The new semi-open-world Pokemon game, Pokemon Legends: Arceus, is only two days from launching for the Nintendo Switch, and the critic reviews have begun to pop up online from various outlets. Many fans have been patiently awaiting the release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, and they should be excited, as it seems that a majority of the critics agree that this is one of the best Pokemon games in recent years, even if it stumbles in some ways.
As of the time of writing, there are 41 critic reviews for Pokemon Legends: Arceus on Metacritic, a site used to gauge the quality of video games, music, TV shows, movies, and more. The average review score for the game is at 86 right now, with only three of the reviews falling into Metacritic's "mixed" category. Still, those Pokemon reviews that Metacritic considers mixed are not that much lower than others, with Digital Trends and PCMag scoring the game a 3.5/5. However, IGN Italia gave Pokemon Legends: Arceus a 5/10, calling it a "disappointing experience."
As far as some of the other reviews go, readers can see a review round-up for Pokemon Legends: Arceus below to see how other people felt about their experience catching 'em all throughout the Hisui region. The consensus seems to be that while Pokemon Legends does a good job of pushing boundaries and trying something new, the game can sometimes feel repetitive and lacking in overall scope. Also, the game doesn't look entirely appealing in terms of raw visuals, with there being some pop-in textures and low-quality textures.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus Reviews
Screen Rant (Laura Gray)
"Fans of RPG titles will likely enjoy the depth of exploration offered in the Hisui region, while those who enjoy the Pokemon games will have the opportunity to have a brand new journey alongside their Pokemon companions. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the perfect entry point for those who have never played a Pokemon game, while also being a great way for long-time fans to embrace new challenges. The game does an excellent job of pushing boundaries while staying true to what has kept Pokemon popular for over two decades and is an eye-opening glimpse at what Game Freak could do in future games of the series."
Score: 4.5/5
Polygon (Ryan Gilliam)
"It’s filled with excellent ideas aimed at changing a series that has largely grown stale. But some of the execution breeds frustration. Exploring the open world is freeing, but also awkward, until I unlock more travel options later in the game. Legends: Arceus is graphically dreadful, with flat textures and pop-in rampant in every area, but the Pokemon animate wonderfully. Still, I’ll gladly take an imperfect Pokemon game that takes a chance on something different, even if it’s not always successful."
No Score (Recommended)
Nintendolife (Jordan Middler)
"Pokemon Legends: Arceus feels like the result of Game Freak learning lessons for 25 years, refining the formula, and finally taking the franchise in a new, incredible, exciting direction. With its emphasis on extremely rewarding exploration, addictive catching mechanics, a fine roster of Pokemon, and a genuine sense of scale that’s unlike anything in the series, Pokemon Legends: Arceus is quite simply one of the greatest Pokemon games ever made."
Score: 9/10
Gamesradar (Sam Loveridge)
"Problems with the performance are the one thing holding Pokemon Legends: Arceus back from perfection. But when you're having such a great time with the actual gameplay, it's not enough to hold back this otherwise impressive swing into a new Pokemon generation, building on the foundations of the past with exciting new mechanics, a more open structure, and efforts made to address each of the elements that were becoming stale. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a must-play game for any would-be trainers who prefer to spend their time appreciating Pokemon rather than putting them to battle."
Score: 4.5/5
VGC (Chris Scullion)
"Pokemon Legends is the breath of fresh air the series has needed for so long. It may not have been apparent from the trailers, but this is one of the most entertaining, engaging and engrossing games in the entire history of the Pokemon series, and is highly recommended to both long-time fans and complete newcomers."
Score: 5/5
Based on the overall positive of the critic reviews for Pokemon Legends: Arceus, it's safe to say that many Pokemon fans (old and new) are in for a treat. The overhaul to the series' battle mechanics, the new exploration features, and the way that trainers interact with their team of Pokemon makes this new entry one to be on the lookout for when it launches this week.
And for the Pokemon fans out there that may have grown tired of the classic formula, there seems to be a lot here to be excited for. Whether Game Freak takes elements from Pokemon Legends: Arceus and puts them into future mainline titles is still up in the air, so it'll be interesting to see where the historic franchise goes next.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on Friday, January 28, 2022.