The Pokémon series is headed into uncharted waters with the recently announced Pokémon Legends: Arceus. For the first time in franchise history, the game will be entirely open world, which is something fans have been hoping to see for quite sometime. In addition to the new style of gameplay, the game's storyline appears noticeably different from anything else that's come before it in the series. It seems Pokémon Legends: Arceus will explain what life was like long before any of the original Pokémon games by taking players to the distant past, in a generation entirely its own.
Most entries in the Pokémon series seems to take place in either a modern setting or something a bit more futuristic. Pokémon Legends, on the other hand, takes place in the past, during a period resembling feudal-era Japan. Pokémon Legends: Arceus' reveal trailer shows the player setting off on their adventure from a village with architecture made almost entirely out of wood, and there doesn't seem to be anything that looks like a shop or Pokémon Center anywhere in the village, so they may not exist in this time period. The first town in most Pokémon games only feature a few houses, so this could be the reason the village in the trailer looks somewhat limited. Shops and Pokémon Centers, or whatever might resembles them during this time period, may appear later in the game.
The most noticeable difference between Pokémon Legend's setting and those of other Pokémon games is the separation between people and Pokémon. The bond between humans and Pokémon is something that's mentioned in nearly every Pokémon game in the series, but there appears to be a clear divide between the two in Pokémon Legends. Humans live in their villages, while Pokémon freely roam the mountains and forests. Players choose their starter from a traveling Pokémon Professor who visits their village. From there, they'll set off with their starter Pokémon and steam-powered Poké Balls to capture Pokémon and complete the Sinnoh region's first Pokédex, essentially becoming the first Pokémon Trainer.
The Ancient Sinnoh Region Should Be Filled With Secrets
Detailing the origins of the relationship between humans and Pokémon seems as though it will be a major aspect of the game, but it also looks as though the game will explain how Pokémon's Sinnoh region has changed over time. Pokémon Legends is set in the same region as the Diamond and Pearl games, only hundreds of years in the past. Diamond and Pearl are two of the more story-driven games in the entire series, and there should be plenty of secrets and easter eggs that connect them. There won't be a Pokémon League in this game, meaning there won't be any Gym Leaders to beat. So, it seems almost all of the game will focus on catching Pokémon and exploring all that the Sinoh region has to offer while uncovering its hidden secrets.
The Sinoh region is also filled with Legendary Pokémon, like Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Heatran, Regigigas, and the Lake Trio. Seeing as Arceus is considered the god of all Pokémon, Pokémon Legends could establish the origins of each legendary Pokémon and how their lore came to be. Being able to track down each Legendary Pokémon in an open-world setting, or possibly witnessing their creation by Arceus sounds very exciting. It will also be interesting to see how people view these Legendary Pokémon, whether they admire them or fear them. The Diamond and Pearl games feature statues in honor of Dialga and Palkia, but those won't exist during this time period. The relationship between humans and Pokémon already seems different from previous games in the series and that should be especially true for Legendary Pokémon.
This distant past setting is very unique for Pokémon Legends: Arceus and should create new frame work for the game's plot, different from any other Pokémon game. The game's story should help fill some of the gaps in Pokémon's lore and seems like it could potentially be the most plot-driven game in the franchise's history, if Game Freak properly explores the mysteries of Pokémon's past.