Pokémon Legends Arceus, the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch game from Game Freak is finally here. It incorporates action and exploration with the RPG roots of the beloved long-running Pokémon series.
Set in the Hisui region, you can adventure with your favourite starter Pokémon (Rowlet, Cyndaquil or Oshawott), make items through crafting and engage in Pokémon battles. Explore the vast environment and study the Pokémon that live in it to complete your Pokédex!
While Pokémon fans would love to jump right into the game, it does come at a high price. Read on below to decide if the Pokémon Legends Arceus game is worth buying.
Pokémon Legends Arceus: Our Review
Pokémon Legends Arceus honours past Pokémon games’ core gameplay while infusing new action and RPG elements. In Arceus, you have the task to quell the disgruntled Pokémon that have been attacking Hisui citizens since you fell from the time rift in the sky. Your journey begins back in time when humans are not used to living alongside Pokémon.
Pokémon Legends Arceus review: Visuals and graphics
For a Nintendo Switch game, it’s hard to say if the game has good graphics. The scenery is beautiful from a distance, but up close, the trees are straightforward, and they appear repeatedly. There is also room for improvement in the characters’ movements, as they sometimes lag.
However, compared to other Pokémon games, Pokémon Legends Arceus is an open 3D world, considerable progress from previous versions. The Pokémon are animated just as they are in previous releases. It can be said that the developers spent more time on animating the Pokémon rather than the scenery.
Pokémon Legends Arceus review: Gameplay
The gameplay in Pokémon Legends Arceus is perhaps the best selling point. Like other Pokémon games, you travel with six Pokémon, battle with wild Pokémon you meet on your journey, and visit towns to rest or buy potions and remedies.
You’re free to roam around the Hisui region as you like, and you’ll gain access to more areas as you beat more nobles. You will learn to sprint, dig, swim, climb, and fly across different terrains as you progress. Riding your Pokémon whilst travelling makes it more exciting.
Like other Pokémon games, you battle your opponents in turn. Pokémon can remember four moves to use in battle, and in Pokémon Legends Arceus, you can choose from two new battle styles and regular attacks.
The first is agile style, where it increases the Pokémon’s action speed but lowers the move’s power. Compared to the agile style, using a move in the strong style increases the move’s power, but your Pokémon’s action speed will be lowered.
Pokémon Legends Arceus review: Side Quests
In addition to your primary goal as a Pokémon trainer to complete the Pokédex, there are many side quests you can go on in Pokémon Legends Arceus.
Requests are the game’s version of side quests, and they feature pleas from folks around Hisui. Most of the requests are often made to benefit the Hisui region. Some requests include viewing the Pokédex entry for a specific Pokémon or needing a Pokémon to help their farm.
Wisps are glowing purple beings scattered all around the land. You’re often rewarded with a wisp when you explore somewhere new, and you can exchange them for rewards from a little kid in town.
Final Thoughts
For many Pokémon fans, the journey of adventuring a new land and encountering new Pokémon makes the game enjoyable. While some may complain of the developers reusing the same format in a Pokémon game, Pokémon Legends Arceus has all you need for a fresher game experience. Shop for a Nintendo Switch Console and get a copy of your favourite Pokémon game!