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Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a game in the Pokémon series, released on January 28, 2022. The game is set in Sinnoh, many years before the events of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Pokémon Platinum and their remakes Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. The game is open-world, with the player capturing and battling different types of Pokémon. In the game, the starters are Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott, who were starters in previous games (Sun/Moon, Gold/Silver, and Black/White, respectively). The game was first announced in a Pokémon Presents presentation, along with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Gameplay[]
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an action role-playing game that preserves the core gameplay of past entries in the main line series. The game is set in a bygone era of the Sinnoh region's history, when it was known as the Hisui region, long before the events of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and their remakes take place. The Mythical Pokémon Arceus plays a major role in the story.
Players can capture wild Pokémon in the overworld without engaging in battle, though some wild Pokémon must still be battled before being caught. Players can initiate battles by releasing their captured Pokémon near a wild Pokémon. Poké Balls in this era are made of wood and puff steam when a Pokémon is caught. At the start of the game, three starter Pokémon options are available: Rowlet (the grass-type starter Pokémon from the Alola region), Cyndaquil (the fire-type starter Pokémon from the Johto region) and Oshawott (the water-type starter Pokémon from the Unova region). This makes Pokémon Legends: Arceus the first mainline game to feature starter Pokémon from different regions together.
Plot[]
The player character, either Rei or Akari, is sent back from the present day to old Hisui by Arceus, who gives them an Arc Phone and tasked with seeking out all Pokémon. When they wake up, they meet Professor Laventon, who tells them they fell from a rift that appeared above Mount Coronet. Laventon takes them to the nearby Jubilife Village, where they meet Galaxy Team Survey Corps Captain Cyllene and Akari/Rei (whoever was not chosen by the player). Cyllene allows the player to stay if they pass a Pokémon catching test, which they do successfully, and they join the Survey Corps.
As the player explores and surveys Hisui, they learn that lightning that appeared the same time the rift did has been affecting the five noble Pokémon, causing them to attack people. They successfully calm each of the Pokémon down. They also encounter five ride Pokémon, who assist the player in traveling through the region. Among the people they meet include the Diamond Clan and Pearl Clan, led by Adaman and Irida respectively, whose wardens oversee both the noble and ride Pokémon. These clans both believe in a deity they call Sinnoh but disagree on whether it rules time or space. The player also meets the merchant Volo and the Miss Fortune bandits. They also receive a Celestica Flute.
After calming the five noble Pokémon, the rift above Mount Coronet expands and turns the sky red. Galaxy Team Commander Kamado believes the player is responsible and banishes them from the village. While the clans refuse to assist, wanting to maintain neutrality, Volo takes the player to the Ancient Retreat, where a woman named Cogita resides. She tells the player they will need the Red Chain to vanish the rift. The player gets assistance from either Adaman or Irida and gets the materials from the three lake guardians to make the chain. The player returns to Jubilee Village but learns from Cyllene that Kamado has summited Mount Coronet to deal with a Pokémon spotted at the Temple of Sinnoh. After Cyllene reinstates them, the player locates Kamado and defeats him in battle, making him see reason and apologize for doubting them.
Either Dialga or Palkia appears from the rift, depending on whether the player sided with Adaman or Irida prior. The player attempts to use the Red Chain on the Pokémon, but it fails and breaks. They catch the legendary Pokémon, but then the other appears. After retreating, the player uses an Origin Ball crafted by Laventon to capture the other legendary Pokémon. Adaman and Irida, realizing the deities they were worshipping were both real, agree to settle their differences. A festival for the player is held in Jubilee Village, marking the end of the main story.
Following the festival, Volo asks the player to investigate the Plates, which the player had been given by the Pokémon wardens. After capturing various legendary Pokémon and acquiring 17 of the 18 plates, Volo tells player of the Pokémon Giratina, which was banished to another world. Volo takes the player to the Temple of Sinnoh, where he reveals he was the one who caused the rift in the first place, hoping Dialga and Palkia's appearance would summon Arceus and allow him to use its power to destroy the world and make a new one in its place. Volo battles the player and loses; Giratina appears, but the player beats the Pokémon as well. Once defeated, Volo gives the player the last Plate, causing the player's Celestica Flute to transform into an Azure Flute. Angered that Arceus chose the player over him, Volo leaves but swears his revenge.
Once the player catches one of every non-mythical Pokémon, they can return to the Temple of Sinnoh and play the Azure Flute, summoning Arceus to battle. Once Arceus is defeated, it sends a part of itself to join the player, as well as a Legend Plate that they can use to change its type mid-battle.
Development and release[]
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is developed by Game Freak. It is the first known project in the action role-playing subgenre to be undertaken by the studio. It was first revealed in the Pokémon Presents on February 26, 2021 alongside Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl as part of the Pokémon 25th Anniversary celebration. According to the developer, it is a "premake" to Diamond and Pearl, Platinum and their remakes. It was released worldwide on January 28, 2022.
Reception[]
Pre-release[]
Following release of the reveal trailer, several news outlets such as Polygon, as well as fans of the series, drew comparisons between Pokémon Legends: Arceus and the The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, noting apparent similarities to the latter in both the open-world gameplay and art style shown in the trailer. Others criticized the game for a perceived lack of depth and inconsistent visual quality and raised concerns about apparent performance issues.
Critical reception[]
The game received positive reviews. The Verge praised the game's overhaul of the Pokemon formula, relating to Wild Areas and Pokedex challenges, writing that it was "the biggest overhaul to the Pokémon formula since the series debuted". Despite criticizing the battle system, Polygon liked the open world and how simple catching Pokemon was compared to previous entries. "It’s so easy and fluid to just grab a Pokémon and add them to my party while I’m exploring the game’s verdant fields or snowy tundra". Eurogamer enjoyed the new animations and art for the Pokemon in Arceus, saying "The way wild Pokémon, more vibrantly animated here than in any previous game, are all hops, rolls, lumbers. All splashes, naps, growls, and waddles. The way they exist so unelaborately but with so much personality is such a simple treat". Ars Technica disliked the graphical style and lack of new Pokemon, but felt the battle system and open world exploration mixed well together, "And when the battle is over, you can go right back to exploring or catching other Pokémon, with no pauses for level-ups or learning moves... once you learn the ropes, it's easy to lose yourself in the rhythm of sneaking, catching, battling, and exploring".
Awards[]
Pokemon Legends: Arceus won the Nintendo Game of the Year in the 2022 Golden Joystick Awards.
Other media[]
A web series based on the game, Pokémon: Hisuian Snow, was released on May 18, 2022. It consist of three episodes and produced by Wit Studio. Kamado and Volo made cameo appearances in the second episode, respectively. Cyllene appeared in a major role in the final episode. Various characters in the game also made cameos in the finale.
A TV movie of Pokémon Journeys: The Series, Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles was released via streaming platforms to promote the release of the game.
Trivia[]
- While never directly stated, Legends: Arceus can be inferred to take place less than 300 years before the Fourth Pokémon generation games. The Pokédex entry for Spiritomb states it was locked away 500 years ago, while Vessa in Legends: Arceus states that Spiritomb was sealed "hundreds of years" ago.
External links[]
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus at GameFAQs