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. MasterMimiii
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    incredible game, the best in the franchise, mixing the greatest mechanics from pokemon and open-world games in general
  2. Seyta
    Jan 29, 2022
    0
    Really disappointed about gamefreak, they make bad games since years and they doesn't care. They always do the bare minimum and never listen to players.
    The universe has nothing natural, it's too robotic, the pokemons move erratically, they wander lifeless, no ecology, no wildlife or anything. The devs just created a map and put pokemons here and there.
    And I don't even speak about the graphics.
  3. Trunyk
    Jan 29, 2022
    3
    Leaving aside the pitiful graphics it looks like a game made without desire, unfortunately disappointed in what will be the first pokemon game that I will not complete.
  4. pabswikk
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    A fun reinvention of the Pokémon formula, hopefully the next version keeps this change while giving it a better look
  5. Excamur
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    This game is exactly what pokemon needed. Is not perfect, but the new mechanics and the freedom are too good. Imagine explore Kanto with this formula, please, gamefreak, this is the way.
  6. Javi665445
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    The graphics are not great. Aside from that, this is one of the most enjoyable Pokemon games I've ever played. It might be THE most enjoyable. People are really giving it zero just because they don't like the graphics or the new forms.
  7. Ocosu
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    Overall, this game is a breath of fresh air. It brings new elements and life to a system that has otherwise overstayed its welcome for the last few decades. I genuinely hope they keep this fusion of RPG/turn based system for Pokemon games to follow as it allowed the player actual choice and actual exploration that felt rewarding to me. Whether that be in the form of finding rare items orOverall, this game is a breath of fresh air. It brings new elements and life to a system that has otherwise overstayed its welcome for the last few decades. I genuinely hope they keep this fusion of RPG/turn based system for Pokemon games to follow as it allowed the player actual choice and actual exploration that felt rewarding to me. Whether that be in the form of finding rare items or pokemon spawns, I never felt it was pointless to actually touch every corner of the admittedly large segmented areas.

    As for player choice, there were many times I had a marker on the map which indicated where I needed to go to progress the story which I just ignored. You can explore, catch, and train pokemon at your own pace which as most Pokemon fans know, isn't the norm. You can find rare items, pokemon, alpha pokemon, and everything else freely from your second time stepping into the fields which was really nice. Ontop of that, there are multiple ways to completed your pokedex. You can battle, you can capture, you can observe, or you can raise them yourself and learn things about them. You'll see a lot of people on here saying it felt tedious, but they had options. They just didn't explore them or take the time to read them.

    Of course there is a graphical downside, but I honestly never felt like it hindered my experience throughout my play through. It is an area they need to work on though going forward.

    Without going too much into it since I want this to be a spoiler free review, this game is amazing. I can't understand people who are trying to say this is the worse Pokemon game to ever exist. It is far from the worse and easily ranks as one of the best imo. I really hope they intend to keep this formula, because I don't know if I can revert to the old system in Gen9 after experiencing this. This is a fun game and if you actually read into the mechanics and into the side quest, they give you a fun idea of the NPCs take on the world, your character, and many other aspects.

    A lot of fun Easter Eggs are in the game too, so keep your eyes peeled for those!    … Expand
  8. Jamiebr
    Jan 29, 2022
    9
    Huge step in a great direction. Cant fault the game at this time. I genuinely dont mind the graphics I find them stylised. Granted the frame rate of far away pokemon is low but im unsure if this is a issue with the switch hardware being incredibly weak or if its a programing issue.

    The game is fun first and foremost. As someone whos played every single pokemon game to ever release when    Huge step in a great direction. Cant fault the game at this time. I genuinely dont mind the graphics I find them stylised. Granted the frame rate of far away pokemon is low but im unsure if this is a issue with the switch hardware being incredibly weak or if its a programing issue.

