. If they fix some minor issues, I'm really looking forward to the sequel on the new hardware.

Porygon: It has no discernible heartbeat and does not seem to draw breath, and yet it appears to function without issue. I cannot even begin to explain this utterly bizarre anomaly.

Porygon2: A bizarre item caused this Pokémon to evolve. While it now exhibits many new gestures and expressions, its biology remains inscrutable.

Porygon-Z: A curious item induced this evolution. The Pokémon's offensive capabilities have greatly increased, but the strangeness of its behavior has magnified in equal measure. This worries me.

As you can see Professor Laventon has no idea that they are artificial creations which does make sense since the time period he is in does not have advanced technology at all. Plus Porygon only appear in Space Time Distortions.

General Information

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Release Date: January 28, 2022

No. of Players: up to 2 players

Genre(s): Action, Role-Playing

Publisher: Nintendo

Official website:

Overview (from Nintendo eShop page)

Action meets RPG as the Pokémon series reaches a new frontier

Get ready for a new kind of grand, Pokémon adventure in Pokémon™ Legends: Arceus, a brand-new game from Game Freak that blends action and exploration with the RPG roots of the Pokémon series. Embark on survey missions in the ancient Hisui region. Explore natural expanses to catch wild Pokémon by learning their behavior, sneaking up, and throwing a well-aimed Poké Ball™. You can also toss the Poké Ball containing your ally Pokémon near a wild Pokémon to seamlessly enter battle.

Travel to the Hisui region—the Sinnoh of old—and build the region’s first Pokédex

Your adventure takes place in the expansive natural majesty of the Hisui region, where you are tasked with studying Pokémon to complete the region’s first Pokédex. Mount Coronet rises from the center, surrounded on all sides by areas with distinct environments. In this era—long before the events of the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl games—you can find newly discovered Pokémon like Wyrdeer, an evolution of Stantler, and new regional forms like Hisuian Growlithe, Hisuian Zorua, and Hisuian Zoroark! Along the way, uncover the mystery surrounding the Mythical Pokémon known as Arceus.

Preorder for a special in-game costume and download the digital version for Heavy Balls!

The Hisuian Growlithe Kimono Set and a Baneful Fox Mask will be gifted to early purchasers of the Pokémon Legends: Arceus game. You can receive it by choosing Get via internet in the Mystery Gifts* feature in your game, up until May 9th, 2022 at 4:59pm PT. Additionally, players who purchase and download the game before May 9th, 2022 at 4:59pm PT from Nintendo eShop will get an email with a code for 30 Heavy Balls which can be redeemed through the Mystery Gifts* feature until May 16th, 2022 at 4:59pm PT. Heavy Balls have a higher catch rate than regular Poké Balls, but you can’t throw them quite as far.

Reviews

Aggregators

• - 86

• - 84

Articles

• Areajugones - Spanish -

• CGMagazine -

• Console Creatures -

• Digital Trends -

• Enternity.gr - Greek -

• Eurogamer -

• Everyeye.it - Italian -

• Game Informer -

• GameSpot -

• GamesRadar+ -

• Geek Culture -

• Glitched Africa -

• God is a Geek -

• Hobby Consolas - Spanish -

• IGN Italy - Italian -

• Metro GameCentral -

• Nintendo Life -

• NintendoWorldReport -

• PCMag -

• Polygon -

• Press Start -

• Screen Rant -

• Shacknews -

• Spaziogames - Italian -

• Telegraph -

• TheSixthAxis -

• Unboxholics - Greek -

• VG247 -

• VGC -

• Washington Post -

• XGN.nl - Dutch -

^{This list exported from OpenCritic. Last update: 9:39am ET}

Being Social

• Join the #pokemon channel of our Discord server for all of your discussion needs -

Cheers,

The mod team

I have been looking into buying Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but I noticed glaring differences from traditional Pokémon games. While the emphasis on RPG elements is appreciated, other alterations strike me as unnatural. So much so that I am uncertain if I will buy Pokémon Legends: Arceus. I fear that it may stray too far from Pokémon and lean towards something like BotW. I wanted to gather the opinions of others to see how they feel on the matter. Will you get Pokémon Legends: Arceus, despite its differences from traditional Pokémon games?

EDIT: People are getting the wrong idea about what I mean by "stray away." This doesn't mean I hate the idea of GAME FREAK trying something different, like they did with Pokémon Black and White. Instead, I fear that GAME FREAK will sacrifice pertinent elements in pursuing something akin to BotW or Monster Hunter - as many modern titles have done.

Also, this is meant to be a friendly discussion. We all have our differences in opinion but that doesn't excuse hate. At the end of the day, we all love this franchise and should support its pursuits - even if we don't necessarily agree with them.