Pokemon Legends: Arceus Review – What? Pokemon Is Evolving!

[AngelOfThyNight]

Pokemon Legends: Arceus Review – What? Pokemon Is Evolving!

In 1996, Pokemon was daring. The oddball RPG was both mechanically simpler and more ambitious than its contemporaries, consisting of an approachable battle system and a huge roster of 150 adorable mascot characters. Since then, the core Pokemon games have mostly stuck to the pattern established by those first games, developing a sense of familiarity with steady, light iteration. Pokemon Legends: Arceus breaks that iterative pattern, attempting to establish a new foundation while borrowing bits and pieces from the main Pokemon games to create something new. The result is sometimes messy and doesn't always work, but its distinct qualities set it apart from the core series and ultimately elevate it.

Though it's a spin-off, Pokemon Legends: Arceus isn't lending the Pokemon trappings to an entirely different set of mechanics like the Mystery Dungeon or Stadium series. Instead, this game reimagines Pokemon's core mechanics--finding and catching Pokemon and battling with them--within the new context of exploring vast 3D open spaces.

Legends: Arceus takes place long before the modern games, at a time when Pokemon haven't become integrated into daily life as pets and pack animals. There is a sense that the wilderness here is dangerous and the villagers treat Pokemon like fearsome, wild beasts. The exception to this is the Survey Corps, a small band of burgeoning scientists working underneath the local security forces. When you drop into the world, the Survey Corps almost immediately recognizes your knack for its style of research and puts you to work.

Continue Reading at GameSpot
Source: Pokemon Legends: Arceus Review – What? Pokemon Is Evolving!