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. ducnam2005
    Feb 7, 2022
    9
    Awesome game with brand new gameplay improvement and great sound although the graphic is still not good. Hope it will monimated for GOTY award of TGA 2022.
  2. IHBaller
    Feb 2, 2022
    10
    Great game. Love the interactions with the pokemon in the overworld!!! The developers really worked to make them come to life!
  3. FestiveBoi
    Feb 2, 2022
    10
    This is easily one of the best Pokemon games since Pokemon Black and White era.

    It's a breath of fresh air for the Pokemon series, and having the ability to be able to roam around to catch new Pokemon, experience new little details that were added to the game. The tutorial, whilst a little too long for my liking, still teaches you all the ropes of the game, and once you get over that,    This is easily one of the best Pokemon games since Pokemon Black and White era.

    It's a breath of fresh air for the Pokemon series, and having the ability to be able to roam around to catch new Pokemon, experience new little details that were added to the game. The tutorial, whilst a little too long for my liking, still teaches you all the ropes of the game, and once you get over that, it's no longer the hand-holding game that has been the previous games.

    Being able to ignore the main story for hours on end, just so you can explore and experience new areas, Pokemon and witness them with sentience is something else that is amazing.

    The battle system has been reworked, and it will take a little bit to get used to. However, once you get the ropes of the battle system, along with Strong and Agile style moves, lots of great strategies can be born. And, once you master the battle system, it will be extremely fun to play around with, using moves that you might've not before, and using strategies that you would have never even thought of.

    The dark theme of the game overall, with death, mauling, and having the fear of Pokemon struck into your heart when they attack you in the wild, and you must run away, and fear for your life as they chase you down. It's a step toward something great. Pokemon aren't just creatures that will do a trainers bidding, they were once wild, untamed and it shows in this era of Pokemon that they possessed a true threat to humankind.

    The graphics are a little off... but who plays Pokemon for the graphics? It's all about the creatures, and catching them all, which is desperately needed in this game to actually complete it.

    Overall, Pokemon Legends Arceus is a very fun, and addicting game. The music in the background as you explore is something that can easily be enjoyed. The gameplay loop is incredibily enjoyable for those that are completionists, and want to 100% complete a game. It certainly is a step in the right direction for the Pokemon company, and this is a great, solid baseline for future games.    … Expand
  4. Lunarchaos
    Feb 2, 2022
    10
    This is the best new way to play a Pokémon game. It’s not for little kids anymore, and the content is solid. Needs some more Ui enhancements and more Pokémon, but all in all a perfect game
  5. Bazzarillo
    Feb 2, 2022
    9
    I could not bear to play a Pokémon game since X&Y.

    The games were just endless tutorial-hells with childish storylines that did not challenge me any form whatsoever. But this, this is finally a dream come true. Roaming through ancient "japan" with my Pokémons, battling through somewhat challenging fights and feeling like a trainer / explorer rather than a kindergardener on a killing spree    I could not bear to play a Pokémon game since X&Y.

    The games were just endless tutorial-hells with childish storylines that did not challenge me any form whatsoever. But this, this is finally a dream come true. Roaming through ancient "japan" with my Pokémons, battling through somewhat challenging fights and feeling like a trainer / explorer rather than a kindergardener on a killing spree is just so much fun. I love every aspect of it, even (or exactly because) if it's not fully polished.    … Expand
  6. Moondrala
    Feb 2, 2022
    10
    This is the type of Pokemon game we've been waiting for for decades. I love the open world and getting to see and interact with Pokemon in such a fluid way. I love that the Pokedex goes beyond "Obtain X" to complete, but includes much more than just catching one Pokemon and It's satisfying to complete tasks and to explore.

    Is the game percect? Definitely not, but it is absolutely a    This is the type of Pokemon game we've been waiting for for decades. I love the open world and getting to see and interact with Pokemon in such a fluid way. I love that the Pokedex goes beyond "Obtain X" to complete, but includes much more than just catching one Pokemon and It's satisfying to complete tasks and to explore.

