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. Cooperthewoopr
    Sep 9, 2023
    10
    This is the best pokemon game on switch when ever I think about this game though there's 1 issue they removed wooper
  2. TreasureOrTrash
    Sep 8, 2023
    10
    Treasure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  3. M1sfiT
    Sep 3, 2023
    8
    Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees! pla
  4. idontknow0
    Aug 31, 2023
    10
    Fantastic game, probably one of the best pokemon games. I loved the noble fights, and the post game is full of content that has you hooked, and the plot twist is crazy! Loved shiny hunting in this game and the gameplay is Great. Overall amazing game, would recommend.
  5. Lukart59
    Aug 30, 2023
    10
    Amazing graphics, fun gameplay, this game is just perfect. While grinding does get boring after 40 hours of gameplay, the game is still fun to play always.
  6. TTTE
    Aug 29, 2023
    8
    This is the only pokemon game that I have enjoyed for some time and while the gameplay is very refreshing and new, the graphics still look like its from a ps2 at best.
  7. Megataco2017
    Aug 28, 2023
    8
    Pretty fun.................................................................
  8. MrZeraora
    Aug 18, 2023
    9
    Oyun pokemon evreni ve oyunları için doruk noktası böylesine iyi bir oyun bir daha gelmez ama grafikler kötü ona diyecek bişeyim yok.
  9. JonaSCX
    Aug 17, 2023
    8
    Aunque este cambio en la saga me parece realmente un acierto en cuanto a la aventura pokemon, creo yo que siguen pecando de lo mismo que hace un par de generaciones, entiendo que el poder de la Nintendo Switch te ponga ciertas limitaciones a la hora de realizar un videojuego como Leyendas Arceus, pero seguimos sin tener ningun tipo de audio en las voces, una historia que aunque es de loAunque este cambio en la saga me parece realmente un acierto en cuanto a la aventura pokemon, creo yo que siguen pecando de lo mismo que hace un par de generaciones, entiendo que el poder de la Nintendo Switch te ponga ciertas limitaciones a la hora de realizar un videojuego como Leyendas Arceus, pero seguimos sin tener ningun tipo de audio en las voces, una historia que aunque es de lo que menos se le exige a los juegos de esta saga, al tener la trama que tiene creo yo que nos quedo a deber un poco mas de lo que es el mundo en el que nos encontramos, ya que aunque nosotros lleguemos completamente de manera externa a este mundo ni siquiera sus habitantes saben mas que nosotros como jugadores, lo cual me parece decepcionante, esperaba ver diferentes usos para los tipos de pokemos, fuera del domestico, esperaba ver mas interacciones de los habitantes con los pokemones fuera del miedo y las infantiles interacciones que ellos tienen con ellos, puedo entenderlo ya que no estan familiarizados como nosotros con estas criaturas, pero en verdad me hace sentir que todo este mundo simplemente hizo spawn un par de decadas atras, aun sabiendo que tenemos todo tipo de ruinas y jeoglificos, realmente me decepciono el no poder indagar tanto como queria en las leyendasd pokemos pero al menos se siente como un comienzo.
    Al menos mecanicamente me encanto, investigar a los pokemons y completar la pokedex es bastante divertido.    … Expand
  10. PapaDemeritus
    Aug 16, 2023
    9
    definitely the best Pokémon game on the switch. it runs without issue unlike the others, the environments are well put together. the characters talking is hilariously bad and Pokémon is long overdue for voice acting.
  11. MoonSpeir
    Aug 15, 2023
    8
    Started a new playthrough of this one after being completely let down by the latest releases and underwhelmed by the recent Presents event last week. Legends Arceus is probably fairly close to the Pokémon experience people have been dreaming of since the 90s - it has large open zones full of species suited to the biomes within each zone, the Pokémon exist entirely on the overworld and areStarted a new playthrough of this one after being completely let down by the latest releases and underwhelmed by the recent Presents event last week. Legends Arceus is probably fairly close to the Pokémon experience people have been dreaming of since the 90s - it has large open zones full of species suited to the biomes within each zone, the Pokémon exist entirely on the overworld and are interacted with entirely on the overworld, the process of tracking these Pokémon feels like a safari expedition with campsites and mounts, allowing for rest and replenishment at any time along with the ability to scale any surface and cross all terrains. The new catching mechanic no longer requires initiating battle, with Pokéballs able to be thrown from any location, and the catch no longer having its own cutscene. Battles feel smoother and faster-paced with only brief transitions between screens and move sets, with turn order being influenced by the use of new strong or agile style attack patterns.

    The story is well thought-out and greatly enjoyable; you're a stranger from a far future land, sent back to resolve a paradox following the events of Diamond & Pearl (I think you're intended to be the player character from that generation, anyway). In this timeline, you witness the process of Pokémon becoming domesticated and you actively drive that process by conducting survey and studies to help people better understand and befriend those magical creatures, all while balancing an ideological conflict between opposing cultures and clans, and navigating the suspicions of the inhabitants of this ancient world where your arrival has coincided with numerous bad omens and impending disasters.

    The main town/settlement of the game becomes much more lively and populated as you progress, offering plenty of new customisations in the form of resources, crafting recipes, hair styles, clothing etc., with plenty of quests/requests specific to each unlocked region.

    Another highlight is the presence of the wider Pokémon series within Legends; numerous characters are very clearly the ancestors of other beloved MCs, professors, gym leaders, champions and villains in the franchise ranging from Johto to Unova.

    The visuals get a lot of complaints but I personally loved the traditional Japanese watercolour direction that perfectly fit the overall presentation of its historical aesthetic, one thing I will say is it definitely doesn't look good on a bigger screen - this is something that was clearly intended for handheld mode alone.

    Another complaint I have is the lack of a more sophisticated AI all round - the Pokémon do have a fair range of interactions with you and with each other, but not necessarily with their environment; some will roam around their own small areas and occasionally change their moving pattern or fall asleep, but that's about it - they don't eat, source food or drink, they don't bathe, play or communicate with each other, nor do they really react to the presence of other species including those that are known to be a threat to a certain typing (e.g. flying/bird species in the territory of bugs), this sounds like a minor problem until you take into account the game's premise is intended to be an investigation of wildlife, compiling a Pokédex by making notes and documenting various actions and behaviours that are now implied rather than shown. Much more consideration and effort should have been placed into expanding the behaviours of each species.

    Despite the main hub of the game being the progressively developed town, the NPCs feel completely lifeless as they never move from their original positions nor do they have any interaction with you or each other outside of existing to simply trade you stuff.

    Even with those above two complaints, the gameplay experience in general is fantastic and Hisui itself is a well-designed region offering much to see and do. I had hoped the new mechanics and format of Legends would carry on to future generations especially in the wake of its highly positive reception, but unfortunately it looks like it will be standing on its own.    … Expand
  12. sideshownate
    Aug 13, 2023
    8
    This is a bold and fun new title in the mainline pokemon series that I can not wait to be more of. Hopefully in different regions
  13. Jardanes
    Aug 8, 2023
    10
    Best Pokémon game released so far. Pokémon company was so close to making the perfect game with this one and then they screwed everything with Scarlet/Violet.

