byPokémon Presents – Pokémon Legends: Arceus Breakdown
After the recent Pokémon Present’s panel, a large breakdown of the newest and most ambitious title in the Pokémon Series – Pokémon Legends: Arceus was made available. Lets go through everything that was discussed.
Action meets RPG as the Pokémon series reaches a new frontier
Get ready for a new kind of grand, Pokémon adventure in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a brand-new game from Game Freak that blends action and exploration with the RPG roots of the Pokémon series. Embark on survey missions in the ancient Hisui region.
Explore natural expanses to catch wild Pokémon by learning their behaviour, sneaking up, and throwing a well-aimed Poké Ball. You can also toss the Poké Ball containing your ally Pokémon near a wild Pokémon to seamlessly enter battle.
Travel to the Hisui region—the Sinnoh of old—and build the region’s first Pokédex
Your adventure takes place in the expansive natural majesty of the Hisui region, where you are tasked with studying Pokémon to complete the region’s first Pokédex. Mount Coronet rises from the centre, surrounded on all sides by areas with distinct environments. In this era—long before the events of the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl games—you can find newly discovered Pokémon like Wyrdeer, an evolution of Stantler, and new regional forms like Hisuian Growlithe! Along the way, uncover the mystery surrounding the Mythical Pokémon known as Arceus.
Okay, lets jump in and see what makes Pokémon Legends: Arceus so different than the other titles in the Pokémon series.
The Natural majesty of the Hisui region
Your adventure is set in the expansive natural majesty of the Hisui region, in an age long ago when it was rare for people and Pokémon to live in close harmony. In time, this land of Hisui will come to be called Sinnoh—a region you may know well.
Mount Coronet rises from the centre of the Hisui region, surrounded on all sides by areas with distinct environments. Each area is rich in its own natural features and plays host to different Pokémon ecosystems. One such area is the Obsidian Fieldlands, which is resplendent with gorgeous flowers and verdant vegetation—what’s more, it appears to teem with Pokémon that favour meadows and forests.
Jubilife Village: Your base of operations in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
The Hisui region is home to Jubilife Village, the centre of operations for the Galaxy Expedition Team—or Galaxy Team for short—people who have come from various regions to study Hisui. The team includes various corps, such as the Medical Corps and the Security Corps, as well as the Survey Corps, which carries out research on how Pokémon live.
After receiving an assignment or a request and preparing for your next excursion, you’ll set out from Jubilife Village to study one of the various areas of the Hisui region. There may be certain Pokémon behaviours—or even entire species—that you witness only under the right conditions, such as during a particular time of day or in certain kinds of weather. After you finish your survey work, you’ll return once more to prepare for your next task.
Word has it that some Pokémon even act in ways that are unique to their species! Keep an eye on your health while out adventuring—take too much damage from wild Pokémon attacks or falling from high places and you’ll be unable to go on!
Along with the headquarters of the Galaxy Team and your own lodgings, Jubilife Village boasts a range of useful institutions and services—such as the trading post, where you can trade Pokémon with other players.
A paid Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to enjoy certain features.
New Region, New Characters
As the protagonist of this game, you’ll meet Professor Laventon, who studies the ecology of Pokémon as a member of the Galaxy Expedition Team. Before long, you’ll join the Galaxy Team yourself and get to work as a member of the Survey Corps. Your goal will be to meet every species of Pokémon in the region!
The Survey Corps
A Survey Corps member who’s close to your age and has been with the Survey Corps for some time. The appearance you choose at the beginning of the game will determine whether Akari or Rei appears as your fellow team member.
Professor Laventon
As a member of the Galaxy Team’s Survey Corps, Professor Laventon conducts research into Pokémon’s modes of life. He aims to create a complete Pokédex.
Commander Kamado
Commander Kamado, the boss of the Galaxy Team, can be a harsh leader at times, but the team members trust him deeply and know him to be reliable.
Captain Cyllene
Captain Cyllene is the leader of the Galaxy Team’s Survey Corps. She is strict both with others and with herself, but she sees your potential and allows you to take a trial to join the Galaxy Team.
Updated Game Play makes for a unique experience for seasoned trainers
Seek out Pokémon
Pokémon live freely in all kinds of places—in grassy fields, in forests, or out on the water, to name a few. There may be certain Pokémon behaviours—or even entire species—that you witness only under the right conditions, such as during a particular time of day or in certain kinds of weather.
