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. fnenamg
    Sep 8, 2023
    7
    It's not my taste, but the game itself is decently made.
  4. M1sfiT
    Sep 3, 2023
    8
    Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees! pla
  5. 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.
  6. Jazzparagus
    Aug 31, 2023
    5
    The catching mechanic is good and what they did with battles is at the very least interesting. It's nice to see them trying out new gameplay methods.

    That's really about it for the good bits though, while I dont care for graphics it's really hard to ignore how the game looks. The worst is probably when looking out over one of the 3 lakes. The worlds also feel empty. No real landmarks,    The catching mechanic is good and what they did with battles is at the very least interesting. It's nice to see them trying out new gameplay methods.

    That's really about it for the good bits though, while I dont care for graphics it's really hard to ignore how the game looks. The worst is probably when looking out over one of the 3 lakes. The worlds also feel empty. No real landmarks, no people, empty fields upon empty fields and mysteriously it still runs like ****
    The story isnt great either, which is strange because the premise of the story is pretty interesting with God just dropping you off in a different time period and all that.

    I guess Im glad it's not on the level of SwSh but you can tell they should've kept this game in production for at least another year.    … Expand
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Megataco2017
    Aug 28, 2023
    8
    Pretty fun.................................................................
  10. Frad
    Aug 28, 2023
    6
    Arceus no alcanza la perfección y presenta numerosas áreas de oportunidad que merecen ser evaluadas. Se destaca, en primer lugar, la extensión inusualmente prolongada del tutorial en el juego. Si bien es comprensible que el tutorial sea esencial para atraer a jugadores novatos y orientarlos en esta nueva modalidad de mundo abierto, su duración excesiva y monotonía lo hacen desfavorableArceus no alcanza la perfección y presenta numerosas áreas de oportunidad que merecen ser evaluadas. Se destaca, en primer lugar, la extensión inusualmente prolongada del tutorial en el juego. Si bien es comprensible que el tutorial sea esencial para atraer a jugadores novatos y orientarlos en esta nueva modalidad de mundo abierto, su duración excesiva y monotonía lo hacen desfavorable para la inmersión del jugador más experimentado. La ejecución del tutorial, en este sentido, parece carecer de equilibrio y eficacia.

    Otro aspecto que merece atención es el sistema de combate. En el contexto de las áreas abiertas, los encuentros con Pokémon muestran ciertas inconsistencias. Los Pokémon que se encuentran en estas áreas suelen ser de niveles considerablemente bajos en comparación con el jugador, lo que resulta en desafíos desequilibrados. La sensación de que los Pokémon salvajes son demasiado poderosos y difíciles de vencer puede ser un factor desmotivador en la experiencia de juego.