    Is the game percect? Definitely not, but it is absolutely a step in the right direction and I hope the Pokemon crew take this success and runs with it. Please continue to build & improve upon this type of open world game and don't let it be a one-off; with a little more artistic polish and in depth story, it would be an amazing game.    … Expand
  7. ArcusNite
    Feb 2, 2022
    9
    Es el toque de inovación que le hacía falta a la franquicia en su propia evolución, gráficamente podrá no ser una excelencia pero su arte, conceptos y detalles sumado a su dinámica fresca de jugabilidad, hacen que no quieras dejar de jugarlo al sentirte inmerso, lo que cómo fans esperábamos ver algún día se está viendo realizado.
  8. Jderraugh
    Feb 2, 2022
    8
    I'm 30 hours in and it's amazing.

    The first 2 hours were a pain in the ass and I feel like they guide the player so much, it's infuriating. I'd prefer it if the game let you learn a lot more by yourself. The mechanics aren't complicated at all so there's no need to explain everything like it's the first time I'm playing a video game in my life. The combat system is fluid and you can    I'm 30 hours in and it's amazing.

    The first 2 hours were a pain in the ass and I feel like they guide the player so much, it's infuriating. I'd prefer it if the game let you learn a lot more by yourself. The mechanics aren't complicated at all so there's no need to explain everything like it's the first time I'm playing a video game in my life.

    The combat system is fluid and you can enter a fight beat a pokemon and then start doing something else right after. The only compaint would be that it's lacking a bit. You can't summon more than one pokemon at the time, but you can fight against four. If there was a way to summon more pokemon at the time or if the attacks could hit multiple targets it would be better. Something interesting is the fact that you don't have to fight a pokemon every 5 seconds. If you prefer to, you can almost play the entier game by just catching pokemons and gathering ressources.

    I'd really like to have a sequel with better graphics and polished mechanics. That's pretty much all it needs to be rated 10/10    … Expand
  9. ribeye2065
    Feb 2, 2022
    9
    For everyone complaining about the visuals and graphics apparently don't remember that this game is coming at one of the most critically low points for Pokemon Co and Gamefreak.
    If the game is too graphical and has no substance, they are torn for laziness in gameplay. If the game has tons of content, but no graphics - they are torn for laziness in graphical fidelity.
    This game's    For everyone complaining about the visuals and graphics apparently don't remember that this game is coming at one of the most critically low points for Pokemon Co and Gamefreak.
    If the game is too graphical and has no substance, they are torn for laziness in gameplay. If the game has tons of content, but no graphics - they are torn for laziness in graphical fidelity.

    This game's graphics are - enough - to make this a highly successful look into what could become another mainline adventure game in the series.
    If you take the core component out of the game, the Pokemon, this is still a very well upheld adventure game in its own right.

    This game has so many FIRSTS for the series, it's unreal.

    This is the first Pokemon game where I feel like bringing the whole concept of Pokemon - GOTTA CATCH EM ALL - really is the idea that drives this game forward. This is the first game where I feel that Pokemon are actually magical, beautiful, and dangerous creatures. "Never run into the tall grass without a Pokemon to defend you" - the mantra that is hounded at the intro of EVERY SINGLE GAME TO THIS POINT is actually felt. Being chased by a LIGHTNING CAT would be absolutely terrifying if you were alone. This game makes you actually feel like you are one of the first people to tame a wild, weird, and wonderful world filled realistically with Pokemon.