    The game is fun first and foremost. As someone whos played every single pokemon game to ever release when they released. its a breath of fresh air to come away from a old clunky and boring system. Yes having abilitys would of been preferred, yes i get the competitive side being weak is frustrating for some people but for others who just want a solid non competitive pokemon game for the first time in many years this satisfys that itch. Im excited to see what the pokemon company do next and I hope to god they build on this system and retire the old one    … Expand
  9. KarimTheTraitor
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    Excellent game, ideal for people of all ages.
    In its main story it may seem easy, but in its huge post-game is where it keeps the challenge for the most experienced in Pokémon
  10. PokeReviewer
    Jan 29, 2022
    0
    A very poor game. Pokemon Legends: Arceus breaks the traditional Pokemon formula that we all know and love. The game feels very empty, with almost no extra content. A big disappointment overall.
  11. Badamboom
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    The game is a step in the right direction anyone who gave it anything under a 7.5 either didn’t play it or just a hater throwing out 0s all over
  12. The_Sothis_Feet
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    I have been told that it is a game very similar to BotW, but when I finished it last night, it was the complete opposite.

    This game does have a good story devoid of filler characters, if it has a world with interesting things to do more than the empty plains of the game with which it is compared. And instead of being filled with hundreds of shrines and kologs, each Pokémon to catch is a    I have been told that it is a game very similar to BotW, but when I finished it last night, it was the complete opposite.

