Happy Pokemon Day everyone! To commemorate this occasion, we’re going to do a deep-dive into the newly announced Pokemon Legends Arceus and tell you why it will be the best Pokemon game. Some details have dropped about the game, and by all accounts, it has us very excited. Pokemon Legends Arceus will be a completely fresh experience, drawing from past games but adding some drastically new elements that will completely change the conventions of Pokemon forever. This is the future of the franchise. Game Freak and The Pokemon Company are listening to what many fans have been complaining about for years: Pokemon needs to evolve. There are also some very interesting implications of said details, which we’ll get into in a bit. Pokemon Legends Arceus is to Pokemon what Breath of the Wild was to Zelda. Not because of the open-world concept, but because of how it will change the conventions and mechanics of the series. Let’s dive into the changes to the series and how they will impact the Pokemon experience.
Open-World Exploration and Story
Pokemon Legends Arceus will be an open-world title set in Feudal Sinnoh. It’s essentially an origin story for the Sinnoh region, which compliments the upcoming Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes. There are huge implications for this open-world though, the setting in the Pokemon timeline, and what this means for the structure of the game. Exploration is now rewarded, and you have the ability to sprint, climb mountains, fly, and much more. Game Freak is obviously making some drastic changes that fans have been clamoring for for years, yet how they will be received is still up in the air. What we do know is that the game is open-world; there is a seamless transition between the overworld and battles; and that the combat system has been drastically changed. This is courtesy of Centro Pokemon LEAKS on Twitter, along with a rigid translation of the images by PokeStarmie. We’ll get into the combat later, but the setting of the game implies that Gym Battles are now moot; this takes place before they were established. Will you meet other trainers along your journey? The possibilities are endless, which has us thrilled.
To take that a step further, what does this mean for the Pokemon formula? We know that you explore the Sinnoh region in order to complete the very first Pokedex. We know that Arceus has a central role in the story, though we don’t know how yet. This is so far removed from conventional Pokemon that we have to take a step back and point out, this is exactly what Breath of the Wild did for Zelda. That also begs the question, how will multiplayer work? The game has some questioning whether there will be multiplayer at all. Obviously, it will. They would never go as far as eliminating that aspect of Pokemon. Pokemon brings people together, and that’s not only a central theme in the stories but the central identity of the games. That being said, there will be a huge emphasis on the single-player experience, which we have never quite seen before in a Pokemon game. Pokemon Sword and Shield changed up the story structure of a Pokemon game in a very conservative way. Pokemon Legends Arceus is taking it to the nth degree. It’s a new approach; some will love it, others may be turned off by it, but it’s why the game has the potential to be the best Pokemon game.
ATB System and Pokemon
Pokemon Legends Arceus does not utilize the traditional turn-based combat. Instead, it employs an ATB system, or Active Time Battle system. An ATB system is still technically turn-based, but you choose actions before your character carries said actions out; think Final Fantasy X-2 and Final Fantasy VII. This is very exciting because it gives you more of a real-time experience. While facing a wild Pokemon, you will have to unleash one of your own. If you do not unleash one of your own, wild Pokemon will attack you until your HP is depleted. Another implication of this is can you catch Pokemon outside of traditional battle? It sure seemed that way by the initial trailer and gameplay that was shown. What’s exciting about the ATB system is now, speed will be a more important statistic than ever. Beloved Pokemon like Pikachu will have true value rather than a simple mascot for the series. There is an entire re-balancing that Game Freak will have to undertake to make this work in practice, but that’s never been a problem in Pokemon games. The potential is endless. Do you go with speed, or do you go with slower yet powerful Pokemon, such as Blastoise, for example? The decision is yours. It also makes breeding all the more important. There has always been a competitive side to Pokemon, though some players never utilize it. From now on many trainers will be taking advantage of this to gain an edge. This will be the most difficult Pokemon game to date, in a good way. They would never make it too difficult, but there will be challenges for those who are looking for one.
There is also the question of what Pokemon you will approach in the wild? How many Pokemon are in the game? Given that there is what is seemingly a massive overworld, it would be a safe estimate that there will be more Pokemon in the wild than ever before. Another nice touch in Pokemon Legends Arceus is that the starting three Pokemon, which have been revealed as Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott. These Pokemon span generations and regions, which makes you question what other nods to various generations there are in the title. While they are completely turning the conventions of Pokemon on its head, they are still staying true to the core identity of what the series is. That’s exactly what Breath of the Wild did. The comparisons between the two may be getting old, but the parallels are glaring. The reason why Pokemon Legends Arceus will be the best Pokemon game is because it will change the conventions of the series forever while still staying true to the core identity of what makes Pokemon Pokemon. This is what fans have been asking for for years, and Game Freak is finally listening, emulating the winning formula that Zelda established.
The Future of Pokemon
Some outlets are claiming that Pokemon Legends Arceus is a spinoff of the main series. They are dead wrong. Pokemon Legends Arceus is the future of the Pokemon franchise. There is so much that hinges on this massive undertaking. The Pokemon Company and Game Freak, however, are up to the challenge. There is no Pokemon that is fundamentally a bad game, and the same will be said of Pokemon Legends Arceus. In fact, Pokemon Legends Arceus will be the best Pokemon game in the mainline series. It will break down the fundamental conventions of Pokemon and tie them back together, creating a powerful foundation for the series moving forward. It will be the future of Pokemon. There is no looking back from here on out. Everything has been leading to this point. While some were disappointed with Pokemon Sword and Shield, it did help further this process along.
Pokemon is one of the most beloved franchises in all of video games, and there is a reason for this. Pokemon Legends Arceus will show us what that reason is and deliver in stunning fashion.