The Pokemon Company recently announced not only one game set in the Sinnoh region, but two. While fans were anticipating the Diamond and Pearl remake announcement, a new open-world RPG titled Pokemon Legends: Arceus threw players a curveball. An open-world Pokemon game is something fans have been requesting for quite some time, but Pokemon Legends: Arceus will handle that expectation a bit differently by rewinding the clock back before the Sinnoh region became a populated area. In the same way that Breath of the Wild changed the tried-and-true formula of Zelda games, Pokemon Legends will twist the normal format of the Pokemon series.

What also surprised fans about The Pokemon Company's sudden announcement was the stunning graphics seen in the trailer. This is a large departure from the graphics seen in past games, for example, Sword and Shield, which many fans were disappointed with. While the most recent new generation of Pokemon attempted to take bits from open-world games, it doesn't quite hit the mark in the way Breath of the Wild has become the standard for exploration games. Pulling from the action-exploration category, Breath of the Wild seems to have spawned its own genre of gaming, resulting in "copycats" such as Genshin Impact, and now, Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

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Breath of the Wild's Gameplay

Breath of the Wild

Breath of the Wild was highly acclaimed for its change in gameplay from past Zelda titles, moving away from linear storytelling and giving the player full control over their adventure. Players can decide when they want to fight the Divine Beasts and Ganon, if at all, but it's not necessary to get the whole experience behind Breath of the Wild. The Divine Beasts can be conquered in any order, but most likely, the player will become lost in exploration around Hyrule, discovering its many nooks and crannies before even getting started with the main story, which appears in the form of bread crumbs.

Nintendo took a bold risk with Breath of the Wild, and now the gaming community considers it one of the best games of all time. Nintendo is seemingly emulating that same adventure, but in the world of Pokemon. While the announcement trailer shows an only early build of the game, this is a game about exploration and creating the first Pokedex. It even mimics a shot seen in Breath of the Wild's original trailer, meaning Nintendo is likely replicating that experience with Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

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There Are Still Many Questions to be Answered

pokemon legends arceus

Of course, that doesn't mean the upcoming Pokemon game will be exactly like Breath of the Wild, and fans shouldn't expect it to be the exact same experience, if not for the fact that Breath of the Wild is a one-of-a-kind game.

But Pokemon has just as much of its own lore to play with, and Pokemon Legends will likely add much more lore in itself. By turning back time to before the Sinnoh region was founded, filled with only empty wilderness and a rural village, a lot of room is left for Pokemon Legends: Arceus to grow. For example, while it's currently unclear what shape the story will take other than creating the first Pokedex, the mythical Pokemon known as Arceus will have a significant influence on the game. Known as the "Original One," Arceus is known to have created the Sinnoh region, which means this lore will likely have some involvement in Pokemon Legends' plot, and may also mean that the creation trio, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, will make an appearance as well.

So while the art style may be similar, the gameplay is largely inspired by the 2017 hit Zelda title, and it walks and talks like Breath of the WildPokemon Legends: Arceus will likely be its own beast simply inspired by the groundbreaking trending style of gameplay.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus releases in 2022 for the Nintendo Switch.

MORE: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Remakes Officially Announced for Nintendo Switch