    This game does have a good story devoid of filler characters, if it has a world with interesting things to do more than the empty plains of the game with which it is compared. And instead of being filled with hundreds of shrines and kologs, each Pokémon to catch is a new experience and challenge without falling into monotony.
    I love Pokémon Legends and everything that is proposed, and the comparisons seem more than hateful to me, it has nothing to do with BotW nor will it have it, its a game that in its own style knows how to stand out and be memorable.    … Expand
  13. daniloperes23
    Jan 29, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The new missions associated with every pokemón , the freedom to explore not just the open areas around you, but doing with the intention to find a specific type of Pokémon, distinguished not just by his species, but by other specifications , and not just that but how you catch that pokemón, witch is important to and is a factor that contributes to your research. This is very fun! You have to be careful not just with the one you are aprouching to but with the environment around you and the other creatures that are on it. The art style of the menus, the one where you select the pokemón you witch to be the first choice on your party, to be always at your disposal, the new físicas pokedéx with all his missions by pokemón already mentioned, the overal layouts and the art choices are very good and create that feeling of being on the medieval era in a very good way.
    The low points are the graphic questions and the lack of other cities or locations with more elements, but it doesn’t decreases the enchantment that is this game!!    … Expand
  14. Frank-byert
    Jan 29, 2022
    4
    Un buen intento por innovar en la saga , sin embargo es extremadamente decepcionante que game freak (compañia billonaria) no pueda manejar una buena dirección de arte.
  15. Javieraso12
    Jan 29, 2022
    4
    No es lo suficientemente bueno. Disfruté el juego pero porque pokemon es la franquicia de mi infancia, por lo que si eres como yo probablemente te lo pases bien. El juego en si es una costra, tiene muchos glitches visuales, se ve como el culo y tiene unas caidas de frames en las animaciones brutales. La historia es la cosa mas horrible y plana que te puedan echar a la cara, creo que me hanNo es lo suficientemente bueno. Disfruté el juego pero porque pokemon es la franquicia de mi infancia, por lo que si eres como yo probablemente te lo pases bien. El juego en si es una costra, tiene muchos glitches visuales, se ve como el culo y tiene unas caidas de frames en las animaciones brutales. La historia es la cosa mas horrible y plana que te puedan echar a la cara, creo que me han repetido minimo 100 veces los mismo puntos principales de la historia, me sentia tonto. Las mecanicas de combate son lo peor de cualquier entrega, lo de los turnos va fatal y esta explicado como el culo, me atacan tantas veces que hay veces que saco un pokemon y no puedo ni seleccionar movimiento porque ya ha muerto, es patetico. Hay algo que te engancha, creo que son las capturas o ver los pokemons en el mundo andar, pero es que eso ya lo hacia y lo hace mejor pixelmon, asi que este juego no tiene nada y esta hecho sin cariño. Me decepciona en que se esta convirtiendo esta franquicia, pero es el mejor juego 3d de toda la saga, por lo que no se que mas decir.… Expand
  16. Zski
    Jan 29, 2022
    8
    This was a necessary experiment for the Pokémon franchise, and it was executed fairly well. Most importantly, I think it laid a solid foundation for future sequels that will build on the formula. The game focuses entirely on the single player experience, which is where it differs the most from other games in the series. So there is no battling other human players, and minimal interactionThis was a necessary experiment for the Pokémon franchise, and it was executed fairly well. Most importantly, I think it laid a solid foundation for future sequels that will build on the formula. The game focuses entirely on the single player experience, which is where it differs the most from other games in the series. So there is no battling other human players, and minimal interaction with others, and this is entirely by design. The game serves as a prequel to the Pokémon franchise, so the areas you explore are very empty due to them being underdeveloped. This definitely gives the series a long desired sense of exploration and adventure. I’m not a huge fan of Pokémon games, I played several of them, but skipped out on others if I just wasn’t in the mood. That formula has not changed in 25 years, so this a very welcome change of pace, while still keeping the core spirit of the Pokémon universe. The gameplay loop feels much like (early) Pokémon Go, where the main objective is just to explore and catch all of the Pokémon. It’s a pleasant game to explore, however the gameplay loop does get a little repetitive so I found myself taking a lot of breaks, but I would I regularly return to it. It has that Breath of the Wild atmosphere which is very relaxing - minimal music in the wild, only ambient nature noises, the music is all very soft piano, and vast open spaces. I also appreciate that they added some substance to the story, granted it’s nothing to go crazy about, but it provides a welcome change of pace to “beat all the gym leaders and get their badges to become the best” that we have been provided for the past 25 years. The graphics aren’t as bad as people make them out to be, but they definitely aren’t impressive. I almost feel like if they weren’t able to do high quality graphics, whether it’s cartoon or realistic, the game would have looked better with some degree of artistic design - maybe watercolor impressions, or anything really, because the graphics do damper the sense of exploration a little bit. Overall it’s a fun game I can see myself taking my time to play through because it’s just a relaxing experience. Everything is solid, the effort is exceptional, but it laid that groundwork for future sequels which can truly be fantastic games. I can definitely tell you this is far more exciting than any possible new generation of Pokémon they could introduce, and probably one of the most memorable Pokémon experiences in the last 15 years.… Expand
  17. ffp
    Jan 29, 2022
    0
    This game is an absolute cash grab.
    visually mediocre (which is a compliment after the unpolished sword and shield entries), one of the worst pokemon plots i've seen and trying to compensate with some new evolutions to old and classic pokemons like quilava and rowlett.
    It's time for the Pokemon franchise to step aside the gamefreak's environment and get a dev team that makes justice to    This game is an absolute cash grab.
    visually mediocre (which is a compliment after the unpolished sword and shield entries), one of the worst pokemon plots i've seen and trying to compensate with some new evolutions to old and classic pokemons like quilava and rowlett.
    It's time for the Pokemon franchise to step aside the gamefreak's environment and get a dev team that makes justice to what the pokemon franchise could bring to us in capable hands.

    want to play an interesting and non-cashgrab monster collector jrpg ? play Shin Megami Tensei V and get a game that it's worth your money.
    if u have unlimited mommy and daddy funds and like the pokemon franchise, you do you.

