Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Platforms

• Nintendo Switch

  Jan 28, 2022

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  8.7

  playscore

  8.3

  86 Critics

  9.4

  44.2K Players

86 critic reviews · 32 community reviews across all platforms

Critic Reviews

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  Nexus Hub

  8.5

  Ultimately, Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the game Pokemon fans have been waiting for - for a long time now. It introduces so many quality of life improvements, streamlines gameplay and exploration and has great storytelling with an addictive gameplay loop involving capturing and discovering more Pokemon.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Game Rant

  9.0

  Pokemon Legends: Arceus's gameplay is simple but incredibly rewarding, stripping away much of the tediousness that has plagued recent entries in the series to focus on what's fun. Those who grew up with Pokemon should like it especially, as while it makes dramatic changes to the core formula, it somehow feels truer to the spirit of Pokemon than the older releases.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Twinfinite

  8.0

  I often found myself getting distracted on my way to a main mission quest because I’d stop to fill out a few Pokedex entries, stock up on materials, or try to reach areas that were supposed to be inaccessible at that point in the game. The game has quite a few moments that make you question everything you think you know about Pokemon in the best way possible.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  ZTGD

  8.5

  I am enjoying Pokémon Legends: Arcueus very much, if nothing else it is a fantastic start to an overdue evolution for the Pokémon games. While there are still things that could be improved or added; things like online; having the ability to see other trainers in the world would be huge. Things like being able to have your Pokémon follow you on your adventure if you choose too, more customization options for trainer creation; things like this would be great. And what gives me hope is Game Freak kind of flirts with those systems I named above.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Hey Poor Player

  8.0

  Pokémon Legends: Arceus nails the core of what could easily become the core of the series moving forward. Its world doesn’t look great, but it’s a ton of fun to explore and play around in. There’s definitely room for improvement in a next installment. A core quest for players to really sink their teeth into, improved graphics at least around the edges, and slightly rebalanced battles would be a great start.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Way Too Many Games

  9.0

  Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a huge step forward for what is achievable in the Pokémon series as a whole. This is a defining step in the franchise that shows just how much gas is still in the tank. The staleness of the mainline series and the need to remake the older generations is being shown it’s not needed any longer.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Noisy Pixel

  8.0

  Pokemon Legends Arceus gives us the open-world Pokemon adventure that we’ve asked for, but on the terms of the developer. We had to trade memorable moments with our Pokemon party for an isekai adventure about completing a Pokedex, which is something I haven’t achieved since Pokemon Crystal.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  App Trigger

  9.5

  Despite some minor graphical issues, Game Freak has managed to build the kind of living world I’ve always wanted from a Pokemon game. The Pokemon feel alive and filled with personality, from the adorable Snorunts to the hyper Aipon to the playful antics of Gengar.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  RPG Site

  8.0

  Despite these flaws, Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the best Pokemon game in years. It’s highly possible to breeze through the story in 15-20 hours before rolling credits. Instead, I chose to spend nearly 30 hours meandering about the different areas catching Pokemon before deciding to "finish" the game. Big emphasis on finish, considering the postgame content. Even at the 30-hour mark, it still feels like hours of content can be spent on grinding for evolution items, completing sidequests, and wrapping up your research notes.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  RPGFan

  9.0

  Pokémon Legends: Arceus wanders from the “traditional formula” that held the series a little too firmly in place. But all who wander aren’t necessarily lost—at least, not in a bad way. Players will find themselves delightfully astray within Hisui’s enthralling world, ambling with many worthwhile purposes and finding amazing new sights and Pokémon. Similarly, Pokémon Legends: Arceus finds a gameplay loop that keeps the franchise’s appeal intact while feeling impressively fresh and thoroughly engaging. It’s wonderful what you can discover when you stray off the beaten path—you just have to be daring enough to venture in that direction.

  Reviewed on Switch

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Community Reviews

About the game