Debuting at the end of January,Pokemon Legends: Arceusrepresents a departure from traditionalPokemongameplay and a foray into adventures in a large open world.Pokemon Legends: Arceustakes place in the far past of the Sinnoh region, which recently appeared in the Nintendo Switch titlesPokemon Brilliant DiamondandPokemon Shining Pearl,two remakes of earlier games. So far, trailers and teasers forLegendshave highlighted new twists on previous series mechanics, such as the way trainers and their Pokemon move around the world.
Set in the Hisui region - aka the Sinnoh region prior to its name change -Pokemon Legends: Arceustells the story of a Pokemon trainer who helps to explore this wild, uncharted land and catalog the many types of Pokemon who call it their home. Recent trailers also indicate that the player will be responsible for working with, and possibly healing the divide between, theDiamond and Pearl clans, two differing groups of trainers who live in the Hisui region and serve as protectors for its Pokemon.
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A recent tweet from Nintendo of America showed off the ability to ride on Pokemon while traveling around the large open world. The short 15-second video clip shows off three travel methods. One trainer is shown taking to the skies on a glider held by Hisuian Braviary, another effortlessly jumps down a waterfall and crosses a lake atop Basculegion, and a third gallops through the forest while riding Wyrdeer. All three areHisuian variants or evolutions of existing Pokemon, and all will be appearing for the first time inLegends: Arceus.
Traveling around the world accompanied by Pokemon is a feature which has appeared in a number of previous series titles. In the recently releasedBrilliant DiamondandShining Pearl,trainers could choose any Pokemon in their party to follow behind them, although thefollow animations of a number of Pokemon were criticized by fansas being odd-looking or boring. Riding Pokemon also appeared in earlier titles such asPokemon SunandPokemon Moon,where the use of special moves allowed players to mount Mudsdale, Stoutland, Lapras, and several others.
While some fans are excited by the many ways trainers can explore Hisui, others have expressed frustration or consternation, feeling that Nintendo is repeatedly showing off the same clips rather than revealing any new footage. In particular, the footage of players riding Wyrdeer and Basculegion was shown in a longerPokemon Legends: Arceusgameplay trailerthat debuted earlier in January. The clip of riding Pokemon in Hisui posted on January 12th in fact did not contain any previously unseen footage fromLegends: Arceusat all.
With only a few weeks to go untilLegends: Arceusreleases, it is unclear whether Nintendo will share any brand new footage or continue reusing clips on Twitter as it is currently doing. Fans are particularly hoping to see a confirmation of the rumor that the game’s startersCyndaquil, Oshawott, and Rowlet will have Hisuian formsof their own.