    underwhelming game and disappointing entry once again, but what's new.    … Expand
  18. Niftylen
    Jan 29, 2022
    2
    Had to come here and rate this. I thought I would give the game a try given it’s a slight change in formula, and Pokémon games are criminally lazy, conservative, repetitive rip offs. No good, just no good. It makes my mind hurt seeing so many ‘critics’ (aka YouTubers who are afraid of losing their access to early copies / brainwashed super-fans / bribed corrupt gaming media outlets)Had to come here and rate this. I thought I would give the game a try given it’s a slight change in formula, and Pokémon games are criminally lazy, conservative, repetitive rip offs. No good, just no good. It makes my mind hurt seeing so many ‘critics’ (aka YouTubers who are afraid of losing their access to early copies / brainwashed super-fans / bribed corrupt gaming media outlets) rating this game so highly. It sucks! I’m not even going to focus on the graphics but if you think they are acceptable in any way, you have no standards in life. This is a console that runs The Witcher 3. BOTW comparisons really hold merit in this department.

    The gameplay though, blimey… I just can’t fathom how fans are satisfied with this janky mess of gameplay. It’s like one giant wild area from SW/SH in terms of being empty and devoid of any interest except for the Pokémon themselves. The battles have a new gimmick that barely matters or is completely broken. It’s the same rock, paper, scissors fare with crap animations.

    The story is absolute garbage. Surely there has to be a point where even the young kids that seemingly seem to be the audience that holds this series back, get sick of the narratives that they trot out. In 2022 we still have characters just stand there and wave their hands like characters from a 20+ year old Ps2 JRPG exposing about nonsense whilst everyone stands around awkwardly. No one has cared about a Pokémon story for decades, why is there soooo much talking in this game. I can tell you why, to pad it out and make it long. Boss battles are lame. Who thought throwing infinite magic food bags was an inspired choice? That plus half baked dark souls roll dodging, yuck.

    If you’re a player who really, really likes switching your brain off and completing a Pokédex, I can see the appeal. But it’s just soooo bad… Awful graphics and frame rate, awful story, bland repetitive gameplay. If it didn’t have the Pokémon label it would be laughed into oblivion.

    Why, just why, would you invest your time playing this game, and not amazing games like God of War or Disco Elysium, or heck if you’re a kid, BOTW or Mario Odyssey. If you’ve completed all the great games like these, maybe go out to the park instead, just anything but this junk…

    Start being sensible with your money so that this franchise with so much potential can actually make some strides forward.    … Expand
  19. YungSadYugi
    Jan 29, 2022
    5
    Honestly overall it's not a bad game. The graphics are that of a Nintendo 64 game and I can't count how many graphical errors I've ran into. However the mechanics and new battle styles are honestly really cool and I have a lot of fun battling. Although the story seems pretty shallow and not super well thought out which is nothing new for a Pokemon game to be honest. overall I think it'sHonestly overall it's not a bad game. The graphics are that of a Nintendo 64 game and I can't count how many graphical errors I've ran into. However the mechanics and new battle styles are honestly really cool and I have a lot of fun battling. Although the story seems pretty shallow and not super well thought out which is nothing new for a Pokemon game to be honest. overall I think it's definitely worth playing but not worth the $60 price tag.… Expand
  20. DistantKingDumb
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    Remarkable game and that everything it does has a function within its proposal and system. With an enviable exploration and a way to interact with pokémon like never seen before.

    The big problem it has is the mostly negative fandom, in which... Attempts have been made to discredit it everywhere, unfair and incoherent comparisons have been made with other games, and they have sought to    Remarkable game and that everything it does has a function within its proposal and system. With an enviable exploration and a way to interact with pokémon like never seen before.

    The big problem it has is the mostly negative fandom, in which...
    Attempts have been made to discredit it everywhere, unfair and incoherent comparisons have been made with other games, and they have sought to glorify indies that blatantly plagiarize Pokémon as "better" when in fact they are inferior (see TemTem or Nexomon) out of simple hatred and resentment for a national pokédex... None of this helped them because the game turned out to be the opposite of the malicious prejudices that were being formed:
    -Well-made gameplay that meets in being fun.
    -Objectives and missions not are repetitive at all
    -Excelent music
    -Good story
    -Good difficulty curve
    -Good art

    There are many things that Arceus Legends do well.    … Expand
  21. MovieGuy999
    Jan 29, 2022
    7
    Legends Arceus, as just a game without its franchise, would definitely be mediocre. It is a collect-a-thon with some QoL elements, a serviceable plot, subpar graphics, and a musical score which, while charming , is a bit too subtle in the overworld. The fact that it has a full game price tag would definitely turn some people away.