    Pokemon Legends: Arceus 10/10
    Pokemon Scarlet/Violet 0/10
  14. Matthew2008
    Aug 5, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A great Pokemon game maybe even the best. the story and were it’s talking place is fantastic characters good writen ( except melli ) it’s a huge leep for gamefreak to make an open world pokemon game and they nailed it hope to see more games in the future in this style. Would recommend.… Expand
  15. casple
    Jul 23, 2023
    10
    The best Pokémon game, must buy. I love it and you should buy it. The art style and the gameplay is insane.
  16. voiceofreason69
    Jul 22, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. That feeling of finally being able to throw a poke ball, that rush when you catch a Pokemon, and that feeling of being able to do anything, climb anywhere, fly anywhere, swim anywhere (with basculegion), this is the best Pokemon game of all time in my humble opinion. but I have only played three mainline titles: this, sword, and violet. and since sword is text filled, and violet is an unpolished bug nest, yea, its easy to see why I rate this better. Also, If you hate bad graphics, then you might not want to step into a Pokemon game past gen 5...
    9.4/10 but since rounding 9/10, would ABSOLUTELY recommend!    … Expand
  17. Miusux
    Jul 8, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is simply the best pokemon game I've ever played, a completely different proposal that caught me off guard and changed my view on pokemon, I hope Game Freak continues like this, with really challenging games that deviate from the norm… Expand
  18. Rab1219
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    One of the best Pokemon games EVER!!!!!! Absolute masterpiece!!!!! Amazing for Shiny Hunting, too!!
  19. bobisverycool
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. imo the game was amazing, i loved that the pokemon companie had the courage to take pokemon in another way, the catching feels natural and kept me for hours, i will not lie that this is my favorite pokemon game , even my fav mon is from here, i also found it suprising and was shocked for regional/past forms of the mons which let me down this rabit hole of trying to catch them all.
    the story to was good for a pokemon game, you being from the future and changing the past and the fun easter eggs of old characters having ancestors just made the cherry on top. 10/10 would recommend buy this not scarlet of violet    … Expand
  20. GandhiLover
    Jun 26, 2023
    10
    As a long time Pokemon fan I've waited for this game for such a long time. Actually seeing Pokemon in the wild, being able to interact with them in various ways, watching their behavior,... This is what the future of Pokemon should look like, an open world full of Pokemon and tons of ways to interact with them.
  21. Skuty
    Jun 22, 2023
    10
    This is what myself and many other Pokemon fans have been waiting for such a long time. The amount of ways you can interact with Pokemon caught in the wild and those of your own is truly wonderful. While obviously not perfect graphically, as a longtime Pokemon fan I cannot give this less than a 10/10, solely because I wish Pokemon will keep on going in this direction. PLEASE DON'T LET THISThis is what myself and many other Pokemon fans have been waiting for such a long time. The amount of ways you can interact with Pokemon caught in the wild and those of your own is truly wonderful. While obviously not perfect graphically, as a longtime Pokemon fan I cannot give this less than a 10/10, solely because I wish Pokemon will keep on going in this direction. PLEASE DON'T LET THIS BE THE ONLY LEGENDS GAME, WE WANT MORE!… Expand
  22. Dudeoninternet
    Jun 7, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love this unique game different timeline great frenzied Pokémon and spoiler alert the Arceus battle at the end is super intense but it is still fun… Expand
  23. PeterPP
    Jun 7, 2023
    10
    Fantastic game and a formula somthing i would like to see more of in the future.
  24. tju360
    Jun 4, 2023
    10
    Not sure if I was gonna like this, especially being a diehard Pokémon fan since the late 90’s. However, this is one of the best games in the series. The story keeps you hooked, the open world is amazing. Was really surprised at how much I liked. Definitely a must play for all Pokémon lovers.
  25. RatingRating
    May 28, 2023
    10
    This game is a 10. It switches up the formula of battling gyms to battling giant Pokemon. These were basically the Alolan Totem Pokemon done right. It also had a better post story than any other game. Also the only game where I did not immediately recognize the villain. I seriously thought that Volo was nice until he started saying weird stuff. The game even feels more open-world thanThis game is a 10. It switches up the formula of battling gyms to battling giant Pokemon. These were basically the Alolan Totem Pokemon done right. It also had a better post story than any other game. Also the only game where I did not immediately recognize the villain. I seriously thought that Volo was nice until he started saying weird stuff. The game even feels more open-world than Scarlet and Violet at some points. Specifically when you ride the Pokemon.… Expand
  26. Garde_Mystik
    May 25, 2023
    8
    leaving this as a placeholder to rate and in case i want a full review one day. tl;dr - i had a lot of fun with these games, but getting mission blocked after every boss felt like a chore to overcome. the game also had next to nothing going for it after i got arceus. you could either shiny hunt the easiest shinies ever or you could do a constant repetitive string of catching to completeleaving this as a placeholder to rate and in case i want a full review one day. tl;dr - i had a lot of fun with these games, but getting mission blocked after every boss felt like a chore to overcome. the game also had next to nothing going for it after i got arceus. you could either shiny hunt the easiest shinies ever or you could do a constant repetitive string of catching to complete 100% of everything imaginable in the regional pokedex. the eternal battle reverie was cool at first but ended up being far too easy as matches are limited to (1-6) v (1-3 with all pokemon being sent out simultaneously), and any pokemon being able to be used. you were also unable to leave without resetting your streak all over, which dwarfs the potential of customization. i really like this game personally, and am biased because it gave Sinnoh the story it truly needed. Gen 4's plots were so abysmal it's not even funny, but Legends Arceus fixes all the issues there were with it and creates something that represents Gen 4 lore well. if i factor in this bias, i'd give it a 9/10, but nah i won't here.… Expand
  27. rockzombie
    May 14, 2023
    8
    A great refresh taste. The Japanese art style grew on me a lot. Really hope they would continue the journey tho...
  28. JustAGameGuy
    May 14, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Easily the BEST POKÉMON EXPERIENCE since Black and White 2. One of the best stories known to the series, extremely fun gameplay, what’s not to love!?


