Pokemon Legends: Arceus

 Switch
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3825 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,951 out of 3825
  2. Mixed: 388 out of 3825
  3. Negative: 486 out of 3825
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  1. Hastings91
    Jul 29, 2023
    0
    Nintendo se ríe en vuestra cara y os encanta. Por eso y fanboys, un rosco.
  2. SaltyMaud
    Jun 13, 2023
    2
    Core gameplay loop is running from one resource node to the next while capturing each pokemon at least half a dozen times. Sometimes after stuffing their ass with berries first, sometimes after throwing "balls of mud", sometimes doing the same, but stealthily. I don't know who this appeals to, but it's not me. The zones are also void of any landmarks or points of interest, each zone isCore gameplay loop is running from one resource node to the next while capturing each pokemon at least half a dozen times. Sometimes after stuffing their ass with berries first, sometimes after throwing "balls of mud", sometimes doing the same, but stealthily. I don't know who this appeals to, but it's not me. The zones are also void of any landmarks or points of interest, each zone is just a handful of vaguely different biomes littered with materials to gather and pokemon to catch - it's basically a few different wild area zones, and frankly the DLC wild areas in SWSH were more interesting than these. Different pokemon species behave like each other - you got hostile pokemon that seem to spot you from way further than you can even lock on tho them, you got skittish pokemon that run away and despawn when they spot you, and you got neutral pokemon that don't give a sh*t but that's the extent of variation in pokemon behavior. The "boss fights" are ridiculously easy, and the AI is so basic it can get itself stuck in level geometry. There is no way you'll get hit by the telegraphed attack patterns more than once. Side quests are mostly fetch quests. There are literal hours worth of dialogue, none of it voice acted. You'll probably mash B through most of it. Scaling through the story is a bit wonky, there isn't much of a reason to put effort into your team when whatever the next zone offers is usually stronger and higher level anyway. Or you could just bruteforce capture alphas and be way overpowered to anything you'll currently face.

    Battle mechanics have been heavily bastardized for this game. ATB turn order turn order means turns are no longer taken simultaneously, resulting in situations where you may find yourself in a unfavorable matchup against a much faster pokemon, and you don't even get the chance to switch out before the enemy takes one - or more turns. The game is missing like 70%+ of moves, and the remaining moves have been simplified to fit the battle system. The list of missing battle features continues, there are no: priority moves, abilities, held items, weather control, terrain, hazards, speed control, multitarget moves and more. Moves that alter attack or defense now affect both physical and special, stat changes are now limited to a single stage, and they only last for a few turns which is an odd change for sure. Status can also now be overridden by another. There are no pvp battles, but you wouldn't want them with these battle mechanics anyway.

    There are some good quality of life changes, like the ability to swap out learned moves on the go, instead of having to visit the move reminder. On the other hand we have lost mobile access to PC, and we can't fast travel between zones. First you must return to base camp, load into town, leave the gates again, load into the zone and then move to your location - because just flying directly to any point of interest like in any other pokemon game would have been way too convenient.

    The game is pretty poor looking on a technical level, and the artstyle is inconsistent which is a shame, if the game stuck to the artstyle it could have looked decent. Soundscape is also pretty barren and the sparse use of background music doesn't help to hide it.

    PLA is different, I can respect that. But it's also in a lot of ways just straight up worse than previous pokemon games and it doesn't stand on its own as a openworld-esque rpg either. If you want to observe pokemon, play snap. If you want to battle pokemon, play SWSH. If you want a open world RPG, play BotW. PLA has some aspects of them all, but does it very poorly.    … Expand
  3. ScreenS
    Jun 5, 2023
    2
    If you want a great story in the Pokémon world, play anything else

    If you want rewarding gameplay and a fun loop, play anything else If you are a completionist, play anything else If you are competitively focused there’s no multiplayer, if you’re a solo player it’s still the worst main series game as there’s nothing to do beyond catching 50 of each Pokémon. A total waste of time and    If you want a great story in the Pokémon world, play anything else

    If you want rewarding gameplay and a fun loop, play anything else

    If you are a completionist, play anything else

    If you are competitively focused there’s no multiplayer, if you’re a solo player it’s still the worst main series game as there’s nothing to do beyond catching 50 of each Pokémon.

