Review | Pokémon Legends: Arceus – Nintendo’s cult game franchise drops the battle arenas for a more open-world, spiritual experience
- The wildly popular Pokémon franchise takes a new turn with this latest game, set in an earlier era than other games
- Players still collect animals, but they are treated more as deities instead of companions for sport
A more agile, spiritual Pokémon? That’s what Pokémon Legends: Arceus delivers.
It’s a game for Nintendo Switch that treats a mania with cutesy-odd creatures as the religion that it is – fitting play for a deeply passionate, multigenerational fan base that worships, debates and argues over the brand with cultish intensity.
If not a complete upending of the Pokémon brand, consider it a solid reinvention that lightly mixes Western and Eastern philosophies. The aim is to tighten the congenial relationship between players and their collection of feral but mystical animals.
Gone are battle arenas and in their place are vast forests and feudal-inspired trappings. This is a core Pokémon world where the animals are admired for battle prowess, their beauty and ability to harmonise with nature, as well as more divine realms.
The highly anticipated Pokémon Legends: Arceus teased a game that would provide a bold reimagining of the franchise, a series that, while venerable and dependable, is also borderline stale.
The game mostly succeeds, serving as a reintroduction, or entry point, depending on your familiarity with the brand, for new and long-time players.
