Pokémon Legends: Arceus - Nintendo Switch

At fist I wasn’t sure about this game but ended up loving it.

The pokemon series has been stagnant with the same formula since 1996 with one new mechanic here and there, which has been consistently fun, but left you wanting more. Arceus is not a perfect evolution of the traditional formula, but it is a step in the right direction. Arceus rips alot from Breath of the Wild, and potentially couldve ripped even more (youll understand when you are attempting to climb up a tiny curb of a hill) to be even more fun in terms of traversal. As you progress, you will find more tools to help your movement, but I found myself imagining a pokemon world with even more personal choices of character movement or interaction with the world. Supplies are plentiful and easy to aquire, and funds for more gear are increasingly plentiful as the game rewards you for completing research on pokemon. Battling is incredibly streamlined and the scaling of levels and damage has been changed so the risks (and the tension is higher). If you are seen by multiple aggressive pokemon, you can run a risk of being overrun if you arent careful. It isnt perfect and later that risk becomes more obsolete, but it is a good step. One regret I have is that in the simplification of the battling, alot of strategic value is lost. Pokemon do not have abilities anymore like levitate, etc as well as item holding. I imagined what it would be like to have that aspect with the new scaling of damage and level differences as well and I hope they revisit it in the future. One thing I do really like is the scrapping of the IV system with grit dust. For casual players, IV and EVs are just additional flavoring to make every pokemon different, but more hardcore players well spend ages grinding in the same area or breeding pokemon for perfect stats (back in the day when I played pokemon silver, I literally taped my Gameboy control button down at a gym with a panel that slid you back so I could walk and hatch pokemon eggs for better stats) Rather then grind for 85 hours for a single one of your favorite pokemon with perfect IVs or EVs then painstakingly train them on a specific type of pokemon that raises one specific point of EV, which, by the by, almost none of that information you can see or keep track of easily except for a bare minimum web chart and some numbers by your stats. I know theres alot of bragging rights for legit perfect statted shiny pokemon, but it always bothered me because you are essentially gambling and wasting time for the chance of finding one. There is no real skill involved, just a test of your will and patience to endure.. Also, plenty of hackers in the newer games make all that effort obsolete. Instead just take your favorite pokemon and invest in them instead. Got a shiny and its junk? No worries, you can raise their stats instead while youre out exploring. Your starter is no longer a footrung to better pokemon to grind for later, it is a partner you can invest in. It is all much more clear and concise. In a purely sentimental note, I also feel it fits pokemons theme much better of its more about what pokemon you like and put the effort into, rather then just a team filled with the current metas of the strongest that are all relatively the same. My bidoof maybe cant take on a perfect statted Arceus, but it can probably give it a run for its money now. Arceuss biggest weakness is its plot and its characters. The tutorial is two hours too long with way too much talking and no way to skip. The story is so boring and convoluted, with no buildup or genuine emotional beats at all. You have a cellphone from essentially God. They stole bits of plot from Breath of wild and made it kiddie version including a calamity and literal rips in space and time that no one seems overly concerned for and somehow know quite a bit about. I know this is a game marketed for children, but aside from the fact that pokemon is multi generational now as well, there are plenty of examples of childrens media with excellent stories and character development. All in all, between Sword/Shield and Arceus there have been many steps in the right directions to bring more innovation into the series. I hope Nintendo continues development of more open world pokemon games. I would love to have more interactions with my pokemon directly, have more trainers (and other players) to fight, watch the interactions of even more pokemon in the wild, and feel even more like the wandering trainer that as a kid I wanted to be.

Absolutely adore this game, from the catching aspect, to crafting, to getting a mostly open world experience. It can occasionally get a little repetitive, but still a fun experience than the usual mainline games!

Love Nintendo

I love the rebalances and new moves, it has unique moves for specific pokémon and that really makes them feel unique. I cant wait until they expand the roster of pokémon in either DLCs or another installment. This game is the future of Pokémon. Breeding is gone, but it was a necessary change imo.

Really fun game

This game is literally monster hunter meets Pokémon. It’s great for fans of both series or people who enjoy turn based combat in games. I highly recommend giving this game a try.

I played Pokemon Red, Lets go Eevee, and Sword and Shield and this has been my favorite.

This game plays like no other Pokémon game before. The mechanics of Sword/Shield’s Wild Areas with so much more to offer! I was worried it would be too different but I enjoy it. I’ve been playing since Gameboy and I know many will be upset about the massive changes, but I think it was executed very well and overall this is a fun, brilliant new adaptation for Pokemon to join the latest trends while still remaining VERY iconic!

Amazing game. Must buy!