    A total waste of time and resources that tried to appeal to nobody and succeeded.    … Expand
  4. Weidenwiesel
    Apr 20, 2023
    3
    This game is painfully mediocre and boring.
    The only innovation they had with this game is "open world" that's it.
    It's just running around and dumbly throwing pokeballs at everything that moves. There is only one town which acts like a hub and multiple maps which all play in the same way. Go in, go to the quest markers and pray'n'spay pokeballs left and right. Almost no trainer    This game is painfully mediocre and boring.
    The only innovation they had with this game is "open world" that's it.
    It's just running around and dumbly throwing pokeballs at everything that moves.
    There is only one town which acts like a hub and multiple maps which all play in the same way.
    Go in, go to the quest markers and pray'n'spay pokeballs left and right.
    Almost no trainer battles, no multi-battles, stupid search and fetch sidemissions, still no voice-overs, unskippable tedious cutscenes and talks talks talks. Like, shut the f up and let me play the game!

    There is nothing keeping me playing this game.
    After 10hrs, I feel like I've seen everything.
    All of my pokemon are already twice the level of anything I encounter, including the very very few trainers you have to battle. I know the past pokemon games weren't challenging, but this is ridiculously easy. I'm falling asleep. I'ts pointless to continue.

    And when you finally meet one of these new king pokemon, all you do is throw balls at them until they submit. What the f is this?
    Where are the type themed gym battles?
    Where are the puzzles?
    Where are multiplayer battles?
    Where are the dark caves and interesting mountaintops?
    Where is the actual fun?
    Seriously cannot understand all the positive reviews.

    It's so boring. I'm glad I played this on an emulator and did not give these lazy devs any money.    … Expand
  5. Barny
    Mar 9, 2023
    0
    Absolute trash from beginning to nowhere. If you have the courage to pass the unskippable tutorials and dialogues (I gave up at the 3 hours mark), it is a testament to your wilful desire to endure pain.
  6. Elwoodwrap
    Dec 15, 2022
    2
    I gave this game a solid 15 hours before giving up from boredom. I just found the story to be boring and was not a fan of the controls or lay out. I like that Pokémon tried something new, but this did not do it for me.
  7. Lukas10
    Jan 31, 2022
    0
    Good idea for a game but horrible execution. Game is just boring for the most part and story make no sense.
  8. JulienK06
    Dec 11, 2022
    4
    Sadly the game is very repetitive after the first area, still fun but i miss the battles
  9. Redman_07
    Dec 10, 2022
    4
    Remove pokemon and it would be a 4-5. Nothing but hype. Gameplay is awfully repetetive and not demanding at all. Dead and empty landscape. Graphics, please. Holy. Stop celebrating bad games please!!!
  10. TeOne
    Nov 24, 2022
    3
    Dopo aver incassato milioni di dollari, questi ancora fanno giochi con questa grafica... Invece di inverstire questi soldi in programmatori capaci, noi dovremmo comprare sempre giochi che tecnicamente fanno sempre più schifo? Vergognatevi, Game Freak e Nintendo
  11. Shilach
    Nov 24, 2022
    0
    You haven't played it ? you haven't tried it ? You weren't sure about it ? WHAT are you waiting for XD It's such an awesome game! While personal taste, going to a more "old" time setting, is what I love most. So being in a pokemon game that took part in the past is amazing!

    Experience: It's great, interacting with pokemon, catching em without interacting is fun. Being able to craft    You haven't played it ? you haven't tried it ? You weren't sure about it ? WHAT are you waiting for XD It's such an awesome game! While personal taste, going to a more "old" time setting, is what I love most. So being in a pokemon game that took part in the past is amazing!

    Experience: It's great, interacting with pokemon, catching em without interacting is fun. Being able to craft pokebals like sweet! Pokemons being able to attack you, I'll tell you. I wish that there will be another title like this :) Hopefully jhoto in the past!

