Each release of a new Pokémon game lights up the internet with theories, reviews, and even memes from the long-running franchise's dedicated fanbase. The latest installment, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, is finally out and fans aren't holding back.
Legends: Arceus was highly anticipated before release, with numerous leaks spoiling some aspects of the game and hinting at others. Reddit was already turning over the story, lore, and game mechanics before anyone even got their hands on the game. Now that it's out, these are Reddit users' biggest takeaways.
You Fell From The Sky
Time travel has long been part of the Pokémon universe, but it's never been as central to the story of a game as it is in Legends: Arceus. The game opens on your player character being transported from modern times into a feudal Japan-inspired era. The end of this journey sees your character falling from the sky.
The NPCs in the world aren't oblivious to your strange arrival. In fact, they point it out so frequently that many fans have started to poke fun at it. Reddit user jerryscheese remarks, "I get it. We get it. The character fell from the sky." Some fans point out that it makes sense that the NPCs would fixate on your origins, as witnessing someone falling from the sky is a lot to take in. Other fans are annoyed by it. Either way, fans are having fun with it.
Cherrim Is Nearly Uncatchable
This grass-type Pokémon has been evading fans since the release of the game. This cutesy Blossom Pokémon has two forms: its overcast form, and its sunshine form. Cherrim is rare to begin with, but according to Crunchyroll, a bug has made it impossible to catch if it transforms into its sunshine form at any point during the battle.
Reddit user ChefTorte laments "This thing is uncatchable in my game. I've thrown about 40 ultraballs at it." Others report spending hours and even days trying to catch Cherrim with no success. Looks like most players will have to wait for a patch to complete their Pokédex!
There Are Tons Of Fun Details
Pokémon is known for its detailed lore. Die-hard Pokémon fans could tell you about the history of the Pokémon world going back to the literal dawn of the universe. Every Pokémon game references these details in its own unique way, but the minute details in Pokémon Legends: Arceus have been a particular treat for fans.
Reddit user SadisticBuddhist noticed that every single Nosepass, a Compass Pokemon, is facing north. They said, "Details like that are littered throughout the game and I can't get enough." The fact that the developers took the time to add such a small detail like this in such a large game is making fans more excited than ever to explore the world.
Spending Hours In The First Area
Between catching Pokémon, completing side quests, and following the main storyline, there's tons to do in Legends: Arceus. Many players have reported spending dozens of hours on the main story, while others are spending dozens of hours in the first area of the game, The Obsidian Fieldlands.
Reddit user MMNeo91 says, "I'm 20 hours in and haven't left the first area yet." They're far from alone. Some players have compared The Obsidian Fieldlands to The Hinterlands in 2014's Dragon Age: Inquisition. It's big, it's open, and there's enough to do to distract you from the main quest for hours.
The Story Immersion Lives Up To The Hype
A couple of weeks before release, some leaked screenshots and footage of Legends: Arceus led fans to believe that it would have story progression and immersion similar to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. For many fans, the story completely lives up to the hype.
Reddit user TrickAndShorty has played every mainline Pokémon game since 1998's Pokémon Yellow, and says, "I have not felt truly enraptured by Pokémon since Heart Gold and Soul Silver," which was released in 2009. Longtime Pokémon fans are rediscovering the wonder and love they have for the franchise through the immersive world and story of Legends: Arceus.
There Are Some Janky Game Mechanics
Pokémon Legends: Arceus has several features and gameplay mechanics that are new to Pokémon. This is one of the franchise's most significant attempts at modernizing its format, and that's come with a number of gameplay mechanics that aren't quite right.
Reddit user quarlesh voiced their frustration with a specific mechanic, asking "Does anyone else feel like the Ursaluna dowsing mechanic is super janky?" Players sounded off in the comments, voicing how difficult, awkward, and generally unenjoyable this particular game mechanic is. As it's needed for story progression, players are annoyed are how poorly it functions.
Swimming Is Hard
Pokémon is no stranger to memes, and the latest installment in the franchise is no different. Fans have made some hilarious observations about Legends: Arceus, and the most-memed issue surrounds how the player character swims. Or rather, how they fail to swim.
Swimming takes such a toll on your character that it seems they'll only last a few seconds before passing out from exhaustion. Reddit user hircinesirseen remarks "Swimming hasn't been invented yet." Swimming while fully clothed is something that's incredibly dangerous in real life, so maybe fans can chalk this one up to realism.
The Graphics Are Lacking
While the Nintendo Switch isn't equipped to match the graphics of the last two generations of PlayStation and Xbox, developers are still putting out games that look stunning. Unfortunately, Legends: Arceus isn't one of those games.
While some fans are poking fun at the idea that people would be taking graphics so seriously in a Nintendo Switch game made to look cartoony, others are disappointed by how the game looks and plays. Reddit user atorin3 notes that "the graphics do not live up to the [potential] on the switch," and points out that the now 5-year-old The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild looks significantly more polished.
Space-Time Distortions
Among the new features Legends: Arceus brings to the Pokémon franchise is Space-Time Distortions. These strange events happen randomly and give players the chance to find rare items and catch rare Pokémon.
Reddit user ThePeskyPole34 reports that "all kinds of crazy Pokémon spawned. I managed to catch a Haunter, Sneasel, Urasring, Lickitung, and a Sylveon before I had to run away cause I ran out of revives." This new game features adds another level of fun and flavor to tracking down and catching Pokémon and cuts down on some of the repetitiveness players are likely to run into while trying to complete their Pokédex.
Updated Battle System
Pokémon battles have followed the same basic format for most of the franchise's history. The battle system is among the biggest game changes Legends: Arceus has introduced. The updated battle system now features up to 5v1 fights, presents higher challenges than in previous games, and allows the trainer to move around the field during the battle.
Reddit user xxxbiekitty says these features are "just so much more immersive for me and really makes my inner Pokémon kid happy." This is the closest the franchise has come to making players feel like they're engaging in the type of battles they get to see in the Pokémon animes.