    En resumen, Pokémon Legends: Arceus se sitúa en una posición interesante dentro de la serie. Si bien presenta áreas de mejora y oportunidades para pulir aspectos clave, el juego logra transmitir el mensaje de que la franquicia Pokémon está dispuesta a explorar nuevas direcciones y experimentar con formatos diferentes. A pesar de sus imperfecciones, la inclusión de un mundo abierto demuestra un enfoque valiente y progresista que podría allanar el camino para futuros títulos de la serie. Es evidente que esta transición llevará tiempo para alcanzar su pleno potencial y coherencia, pero es un paso esencial hacia la revitalización de una franquicia icónica en el mundo de los videojuegos    … Expand
  11. Dradkol
    Aug 23, 2023
    5
    Pokémon Legends: Arceus is not a good game but not bad either. Surely it is the best chapter released in the last 10 years and this is sad, as it depicts the state of the games of "The Pokemon Company". The game tries to experiment and above all takes its cue from sagas of important games such as Monster Hunter (on some aspects of gameplay) etc. The game is fluid and fast, as you can throwPokémon Legends: Arceus is not a good game but not bad either. Surely it is the best chapter released in the last 10 years and this is sad, as it depicts the state of the games of "The Pokemon Company". The game tries to experiment and above all takes its cue from sagas of important games such as Monster Hunter (on some aspects of gameplay) etc. The game is fluid and fast, as you can throw poké balls while moving, you can also move during battles and this makes the game much more immersive than in previous chapters where the battle was static, moreover the capture of pokémon is fluid and the desire to complete the pokédex soon becomes a "drug". Unfortunately both from an artistic and technical point of view, the game is behind, far behind, we are talking about a level comparable to games released on Playstation 2, with infinitely repeated textures, polygonal models copied and pasted like the main village of the game, which features a house model repeated in a linear pattern to form the village, leaving you with the impression that the developers have done the bare minimum, the open world map itself is flat, with always the same polygonal models forming hills, rocks, rivers , trees etc. always repeated and the pop up that afflicts the title worsens this feeling of emptiness, repetitive and fake. The plot is childish, obvious and boring, if there hadn't been pokémon I would have abandoned it before the ending.
    The frame rate is decent, not perfect, as there are moments where it drops below 30fps, but nothing that spoils the gaming experience, which happens with the last two chapters (scarlet and violet ).
    To conclude, I can't give the game enough, but I can't completely reject it either, so I decided to give it a 5 as a vote. If you are a Pokémon lover, I recommend the title as it is a breath of fresh air compared to the rest of the brand. If you are not a Pokémon lover, I do not recommend it.    … Expand
  12. 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.
  13. 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
  14. 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.
  15. 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
  16. fflatburger
    Aug 13, 2023
    6
    Love this pokemon games coz lots of new mechanics and changes to the formular.I still miss the gym battle, and bad peformance for this pokemon game
  17. 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
  18. Clownsparade
    Aug 10, 2023
    6
    While this certainly does freshen up the Pokémon formula it is still lacking as a game.
    Each Pokémon acts either completely passively, aggressively or shy towards you. There are only 3 different AIs for them.
    The game basically forces you to catch thousands of those AIs to progress the story (which is a tad bit better of what you'd expect from a Pokémon game) and ends in a few fights    While this certainly does freshen up the Pokémon formula it is still lacking as a game.
    Each Pokémon acts either completely passively, aggressively or shy towards you. There are only 3 different AIs for them.
    The game basically forces you to catch thousands of those AIs to progress the story (which is a tad bit better of what you'd expect from a Pokémon game) and ends in a few fights which otherwise get completely ignored in this game. It's certainly a step in the right direction but on the same time it feels like an incomplete tech demo    … Expand
  19. 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
  20. Eyean
    Aug 5, 2023
    7
    Gamefreak actually tied something different for once, though it feels more like a demo then an actual game. The Pokemon catching mechanic is clearly what they spent the most time on, and it carries the rest of the game very hard.
  21. 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
  22. zezimawashere
    Jul 29, 2023
    5
    This game is okay. It's a bit repetitive. Not only do you have to catch all the Pokemon, but for completion there are a ton of small tasts, like use "splash" 100 times with Magicarp...

    Also, I am a good way through the game, and so far there has only been one romantic relationship. Of course, it was an interracial relationship that they said they had to hide. I don't know why they    This game is okay. It's a bit repetitive. Not only do you have to catch all the Pokemon, but for completion there are a ton of small tasts, like use "splash" 100 times with Magicarp...

    Also, I am a good way through the game, and so far there has only been one romantic relationship. Of course, it was an interracial relationship that they said they had to hide.

    I don't know why they push this propaganda so hard recently.    … Expand
  23. Hastings91
    Jul 29, 2023
    0
    Nintendo se ríe en vuestra cara y os encanta. Por eso y fanboys, un rosco.
  24. 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.
  25. 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
  26. edxtan
    Jul 21, 2023
    6
    Pokemon Legends: Arceus presents a huge step forward in Pokemon's catching and exploration systems, but the de-emphasizing of battles removes a lot of the incentive to engage with them.
  27. MisterWizard
    Jul 20, 2023
    7
    Although this game is the best Pokémon game I've played, I felt like it could've used a year or 2 extra of development. Adding details, make some mechanics (like swimming) more smooth and especially just making the NPC's feel more alive. They mostly just stand in 1 spot and have 2 lines of dialog without voice acting. Even BotW and TotK had minecraft villager voice acting or normal in bigAlthough this game is the best Pokémon game I've played, I felt like it could've used a year or 2 extra of development. Adding details, make some mechanics (like swimming) more smooth and especially just making the NPC's feel more alive. They mostly just stand in 1 spot and have 2 lines of dialog without voice acting. Even BotW and TotK had minecraft villager voice acting or normal in big story cutscenes.
    I did enjoy my time with this game, if you never played a Pokémon game, you should pick this one up.    … Expand
  28. Rhex98
    Jul 9, 2023
    7
    El mejor juego de Pokémon en bastante tiempo en mi opinión tiene problemas de rendimiento al igual que los otros juegos de switch que han salido y no es aceptable, pero la experiencia que te otorga es un gran paso adelante y hacia donde tiene que ir la franquicia de aquí en adelante.
  29. 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
  30. Rab1219
    Jul 3, 2023
    10
    One of the best Pokemon games EVER!!!!!! Absolute masterpiece!!!!! Amazing for Shiny Hunting, too!!
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 118 Critic Reviews

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