    Pokémon Legends: Arceus is home to by far one of - if not THE hardest final bosses in the series. An incredibly tough 6 Vs 8 showdown, only available after catching several legendaries. The main issue with Legends Arceus is that once you complete the post-Game storyline, catch everything, and fight Arceus, there’s very little to do besides start a new file and shiny hunt.    … Expand
  29. Danikyo-Inverso
    May 13, 2023
    10
    La manera en la que se ha revitalizado la franquicia después del fiasco de la 5ta generación es algo bastante inexplicable para mi
    Toma los conceptos que funcionaron muy bien en Espada y Escudo, anterior juego que me gusto por cierto, y lo expande a nuevos horizontes sin perder la esencia en el camino
    No noto ningún problema notorio, por lo que le doy un 10 perfecto.
  30. onielf
    May 11, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokemon Legens: Arceus é uma experiência única e imersiva no mundo de pokemon.
    Não posso descrever de forma tão simples como a chegada na região de Hisui me deixou impressionado. Os primeiros minutos, conhecendo a historia base, sendo introduzido na vila, e reconhecendo personagens que são "antepassados" dos que conhecemos em Sinnoh, são incríveis.
    Esse jogo tem muita coisa a oferecer, como uma experiencia mais estilo survivor, uma relação diferenciada com os pokemon, e uma exploração no mundo aberto desafiadora e com uma boa conexão sentimental que criamos ao jogar.
    No entanto, como o intuito do jogo é descobrir a região e os pokemon em um lugar mais "cru" e sem muita civilização, é comum sentirmos falta de que tivessem outras vilas, cidades maiores, e com diferentes estéticas e culturas (como é costume ter nos jogos principais da franquia), assim como um desfecho final da campanha do protagonista voltando a região de Sinnoh no futuro.
    Enfim, com tudo isso, Pokemon Legends: Arceus é uma experiência maravilhosa, e trata da relação entre pessoas e pokemon de uma forma mais intimista e surpresa do que fomos acostumados a ver nos jogos anteriores da franquia, então eu não poderia dar uma avaliação menos digna do que um 9/10 pra esse jogo.    … Expand
  31. proJRgamer
    May 10, 2023
    10
    Simplemente, espectacular. La historia espectacular y las nuevas mecánicas impresiónate. El tema de la búsqueda de Shinys es de lo que más emocionó, ver en la propia “superficie”. Y tener zonas de mundo abierto fue el impuso a la nueva generación.
  32. ireinert
    May 2, 2023
    10
    jogo muito, muito bem feito, esse comentario vai pros br, joguem e se divirtam
  33. Jrsmall
    Apr 28, 2023
    10
    Never thought I’d see the day where I rank something better than Heart Gold and/or Soul Silver. I’m glad I have, and we better get an even better entry down the road in the Legends series.
  34. AAAIPLAIVIDOGAM
    Apr 19, 2023
    10
    This game is EVERYTHING you could want in a pokemon game. Outside of the graphivs but that was never an issue for me. The gameplay is great and i actually cared for a pokemon story for the first time in a while. The new pokemon are great, Kleavor, Baasculeagion, the hisuian starters are all AMAZING! And there are so many side quests. It took me so long to complete the game. This game isThis game is EVERYTHING you could want in a pokemon game. Outside of the graphivs but that was never an issue for me. The gameplay is great and i actually cared for a pokemon story for the first time in a while. The new pokemon are great, Kleavor, Baasculeagion, the hisuian starters are all AMAZING! And there are so many side quests. It took me so long to complete the game. This game is AMAZING and my favourite switch game of 2022.… Expand
  35. Oxakbal
    Mar 14, 2023
    10
    Después de aproximadamente un año de estar jugando el juego y de haber jugado la novena generación, estoy completamente convencido de que Pokémon Leyendas es mi juego favorito de Pokémon y espero con ansias una nueva entrega o DLC.
  36. Jerem8
    Apr 11, 2023
    8
    Despite the bad graphisms, Pokémon has to reinvent his gameplay to perfection. The history is good, the artistic direction is great. It's too bad the graphics couldn't have been done better.
  37. SuperSonic95
    Apr 7, 2023
    10
    It's best game pokemon for a very long time !!! The exploration is so satifying and respect 4th generation not as remake/remaster diamond and pearl !!! I'm Hope for the future of pokemon now !!!
  38. Gumdrop
    Apr 5, 2023
    10
    I kind of missed out on Pokemon when it started. None of my friends were really into it and my parents were never going to fund something that I needed to collect. Later, I made friends who were avid Pokemon fans. But by then 20+ years of Pokemon develoipment had happened and it was just too huge to get into.

    But I've always found it intriguing. None of the games I'd seen really seemed    I kind of missed out on Pokemon when it started. None of my friends were really into it and my parents were never going to fund something that I needed to collect. Later, I made friends who were avid Pokemon fans. But by then 20+ years of Pokemon develoipment had happened and it was just too huge to get into.

    But I've always found it intriguing. None of the games I'd seen really seemed like something I could jump into without feeling lost or overtwhelmed. For me, Arceus is that game. Jumping in, I'm not overwhelmed by Pokemon lore. I don't need to know much about Pokemon to enjoy it.

    And I'm loving it. It's a ton of fun. It feels like the perfect jumping point for someone with little to no Pokemon history. It plays great and there's plenty to do. So if you're like me and you're new to Pokemon then this is a great choice.    … Expand
  39. MetaBones
    Apr 4, 2023
    9
    Ultimately, this game is what convinced me to pick up a Nintendo Switch and while I've loved the game, I'm also grateful to it for opening the gateway to a lot of other great Switch games!

    Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the pokemon game I never quite knew I wanted. Yes, I knew I wanted a more free and "open-world" style Pokemon experience but having the time-period be so feudal and simple    Ultimately, this game is what convinced me to pick up a Nintendo Switch and while I've loved the game, I'm also grateful to it for opening the gateway to a lot of other great Switch games!

    Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the pokemon game I never quite knew I wanted. Yes, I knew I wanted a more free and "open-world" style Pokemon experience but having the time-period be so feudal and simple was something I would never think of. Yet, it now stands as one of my favorite games in the franchise.

    The premise of lawless and dangerous Pokemon expeditions is intriguing from beginning to end. You start as a helpless nobody that moves up the ranks to a respected and confident Pokemon master ready to brave the elements and enemies you'll encounter. The excitement of making the franchise fresh again cannot be understated. Arceus managed to keep the suspense up by constant discovering new Pokemon in various locations and completing the first Pokedex.

    I've heard critics complain about some clunky mechanics. Personally, I've experienced no such problems. Everything felt smooth and intuitive enough and once you understand the basics, mastering the mechanics are rather straight-forward. My only complaints come down the aesthetics and scope of the region you explore.

    First, the aesthetics, the art-style by design was a great choice in my opinion. I just think more graphical detail could've been added to enhance certain landscapes like bushes and trees. This would've furthered my immersion. Second, scope of the region. I was happy with the amount of places to explore and find Pokemon but felt a little disappointed that there weren't small villages throughout the region. The idea the Jubilife is essentially it is quite disappointing. This could've been a great opportunity for additional side-quests to help neighboring villages and their relationships with the Pokemon they'd likely be afraid of.

    I would've also liked to some kind of flash forward in time to your character's original time era to take a glance at how things have changed. I understand that's asking for a lot but it could've sent the game soaring. All the side quests and space-time glitches where strange pokemon appear are great additions enough to keep things interesting apart from the core game.

