Honestly, the Pokemon community is a loud place. When Pokemon Legends: Arceus dropped back in 2022, the internet basically split in half. You had one side screaming that it was the revolution we’d been waiting for since the 90s, while the other side couldn't stop pointing at a blurry tree and calling it a GameCube game. It was a lot.
So, is Pokemon Arceus good, or were we all just so desperate for a change that we lowered our standards?
Now that we've had a few years—and several other releases like Scarlet and Violet—to sit with it, the answer is actually pretty clear. But it’s not a simple "yes" or "no" because this game is a weird, experimental beast that behaves nothing like the "standard" Pokemon experience you grew up with. If you're looking for a game where you beat eight gyms and sit through the Elite Four, you’re going to be disappointed.
It’s basically a survival game (kinda)
The biggest thing people get wrong about Legends: Arceus is treating it like a traditional RPG. It’s not. It’s more of a "stealth-action-collection" game.
In most Pokemon games, the monsters are your tools. In Hisui—the ancient version of the Sinnoh region—the Pokemon are legitimate threats. They will actually attack you, the player. If you take too many hits from a wild Shinx or a terrifying Alpha Luxray, you black out. Your character literally crumples into the grass. That change alone makes the world feel more alive than any Pokemon game before it.
You aren't just walking into tall grass to trigger a turn-based battle anymore. You're crouching in that grass, aiming a heavy ball at the back of a sleeping Bidoof, and praying it doesn't hear you.
Why the "Catching" is the best part
- No transition screens: You throw a ball, and the catch happens right there in the world. It’s snappy.
- Manual aiming: You actually have to aim. If you miss, you’ve wasted a ball. It adds a layer of skill that the series usually ignores.
- Multi-tasking: You can throw a ball at one Pokemon, toss a berry to distract another, and send your own Pokemon out to smash a rock for ore—all at the same time.
The graphics talk (Let's be real)
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The game looks rough. There’s no point in sugarcoating it. The textures on the rocks can be blurry, and if a Flying-type Pokemon is too far away, its wings flap at about two frames per second. It looks like a slideshow.
Compared to something like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or even Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Arceus feels technically behind. If you are the type of gamer who needs 4K ultra-realistic lighting to enjoy yourself, you might hate this.
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But here’s the thing: the art style somehow carries it. The watercolor-inspired skyboxes and the way the character models look in the sunset give it a specific vibe that works. It’s a "vibe" game, not a "specs" game.
The Battle System: Strong vs. Agile
Battling took a backseat in this entry, but when it does happen, it’s faster and more brutal. They introduced the Agile Style and Strong Style mechanics.
$$\text{Agile Style} = \downarrow \text{Power} + \uparrow \text{Action Speed}$$
$$\text{Strong Style} = \uparrow \text{Power} + \downarrow \text{Action Speed}$$
Basically, you can choose to hit weaker but potentially move twice in a row, or hit harder but let the enemy take an extra turn. It makes boss fights—especially the "Noble" Pokemon encounters—feel more like a dance. Those Noble fights are actually more like Dark Souls than Pokemon; you’re dodging physical attacks and throwing balms instead of just clicking "Flamethrower."
Is it better than Scarlet and Violet?
This is the question everyone asks in 2026. Scarlet and Violet offered a true open world, whereas Arceus has large, segmented zones (think Monster Hunter).
However, many fans—myself included—think Arceus is the superior "experience." It runs smoother. The menus are faster. The act of catching Pokemon is significantly more fun. In Scarlet/Violet, catching is a chore. In Arceus, catching is the entire point, and it feels good.
Plus, Arceus handles its Pokedex differently. You don’t just catch a Pokemon once and call it a day. You have to observe them using certain moves, catch them without being spotted, or defeat them a certain number of times. It actually feels like you're a researcher building the world's first Pokedex.
What’s the catch? (The Bad Stuff)
It’s not all sunshine and Rare Candies.
The story starts off incredibly slow. Like, "I want to put the controller down" slow. There are a lot of unskippable cutscenes with characters who just won't stop talking about things you already figured out.
The "bag space" situation is also a nightmare. There’s a guy in the main hub, Jubilife Village, who charges you increasingly insane amounts of money just to add one extra slot to your inventory. It’s a blatant gold sink that feels a bit disrespectful of your time. By the end of the game, you're paying thousands of Poke-dollars for a single pocket.
Actionable Next Steps for You
If you're on the fence about whether Pokemon Arceus is good for your specific playstyle, here is how to decide:
- Buy it if: You love the "gotta catch 'em all" aspect more than the "beat the champion" aspect. If you enjoy exploration and don't mind repetitive (but addictive) gameplay loops, this is a top-3 Pokemon game.
- Skip it if: You only care about competitive online battling (there is none here) or if poor graphics are a total dealbreaker for you.
- Best way to start: Don't rush the story. Spend time in the first area, the Obsidian Fieldlands, just getting used to the stealth. Once you unlock the first mount, Wyrdeer, the game really opens up.
- Pro-Tip: Focus on the "Research Tasks" that have a red icon next to them; they give you double progress toward your rank, which means you'll unlock better Poke-balls and new areas much faster.
The truth is, Pokemon Legends: Arceus was a risk that paid off. It’s the most "different" the series has felt in twenty years. Even with the ugly textures and the annoying inventory management, the core loop of sneaking through grass to snag a giant, glowing-eyed Alpha Pokemon is a high that the mainline games still haven't managed to beat.
Find a physical copy if you can, as the resale value stays high, or grab it on the eShop when there’s a rare Nintendo sale. It’s a journey worth taking at least once.