The Pokemon Company had not just one, but two announcements today in commemoration of Pokemon’s 25th anniversary. They announced Pokemon Legends Arceus during their “Pokemon Presents” digital event. It is being developed by Game Freak. Pokemon Legends Arceus takes place in the distant past and appears to break the conventions of the traditional Pokemon experience, which is something fans have been asking for the last several years. It appears that the game is set in the Feudal Era, and here you set off on an adventure in a completely open world to create the very first Pokedex. It takes place in the Sinnoh region, the same region as Diamond and Pearl. In the game, the three starters are taken from different regions of the franchise and given to you by a “certain” professor (their words, not mine.) You can catch Pokemon outside of battle by throwing a Pokeball in their direction. It’s not described as an RPG, but rather an action-RPG. The battle system also appears to be changed up from traditional turn-based to action turn-based (ATB), which is a whole new take on battling.
If anything, Pokemon Legends Arceus looks like the Breath of the Wild of the Pokemon series, which is a good thing. Pokemon needs something fresh, although it must be said that Pokemon Sword and Shield were excellent entries in the franchise. Arceus plays a central role in the story, and is said to be the Pokemon who created the world, but how he fits into it is a mystery. Pokemon Legends Arceus will release in early 2022 and we cannot wait for the opportunity to experience a new, fresh take on Pokemon.