    Overall, I would've liked to see some more technical finesse to the final product but the number of risks they took and bold gameplay make this game far outweigh its admittedly many flaws. Most importantly, however, it made me fall back in love with the game franchise that made me love video games in the first place. For that, well done!    … Expand
  40. George_K
    Apr 4, 2023
    10
    when this game was supposed to release I didn't have my expectation, but when it did when i first played i was amazed I have now finished the game (I actually have more than 3 months that i finished it) and i can truly write my opinion about it, great story with great exploration and a lot of pokemon this game is sure different and no other in the genre, as i see it it a must for thewhen this game was supposed to release I didn't have my expectation, but when it did when i first played i was amazed I have now finished the game (I actually have more than 3 months that i finished it) and i can truly write my opinion about it, great story with great exploration and a lot of pokemon this game is sure different and no other in the genre, as i see it it a must for the switch and one of the best games in the console, if you don't buy it you are missing out a lot… Expand
  41. ABigFatAirAtom
    Apr 4, 2023
    10
    PLA is a masterpeice
    The artwork is absolutely astonishing
    The "new" pokemon look incredibly cool Shiny hunting is the best in the franchise and the fact you can hunt the starters without a bilingual goo ball is too good It is refreshing knowing that with ONE copy of the game you can complete the pokedex and so then you don't have to mortally sacrifice 90 Australian dollars to Japanese    PLA is a masterpeice
    The artwork is absolutely astonishing
    The "new" pokemon look incredibly cool
    Shiny hunting is the best in the franchise and the fact you can hunt the starters without a bilingual goo ball is too good
    It is refreshing knowing that with ONE copy of the game you can complete the pokedex and so then you don't have to mortally sacrifice 90 Australian dollars to Japanese mickey mouse is too good
    I love how shiny hunting takes about a minute prep time if you're unlucky and can provide for some of the best odds in the franchise.
    Shinies appearing in the over world really speeds up hunting.
    You don't have to battle a pokemon to catch it you can just catch it
    the fact it's several hundred years in the past is cool
    Alphas are a very welcome gimmik, big pokemon, better stats, rarer shiny
    Strong and Agile style moves are cool, you sacrfice turns or attack power for more attack power or moves.

    The only negatives I can think of is
    - you can die
    - you can't warp if a pokemon is aggravated at you
    - level 100 pokemon seem weaker than they should (can't OHKO unevolved lv60's with a neutral move)
    - Paras    … Expand
  42. felipegsm
    Mar 28, 2023
    8
    Até então o jogo tem sido muito divertido, apensar de não ser um mundo aberto e sim limitado em zonas, as mesmas são muito vastas e cheias de vida selvagem; claro que você vai encontrar cenários vazios, o que acontece bastante nas botas das zonas, mas ademais é tudo tem muita vida.
    Sobre a história, ainda não finalizei o jogo mas achei o conceito do seu personagem voltar no tempo e    Até então o jogo tem sido muito divertido, apensar de não ser um mundo aberto e sim limitado em zonas, as mesmas são muito vastas e cheias de vida selvagem; claro que você vai encontrar cenários vazios, o que acontece bastante nas botas das zonas, mas ademais é tudo tem muita vida.
    Sobre a história, ainda não finalizei o jogo mas achei o conceito do seu personagem voltar no tempo e participar do início dessa união homem/pokémon muito bom. O jogo é um 8 bem redondo.    … Expand
  43. ChaosRex88
    Mar 22, 2023
    10
    After playing Legends for two months and more than 100 hours, I decided it was time to give this game its due for being amazing. This was the Pokémon spin-off I wanted to stay away from for a while until other reviews flew in, because Pokémon spin-offs aren't really my thing. In the past, I played spin-offs like Pokémon Snap for the N64, Gameboy's card game, Pokémon Puzzle League, andAfter playing Legends for two months and more than 100 hours, I decided it was time to give this game its due for being amazing. This was the Pokémon spin-off I wanted to stay away from for a while until other reviews flew in, because Pokémon spin-offs aren't really my thing. In the past, I played spin-offs like Pokémon Snap for the N64, Gameboy's card game, Pokémon Puzzle League, and Pokémon Pinball. Then, I stopped playing those after the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games happened and wanted only the main entries.

    Now today, I wanted something more from Pokémon instead of what Brillant Diamond's outdated gameplay offered and Violet's annoying glitches. Especially because the whole thing about making it to the Pokémon League finally grew stale as well.

    In comes Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which starts you off with the story being about you entering the Hisui region through time and space. The game focuses on you, not just a professor who says, "Okay, pick a Pokémon, and now get going." Nope. You'll be introduced to quite a bit in the beginning, but only so you understand both gameplay and your purpose. It's not your typical Pokémon game.

    Yes, you catch Pokémon during encounters. Yes, you can also train them as usual, and the evolution system is better and more practical. Forget about needing to trade Graveler to get Golem; they have a link cable item for that. They all have unique behavior and don't immediately start a battle if you get close enough to them.  Be warned, the territorial Pokémon will attack you without engaging in battle. Also, if you like boss battles, it has those too, which are also part of the story. The game actually does something Game Freak and Nintendo have only promoted since the first games. Which is, you've Gotta Catch Them All! However, you feel like you can catch them all, always on your own time, to enjoy much more. Also, I'm glad you don't need two versions just to get most of the Pokémon. Game Freak, please, no more of that two versions stuff. You can build the Pokédex, but differently, and I don't mean that in a bad way. You'll be able to build Pokédex entries for each Pokémon and their evolutions with unique research-related tasks, but they make it fun, not a full-time job. However, there's a rank system involving stars, like receiving badges. I managed to get up to five stars in the first section of the region alone. Yes, the first section is what I said, with LOTS of Pokémon and land to explore.

    The way this game sets up multiple locations to visit in Hisui is totally how I would have wanted Paldea to do it. With Paldea, you get one big map. With Hisui, on the other hand, you get a large map with multiple sections to choose from, and each one is huge, some bigger than others, but you don't get tired of exploring just one map this way.

