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. BoltSnapBolt
    Jul 21, 2022
    8
    The best pokemon game to date since the Heart Gold and Soul Silver remakes. Graphics aside, this is a promising step in the right direction and I look forward to how they improve upon this model.
  2. samuellsilva
    Feb 20, 2022
    10
    Sem sombra de dúvidas a melhor aventura de Pokémon desde a era Game Boy. Vale a pena curtir e jogar o jogo em todas as missões e sidequests. Vale umas 80h tranquilamente
  3. Evenstar1985
    Feb 13, 2022
    9
    This is a step to the right direction, loved this game, after burning myself out with Sword/Shield I thought I was done with Pokemon games after ignoring BD/SP, but this game my god I had so much fun.
  4. Be3nj
    Nov 22, 2022
    0
    Apesar de tudo é um bom jogo! A mecanica de captura te faz ficar entrertido por varias horas
  5. 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
  6. Simoss13
    Mar 4, 2022
    9
    I have not played a Pokémon game since Red and Blue. Since watching the cartoons in 1998, I had an expectation of exploring vast lands, fast turned based combat and collecting quirky pocket monsters. After a long wait, I got to play the game I envisioned and wanted.
    The gameplay heavily relies on exploration and research which compliments the main story progression. There are 5 large    I have not played a Pokémon game since Red and Blue. Since watching the cartoons in 1998, I had an expectation of exploring vast lands, fast turned based combat and collecting quirky pocket monsters. After a long wait, I got to play the game I envisioned and wanted.
    The gameplay heavily relies on exploration and research which compliments the main story progression. There are 5 large areas to explore and have much to return to when acquiring new mounts.
    Although I prefer more track variety, the music is great and fitting to the game.
    The main issues I have (likely said by many) is, the graphics. The pop-in does take away from the immersion as it's so constant. But the game overall looks... passable (not ugly but there is better looking games for sure).
    The other issue is the control scheme, they seem to make the game clunky and the buttons don't make sense. For instance, press "+" (or start) to ride a mount and 'up' on the D-pad to use a menu, why?
    The story has an interesting concept, but felt it was executed in a weak way. It was a whole bunch of fluff in dialogue which I struggled to get invested in after the second zone.
    There is a minor challenge (but not difficult), accessible for all ages. I am excited the direction they have taken. I am intrigued to see what Gen 9 will offer    … Expand
  7. Twilwind
    Mar 2, 2022
    9
    This is an innovative and funny Pokemon game, yet the graphic still needs improvement.
  8. Denvers
    Feb 25, 2022
    8
    If you're looking for the greatest Pokémon game ever made, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is not it. While the game is very fun and refreshing, like all of the games before it, it eventually grows to feel too repetitive and unfun. The gameplay loop is to gather resources, catch Pokémon, complete research tasks, and repeat. This gameplay loop, for the first 15 hours or so, is very fun andIf you're looking for the greatest Pokémon game ever made, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is not it. While the game is very fun and refreshing, like all of the games before it, it eventually grows to feel too repetitive and unfun. The gameplay loop is to gather resources, catch Pokémon, complete research tasks, and repeat. This gameplay loop, for the first 15 hours or so, is very fun and addicting, but by the end of the game, it does not feel as if there is enough variety within the core loop to keep you engaged. Likewise, the side quests in the game are pretty typical and unengaging, which is a huge bummer for those of us who like to complete a game's extra content. The boss battles in the game are super fun - while you still battle in these fights, you also have to, as a trainer, dodge enemy attacks in an almost bullet-hell like way. Although they aren't too difficult, they add a change of pace to the game's main loop and rewards players for thinking on their feet. Overall, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is quite a fun game that suffers from a sense of burnout that many Pokémon games before it have made me feel.… Expand
  9. marvsfontanilla
    Aug 19, 2022
    8
    Story: 7
    Graphics: 7
    Sound: 8
    Gameplay: 8
    Game Time: 30-35 Hours (Main Story + Extra)
  10. NextPlayer_it
    Mar 2, 2022
    9
    Game Freak ha unito azione ed esplorazione insieme alle radici dei titoli Pokémon precendenti e questo rende Leggende Pokémon: Arceus una delle ambientazioni più singolari nella storia della saga. Anche il nuovo approccio al gameplay e il nuovo sistema di combattimento fanno la loro parte, accompagnando l’intera avventura senza stancarti ma con la voglia di voler cercare ogni nuovo PokémonGame Freak ha unito azione ed esplorazione insieme alle radici dei titoli Pokémon precendenti e questo rende Leggende Pokémon: Arceus una delle ambientazioni più singolari nella storia della saga. Anche il nuovo approccio al gameplay e il nuovo sistema di combattimento fanno la loro parte, accompagnando l’intera avventura senza stancarti ma con la voglia di voler cercare ogni nuovo Pokémon possibile per poter completare il Pokédex. Se avete giocato e apprezzato Pokémon Diamante Lucente e Pokémon Perla Splendente, ed avete esplorato tutta la regione di Sinnoh, sarete entusiasti di vivere questa avventura nel passato!… Expand
  11. Doktor_Fretonia
    Apr 24, 2022
    8
    A game worth the price, people who say that the game can be ended quickly are only talking about the plot. The goal of this game is to fill the pokedex, and this is the first time that it can be done without a problem. I am waiting for the premiere of the 9th generation
  12. sheep255174
    Mar 6, 2022
    10
    Just good, there aren't many other words to describe how well Game Freak has managed to deal with a new style of game. After polishing and improving the current system for years.
    Its a game that everyone has to play, only playing it is understood because despite the average graphics, one falls in love and has it fixed on the screen.
  13. luisbortolaso
    Feb 13, 2022
    10
    muito bão, mas muito bão mesmo isso sim very good is forever now game its play nice camon inthe game very well in the world chapion easy boy is definitive game note maxima inthe game family
  14. ff9alex
    Feb 20, 2022
    8
    Lo mejor que ha sacado game freak en años, una refrescada la fórmula de pokémon mejorando muchos aspectos que eran tediosos en pokémon al punto que te preguntas porque no fue siempre así que los detenía son cosas que eran obvias el juego es bueno pero no le daré un 10 por lo que debieron haber hecho hace 5 años, ojala de ahora en adelante sigan así y no saquen mas basuras como el remakeLo mejor que ha sacado game freak en años, una refrescada la fórmula de pokémon mejorando muchos aspectos que eran tediosos en pokémon al punto que te preguntas porque no fue siempre así que los detenía son cosas que eran obvias el juego es bueno pero no le daré un 10 por lo que debieron haber hecho hace 5 años, ojala de ahora en adelante sigan así y no saquen mas basuras como el remake malo que hicieron de diamante y perla… Expand
  15. DavieSl
    Aug 18, 2022
    8
    Ok first things first, really happy with them making a new type of pokemon, onwards and upwards from here i hope.