    In short - Pokemon never has, and never will be, the pinnacle of graphical innovation - what this game does and shows is that you can have a whole lot of fun with being a lean, mean, Pokeball and food throwing machine - with enough world and graphics to satisfy the itch for a long time to come.    … Expand
  10. NoahPKR
    Feb 2, 2022
    8
    I’ll start with the bad. While the gameplay has evolved, the methods of story delivery have not changed a bit since the days of the DS - lots of reading and one big climactic fully rendered cut scene. In this fully expansive 3D world, 85% of the story is still dull cutscenes with text box after text box and no voice acting. While this isn’t inherently bad, nothing interesting is providedI’ll start with the bad. While the gameplay has evolved, the methods of story delivery have not changed a bit since the days of the DS - lots of reading and one big climactic fully rendered cut scene. In this fully expansive 3D world, 85% of the story is still dull cutscenes with text box after text box and no voice acting. While this isn’t inherently bad, nothing interesting is provided to keep your attention. The animation and rigging is downright lazy at times and the human character expressions / movement are uncanny despite their brilliant designs. Every time you interact with a human, it shatters the immersion as they play back the same 3 basic movements. The story itself is decent but is hidden behind layers of “telling instead of showing”, ie black screens and sounds to imply something is happening. I find myself just pressing the B button in rapid succession to get back to the actual fun parts. The graphics are the next gripe. It genuinely looks like a Wii game or older and it doesn’t seem that Gamefreak developers had the time to truly optimize this game for the system it’s on. My girlfriend who doesn’t play video games at all commented that it “looks like an old game” the first time she saw me play it. Optimizing takes time, so it seems they just dialed down the graphics to focus on other more important things. While the game looks great sometimes and the 3D models are beautifully designed, the graphics cannot be overlooked. Ugly textures, objects randomly clipping through each other, character details like hair are flat and lifeless, hovering 6 inches above the ground in some areas, you get it. Now, here’s where the game get literally everything else right. My first Pokémon game was Pokémon Diamond, and this is the most fun I’ve had playing a Pokémon game since then. The core gameplay is downright addicting, as the act of sneaking up on Pokémon, learning their behavior, stunning them with items, choosing when to battle is just… chefs kiss. It really feels like you’re in the world of Pokémon, running around just catching the little guys like you always wanted to as a kid. The wild battles are high stakes a lot of the time, as it only takes one alpha Pokémon to knock out your whole team. I found myself feeling genuine terror the first time I saw that alpha Rapidash, something that is MORE than welcome in a Pokémon game. In this regard, it’s everything you could want until that pesky story gets in the way. It’s easy to spend hours upon hours just filling out research tasks. It’s a huge JUMP in the right direction for Pokémon, as the old battle mechanics ran their course over a decade ago.

    It’s also exceedingly clear that this game is Gamefreak’s love letter to sinnoh, from the music, placement of landmarks and overall design of the wild areas. It’s really fun to feel like you’re exploring the past version of the region you explored as a kid. The moment you realize you’re in Eterna Forest or one of the legendary lakes, with the music to boot, is second to none. You won’t enjoy this game nearly as much if you don’t have the nostalgic ties to Sinnoh. Overall, while this game definitely drops the ball in a lot of areas, it picks it up and runs with it in so many others. I’ve had hours upon hours of genuinely bewildering experiences playing this game, just by running around and catching Pokémon the way The Lor-Arceus intended. The gameplay is second to none, and it’s a shame that Gamefreak didn’t get the proper time to see this game all of the way through.    … Expand
  11. Zobbes
    Feb 2, 2022
    9
    A massive improvement and filled with quality of life features that make the game much quicker to pick up and enjoy.

    It has graphical glitches, nothing too game breaking, and while the graphics are rather passable, the gameplay and complete push for effort makes this game a very enjoyable experience. Recommend for the Pokémon fan who felt burned by Sword and Shield.
  12. BrettFoot
    Feb 2, 2022
    10
    What you imagine pokemon should be like if you watched the show its an amazing game with so much to catch and it makes you really want to catch them all .
  13. Rokech
    Feb 2, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A refreshing and unique Pokémon game. Great mechanics, story and for the first time you want to complete the Pokedex. Has a certain level of complexity and would be great that they add Battles with friends.
    Best Pokémon game in my opinion.    … Expand
  14. Sycophantic
    Feb 2, 2022
    9
    Love this game! So many QoL features added. The more mature tone of the story. The tangible danger of the world. Gathering/crafting. Very curious what this game means for the future of the franchise. I'm very hopeful though.
  15. Nekal
    Feb 2, 2022
    9
    Muy por encima de mis expectativas, divertido y dinámico , una forma muy refrescante de jugar Pokémon .
  16. RayulFrank
    Feb 2, 2022
    8
    One of the best Pokémon games I've ever played, of course it has its flaws like graphics, pop in and empty places but it was still very enjoyable and I appreciate that The Pokémon Company took a risk and I can say it was worth it!
  17. Ke_sparda
    Feb 2, 2022
    10
    A fantastic game. The future of the franchise, never before a Pokémon world has been so alive, neither in the mediocre anime adaptation. The graphics without doubt can grow exponentially in next chapter, and could step from a incredible game to a proper masterpiece. A great hope for the future.
  18. Fabianlt25
    Feb 2, 2022
    8
    Alexelcapo se que tengo problemas cerebrales, pero a mi me ha gustado el juego.
  19. Nakukibo
    Feb 2, 2022
    10
    Legends Arceus is EASILY the most fun I’ve had with a Pokémon game in a very long time. This is the game that makes me optimistic for the future of Pokémon.
  20. LegendaryNova
    Feb 2, 2022
    9
    This is what long term Pokémon fans have been waiting for. To me, it’s hard to rate the game solely by its performance or quality. It’s more about the innovation and the effort, and what this will mean for the future of the franchise. The game on its own isn’t perfect, but I believe it’s everything it needed to be.
  21. FuryTornado
    Feb 2, 2022
    9
    Besides graphics and slow start everything else is great! Haven't played a game without realising 5h gone by for a while now, love the game loop.
  22. Nab21
    Feb 3, 2022
    8
    Great new direction for the franchise, fantastic world building and lore expansion and fresh battle mechanics all make it the best pokemon game in over a decade. Let down by the graphics and somewhat grindy aspects.
  23. BirdPs4
    Feb 5, 2022
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. All four of the bosses were great. The way you catch pokemon is amazing in every way. Awesome game.… Expand
  24. Dant00ine
    Feb 6, 2022
    5
    Really let down by the gaming community’s inability to give objective reviews.

