The open-world Pokemon game Pokemon: Legends Arceus has been an incredibly anticipated title ever since its announcement in February of last year, and I know that I was itching to get my hands on it, counting down the hours and days until its release. I’ve been playing it daily ever since, and as such, jumped on the opportunity to write a review. This is not a complete review, as I have not completed the game, and more of a reflection on my experience with the game so far, along with some outside opinions.

I’ll start with addressing the glaring difference between this game and every other main title: Pokemon: Legends Arceus is, as previously stated, open world. Starting with Red and Blue leading all the way up to Sword and Shield, Pokemon has been a very linear game. There are different areas to explore, but the player is very boxed in and has to be in certain areas at certain times. While Legends Arceus isn’t exactly on par with, for example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in terms of exploration and freedom, it is a massive leap in environmental exploration when compared to previous titles. There are indeed places that the game would really like you to be to trigger cutscenes, however, you control when you want the story to continue. The game also makes it so that there is a sort of home base to return to, where all of your shops, customization, and a good handful of side quests await. This is better for an open-world game, as you don’t have to go halfway across the game’s map to get a haircut, then travel all the way back to trade items. Everything is in a nice convenient location.

For the actual story, it does have a bit of the signature Pokemon problem of grabbing your wrists and wedging you into every issue the rest of the characters have. You quite literally fall out of the sky, and then proceed to solve every problem in the area. The game does a lot of patting you on the back as you maneuver through, but, simultaneously makes your avatar fear for their life at every opportunity. (In the first few scenes of the game, a woman literally tells you that if you’re not useful, she’ll throw you into the wilderness to die.) This is a slightly heavier game than its predecessors, and while, no, the game won’t let you die, you can be badly injured and you get to hear about everyone else who died. On a similar note, you can also be a bit more snarky than in other Pokemon games. While options were previously limited to things like “yes” or “absolutely”, you are presented with the opportunity to give some NPCs the cold shoulder or to set realistic boundaries about what they should expect from you. 

The plot is consistent and interesting, although characters develop and make decisions very quickly, to the point where it might be more fitting to just have everyone work together from the beginning. (Then again, okay development is better than nothing.) Things happen when they need to, even if it’s a little startling or bold.

The gameplay is more interesting and interactive than it has been, although that’s not a particularly high bar to clear. You can actually interact with Pokemon directly in this game, and have to employ a fair amount of stealth, battle strategy, and strategy. You’ll be pressing Y and ZL a lot. It was a little odd, getting used to the controls, and took some trial and error in the easier areas. 

In actual battles, speed works differently, and moves can be “mastered” by Pokemon to make them faster or stronger. You can move around the area as the Pokemon fight, and can even run away from conflict by just turning around and leaving (although there is an actual “run” option). If you don’t have a Pokemon sent out, particularly aggressive Pokemon will just attack you directly, which can result in you taking a Hyper Beam to the face and then falling into the ocean. That’s another thing—you can’t swim in this game. However, you can dodge and hide and run for your life, all strategies that I have expertly employed. There is a level 40 Rapidash in the starting area, however. Watch out for it.

Overall, this game has received very positive reviews in the short time it’s been out. When asked to rate the game, most people gave it a six out of ten or above. Diane Pham, a senior and generation four fan, said that the new structure of the game is “good because the usual games were getting a little predictable and stale.” However, some people, such as Samuel Rosa, a senior and generation three fan, claimed that he would “rather things stay the same.” In general, it seems like the starting Pokemon games for each person did not directly contribute to their enjoyment of Legends Arceus.

People had high expectations for Pokemon: Legends Arceus, but the game is definitely pulling through as a solid 8.5 out of 10. It’s been incredibly dynamic and exciting and opens the door for Pokemon to do even more with their series. What will be the next leap in the installment of this classic series? It seems we’ll just have to wait and see, but as Pokemon keeps raising the bar, they keep getting stronger.