Pokémon Legends: Arceus' complete gameplay and Pokédex recently leaked online, providing interested fans a look into the game's (possible) final version. Though some features previously appeared in gameplay and teaser trailers, many mechanics, monsters, and activities emerged. Early looks at Pokémon Legends: Arceus confirmed that the new free-roaming game would significantly depart from the standard Pokémon formula, but the game's leaked gameplay and files confirm how deep those changes run. From new Pokémon regional forms to evolution mechanics, Pokémon Legends: Arceus could become the franchise's new norm.
[Warning: SPOILERS below for Pokémon Legends: Arceus.]
Pokémon Legends: Arceus takes place in the Hisui region, where players take control of either Akari or Rei and join the Galaxy Expedition Team as a field agent. Composed of individuals from worldwide, the Galaxy Team is responsible for studying the Hisui region and its Pokémon inhabitants. Along the way, players encounter the Diamond and Pearl Tribes, uncovering the secret of Legends: Arceus' Noble Pokémon and the sudden anger from many local species. Players take on research missions and side quests from Jubilife Village, the main base for the Galaxy Team, and venture into open-world areas to catch monsters, collect materials, and gather new information about the Hisui region. Though the game hasn't officially been released, leaked gameplay and images have revealed several key gameplay mechanics and spoilers.
The Pokémon Legends: Arceus leaks took the internet by storm sometime last week. Though the leak's origin is unknown, the rapid spread of new gameplay clips and screenshots proves that the leaks are legitimate. Many players claim to have already completed the main game, and the responses have been mostly positive. From the existing footage, images, and leaks, players can expect the following features in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Newest Forms And Pokémon
Nintendo officially revealed several new Hisuian forms for popular Pokémon, starting with Zorua, Basculin, and more. However, the available Pokémon Legends: Arceus leaks confirm almost thirty additional Hisuian forms for existing monsters (including legendaries). Since Legends: Arceus is a prequel, players can discover dozens of creatures not initially available in Pokémon's fourth generation. The complete list of Pokémon with Hisuian forms, according to leaks, is as follows:
- Dialga
- Palkia
- Tornadus
- Thundurus
- Landorus
- Typhlosion
- Samurott
- Decidueye
- Sneasel
- Weavile
- Stantler
- Braviary
- Growlithe
- Arcanine
- Voltorb
- Electrode
- Qwilfish
- Burmy
- Lilligant
- Avalugg
- Zorua
- Zoroark
- Sliggoo
- Goodra
Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ New Poké Balls & Crafting
Unlike previous Pokémon games, Pokémon Legends: Arceus allows players to craft their own Poké Balls. Additionally, the sleek items usually bought at stores are made out of wood to better suit the era. Based on the leaked Poké Ball designs available, it appears players can collect the standard Poké Ball, Great Balls, and Ultra Balls, alongside several new designs. Different Poké Balls can capture monsters with varying degrees of success based on the monster's typing or level, but Legends: Arceus also introduces new capture devices. The most unique is called the Modern Ball, which could be the capsule used when Pokémon are transferred from earlier games (that take place in the modern era).
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Has Side Quests & Pokédex Research Tasks
While most Pokémon games require players to search specific locations at different times, Pokémon Legends: Arceus takes catching mechanics and drastically changes them. Players can only catch several rare and powerful monsters by completing quests, such as Spiritomb, Manaphy, and Unown. The nature of these quests corresponds directly to the Pokédex entries for various creatures, allowing players to live the franchise's lore.
For example, Spiritomb is a creature made up of 108 souls, and its corresponding quest requires players to collect 108 souls before having the opportunity to catch it. The ghost-type Pokémon is a powerful addition to any party. However, only the truly dedicated players will have a chance to catch it in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Legends: Arceus Has Alpha Pokémon & Size Differences
Variation between Pokémon species has been a common request among the fandom for many years, with players requesting some differences or individuality for their many monsters. While players can't expect monsters with different fur patterns, monsters in the wild now have size differences and varying temperaments. When letting Pokémon out of their balls, players can see a sizable difference between Legends Arceus' Alphas (larger) and ordinary members of the species. This is a significant improvement from Pokémon Sword and Shield's Wild Area, which featured identical overworld sprites lingering in bushes. Additionally, Alphas feature higher EVs than other monsters of their species, making them a more worthy target than other creatures.
Legends: Arceus Has Different Pokémon Evolution Mechanics
Most Pokémon games force monsters to evolve at certain levels unless players manually cancel evolution or hold an Everstone, but Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduces new evolution mechanics that may be here to stay. Leaked gameplay shows players selecting an "Evolve" option from their bag, and unconfirmed reports suggest players must meet specific criteria before evolving certain monsters. Many players have requested a manual evolution mechanic in Pokémon to teach first- or mid-stage Pokémon more moves before evolving. If GameFreak and Nintendo adapted this mechanic into mainline Pokémon games, it would likely be a welcome change.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Could Be The Longest Game In The Series
According to PokéLeaks, Pokémon Legends: Arceus' main story takes approximately 20-30 hours to complete if players are rushing through story content. However, the game likely has more content with side quests, research missions, and filling the Pokédex. Like Monster Hunter: Rise, Legends: Arceus allows players to embark on separate tasks in free-roam areas. During these missions, players can collect resources and catch monsters, but creature spawns change depending on the time of day. Additionally, catching Arceus requires players to catch every Pokémon first, which is a significant time investment. Legends Arceus' post-game also provides several hours of gameplay, likely making this free-roam adventure the longest Pokémon game ever.
Though most of Pokémon Legends: Arceus has leaked, it's likely players won't discover everything until long after the game has been released. It's unknown if Nintendo plans to release any additional content like Pokémon Sword and Shield's expansion pass or whether Legends: Arceus could spark a new series that explores the early era of Pokémon's eight regions. Pokémon Legends: Arceus releases on January 28th for the Nintendo Switch.
Sources: PokeLeaks/Reddit