    I was excited about this game from the moment I heard about it a year ago. I really wanted to like it, but as I watched it go through development I saw red flag after red flag. The game seems to suffer from lazy open-world design syndrome; where the illusion of endless opportunity boils down to reveal a game    Really let down by the gaming community’s inability to give objective reviews.

    I was excited about this game from the moment I heard about it a year ago. I really wanted to like it, but as I watched it go through development I saw red flag after red flag.

    The game seems to suffer from lazy open-world design syndrome; where the illusion of endless opportunity boils down to reveal a game void of meaningful content with redundant and scarce gameplay loops.

    Seeing the Pokémon in the overworld, having more control over the trainer and their poke-balls, these are great ideas that get people excited. But think about how much is missing; look at the legendary open world games like TES, GTA, and BotW. These games have their base gameplay loops (slinging swords and sorcery, stealing cars) but they come together to support epic overarching stories: guilds, colorful characters, impactful decisions.

    I had a lot of fun with Pokémon let’s go, and a lot of people complained about that. I think both the games suffer from a lot of the same problems. Hasty development, lazy and uninspired UI, technical issues we didn’t see in their predecessors. But where are the negative reviews for legends? I wanted to like Arceus, but this game clearly didn’t get the budget it would have taken to properly pull off this really great idea. Imagine: guild plotlines like from TES, but you’re working your way up through gyms, saving Pokémon as a ranger, or refining your Pokémon as a breeder. Imagine colorful characters sending you on meaningful adventures and becoming your companions! But no, we get a super boiled down game that feels like one or two years of development work from the B-team.

    Come on gaming community… tell me with a straight face this is Pokémon breath of the wild… that’s just insulting to the team who put together the masterpiece that is botw. It’s like saying a Honda with a spoiler is the Japanese Ferrari… smh