    It isnt the best open world game out there, dialogue and graphics are lacking, but its a huge leap in the general direction i feel this game can take. there are plenty of pokemon to catch, ways to catch them, sidequests and some tough alphas (depending on your level).    Ok first things first, really happy with them making a new type of pokemon, onwards and upwards from here i hope.

    It isnt the best open world game out there, dialogue and graphics are lacking, but its a huge leap in the general direction i feel this game can take.

    there are plenty of pokemon to catch, ways to catch them, sidequests and some tough alphas (depending on your level).

    i can finally get golem, alakazam, etc without the need of a friend. huge plus from me. There does seem to be too much of an over reliance on needing stones and items to evolve in this game though.

    it is a shame that there is only one town in the game, but different npc's and quests keep getting added throughout the storyline so thats ok. could have done with a couple more imo but, c'est la vie.    … Expand
  16. srinu634
    Sep 25, 2022
    8
    Fun switch game! It's a bit repetitive. The levels were monotonous and linear. However, catching the pokemon, characters were a plus.
  17. JWAY21
    Feb 24, 2022
    9
    The best Pokemon game I have ever played. It is all I ever wanted growing up. This game is not perfect, but it provides an excellent stepping stone for future games of this style. I hope GameFreak sticks with this style of game. At times, it was painfully obvious this was the devs first time attempting to make a game like this. However, the gameplay is absolutely addicting and theThe best Pokemon game I have ever played. It is all I ever wanted growing up. This game is not perfect, but it provides an excellent stepping stone for future games of this style. I hope GameFreak sticks with this style of game. At times, it was painfully obvious this was the devs first time attempting to make a game like this. However, the gameplay is absolutely addicting and the overworld Pokemon are simply too cool to pass up this game.… Expand
  18. onepiece255174
    Mar 6, 2022
    10
    Most fun i had in a while with a pokemon game. The new mechanics are really cool and it really feels like you are a part of the game. Huge step in the right direction and im so excited to see what they will bring in the future.
  19. 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.
  20. churros
    May 13, 2022
    8
    Pros:
    + capturing mechanics
    + fun to explore
    + riding pokemon
    + great pokemon selection
    + character customization