    Also for you people out there that NEVER got a shiny pokemon, this game will guarantee that you'll enjoy shiny hunting XD    … Expand
  12. SS_Ann96
    Nov 23, 2022
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Boring, repetitive and generally felt more like a proof of concept than an actual fully realised Pokémon game. Hated the battle mechanics and the boss fights. Only saving grace is the catching mechanic is fun for a while and the characters are mostly charming if a bit of a step down from SwSh.… Expand
  13. Be3nj
    Nov 22, 2022
    0
    Apesar de tudo é um bom jogo! A mecanica de captura te faz ficar entrertido por varias horas
  14. Stormsurfer
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    looks like most reviewers only played the game for 3-4 hours, otherwise i cant explain myself all these good ratings
    game looks like trash and after a relatively short time everything just repeats
  15. gelida
    Nov 20, 2022
    0
    Gamefreak sembra non essere capce di fare giochi 3D, dovrebbe chiedere aiuto e affidare il lavoro grafico a un azienda che lo sa fare.
    Sulla grafica ci posso passare anche sopra, ma durante il giorno stare in un mondo tinto di rossastro/viola è un pugno in un occhio.
  16. Redqueen89
    Nov 18, 2022
    0
    It's boring story line and I don't like it don't have any gyms battles in it or anything
  17. KrillerBomb
    Nov 18, 2022
    0
    The very worst Pokemon game ever made, absolutely rubbish graphics and soulless gameplay, same thing over and over.
  18. MrNeedlemouse
    Nov 15, 2022
    1
    People seems like they need to lick every Pokemon game. This one is a flop. Story is boring, open zone is copy paste, only one town and bugs and glitch everywhere. It is so slow it made me sell it immediately. Graphic is the worst part.
  19. Dangusse
    Nov 14, 2022
    2
    completely rushed. it has some cool aspects to it, especially if you want to use it for shiny hunting, but the boss battles are all terrible, the ride pokemon function worse than 20+ year old games, and the graphics are become laughably bad, down to 1fps 2d sprites at like 30 yards away. the game is extremely imbalanced and has extremely clunky mechanics and slow/boring quests that againcompletely rushed. it has some cool aspects to it, especially if you want to use it for shiny hunting, but the boss battles are all terrible, the ride pokemon function worse than 20+ year old games, and the graphics are become laughably bad, down to 1fps 2d sprites at like 30 yards away. the game is extremely imbalanced and has extremely clunky mechanics and slow/boring quests that again are worse than games from when i was a sperm cell. this is not pokemon botw, it's a cash grab. it's shameful how small and empty the settlements are, as well as general move speed while walking being weird and uncomfortable - i have to click the left stick at all times in order to move faster than a snail? i have to constantly switch ride pokemon every 2 seconds, and if you use the braviary you are more than likely to instantly die on your first try because of how unacceptably bad the controls and it's movement are.

    i can't stress enough that this game has potential, but it barely feels like pokemon. i dont even look at what pokemon im using because the battles are all 1hkos that last 2 seconds, and this plus the extremely broken jet balls made it far too easy to get to max level very fast. critics are lying, fans who say it's good are either highly impressionable or have not made it far enough into the game to see how much of a leaky bucket the mid to late game experience is. also, almost all of the new pokemon variants appear to be trash in combat and many of them have very underwhelming design and backstory.    … Expand
  20. martinho_99
    Feb 20, 2022
    3
    I really really really can't understand how people can give 10 points to a substandard game. This game looks, feels, sounds and plays worse than games that came out 15 years ago. It may be kind of a new start for the franchise (I am a huge fan or at least I was). But the grafics are a disaster, the controlls are bad, there is no voice acting, sound affects are lazy made, animations areI really really really can't understand how people can give 10 points to a substandard game. This game looks, feels, sounds and plays worse than games that came out 15 years ago. It may be kind of a new start for the franchise (I am a huge fan or at least I was). But the grafics are a disaster, the controlls are bad, there is no voice acting, sound affects are lazy made, animations are ridiculously bad or non existing. Please be honest and compare it with games like God of War 4, The Last of Us, RDR2 etc., these are todays 10 points standard. Or even compare it with the level of other Nintendo games: Breath of the Wild, Mario Odyssey, Mario Galaxy, Luigis Mansion... Pokemon became Nintendo's worst games by far and this game is sadly not doing any better.… Expand
  21. Blindman
    Sep 30, 2022
    4
    Open world is nice.
    Catching pokemon is fun but catching the same one over and over not so much.
    Fighting pokemon is fun but fighting the same one over and over...... Boss fights are fairly terrible. English translation is very bad, hopefully better in Japanese but for those that don't have that option well its very sad. I gave it a 4/10 as I did complete it but I wish I had given    Open world is nice.
    Catching pokemon is fun but catching the same one over and over not so much.
    Fighting pokemon is fun but fighting the same one over and over......
    Boss fights are fairly terrible.
    English translation is very bad, hopefully better in Japanese but for those that don't have that option well its very sad.