Observe Pokémon to learn their dispositions
Wild Pokémon will react to you in different ways depending on the species. Some may come right at you and attack, while others will run away as soon as they spot you. Tailoring your approach to Pokémon’s dispositions will be the key to successfully catching them.
Weaken Pokémon in battle to catch them
Battle can be a critical step in catching some Pokémon. Wild Pokémon become easier to catch after they’ve been weakened in a battle.
Carefully aim and throw a Poké Ball
You can try to catch wild Pokémon by throwing Poké Balls at them. When you find a Pokémon that you want to catch, get close to it, then try to catch it using a Poké Ball. Aim carefully at your target, and hit it with your ball before you miss the opportunity! If the wild Pokémon doesn’t pop right back out of the Poké Ball you hit it with, then you’ve done it! That’s a successful catch.
Battling wild Pokémon also gets an updated overhaul
Battles in the Hisui region also have some unique properties. For the first time in the series, your Pokémon unleash moves with the speedy agile style or the powerful strong style. These styles might also affect how many turns Pokémon can take in a row!
How to start a battle with a Pokémon
If you throw a Poké Ball containing one of your Pokémon at a wild Pokémon, a battle will begin. You’ll enter battle seamlessly, rather than switching into a battle-specific screen as in previous games in the Pokémon series.
Time for a Pokémon battle!
The flow of battle in Pokémon Legends: Arceus works differently than in prior games in the Pokémon series.
In past games, battles have proceeded one turn at a time, with each participating Pokémon typically taking one action per turn. In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon’s stats and other factors determine how many actions each Pokémon gets to take and in what order.
This can create situations where one Pokémon might get to take multiple turns in a row. You could heal your Pokémon immediately after dishing out an attack or throw yourself all-in with a no-holds-barred flurry of attacks.
Agile Style and Strong Style
Pokémon can remember four moves at a time to use in battle. In this game, the moves your Pokémon can use can also be unleashed in two new ways: Agile Style and Strong Style. Use these different styles skilfully to gain the upper hand in battle!
Agile Style
Using a move in the Agile Style raises the user’s action speed, which may make the user’s next turn come sooner, but lowers the move’s power.
Strong Style
Using a move in the Strong Style raises the move’s power but your Pokémon’s action speed will be lowered.
Completing the Pokédex
You add information to your Pokédex by catching Pokémon. But catching a Pokémon once won’t be enough to complete its Pokédex entry!
You’ll need to keep studying that Pokémon and complete research tasks to increase your research progress on it and flesh out its Pokédex entry.
Completing these research tasks will also contribute to your work with the Galaxy Expedition Team and raise your rank as a team member, granting you access to new areas.
Base Camps
Whenever you leave Jubilife Village to set out on an excursion, your first stop will be one of the Base camps that will serve as a handy outpost for your work. You can stop by for a rest during an excursion, letting your team of Pokémon recover their health, or you can use a camp’s workbench to craft some items.
You may become unable to go on with your survey if you take too much damage, whether it’s caused by wild Pokémon attacks or falling from high places. If you get into danger, don’t be reckless—use your Base camps to full effect as you carry out your survey work!
Crafting
As you’re exploring, you’ll collect all kinds of materials that you can use for crafting—combining items to make new ones. For example, if you combine an Apricorn and a type of stone called a tumblestone, you’ll be able to craft a regular Poké Ball.
You can craft items using the workbenches found at Base camps and in Jubilife Village to help you catch Pokémon
Poké Balls
The Poké Balls of old were apparently built a little differently from the ones we know so well. They were made mostly of wood, and steam puffed from their tops when Pokémon were caught.
Smoke Bombs
When thrown, these balls create a cloud of smoke that reduces visibility in the area, which will keep wild Pokémon from noticing you. They’ll be a great aid in stealthily approaching Pokémon in areas where there are no rocks or other obstacles to hide behind.
Heavy Balls
Heavy Balls are a special variety of Poké Balls that are more effective at catching Pokémon that haven’t yet noticed you. They’re heavier than regular Poké Balls, so they don’t fly very far. You’ll want to make sure you sneak close to a Pokémon before using one of these!
