Pokémon Legends: Arceus

About

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an action role-playing game in the Pokémon franchise developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. The game notably breaks tradition from previous mainline Pokémon titles in that it focuses more on open-world exploration rather than a linear path, which defined the series to this point. It takes place in the Hisui region, an ancient, pre-developed version of the Sinnoh region that served as the setting for the fourth generation of Pokémon games. It released on January 28th, 2022.

History

On February 26th, 2021, Pokémon Legends Arceus was revealed alongside Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and given an early 2022 release date (trailer shown below).

Over the following year, The Pokémon Company regularly dropped updates, previews and teasers about the game. These included reveals of new variations on pre-existing Pokémon, showing off new features and gameplay previews (example shown below).

Online Presence

In the year following its announcement, Pokémon Legends Arceus inspired a range of discussions, with some users expressing excitement about the game and others feeling let down by the graphics shown off in the initial gameplay trailers. Notable moments that inspired online discussion include the reveal that the player-character would have a cellphone, despite the game taking place in pre-industrial times, and the found-footage horror teaser for Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark.

On the negative side, on December 15th, 2021, game developer Dan Salvato remarked that the graphics displayed in gameplay trailers resembled those of a Gamecube game, wondering why Pokémon had not caught up to the graphical fidelity of the modern era. This caused "Gamecube" to trend on Twitter as users shared their opinions on Salvato's take.

Related Memes

Stoned Typhlosion

Stoned Typhlosion refers to the leak of the Pokémon Typhlosion's design in the game Pokémon Legends Arceus. The Pokémon has a notably more relaxed expression than it does in previous entries in the Pokémon series, leading users to joke that he appeared stoned. In memes, Typhlosion is used as an exploitable, primarily in early 2022.

On January 25th, 2022, Pokémon revealed the final forms for all starter Pokémon, confirming the design for Typhlosion.

Volo

Volo is a merchant character in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Due to his good looks and charming demeanor, he quickly became a fan favorite in the game, similar to other Nintendo characters like Prince Sidon and Peony.

Arezu

Arezu is a character in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. She serves as a warden to the Noble Pokémon Lilligant and later acts as the hairdresser in Jubilife City. Her design inspired fervent fandom among Pokémon fans, and she has inspired a significant amount of fan art.

Cherrim

Cherrim is a Pokémon that grew infamous among players of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The Pokémon proved extremely difficult to obtain in the game, frustrating players who wished to complete the game's Pokédex and complete a sidequest involving the Pokémon. Online, this was expressed in a variety of memes depicting Cherrim as a villainous creature, a stark contrast from its sunny disposition.

Reception

Reviews for Pokémon Legends Arceus began appearing on January 26th, 2022, and were mostly positive. Polygon^[1] wrote that the game was a "messy, worthwhile experiment," saying the good outweighed the bad in the experimental title. The Verge^[2] opined that the world of Hisui felt lifelike, writing, "Here, though – while it’s not exactly a realistic simulation of nature – it at least gives off the feeling of a real place full of danger and secrets and all of the joy and excitement those things can bring. And it does all of that while retaining most of the best qualities of its predecessors."

In a more critical review, Eurogamer^[3] wrote that the game still fell short of industry standards in some ways, but concluded it was a "refreshing" experience, writing, "This is a game crafted by subtractive sculpture. And how weirdly refreshing that is, compared to our artform's current, insatiable appetite for only adding more and more. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is either this series' bare minimum, or its purest form. I think it's both at once."

Search Interest

External References