For some, Pokémon Legends: Arceus might feel like an empty tech demo, but it also marks the most significant, refreshing leap forward the series has had in over a decade. Its open-world structure isn’t as seamless as Scarlet and Violet, but it’s more fluid, frictionless, and frightening to explore. Legends: Arceus uses its historic setting to free itself from the shackles of the series’ usual competitive sport, allowing both it and the player to explore new stories, mechanics, and structures. Its traversal feels incredible, its action-oriented systems feel like they remove rigid restrictions that once were part and parcel ofthe Pokémon franchise, and without the Pokémon League to get in the way, it explores the origins of the universe unbound by the series’ usual composition.
It is what I, and many other lore-driven fans, wanted out of Diamond and Pearl, and frankly, from the series for a long time. Its maps may not be as lively as other open-world games, but thanks to the stories it tells and the connections it allows you to create as a trainer surviving alongside their Pokémon, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the most alive the franchise has felt in quite some time.