    With that said, as a Pokémon game, it is pretty damn    Legends Arceus, as just a game without its franchise, would definitely be mediocre. It is a collect-a-thon with some QoL elements, a serviceable plot, subpar graphics, and a musical score which, while charming , is a bit too subtle in the overworld. The fact that it has a full game price tag would definitely turn some people away.

    With that said, as a Pokémon game, it is pretty damn good! Not GREAT but GOOD. The game's new focus on it's old "catch em' all" motto has turned out to be for the better. Why? The best way to describe why is to address how this game deals with the complaints previous entries have received:

    Same Old Gyms and Championship? No and no. Your exploration of the world and your capturing of Pokémon now serve as the goal posts for your progress.

    Trade Evolutions? Gone with an in-game item.

    Animations? While the models and art style of the world are worse, they are more expressive than I remember them being in both BDSP and SWSH.

    Too Many Cutscenes/Dialogue Boxes? Plot is to the point: catch em' all and do quests to advance! You will not be kept from the game for too long at any point.

    Level Capture Block? Gone! Not to worry though, catching a strong Pokémon is not going to suddenly break the game for you. The one thing that is still restricted are the level limits of your Pokémon obeying you. Catch one out of your league and it will not listen to you.

    Too Much Experience? While you do still have EXP Share, it's distributed better and more sparingly. If I can catch a Level 40 Rapidash in the starting area due to a fluke and only get a few levels, I'd say it's pretty balanced.

    Grinding sucks? The focus is on catching and that is where most of your EXP is going to come from. Just sneak and throw, no long battles necessary (except in certain cases). You can battle but...

    Battles suck? This game gave one hell of a boost to your opponents. They can abuse the special mechanics you can use and the strength in level differences is not as pronounced now. You have to play smart since the combat isn't just single turn switches anymore.

    Listen, if you wanted a Pokémon game that would erase all of the past controversial entries, this is not that game. It is very fun but, as many people rightfully think, this could have been done sooner and better. Still, I can't help but really enjoy this game. Maybe it's just a one-time thing but I sincerely hope that the fun I am having now is a sign that Gamefreak is going in the right direction with its game development.    … Expand
  22. GekyumeX
    Jan 29, 2022
    9
    Técnicamente el juego es una patata, inaceptable en pleno 2022 recibir un juego así, pero se nota el esfuerzo y el paso adelante que ha dado la saga. Con las buenas mecánicas que han metido (los dos nuevos estilos de combate, la captura lanzando las Pokéballs en tiempo real, poder moverte en medio de los combates...), pero con un apartado técnico más cuidado y con diferentes poblados,Técnicamente el juego es una patata, inaceptable en pleno 2022 recibir un juego así, pero se nota el esfuerzo y el paso adelante que ha dado la saga. Con las buenas mecánicas que han metido (los dos nuevos estilos de combate, la captura lanzando las Pokéballs en tiempo real, poder moverte en medio de los combates...), pero con un apartado técnico más cuidado y con diferentes poblados, ciudades, rutas y gimnasios puede quedarse una novena generación muy bonita y con mucho potencial.… Expand
  23. grimreapersims
    Jan 29, 2022
    9
    ....................................................................................................................................................................................................blank
  24. navarropa
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    Gran juego, la gente que se queja tanto es pq desde hace siglos les dejó de gustar la saga
  25. BlackWhis
    Jan 29, 2022
    1
    Frechheit so was raus zu bringen.
    Schlechte Grafik, langweilige quest. Durch und durch schlecht.
  26. Game_Critical
    Jan 29, 2022
    9
    I'll start with the obvious downsides. The graphics are not good, even considering it's a Switch game. It just looks unpolished and unfinished. The story is nothing special and it's about what you expect from a Pokemon game.

