While the Pokémon Legends: Arceus branches off from the usual gameplay experience from the past series, a lot can be learned and taken away from when preceding with future Pokémon titles. What usually happens in the franchise is that it generally follows the same plot of catching different types of pocket monsters while also going against different gym leaders until the player has conquered the entire region. This time, Legends: Arceus takes a different approach in the series creating a new plotline, along with a brand new Pokémon experience for fans to enjoy.
Legends: Arceus has received mostly positive reviews. The major thing to note is how different Pokémon Legends: Arceus is compared to past games. Unlike the past games, there are no split titles like with Pokémon Sword and Shield. Doing this has made Legends: Arceus, along with going back in time to the Hisui region, create a whole experience itself that feels fresh and able to stand alone by itself.
The biggest change to come to Legends: Arceus is the new gameplay mechanics. Due to the time period the game is set in, in order to catch Pokémon, players must now craft Poké Balls. Crafting also proves useful as items such as potions, food, and other battle necessities can be created too. The open-world aspect creates opportunities to interact with different pocket monsters as players have to dodge attacks in order to engage in battle to catch them. Legends: Arceus’ tall grass is used to sneak around Pokémon, which is a big change for the series since Pokémon used to spawn there more frequently. Instead, it has to be utilized in order to remain undetected to pull off a successful capture.
Pokémon Legend: Arceus Keeps The Core Gameplay Intact
In the past, after a battle was done, players were met with several screens indicating when a Pokémon has leveled up, learned a move, and if they were able to evolve. This process created a tedious experience of having to button mash through numerous amounts of dialogue options. Now after a battle in Legends: Arceus, level-ups are automatically applied to squads, and options such as new moves can be decided by the player whenever they choose.
Along with Pokémon Legends: Arceus making players complete a Pokédex to progress through the game, the title is able to keep all of its core mechanics that the series has thrived upon, while also adding new elements to the experience too. Having to catch different pocket monsters can give a roster variety expanding different options when it comes to battling. The battle system adding the agile and strong attack types keeps players on their toes relying on strategic plays to come out of a battle victorious.
Even though Legend: Arceus struggles with creating a graphically pleasant experience, it still manages to capture fans with its brand new take on the saga. While some fans debate whether or not the title is a mainline game in the series, it definitely proved itself to be revolutionary. Pokémon Legend: Arceus has the potential to modernize the franchise and create new experiences for titles in the future.
