The highly anticipated Pokemon Legends: Arceus is releasing on Friday, and it's already gotten strong reviews. The game is not without its flaws, but it does push Pokemon in a new direction just as it promised. Many reviewers are saying Arceus is the best Pokemon game yet, which, considering the franchise's overwhelming popularity, sets the bar pretty high.

That said, there is one major complaint about Pokemon Legends: Arceus that keeps coming up. While the game does offer something new in terms of story, exploration, and mechanics, it didn't make many improvements in the graphics department. Some players don't think it's a big deal because the most important thing is that it plays well, but others are tired of Pokemon games doing the bare minimum when it comes to visuals. Pokemon games could and should look better, so why don't they?

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Fans Aren't Happy with Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Graphics

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There are a lot of reasons to be excited about Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The game is taking the franchise in a fresh new direction by opening up the world, getting rid of traditional elements like gyms and tournaments, and implementing real-time combat mechanics. Pokemon games have pretty much stayed the same for decades, so these types of changes are a big deal. If reviews are any indication, Arceus integrated a lot of these changes successfully.

Despite its apparent success, though, a lot of fans aren't satisfied with the graphics in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Their complaints are not without reason, either. Nintendo Switch games aren't expected to have incredible, realistic graphics with a high frame-rate; that's not the problem. However, gamers do expect that Switch games from major developers make the most of the available resources. No one is asking for Arceus to look like a next-gen title, but it shouldn't look as outdated as it does.

It's worth acknowledging that art direction has a lot to do with graphics, and some complaints about Pokemon Legends: Arceus can be explained this way. Many fans are frustrated that the texture work isn't up to scratch, claiming the game feels flat and lifeless. Others aren't happy with the muted color palette. These are all valid criticisms, but it should be noted that Pokemon Legends: Arceus is going for an art style that resembles traditional Japanese watercolors. Many Japanese watercolors show grand, but muted landscapes with fuzzy, dreamy textures.

However, art direction doesn't give Pokemon Legends: Arceus a complete pass. Frame rate is a major problem in the game, and many fans have complained about the poor draw distance. Landscape elements pop in and out of the screen consistently, hindering immersion. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is more ambitious with its environment than any other Pokemon game, but the quality suffers as a result.

Despite the general art direction, a lot of Pokemon fans feel like the game's graphics are simply lazy. Even if it is supposed to resemble a watercolor, there should still be texture and detail. Considering how massive Pokemon is as a franchise, it's frustrating for fans to feel like Game Freak doesn't care about improving graphics. Pokemon Shining Diamond and Brilliant Pearl received similar criticism in late 2021, and Sword and Shield graphics were outdated at launch in 2019. Three years later, Pokemon Legends: Arceus is only marginally better.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus Pales in Comparison to Other Switch Games

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Subpar graphics are one thing where an outdated console is concerned, and the Nintendo Switch isn't the most graphically powerful machine on the market by a long shot. However, the Switch is still current and supports many other games that have stunning graphics. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild compares most directly to Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

Breath of the Wild is a more ambitious game than Arceus. The open world is massive, and the landscapes are grand, but it doesn't have the same issues with textures, details, and draw distance. The fact that Breath of the Wild, a bigger and more demanding game (not to mention older), looks better than Arceus is pretty telling.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is another good example. Kirby games have always been cartoony, and they always will be. No one is asking for that to change, but the environment in Kirby and the Forgotten Land is beautifully detailed. Snow, grass, dirt, and stone all have unique textures, while Pokemon Legends: Arceus always looks the same. Kirby's world is lush and vibrant whereas the world of Arceus looks kind of empty. These other games are proof that the Nintendo Switch is capable of hosting a better-looking Pokemon game — Game Freak just hasn't made it yet.

However, New Pokemon Snap launched in April 2021 with the most beautiful graphics ever seen in a Pokemon game. While Pokemon Snap is a smaller, very linear game, it gave players a taste of what Pokemon graphics could be. The Pokemon spin-off shouldn't have better graphics than the game meant to revitalize the franchise, but that's exactly what happened. Pokemon Legends: Arceus looks like it doesn't quite maximize the Switch's graphical capabilities.

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Why Graphics Aren't a Priority for Pokemon Games

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Not every player has a problem with the graphics in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. At the end of the day, the graphics don't really impact the gameplay. Low frame rates can be frustrating, and the draw distance can be distracting, but the game is still about catching Pokemon. No player buys Pokemon games to admire cutting-edge graphics; they buy them to catch, train, and battle Pokemon.

There are several reasons why Game Freak and The Pokemon Company haven't invested in better graphics, but it all boils down to one thing: they don't really need to. As long as the games continue to sell and the fanbase continues to grow and buy other Pokemon merchandise, Game Freak has done its job. Pokemon video games represent only a small part of the overall revenue, and there's little reason to believe that stronger graphics would cause Pokemon games to fly off shelves faster than they already do.

For fans wishing Pokemon would prioritize better graphics, though, there is hope. Even though Pokemon Legends: Arceus didn't push graphical boundaries, it did push a lot of other ones. It might not be the stunning, open-world Pokemon game fans dream of, but it is a step in the right direction. Pokemon Legends: Arceus, does put a fresh spin on the traditional formula like fans have been wanting. Maybe graphics are next.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is now available for Nintendo Switch.

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