    So in conclusion, so I don't spoil anything entirely, everything in this game met my highest expectations and more. Even the catching system is something I wanted Violet to keep instead of sending out Pokémon to instantly fight. Also, shiny's aren't quiet like in Violet. When you see a shiny Pokémon or even hear one nearby, you'll know just by the stars flying around them and the slight jingling sounds. So enjoy shining hunting and distortion events too, which are like Pokémon catching raids with rare and shiny Pokémon sometimes appearing. Check this out as a fan and as someone who loves open-world-ish games to have plenty to do. Great job, Pokémon Company!    … Expand
  44. Androo
    Mar 18, 2023
    10
    Absolutely incredible game, the most challenging Pokemon game since Platinum. Shiny hunting is enjoyable, there is always something to do, Volo is a very challenging trainer at the end of the game, and alpha Pokemon are a great idea. If i had to complain about something, I would say that collecting all 107 wisps to get Spiritomb is unnecessary and tedious, it's annoying when you throw aAbsolutely incredible game, the most challenging Pokemon game since Platinum. Shiny hunting is enjoyable, there is always something to do, Volo is a very challenging trainer at the end of the game, and alpha Pokemon are a great idea. If i had to complain about something, I would say that collecting all 107 wisps to get Spiritomb is unnecessary and tedious, it's annoying when you throw a pokeball at something and it just bounces off because "You were too far away". All in all, one of my favorite games ever, although it has it's flaws, they are fairly minor.… Expand
  45. TJD2
    Mar 4, 2023
    9
    Pokemon Legends Arceus is close to being the best Pokemon game I have played. Catching Pokemon and stealthing your way through the various areas of the Hisui region is a blast, and the act of filling your "Pokedex" is fun as always. The new features and gameplay mechanics are a breath of fresh air, and the crafting is a welcome feature that SHOULD have stayed around for Scarlet andPokemon Legends Arceus is close to being the best Pokemon game I have played. Catching Pokemon and stealthing your way through the various areas of the Hisui region is a blast, and the act of filling your "Pokedex" is fun as always. The new features and gameplay mechanics are a breath of fresh air, and the crafting is a welcome feature that SHOULD have stayed around for Scarlet and Violet - as is the case with a lot of features from this game. There are a few snags - the graphics aren't all that appealing but they do their job. Some of the textures feel very dated and the environments are bland but still end up looking better than Scarlet/Violet and BDSP but worse than Sword/Shield. The world isn't truly "open" as advertised but broken up into sections within the region. I think this is to the game's benefit as Scarlet/Violet was a true open world that had to cut many corners to get it out so quickly and out on the Switch. There aren't many corners cut here and Pokemon Legends Arceus comes in right behind Heartgold/Crystal as my favorite Pokemon game of all time.… Expand
  46. jocariba
    Mar 2, 2023
    9
    Es la evolución que yo esperaba de pokemon, me encantó aun que tiene muchos detalles, gráficamente es muy mejorable, el rendimiento también es mejorable, arranca muy lento y tiene pocos combates con entrenadores, pero la verdad es que todo lo demás es muy bueno, mi juego favorito de 2022
  47. Prizmeta57
    Feb 19, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game got each member of my family pregnant including me buy if you want pregnant… Expand
  48. sebseb08
    Feb 19, 2023
    10
    One of, if not the best Pokémon game in the entire series - been a fan since Diamond and Pear came out, have played every game since then.
  49. OGWNT
    Feb 17, 2023
    10
    WTF is this game?? This game was gonna be the best pokemon game ever and now i want to stick my head through a piton. **** THIS GAME AND YOU, GAMFREAK. 0/10
  50. AshuraZoro
    Feb 13, 2023
    8
    bad looking, and no voice actors. this 2 things was anoying at the start, but its a great game
  51. Nordmansk
    Feb 12, 2023
    10
    Juegazo! Los gráficos son como los de una dreamcast, pero por lo menos han hecho algo diferente y no como siempre. Gracias Game Freak, pero ojalá Nintendo os compre la saga al 100% y se la den a Level 5 o Monolith Soft.
  52. Yallahs9
    Feb 2, 2023
    10
    Es adictivo querer llenar la Pokédex y atraparlos. Los shinys son más sencillos de atrapar y eso ayuda a darle vida al juego
  53. PotatoePink
    Jan 31, 2023
    10
    A great Pokémon game that is very different from every other Pokémon game. Wile the open world isn't much it is still great and it is fun seeing all the Pokémon walking around in the world. All of the new regional forms are also great.
  54. MetaChar
    Jan 31, 2023
    10
    JUST FUN. NOTHING. BUT. FUN. If this kind of game comes out for another region, it will be a must buy. The shiny sparkle, the pokeballs you can just throw in the overworld to catch the pokemon, the new forms, everything is great.
  55. Henny887
    Jan 22, 2023
    10
    After SwSh, became the most hated Pokémon games of all time Gamefreak needed to do something. So, they released Legends Arceus. Changing a lot of elements of Pokémon was amazing I mean you can die to Pokémon now you can't do that any other game. While it's story and graphics may not be the best, Legends Arceus does so much for Pokémon that you can not deny that it's one of the most amazingAfter SwSh, became the most hated Pokémon games of all time Gamefreak needed to do something. So, they released Legends Arceus. Changing a lot of elements of Pokémon was amazing I mean you can die to Pokémon now you can't do that any other game. While it's story and graphics may not be the best, Legends Arceus does so much for Pokémon that you can not deny that it's one of the most amazing Pokémon games.… Expand
  56. empowell
    Jan 17, 2023
    8
    The story starts off slow but I love the new way to catch Pokemon. This game made me interested in playing pokemon again.
  57. ACI378
    Jan 16, 2023
    9
    Un juego que revitaliza por completo la franquicia. En lo jugable no puedo reprocharle nada, es uno de los que más he disfrutado en muchos años. Con un postgame bueno, muy bueno. Lo único que le ha faltado y por lo que no pude ponerle un 10, es por el apartado técnico, que como viene siendo costumbre con pokemon últimamente, es uno de sus puntos más débiles.
  58. JNTHN13
    Jan 15, 2023
    8
    O que posso dizer... assim, o jogo tem uma ótima jogabilidade, porém, os gráficos são ruins (nada que deixe injogável, mas ainda sim são um pouco ruins). O jogo tem um sistema de RPG de turno ao mesmo tempo que tem um de RPG de ação (quando está fora das batalhas ou nas batalhas contra os "Pokémon Royal" o jogo vai ser em RPG de ação, mas se entrar numa batalha jogando sua pokebola emO que posso dizer... assim, o jogo tem uma ótima jogabilidade, porém, os gráficos são ruins (nada que deixe injogável, mas ainda sim são um pouco ruins). O jogo tem um sistema de RPG de turno ao mesmo tempo que tem um de RPG de ação (quando está fora das batalhas ou nas batalhas contra os "Pokémon Royal" o jogo vai ser em RPG de ação, mas se entrar numa batalha jogando sua pokebola em algum pokémon na área o jogo vira RPG de turno) mas, a ação não é nada difícil, nem mesmo as batalhas de turno, então, se você procura um jogo um pouco mais difícil, com gráficos melhores, esse jogo não é para ti. Mas se procura um com uma jogabilidade legal e poder lançar sua pokebola em todo pokémon em volta, pode ir que você vai gostar kk.… Expand
  59. irai16
    Jan 6, 2023
    8
    An unexpectedly good and underrated gem from Gamefreak! The open world is great and feels even better than the world in Scarlet and Violet, with better Pokemon battles too. I'd recommend this to any Pokemon fan looking for a change of pace.
  60. Black_Mullet
    Jan 3, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Negatives:
    1. Generally bad graphics for a 2022 game, especially the water texture.
    2. Only 1 city and load screens and talking to ppl to get in and out of areas instead of open world
    3. No online battling
    4. No breeding, no abilities, no held items
    5. Trainer battles were rare, somewhere around 20-30 I think.
    6. Non existent post game.
    7. Battling at training grounds is underwhelming and why am I fighting 1 vs 3?
    8. New combat system is 1 step forward 2 steps backwards, and we don't even know exactly how it works. I was able to attack at least 9 TIMES in a row with Staraptor and Quick Attack against a slower opponent at my own level.
    9. Not many Pokemon, no national dex.
    10. Your Pokemon don't follow you, that's a big disappointment.
    11. You can feed any other Pokemon except your own lol.
    12. The Effort Levels mechanics, plain and unintuitive.
    13. A bit too many cutscenes, although no voice acting. At least cutscenes don't look disgusting. (cough cough SW/SH)
    14. No minimap.
    15. Button layout is straight up bad, 100+ hours on and every time I need to get used to them.
    16. In Noble fights game turned into Dark Souls for no reason.
    Positives:
    The most innovative game in the series so far, is also the best Pokemon game ever in terms of mechanics and sheer gameplay. It's an action RPG Pokemon game, you can throw stuff, get hit, ROLL!!, straight up catch anything you want by throwing pokeballs. Way better gameplay than S/V, the fluidity is just incomparable. Pokemon look amazing when you take them out of their balls, I'd like them to follow you around , interact with items you throw or automatically get into fights etc, but still, they really look awesome just standing there when you take them out (and you can actually take great pics unlike SV where they are constantly moving). UI looks clean moreso than SV, the story is great, the side quests are cool, new forms are dope too, alphas as well, they nailed them. Shiny hunting is the best and easiest it's ever been. Overall a very intuitive approach to Pokemon games