    That being said, I’m optimistic for this franchise going forward. The massively positive response this game has seen (despite its, to me at least, obvious shortcomings) should tip off the game makers that the community is hungry for the types of gameplay that Arceus displayed. I’d maybe pay $30 for this game, but $60? No way.    … Expand
  25. WHaines
    Feb 6, 2022
    9
    Pokémon Legends: Arceus is about 8/10 of the way to being a perfect Pokémon game. It's certainly not the most amazing game to look at. But the gameplay is fun enough to make up for the lack of graphical fidelity.
    It's a great addition to the franchise and I hope they continue to build on this concept.
  26. Stockdalius
    Feb 6, 2022
    9
    Only thing keeping it from a 10 is graphics. Still do not understand how some things made into final cut (Pokemon just going up a tree randomly, the outline of your character during some backgrounds, distance renderings, etc). HOWEVER this is the most fun I have had with a pokemon game in years. BDSP shouldve been this. Great story and characters. I do not see how we go bacto tradutionalOnly thing keeping it from a 10 is graphics. Still do not understand how some things made into final cut (Pokemon just going up a tree randomly, the outline of your character during some backgrounds, distance renderings, etc). HOWEVER this is the most fun I have had with a pokemon game in years. BDSP shouldve been this. Great story and characters. I do not see how we go bacto tradutional pokemon games after this. Gen 9 and BW remakes have a high bar to pass. I do hope GF gets outside help with graphics.… Expand
  27. PatrizioItaly
    Feb 7, 2022
    7
    I've completed the 100% of the game last night. I'll always recommend this game to the franchise's fans but not without many criticisms.
    This game changes the game play completely with many long awaited new mechanics that we can only hope will stay in the future games. It's still a major improvement from the past games especially the recent BDSP remakes.
    Unfortunately the technical    I've completed the 100% of the game last night. I'll always recommend this game to the franchise's fans but not without many criticisms.
    This game changes the game play completely with many long awaited new mechanics that we can only hope will stay in the future games. It's still a major improvement from the past games especially the recent BDSP remakes.
    Unfortunately the technical aspects of this title are lacking and may lower the enjoyment of this experience by a lot.
    It's sad to know that your avatar is exploring a forest just because of its name appearing on the top corner and not by the visual environment. It's unsatisfying having many places very similar to one another inside the same map. The art direction is great as always but the immersion is ruined by its lacking.
    We knew of this lacking by the trailer but I would have still granted an 8 out of this game if not for another very disturbing aspect. The writing in this game is a new low. Pokémon had always had childish writing but in this instance every other dialog contradicts the one before. We are in a time where pokémon are feared but 50% of the village population is from a well established region where they already have pokéride, HM and are living peacefully with the pokémon. We are told that no one knows how to capture pokémon then they explain to us how to do so. They told us we are the greater battler but we have a teacher for that way more skilled than us. We are told that all the pokémon are fearsome then we are shown other character knowing that there are many species that are very peaceful toward them and easy to catch or to live with.
    I know this game is mostly for children but I would love to have a game not contradicting itself so often.
    The combat mechanics are an improvement but they need some fixing especially while battling other trainers. If you build, like me, a slow team it might occur that when one member is KO the next one entering will have to wait 2/3 moves from the opponent resulting in another KO without being able to do anything. In late game I had to rethink my team because one trainer attacked 13 times in a row demolishing my team. This is not a rise in the difficulty but some design flaw since I might want to play with my favorite pokémon without having such a disadvantage and all slower pokémon fill penalized.
    Over all the game is a good one and the game play loop in enjoyable. If they keep working on their optimizations skills and fix up the few problem this game could be a new starting point for the brand,    … Expand
  28. Palischkapio
    Feb 8, 2022
    9
    PALI_CRITIC: 92/100

    List of my favourite games: #5

    Best Pokemon game of all time!
  29. IshrakRahman
    Feb 8, 2022
    10
    Pokemon Legends Arceus was something to get hyped of right from the start when they teased it. The Massive Openworld makes this game really interesting to discover More and MORE!!! With the ability to control the camera angle was great from Sword and Shield's wild area but in this game, we are free to use this feature everywhere. As well as the battles and while talking to NPCs in somePokemon Legends Arceus was something to get hyped of right from the start when they teased it. The Massive Openworld makes this game really interesting to discover More and MORE!!! With the ability to control the camera angle was great from Sword and Shield's wild area but in this game, we are free to use this feature everywhere. As well as the battles and while talking to NPCs in some case. I really enjoy playing this game and spending hours and hours in it catching'em all. Really appriciate their effort in this game. I am now looking forward to GameFreak's next project.… Expand
  30. baelrog
    Apr 1, 2022
    0
    This game is absolute trash. Nintendo proves once again how much they try to provide bare minimum experience and then over charge because of the brand name. This game is visceral garbage on every level. The fights are boring, the story is lame, but worst off is the utter and complete waste of time. I swear the game changes spawn rates of certain Pokémon to waste your time. Over 3 hoursThis game is absolute trash. Nintendo proves once again how much they try to provide bare minimum experience and then over charge because of the brand name. This game is visceral garbage on every level. The fights are boring, the story is lame, but worst off is the utter and complete waste of time. I swear the game changes spawn rates of certain Pokémon to waste your time. Over 3 hours looking for one that’s supposed to be in a specific area and nothing. Do not buy this game, it’s trash. If anyone wants a free copy just pay for shipping, I’m never playing this POS game again.… Expand
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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 »