The reviews for Pokémon Legends: Arceus have officially been released, giving prospective fans an idea of the upcoming game's world, mechanics, and story. Not only is Pokémon Legends: Arceus the latest new game in the longstanding series, it's also set to be one of the most unique, changing up the tried-and-tested formula of the franchise in favor of open-world-like exploration within the Hisui region.
Since its announcement in 2021, Pokémon Legends: Arceus has had Pokémon fans intrigued. The title takes plays many years before the current game timeline, taking users to the Hisui region, which would later be known as the Sinnoh region. The game's first reveal trailer impressed with its Zelda: Breath of the Wild-like world, but has had players curious to know more about how this new spin on a Pokémon game may work. With new Pokémon, gameplay mechanics, and a focus on features like crafting in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, many are eager to delve into the game for themselves when it releases on Nintendo Switch on January 28.
Those planning to purchase Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be glad to see the game has reviewed very well across a range of gaming publications. Multiple outlets have praised the new direction the game takes, while also noting that it still feels like a Pokémon game. In particular, the look and feel of Hisui has been recognized by many, while the ability to travel on mounted Pokémon while exploring the region also seems to be another critic-favorite feature. Many were hesitant to see how developer Game Freak might fare with such an ambitious title, but it looks like Nintendo has yet another hit on its hands.
Laura Gray - 4/5 - Screen Rant
"Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the perfect entry point for those who have never played a Pokémon game, while also being a great way for long-time fans to embrace new challenges. The game does an excellent job of pushing boundaries while staying true to what has kept Pokémon popular for over two decades and is an eye-opening glimpse at what Game Freak could do in future games of the series."
Chris Scullion - 5/5 - Video Games Chronicle
"Legends gives Pokémon their character back, and at the same time returns its focus to that classic “Gotta Catch ‘Em All’ mantra that made the series so endearing in the first place. Even more crucial than that, however, is that in the entire history of the Pokémon series, catching ‘em all has rarely been this fun."
Jordan Middler - 9/10 - Nintendo Life
"Pokémon Legends: Arceus feels like the result of Game Freak learning lessons for 25 years, refining the formula, and finally taking the franchise in a new, incredible, exciting direction. With its emphasis on extremely rewarding exploration, addictive catching mechanics, a fine roster of Pokémon and a genuine sense of scale that’s unlike anything in the series, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is quite simply one of the greatest Pokémon games ever made."
Steve Watts - 8/10 - Game Spot
"Some of the new ideas in Arceus have rough edges, and it's slow to start before you get access to many environments and mounts. This is an awkward first step, and it was a big adjustment for me, a longtime fan of the series, to make. Once Pokemon Legends: Arceus finds its stride, though, it's the most daring and inventive the series has been in years, breaking apart the staid core and creating something new and exciting from its pieces."
Ryan Gilliam - Not Rated - Polygon
"It’s filled with excellent ideas aimed at changing a series that has largely grown stale. But some of the execution breeds frustration. Exploring the open world is freeing, but also awkward, until I unlock more travel options later in the game. Legends: Arceus is graphically dreadful, with flat textures and pop-in rampant in every area, but the Pokémon animate wonderfully. Still, I’ll gladly take an imperfect Pokémon game that takes a chance on something different, even if it’s not always successful."
Similar to early preview reviews of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a number of outlets have praised the game's world design. While not quite the open-world many were hoping for, reviews suggest the title offers more than the typically-linear game worlds of previous Pokémon games. Battling and catching mechanics have also been highly praised, with Arceus reintroducing the fun of pocket-monster catching, especially when it comes to throwing Poké Balls.
Reviews from gaming outlets may look promising, but lots of players have been expecting the title to review as such thanks to leaks shared across the internet. Some fans have already had the chance to not only play the game, but actually complete it, due to copies of Pokémon Legends: Arceus being sold ahead of launch. Leaks like this have become fairly common for Pokémon games, and fans have had to tread carefully online to avoid spoilers. With Pokémon Legends: Arceus launching this Friday, there's not long left until players can experience the highly-reviewed new monster-catching adventure for themselves.