    I gave it a 4/10 as I did complete it but I wish I had given up earlier.
    I rate this the worst pokemon so far.    … Expand
  22. Riverseagle
    Sep 19, 2022
    2
    This game is fun at it's core. I greatly enjoy running around the world and catching Pokemon.

    That being said, the fun core gameplay is presented in a horrendous low effort package of terrible environment work, awful lighting, hideously blurry and often muddy textures. Barebones animations , one dimensional characters that lack all substance and a story so lazily written it borderline    This game is fun at it's core. I greatly enjoy running around the world and catching Pokemon.

    That being said, the fun core gameplay is presented in a horrendous low effort package of terrible environment work, awful lighting, hideously blurry and often muddy textures. Barebones animations , one dimensional characters that lack all substance and a story so lazily written it borderline makes no sense.

    Pokemon Legends Arceus looks worse than PS2 games from 2004. While graphics don't make or break a game, it is hard to enjoy playing a game when it's hard to look at it. At it's core I don't even mind if a game doesn't look great. My favourite game of all time is a Gamecube port of a Dreamcast game. But Pokemon Legends Arceus, a triple A release from a studio like Nintendo being priced upwards of $90 in some regions, has no right looking and running as poorly as it does. It reeks of a low effort game rushed through to release.

    Some people will argue that it only looks bad because it is on the Switch. This is simply untrue. Beautiful games exist on the Switch. Just look at games like New Pokemon Snap, Breath of the Wild (the game this game tries to emulate), Monster Hunter Rise, Splatoon 3 and more.

    The Nintendo Switch's is not to blame for PLA looking and running as bad as it does.

    Game Freak not putting any effort into it is what's to blame and it's just disappointing.    … Expand
  23. Samuelebi
    Sep 10, 2022
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gioco molto bello, entusiasmante, divertente ma la mia recensione è 0 perché non è compatibile per ps1… Expand
  24. Unkn0wn_Dev
    Aug 16, 2022
    2
    una porquería jugablemente, visualmente, narrativamente. El mundo está vacio y muerto, parece un apocalipsis, esta lleno de bugs, sus graficos son lamentables y el gameplay es aburrido. se nota que no le han puesto cariño ni empeño, hasta Pokemon espada y escudo (que tambien apestan) son mejores que esta cosa. no lo compren bajo ningún concepto. terrible
  25. Matthii
    Aug 11, 2022
    0
    Pokémon Arceus is a boring fetch quest game with grind mechanics that you can find in almost every mmo up to date. The uninteresting story and lifeless NPC's adds even more dullness to the game. The graphics also suck.
  26. amandra
    Aug 11, 2022
    4
    Exceedingly mediocre linear "fake open world" game. They copied so many great games and failed to deliver even a passable copy of any of them. There's some fun to be had here, but it's a completely skippable game.

    Bought for the kids who are obsessed with pokemon and they both moved on to other games after a few hours of game time. There simply isn't all that much value here. I played to    Exceedingly mediocre linear "fake open world" game. They copied so many great games and failed to deliver even a passable copy of any of them. There's some fun to be had here, but it's a completely skippable game.

