Sinnoh fans received the surprise of their lives when Takato Utsonomiya, COO of the Pokémon Company, announced not one but two different games set in the region. The remakes of the classic Sinnoh games, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl will come later this year, but it's Pokémon Legends: Arceus that awoke the most interest from the excited fandom.
Taking place in the "Sinnoh of old," Arceus is described as an action RPG adventure that gives players the chance to explore an open world. It seems clearly inspired by the critically acclaimed Breath of the Wild and could point to a new era in Pokémon games. And although most of its key plot points remain secret, Nintendo did provide some clues about the game's premise and gameplay.
The Vast Sinnoh Region
Sinnoh is one of the most interesting and complex regions in the entire Pokémon franchise. Divided by the majestic Mt. Coronet, Sinnoh is a cold region with bustling towns and some of the best routes in the games.
Arceus will be set in old Sinnoh, which means there won't be cities or towns to visit. Indeed, the trailer mentions only one town which will act as the player's base in the game. However, being an open-world game, Arceus will allow players to explore and discover Sinnoh's forests, mountains, beaches, and wild areas at a time when they remained untouched by humans, thus promising a truly immersive and exciting gaming experience.
Pokéballs Of Yore
Fans immediately noticed the ancient-looking Pokéballs in the game's trailer. Arceus' official website describes them as made out of wood and working with some form of steam engine. In the trailer itself, steam can be seen coming from the top of the Pokéballs once a Pokémon is caught.
This might seem like a minor detail in regards to the game's plot, but it does provide fans with an idea of what to expect from Arceus. Main series Pokémon games feature a lot of technology in the form of PCs to store Pokémon, warp panels to traverse secret layers, and even the popular Pokédex to record Pokémon's data. However, none of that will be present in Arceus, yet another aspect that'll differentiate it from any other game.
Sinnoh's Pokédex
And speaking of the Pokédex, it will play a large role in the game, or rather the idea of it. Arceus's website states that one of the main purposes of the game is to explore the region and investigate and catch Pokémon to create Sinnoh's very first Pokédex.
Although players usually assume the role of trainer in the games, Arceus is set to instead put them in the shoes of a Pokémon researcher. This is a brilliant way of expanding the world's reach, all while providing a new experience for newcomers and old-timers alike.
Pokémon Battles
It wouldn't be a Pokémon game without some Pokémon battles. The trailer shows a couple of them taking place between the player's ally and wild Pokémon. The style from Sword & Shield carries on to Arceus, providing a vivid portrayal of Pokémon battles.
It's still unclear if the player will engage in battles against NPCs. The website does mention that the concept of "Pokémon trainer" does not yet exist at whatever time the game takes place (more on that later) so it could be possible that all battles will be limited to wild Pokémon.
Catching Pokémon
The method for catching Pokémon seems entirely different. With one of the purposes being to create Sinnoh's first Pokédex, the game will probably encourage players to observe, research, and learn about Pokémon behavior. A new feature will allow players to sneak up on Pokémon before throwing their Pokéball.
This new style of catching Pokémon is truly inspired, allowing players to go into full stealth, ninja mode. And while a good, old-fashioned Pokémon battle is always great, this new method can also provide an entirely new take on player-Pokémon dynamics.
Starter Pokémon
Fans immediately noticed something different about the starter Pokémon in Arceus. None of them is a native of the region and are instead brought into Sinnoh by a Pokémon Professor who found them during his research excursions to different regions.
The trailer also shows wild Piplup, which might mean that the Sinnoh of yore doesn't yet know the concept of "starter Pokémon," thus explaining the use of Cyndaquil, Rowlet, and Oshawott. It'll be interesting to journey Sinnoh using a Pokémon from another region and fans wonder if these three starters will show some kind of reaction to their new, harsh, and mysterious environment.
When Does It Take Place?
The website of the game describes the time period as "a long-gone era of the Sinnoh region." Early leaks described the games as taking place in "feudal-Sinnoh," and many fans already speculate that Sinnoh is based on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Feudal Japan took place from around 1185 to early 1600 AD, which would suggest a really early time period for Arceus. A closer look at the game's locations seems to imply otherwise, though.
The presence of steam coming out of the Pokéballs suggest a more modern time period. Popular Poketuber Lockstin proposes the game's inspired by the Meiji period, which went from October 1868 to July 1912. This makes a lot more sense, although it's important to remember that the Pokémon world isn't a replica of our own and as such the timelines can be different.
Sinnoh's Lore
A big part of Sinnoh and Gen IV as a whole is the presence of deeply engaging and complex lore. From the Creation trio of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, all the way to Pokémon Lengends' own mascot, Arceus, Gen IV's mythology is truly impressive.
Arceus promises to dig a bit deeper into this, if only with the presence of the Pokémon God itself. The game can also be the perfect way to add new, more intricate elements to the franchise, like a belief system for NPCs, or even a real exploration of how wild, untamed Pokémon and humans first start to develop the close bond they share in modern times.
Arceus' Role In The Game
Known as "The Original One," Arceus is widely considered to be Pokémon's version of God. It created Sinnoh and Ransei, and possibly the entire Pokémon universe, although the Pokémon Company has always shied away from fully exploring its nature and true origin.
This all might change with Pokémon Legends. After all, all previous game mascots play a small but pivotal role in the games and Arceus most likely won't be the exception. The website states that Arceus holds the key to the entire story, so fans can expect a lot of questions being answered about this elusive, Mythical Pokémon.
The Future Of Pokémon?
For a long time now, fans have asked for an open-world Pokémon game to avoid the excessive hand-holding of previous installments. Some even suggested Breath of the Wild as an inspiration and it seems that the Pokémon company listened.
While Pokémon Legends: Arceus is still months away, many are already theorizing that it will spawn its own series, with new games taking place in other regions, with new Mythical mascots, and set in different time periods. The idea may sound ambitious, but now there's a precedent for it. And considering Arceus looking like one of 2022's most anticipated games, then it may actually hold the key to the future of the Pokémon franchise.