    This game could be 9/10 if it was fully open world and had a tad better graphics, and a 10/10 had they included the things I mentioned, which I don't think it's too difficult to do for the next Legends title. I want Legends to be the new mainline and get all the mechanics it's missing. Buy this game people, it really is different in an awesome way.    … Expand
  61. Elevas
    Dec 30, 2022
    10
    Genuinely the best pokemon game I’ve ever played. Only thing it’s missing is a new-game+ so I can play the story again without needing to complete the dex all over.
  62. Derpcat
    Sep 24, 2022
    10
    When this Pokémon presents happened, everyone thought the remakes would be the thing to talk about. And this happened.

    Open world Pokémon. How about that? If you don’t know what that means, then it means the world is much more open and explorable. It feels much more immersive and personalized. This is much better than the old Pokémon formula. Not to say that the old formula is bad, but    When this Pokémon presents happened, everyone thought the remakes would be the thing to talk about. And this happened.

    Open world Pokémon. How about that? If you don’t know what that means, then it means the world is much more open and explorable. It feels much more immersive and personalized. This is much better than the old Pokémon formula. Not to say that the old formula is bad, but it’s leagues behind the new one. The game also looks gorgeous in a hand-drawn sort of way. The music is quite good, and reminds me of Diamond & Pearl.

    The story is that you are teleported by some diety to when Sinnoh, or Hisui as it was called, and stop the powered-up Pokémon terrorizing the region, whilst filling up that Pokédex. I won’t go into further detail, but the story is quite intricate.

    There is more content then Mario Odyssey. There are tons of side quests and a post game. This is hours and if you want the true ending, you need all the Pokémon.

    This game is what the new Pokémon formula is. I’m excited for Scarlet and Violet already.    … Expand
  63. gian_pkr
    Dec 28, 2022
    8
    One of the best pokemon games so far. Graphic could be better (it would be a 10 with good graphic) but it has an amazing gameplay and performance are pretty stable and everything works fine. Hope for the future of pokemon games!
  64. Caliban_Dornan
    Dec 16, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Just fantastic! eldich a further development, just a bit too grindy and the graphics of the upper world is to be complained about. otherwise the best pokemon since Heart Gold.
    because it can not be higher for my standards by "gamefreak" it is for me a 10/10.    … Expand
  65. Jelqing_king
    Dec 12, 2022
    9
    I really enjoyed the formula shake up. Dialogue was tedious but world exploration was fun and post game shiny hunting is really nice.
  66. Riiika
    Dec 11, 2022
    9
    Genuinely really enjoyed this game.
    I love the concept of Pokemon. But the games always felt a bit too restrictive with how you could move & how you would get pokemon! The whole sneaking up on Pokémon is interesting! And then being wary/aggressive to humans - makes sense to me! I love being able to explore this much!
    The graphics could have been a bit better, but honestly? They didn't    Genuinely really enjoyed this game.
    I love the concept of Pokemon. But the games always felt a bit too restrictive with how you could move & how you would get pokemon! The whole sneaking up on Pokémon is interesting! And then being wary/aggressive to humans - makes sense to me! I love being able to explore this much!
    The graphics could have been a bit better, but honestly? They didn't bother me.
    I'm currently almost finished with my Pokédex and research - but, even though I've already had so much fun with the game - i'm not worried about losing interest. Because the reward for completing the Pokédex & research - the shiny charm will only make me more eager to play & hunt down some shines (even though the game has already been quite generous with them even without it!).
    Though - the biggest thing I love about this game, is that you don't have to have 2 versions of it yourself/have to trade with anyone - you can complete the whole Pokédex with your own single copy! Since there is only one version of the game!    … Expand
  67. Sammyjsif
    Dec 9, 2022
    9
    Pokemon Legends Arceus is a fresh take for a series that had been in dire need of one. It does almost everything differently and succeeds in almost everything it tries to do. The open-world gameplay mechanism is something greatly appreciated and refreshing in a Pokemon series. It, of course, is not without its faults but it still stands strong even past those tropes. If you gave up onPokemon Legends Arceus is a fresh take for a series that had been in dire need of one. It does almost everything differently and succeeds in almost everything it tries to do. The open-world gameplay mechanism is something greatly appreciated and refreshing in a Pokemon series. It, of course, is not without its faults but it still stands strong even past those tropes. If you gave up on Pokemon because of how repetitive the series was then now is your time to hop back on.… Expand
  68. Scilence2392
    Dec 8, 2022
    9
    this series needs to not only continue but "blast off at the speed of light"
  69. Alebernard
    Dec 8, 2022
    9
    Excellent game, with mobility with the rides, battles with movement in the attacks, bigger map to explore, capture with the pokeball with the option of not entering the battle. More challenging bosses than 1st to 8th gen games. Little fps drop compared to Sword and Shield. Best Pokemon game since Heartgold and Soulsilver also Sun and Moon.
  70. Nightscape_
    Dec 1, 2022
    8
    Now this is a Pokémon game! Just picked this up a week ago instead of Scarlet and Violet due to their graphical and performance problems. I am happy I did, this is one of the best Pokémon games I have ever played! It has been hard to put down. How did they go from this well polished game to Scarlet and Violet that barely runs and looks like garbage? What a downgrade!

    It is not a perfect    Now this is a Pokémon game! Just picked this up a week ago instead of Scarlet and Violet due to their graphical and performance problems. I am happy I did, this is one of the best Pokémon games I have ever played! It has been hard to put down. How did they go from this well polished game to Scarlet and Violet that barely runs and looks like garbage? What a downgrade!

    It is not a perfect game, but it sure is fun. I love that you can see the Pokémon in the overworld and can battle right there; it makes the gameplay very fluid. I like that when traveling around your human character can be attacked by Pokémon and takes damage as it makes it feel more realistic (these are supposed to be wild animals after all). It also has one of the better stories in the Pokémon series; in fact, it might be my personal favorite. I actually remember the characters' names and their motives in this one! It is fun to do the side-quests to meet new people, Pokémon, and learn more about the game lore. Few of the side-quests are too time consuming and didn't complete them but that is my only real complaint about the game. I did think the purple shadow textures look off, but it is not that big of a deal, it just shows the skill and education limits of the game designers more than anything. I really like the pasture your Pokémon are kept in. It is neat to walk by it and see some of the different ones you have collected. I also like the Feudal Japan style, it really works well. And I have to say, the amount of clothing and hair options is the best I think I have ever seen in Pokémon.