    Bought for the kids who are obsessed with pokemon and they both moved on to other games after a few hours of game time. There simply isn't all that much value here. I played to help explain the mechanics and rushed through the second half of an abyssmal story. There's nothing to draw you back in if you aren't a sadistic completionist.    … Expand
  27. gamgam
    Jul 29, 2022
    0
    Can Scarlet and Violet please be a game where I don't have to run all over the map 50 times to finds little purple lights and die 50 times trying to chase down a pokemon that shoots confusion inducing tornadoes at me before I get a shot at the primary legendary in the game? It's just not fun. It's not.
  28. megarock327
    Jul 28, 2022
    4
    To be honest, I really wanted to like this game, but Legends Arceus is lacking in most fundamental elements that makes a good playable in the year 2022. The Pokemon in the game are lifeless NPC that are not cleverly made, and they just do the most basic of movements with no interaction to the surrounding Pokemon. The quests that are given are a chore to do. The open environments are dryTo be honest, I really wanted to like this game, but Legends Arceus is lacking in most fundamental elements that makes a good playable in the year 2022. The Pokemon in the game are lifeless NPC that are not cleverly made, and they just do the most basic of movements with no interaction to the surrounding Pokemon. The quests that are given are a chore to do. The open environments are dry with very little to offer, and the frame rate is atrocious.… Expand
  29. HoliwiUwu
    Jul 26, 2022
    0
    **** game, graphics worse than nintendo 3ds, bored gameplay. Bored characters, bored game.
  30. Phuz
    Jul 24, 2022
    0
    Well lets start with the village. The music, I could literally haul myself out of bed, boot up my PC and knock up a better song in around 30 minutes. And that is on the generous side. The village song is repetetive, not good to listen to and made of about two sounds. Who did you commission for the music? Fisher Price?

    Next the characters, all of them. Dislikeable, annoying and    Well lets start with the village. The music, I could literally haul myself out of bed, boot up my PC and knock up a better song in around 30 minutes. And that is on the generous side. The village song is repetetive, not good to listen to and made of about two sounds. Who did you commission for the music? Fisher Price?

    Next the characters, all of them. Dislikeable, annoying and completely void of personality.

    The visuals I don't care. They're not great but visuals don't make, or break for me. The gameplay loop. I just didn't enjoy it. As with Pokemon Sword this is the same, in that it is very difficult to get in to whilst playing Cybersleuth. I'm not a huge monster collecting fan but it does fascinate me and Digimon is great. Pokemon has just been dire. I mean 2x £40 games and they're **** So just as with Pokemon Sword I am yet again going to lose money trading in some half baked game. I have so many eshop games, some as low as 99p that are better than this.

    I love the music from the old Pokemon games and started playing the new games for that reason. What do I find though, the energetic music replaced with some washed out crap version and on this occasion just crap music.

    If you want to collect monsters and are older than 6 then just but Digimon Cybersleuth/Hackers Memory. Half the price and twice the enjoyment.

    Again I'm going to have to drive when I'm ill, to lose money exchanging a piece of **** game.

    Metacritic really needs minus scores in the system because all this junk has done is cost me time and money and caused boredom.

    At least Digimon Survive will be out soon.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Best Switch Game of 2022
2
#2 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 118 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 102 out of 118
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 118
  3. Negative: 0 out of 118
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 30, 2024
    80
    Definitely not a bad game. It handles its mechanics perfectly, and as long as it doesn't try to talk at you, you'll enjoy it. It's the first step on the road to new games with Pokémon on the cover, and the good sales could be the main reason to continue similar work and experimentation. [Issue#317]
  2. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Oct 19, 2022
    85
    Acreus came out just a few months after Diamond & Pearl remake. Isn’t that too soon? Actually, no. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the most innovative, revolutionary, and maybe simply the best Pokémon game of the last decade. [Issue#259, p.48]
  3. Nintendo Force Magazine
    May 13, 2022
    90
    This really does feel like a big step forward for a series that famously plays things safe, and I'm excited to see where the franchise will go next! [Issue #58 – March/April 2022, p. 72]
See all critic reviews »