New Region, New Pokémon Evolutions and Regional variants
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus like previous titles before it all trainers start off choosing a starter Pokémon unique to the region they’re exploring, Pokémon Legends: Arceus mixes this up by giving players a choice of three starter Pokémon however, none of them are unique to the Hisui region.
Rowlet
Rowlet is a Pokémon from the Alola region. It uses photosynthesis to store up energy during the day, while becoming active at night. Silently it glides, drawing near its targets. Before they even notice it, it begins to pelt them with vicious kicks.
Cyndaquil
Cyndaquil is a Pokémon from the Johto region. It is timid and always curls itself up in a ball. When it’s surprised, the flames on its back flare up stronger. When it is attacked, it uses its flames to protect itself.
Oshawott
Oshawott is a Pokémon from the Unova region. With the scalchop on its stomach, it blocks opponents’ attacks, then retaliates immediately by slashing. Its scalchop can be used to break open hard Berries as well.
Newly discovered Pokémon in the Hisui Region
Wyrdeer
A Pokémon that’s close with people and helps make their lives possible
In the Hisui region, Stantler can evolve into Wyrdeer. This Pokémon has been treasured since long ago by the people of this region, for whom it is indispensable. It grows much larger when it evolves, and garments with the fur shed from its beard, tail, and legs are highly prized for their top-notch protection against the cold.
It emits psychic energy from the orbs on its antlers
Using the black orbs at the bases of its antlers, this Pokémon generates and unleashes psychic energy powerful enough to distort space. Wyrdeer searches out safe paths by using its antlers like antennae, running at the head of its herd and leading young Stantler.
Basculegion
Battling together with the mournful souls of its comrades
Basculin in the Hisui region can evolve into this Pokémon. This Evolution occurs when a Basculin is possessed by the souls of other Basculin from its school that could not withstand the harsh journey upstream. Basculegion fights together with these souls, which attack opponents as if with a will of their own.
Tremendous, unflagging physical ability
The moment this Pokémon senses animosity, it will become enraged and attack relentlessly until the enemy is defeated. This Pokémon gains power from the souls possessing it, letting it swim on and on without tiring.
Regional Forms
Hisuian Braviary
A solitary bird Pokémon that flies in from the north in winter
When Rufflet in the Hisui region evolve, they become Hisuian Braviary. In the winter, this Pokémon flies in from somewhere farther north. It’s larger than the previously discovered form of Braviary and tends to live alone rather than in flocks.
Shock waves of psychic power
Hisuian Braviary can imbue its eerie screeches with psychic power to generate powerful shock waves. It then uses its sharp talons to tear at and seize prey weakened by these shock waves. Apparently, it can also use its psychic power to sharpen its sixth sense and enter a trance that boosts its physical abilities
Hisuian Growlithe
Soft fur, stony horn
This is Growlithe as it appears in the Hisui region. Its Hisuian form has longer, more voluminous fur than the previously discovered form of Growlithe. This soft, heat-retaining fur helps the Pokémon thrive even in the frigid Hisui region. The sharp horn on its head is made of rock, but it breaks easily, so Hisuian Growlithe uses it only when it’ll have the greatest effect.
A wary Pokémon that guards its territory with a partner
Hisuian Growlithe are highly vigilant and tend to be seen watching over their territory in pairs. Apparently, they have lived apart from humans for a long time and are unused to being around people. Building trust with a Hisuian Growlithe takes time.
Pre-Orders are open from Thursday 18th of August 2021
Preorder for a special in-game costume and download the digital version for Heavy Balls!
The Hisuian Growlithe Kimono Set will be gifted to early purchasers of the Pokémon Legends: Arceus game. You can receive it by choosing Get via internet in the Mystery Gift feature in your game, up until May 9th, 2022. Then, dress yourself up in this Hisuian Growlithe Kimono Set!
Players who purchase and download the game before May 9th, 2022 from Nintendo eShop will get an email with a code for the Kimono set as well as 30 Heavy Balls which can be redeemed through the Mystery Gift* feature until May 16th, 2022. Heavy Balls have a higher catch rate than regular Poké Balls, but you can’t throw them quite as far.
You will need an internet connection to claim this preorder bonus, but you will not need a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Check out the trailer from the Pokémon Presents event below
Anth for One More Game