    This game has a couple flaws but no game is perfect and the good more than outweighs the bad. It is like the game designers actually tried to make something fans of Pokémon would love instead of a soulless cash-grab like Scarlet and Violet.

    Seriously, skip Scarlet and Violet, vote with your wallet and pick this game up. It is pretty much what a Pokémon game should be.    … Expand
  71. HunterXJacob
    Nov 29, 2022
    9
    Wow a competent and innovative Pokemon game! Game runs decently well, visuals are nice. Thanks for trying something new and doing it well!
  72. xSpOokie
    Nov 28, 2022
    9
    Incredible game , a huge improvemet and the future of the franchise , great mechanics and gameplay , this game is the perfect game for that player who likes to complete the pokedex and who likes to plat games , 27 main quests and 122 side quests and pokedex objectives for each pokemon that is in the game , the side quests aren't boring and thats a very good thing cause it makes moreIncredible game , a huge improvemet and the future of the franchise , great mechanics and gameplay , this game is the perfect game for that player who likes to complete the pokedex and who likes to plat games , 27 main quests and 122 side quests and pokedex objectives for each pokemon that is in the game , the side quests aren't boring and thats a very good thing cause it makes more interesting , its more based on catching a pokemon for them or showing your pokedex entries , i recommend every pokemon fan to buy this game , however buy first pokemon brilliant diamond/shining pearl and pokemon shield/sword, because you will get two side missions that can get you darkrai and shaymin , isee a lot of people that are complaining about the lack of battles but the game tells you that the objective of the game and the story will develop arround "completing the pokedex" and solving mysteries about the legendarys.… Expand
  73. CaptainCharisma
    Jul 29, 2022
    10
    This is the best Pokemon game since the N64 Stadium titles and a huge step forward for this franchise. Plenty of room for improvement such as better animations, cleaner visuals and more gameplay mechanics with less grinding would make the sequel to Legends Arceus a contender for GOTY.
  74. lks8492
    Nov 26, 2022
    8
    Really refreshing. Love the gameplay. It's necessary step for the franchise.
  75. jljosue
    Nov 25, 2022
    8
    A fantastic game, with addictive mechanics. Honestly, I was surprised by the difficulty and story of the game, and I'm very satisfied with it. I hope that future Pokemon games will have many elements of this game, because I think this is the direction that The Pokemon Company should take. Also, I hope that with future games they can improve the technical aspect, as that would be a big plus.
  76. Alex12345o
    Nov 25, 2022
    9
    A mi parecer es el mejor juego de pokemon hasta el momento, la mecánica y movimientos son increíbles
  77. KreyGame
    Nov 24, 2022
    9
    Es sin duda el giro que necesitaba la franquicia.
    Tiene sus fallos pero planta unas bases muy interesantes a desarrollar en distintas entregas.

    Este es el camino a seguir dentro de la franquicia pokemon.
  78. eye-zitt
    Nov 23, 2022
    9
    The art kinda sucks, but this is the definitive Pokemon experience. The gameplay loop is very smooth and addictive, the story is decent enough, and there is a lot of personality in this game. If you like Pokemon, this is the game to play. The only problem with this game is that it doesn’t have any sort of multiplayer experience.
  79. Cronodougs
    Nov 23, 2022
    9
    The Best Pokemon Ever Made (So Far)!

    Dynamic, fun and direct. Only need more camera options, open world and more procedural pokemon spawns.
  80. Edalynnx
    Nov 22, 2022
    10
    This is my favorite Pokémon game! Graphics might not be perfect but in my opinion the game play is.
  81. bocles
    Nov 22, 2022
    8
    Right of the bat my biggest critiques of this game are it could look better and the story is bland. But the overworld is addicting to explore, sneaking around and catching pokemon is fun, the battles are fun with the open camera with the liberty of moving around, the move animations are beautiful and impactful.

    This game is fun and a step in the right direction for pokemon, if they    Right of the bat my biggest critiques of this game are it could look better and the story is bland. But the overworld is addicting to explore, sneaking around and catching pokemon is fun, the battles are fun with the open camera with the liberty of moving around, the move animations are beautiful and impactful.

    This game is fun and a step in the right direction for pokemon, if they continue to polish this style of gameplay and create a story worth getting invested into they can create great games.    … Expand
  82. Santi2277
    Nov 22, 2022
    9
    The renewal of Pokémon has been made as it needed, in a 3D movement world. It has expected things and some new unique mechanics such as launching the ball, mobility in the combat as a trainer, and many more. It also combines perfectly the action game with the turns games. The graphics are nice for nintendo switch and fit the game. The main history could have been longer (one or twoThe renewal of Pokémon has been made as it needed, in a 3D movement world. It has expected things and some new unique mechanics such as launching the ball, mobility in the combat as a trainer, and many more. It also combines perfectly the action game with the turns games. The graphics are nice for nintendo switch and fit the game. The main history could have been longer (one or two "señorial" more). It copies lots of things of Dragon Quest Monters Joker 3 which was only released in Japan and advanced Pokémon (still one DQ monsters in development though). Pokémon needed to go on this way, it's enjoyable, could improve, but it's really a masterpiece on this kind of games.… Expand
  83. the4ears
    Nov 21, 2022
    8
    该做一看就不是GF那批废物做的，素材和风格跟塞尔达荒野之息非常统一，估计是用同一个引擎开发的。
  84. Lukitoo
    Nov 21, 2022
    10
    Muito divertido, e uma forma totalmente nova de se jogar a franquia. A exploração e o crescimento durante o jogo estão muito mais fluídos. O único ponto negativo que devo mencionar são os gráficos, mas, pessoalmente, não me afetou, pois me diverti com o jogo do começo ao fim. Nota 10.
  85. MIDAS3000
    Nov 21, 2022
    10
    Beautiful game, I appreciated all the innovation and the effort they put to make the brand coherent with new era of jrpgs
  86. GameMultiverse
    Nov 20, 2022
    10
    Awesome game mechanics, definitely a must-stay formula for future games. You've got the canvas here, just panit over it with new games and improve it but this game is a solid base for future pokemkn games
  87. Azura485
    Nov 20, 2022
    9
    A step in the right direction. I enjoyed this game from start to finish. Catching mechanics where amazing, and the difficulty once thought to be forgotten by the franchise, came back.
  88. DanielDPD
    Nov 20, 2022
    9
    Poor environment visuals but within a consistent artstyle (like a painting). Nice storyline, very good cutscenes direction, impressive music and super addictive gameplay. Legendary related quests / minigames are back (there is not a single pokemon the games just gives to the player) and shiny hunting is really fun. Also, pokémon sizes are true scale!

    Imo, this is the way the series should    Poor environment visuals but within a consistent artstyle (like a painting). Nice storyline, very good cutscenes direction, impressive music and super addictive gameplay. Legendary related quests / minigames are back (there is not a single pokemon the games just gives to the player) and shiny hunting is really fun. Also, pokémon sizes are true scale!