    Cons:
    - ugly graphics
    - bad draw distance
    - no voice acting
    - boring dialogs
    - cliche story
    - bad boss fights
  21. Pkm21
    Feb 20, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. El mejor juego de la franquicia, es cierto aún tiene muchas cosas por pulir, mayormente derivadas del poco tiempo de desarrollo que permite Pokémon company sin embargo es el camino por el que deben de seguir.… Expand
  22. rebuzzi
    Aug 22, 2022
    10
    i love how they broke the formula! a true masterpiece! they need to keep up with these types of games
  23. WallCrouton
    Feb 18, 2022
    8
    As someone who's played Pokemon since gen 1 as a kid, I wanted to see how this new installment stood up to previous ones as well as my opinion as a lifelong Pokemon fan.

    The short version is this: I enjoyed it, even with a few criticisms. I had fun, and I actually did Catch 'em All this time. The long version is: It's a new and interesting direction for Pokemon to go, having done the    As someone who's played Pokemon since gen 1 as a kid, I wanted to see how this new installment stood up to previous ones as well as my opinion as a lifelong Pokemon fan.

    The short version is this: I enjoyed it, even with a few criticisms. I had fun, and I actually did Catch 'em All this time.

    The long version is: It's a new and interesting direction for Pokemon to go, having done the usual 8 badges + beat evil team for 25 years. Although the catchphrase implied you had to indeed catch them all, it was never the main goal. If you did, you rarely got anything good unless you were shiny hunting, and it was really just for the sake of doing it. So to make that the goal of getting the true final ending of this game was innovative and unique. They took away the pressure of the main path to follow and instead put a lot of focus on discovering all the Pokemon in the region. It also did a good job of making the wild Pokemon feel more dangerous and not just pests.

    Now for the downsides... I didn't encounter a lot, but the things I did see are the most commonly talked about. Mainly the graphics. I'm not a big whiner about it, but it was definitely a bit rough sometimes. Mostly when high up, as when you're on the ground catching or battling Pokemon it's harder to see. However, I didn't find that it ruined my experience of playing it. There were also some encounters that were frustrating, involving chasing really fast Pokemon that dashed away as soon as you were in their line of sight. As well, one battle in particular was a huge difficulty spike over any others and was really imbalanced in favor of the opponent. Kids are supposed to be able to play this, and it gave me a rough time, so I can't imagine how much one might struggle against it. Also, multibattles exist but you still only get to use one Pokemon, so you can easily find yourself getting wombo combo'd to death with nothing you can do but watch.

    Basically, it's definitely a good game at its core, but could use some polish. If they go this route again in the future, I hope they listen to criticism of this one to better balance the next one.

    If you weren't sure about getting this one, I'll say this: If you're a committed Pokemon fan, you won't want to miss it. If you're just looking to play the hot new game and really want pretty graphics, you may want to skip it if you just can't accept how it looks. It's not perfect, but it's good.    … Expand
  24. ValkyriaDG
    Mar 18, 2022
    10
    Este juego ha Sido el Cambio perfecto Que Necesitaba Pokemon 10/10. Es una Jugabilidad muy Entretenida qué da un Soplo de Aire Fresco A la Franquicia.
  25. 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
  26. Karbenz
    Mar 14, 2022
    9
    A large leap towards the right direction. Keep up the good work and polish the game in the upcoming DLC!
  27. Ardho
    Mar 15, 2022
    9
    the first pokemon game i finished, i really like the open world gameplay, the adventure of catching pokemons is very fun, i hope the next pokemon game has the same gameplay as arceus
  28. AYESRYU
    Feb 24, 2022
    9
    A new experience of Pokémon and is amazing i cant let it playing ,exelent work for nintendo.
  29. Pexy99
    Feb 18, 2022
    8
    La via verso un nuovo pokemon è giusta ma serve più tempo per produrre un gioco appagante graficamente, a mio parere servirebbero più anni di sviluppo ma siamo sulla buona strada
  30. afonso12345
    Feb 26, 2022
    9
    Pokémon is always amazing, but this time game freak really tried to innovate, and in my opinion it worked, the only problem with the game being the bad graphics.
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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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