    However I enjoyed playing it. The changes to the stale formula, makes it a nice and new experience. New fighting options, no stale trainer fodder fights and it's    I'll start with the obvious downsides. The graphics are not good, even considering it's a Switch game. It just looks unpolished and unfinished. The story is nothing special and it's about what you expect from a Pokemon game.

    However I enjoyed playing it. The changes to the stale formula, makes it a nice and new experience. New fighting options, no stale trainer fodder fights and it's fun being a researcher. The action sequences give a nice break from the normal, more monotone battles. I would have given it a 10 if it was more polished and had more content, but I'm satisfied for now.    … Expand
  27. elrox
    Jan 29, 2022
    0
    Pokemon Legends Arceus no llega a llamarse Pokemon y no lo llega a publicar Nintendo y absolutamente todo el mundo lo estaría poniendo a parir y las notas estarían por debajo del 5. Nadie lo estaría jugando si este mismo juego se llamara Monster Legends Arkeos.

    Es un juego FEO y la paleta de colores es deprimente. He jugado juegos como Genshin Impact que es precioso y el mundo si que se    Pokemon Legends Arceus no llega a llamarse Pokemon y no lo llega a publicar Nintendo y absolutamente todo el mundo lo estaría poniendo a parir y las notas estarían por debajo del 5. Nadie lo estaría jugando si este mismo juego se llamara Monster Legends Arkeos.

    Es un juego FEO y la paleta de colores es deprimente. He jugado juegos como Genshin Impact que es precioso y el mundo si que se siente vivo. Y quien diga lo mismo de Arceus es que no ha jugado juegos de mundo abierto en su vida o no conoce juegos fuera de Nintendo.

    Me da muchísima pena que Pokemon esté llegando a estos niveles de mediocridad gracias a un estudio como Game Freak y gracias a los fanboys que se conforman con cualquier mierda. Y si, la switch tiene suficiente potencia para mover DOOM Eternal, no me jodas. Hay que recordar que es un juego AAA y que se vende por 60 eurazos. No es un juego indie, Game Freak no es un estudio de 5 personas sino de 200 y que menos que exigir un mínimo de mimo que desde luego no se ve por ningún lado.

    La jugabilidad es tan penosa que el personaje no puede ni saltar. El gameplay es insulso y repetitivo a mas no poder. Las misiones típicas de un juego de hace 10 años. Y la personalización del personaje deja mucho que desear. Si algún fan de Pokemon se conforma con eso, tiene mas de hater que de fan, porque no le está haciendo ningún favor. Llevo toda mi vida imaginando un Pokemon con los gráficos de Genshin y siendo MMO o multi como minimo, pero con esta gente es imposible que eso llegue a pasar.

    Menos mal que está TEMTEM, que eso sí es un juego indie y se folla a Pokemon en absolutamente todos los aspectos. Pero claro, no se llama Pokemon y no es de Nintendo. Eso es todo.    … Expand
  28. Jakey92
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    I am absolutely addicted. Fantastic shake up to the formula and the best Pokémon experience by far to date.
  29. Tatsuya7
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    An incredible game, this was what pokemon lacked! It's funnyAn incredible game, this was what pokemon lacked! It's interesting and funny, I really liked it a lot, I really like it a lot
  30. Elaine-B
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    Excelso, divino y muy adictivo, así describo la forma en la que fue la aventura de Leyendas Arceus.
    Respecto a Let's Go que fueron sin duda para mi los juegos mas flojos de la saga principal, PLA sigue el camino de Espada y Escudo en ser otro gran representante de Pokémon en una consola de alta definición.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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 »