    Imo, this is the way the series should follow in the furure, only upgrading the graphics and the technical side of the games.    … Expand
  89. hoodrew
    Nov 19, 2022
    10
    Probably one of my favorite Pokemon games, it isnt the prettiest game ever made but some areas still look nice and imo its very fun
  90. arlatius
    Nov 19, 2022
    9
    Far and away the best pokemon game in years. The open world is rudimentary and it's obvious that it's the series' first time with it but with a bit of polish it could be perfected. The integration of battling within the open world is also wonderfully smooth, when I began playing pokemon violet i lamented the loss of the legends arceus mechanics. If gamefreak knows what's good for them,Far and away the best pokemon game in years. The open world is rudimentary and it's obvious that it's the series' first time with it but with a bit of polish it could be perfected. The integration of battling within the open world is also wonderfully smooth, when I began playing pokemon violet i lamented the loss of the legends arceus mechanics. If gamefreak knows what's good for them, they'll draw from the strongest elements from legends arceus when making gen 10s game… Expand
  91. bapp
    Nov 18, 2022
    10
    Best pokemon game I've ever played... super fun for anyone that grew up with the games
  92. Taaseen
    Nov 18, 2022
    10
    Absolutely love the catching in this game it's so fun, I came back to it after being disappointed by pokemon S/V and damn was this game good, its honestly do disappointing that S/V took out so many of the good things in pokemon legends
  93. Super_Oshawott
    Nov 17, 2022
    9
    Recent Pokémon games have NOT been the best as of late. Since X and Y's release, the series has started to be very decisive between gamers. While i think that Pokémon Legends: Arceus is not perfect with its visual style, it is very much my new favorite Pokémon game.

    I suck at RPG's, with one of the only Pokémon games I have ever beaten was base Sword and Shield (And we know how everyone    Recent Pokémon games have NOT been the best as of late. Since X and Y's release, the series has started to be very decisive between gamers. While i think that Pokémon Legends: Arceus is not perfect with its visual style, it is very much my new favorite Pokémon game.

    I suck at RPG's, with one of the only Pokémon games I have ever beaten was base Sword and Shield (And we know how everyone feels about that game). However, Legends' gameplay loop was very simple to pick up and play and the story, as basic as it was, kept me engaged the entire way through. Top it off with some of the series best starters returning to be your starting pokemon in this game (Who were also my three favorite starters of all time, so I'm a bit biased here), and the game is fun enough to get a recommendation for anyone that has a switch.    … Expand
  94. Cesarantony
    Nov 14, 2022
    9
    This game is very important for the franchise with the mitologic explanation about arceus, but have some problems with the graphics that so many times make the game looks kinda weird
  95. Jonragels1987
    Nov 13, 2022
    9
    Finally, an open world pokemon will action in it.

    The Good: New formula, Open world, Pokemon living ( and defending) in their homes in the wild. Gameplay feels nice and smooth. Lots of content after the main plot. not the same old reused formula over and over. We got something new and it worked fantastic. The Bad: I feel as of the main plot was short-lived. Vast world feels empty at    Finally, an open world pokemon will action in it.

    The Good: New formula, Open world, Pokemon living ( and defending) in their homes in the wild. Gameplay feels nice and smooth. Lots of content after the main plot. not the same old reused formula over and over. We got something new and it worked fantastic. The Bad: I feel as of the main plot was short-lived. Vast world feels empty at times. No voice acting. Overall it's a great way to revamp the pokemon series. It feels good and I hope to see more of this formula continue in the next installation.    … Expand
  96. alxs621
    Oct 28, 2022
    8
    Certainly a better offering than the rest of Gamefreak's 8th generation, tough the visual aspect could have used more care.
  97. BloodShadow
    Oct 27, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Its very refreshing to see a new direction to the franchise, i love the open zone and the catching mechanic. The concept of every character being an ancestor to characters from other games was a cool touch and allowed for cool easter eggs. Love the side missions, some of them being very interesting, and the fact that you can leave pokemon on the base that are then standing there makes it fell like your base is very unique to your pokemon likings.
    The fighting mechanic was also a great change, which made it very fun and suprisingly challenging sometimes, the levels of the pokemon dont matter as much as previous games, where pokemon 30 level below you can easily one-shot you.
    My biggest gripe whit the game is the fact that both shaymin and darkray are locked behind buying sword or shield and diamond or pearl remake respectivly, which makes it so you cant actually get arceus (the pokemon whos name is on the title )unless you buy both those games or play pokemon go until they show up.
    Finally the Volo fight was one of the most awesome boss fights i ever played, from the new version of Cinthyas theme, to the Cinthyas pokemon team, the giratina fight and origin form, and 6v8 concept, all of it was amazing.    … Expand
  98. FreeRunner29
    Oct 14, 2022
    9
    This is a solid 9, the storyline is great, for once in my life capturing Pokemon is fun as are the encounters and watching them in their habitats. I love that Pokemon has now entered a "semi-open world" realm thus carrying over into the next generation a full open world. My only gripe is that when you are flying around pop-in becomes a bit distracting but, that cannot take away the factThis is a solid 9, the storyline is great, for once in my life capturing Pokemon is fun as are the encounters and watching them in their habitats. I love that Pokemon has now entered a "semi-open world" realm thus carrying over into the next generation a full open world. My only gripe is that when you are flying around pop-in becomes a bit distracting but, that cannot take away the fact that this is the best Pokemon game in a long time.… Expand
  99. AngryNoivern
    Oct 11, 2022
    9
    the only problems I have are the graphics can be a bit spotty here and there and at distance pop in and frame rate issues on wild Pokémon and the lack of voice acting which at this point in the whole franchise is long overdue.

    exploring and catching are incredible, the battles feel a lot nicer than they have in the past (although it would be nice to use more than one in multi battles),    the only problems I have are the graphics can be a bit spotty here and there and at distance pop in and frame rate issues on wild Pokémon and the lack of voice acting which at this point in the whole franchise is long overdue.

    exploring and catching are incredible, the battles feel a lot nicer than they have in the past (although it would be nice to use more than one in multi battles), and the fact that wild Pokémon can and do go after you while exploring adds just that bit more excitement to this cake.

    and great news to shiny hunters its definitely more fun and easy to catch a shiny Pokémon with how the pokedex works in this game. once you catch a new Pokémon you need to fill out the whole entry to unlock all it info and if you get to level 10 research it bosts the shiny odds of that Pokémon.

    so if you haven't played this game yet id say go at and enjoy this new yet familiar region    … Expand
  100. ZakaryJNicholls
    Oct 9, 2022
    10
    As an old school pokemon master, I initially disliked the mechanics of this game.
    But when you learn the mechanics, this game is everything the original pokemon could have been if the technology had been stronger at the time.
    After about 100 hours I've come to absolutely love this game. The gameplay is excellent, the story is quite dense, and it's just a very successful game. If you    As an old school pokemon master, I initially disliked the mechanics of this game.
    But when you learn the mechanics, this game is everything the original pokemon could have been if the technology had been stronger at the time.
    After about 100 hours I've come to absolutely love this game. The gameplay is excellent, the story is quite dense, and it's just a very successful game.
    If you like pokemon, you should give this a go.    … 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]
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