Pokemon Legends: Arceus is completely different from its predecessors in a number of different ways. As well as being an open-world title, the game also allows players to catch certain Pokemon without having to engage them in battle and crafting now plays a much larger role in the overall experience than ever before. Perhaps the biggest change, however, comes in the structure of the game's main story, which replaces gym battles and badges with a series of missions through which players must prove their worth.
The first main mission that players will need to complete in Pokemon Legends: Arceus is called The Galaxy Team's Entry Trial and is given to them by the leader of the team's Survey Corps, Captain Cyllene. There are a few different parts to the mission, which together serve as an expanded tutorial that aims to explain some of the game's key mechanics while also introducing a few of the story's key players.
Choosing A Starter Pokemon
Before players can get started, they'll need to choose a starter Pokemon. There are three of them available, with each one having its own pros and cons. Cyndaquil goes on to be both the strongest and the fastest in terms of base stats, though as there are quite a few other strong fire-types available in Legends: Arceus, players may wish to choose Oshawott or Rowlet instead. Both are especially good during the early stages of the game, so there really isn't a bad choice here.
Traveling to Obsidian Fieldlands
To complete Galaxy Team's Entry Trial, players will need to catch three different Pokemon: Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx. Luckily, all three can be found in the nearby Obsidian Fieldlands area, which is where players should be heading next. To get there, they'll need to follow the marker to the gate in Jubilife Village, which players can reach by turning left immediately after leaving the Galaxy Team HQ.
Upon their arrival at the gate, players will run into Volo, who'll challenge them to a Pokemon battle. He only has a level 5 Togepi, which shouldn't cause too many problems regardless of which starter Pokemon the player chose. After the battle is over, Volo will heal the player's Pokemon and they'll then be able to speak with the guard at the gate to travel to the Obsidian Fieldlands base camp.
How to Catch Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx
Players will encounter all three Pokemon one after the other, with Akari/Rei giving them advice on how best to catch each. For Bidoof, players will simply need to throw a Poke Ball at it in order to catch it, though when it comes to Starly, they'll need to be a bit more sneaky due to the Pokemon's skittish nature. Pressing B will cause the player to crouch and move more slowly, while the nearby long grass will allow players to sneak up on Pokemon without being seen.
One thing that the game fails to mention until a little later on is that throwing a Poke Ball at a Pokemon's back will increase the chances of catching it or cause them to be startled at the beginning of a battle, so players should always attempt to do so whenever possible. It doesn't matter too much if they mess up once or twice with Starly though, as they have a pretty healthy stash of Poke Balls at their disposal.
The final Pokemon that players will need to catch is Shinx, which will become aggravated if the player gets close. As a result, they won't be able to catch it straight away and will instead have to engage it in battle first. To do this, they should press the X button to switch from empty Poke Balls to their active team and then use ZR to throw one of their Pokemon near a Shinx to start a battle.
Players should aim to weaken the Shinx with a few attacks and then throw Poke Balls at it until it's caught. They can do this by pressing up on the D-pad and then selecting a Poke Ball from the Items menu or by pressing X and then ZR on the main battle screen. Once Shinx has been caught, they'll automatically be taken back to the base camp and then onward to Jubilife Village after the Professor snaps a quick commemorative photograph.
Turning in the Mission
Upon arriving back at the village, players should return to Captain Cyllene, who'll provide them with a Survey Corps Uniform. They'll then need to return to their lodgings and use the mirror to change into the new outfit, after which they'll be warped straight back to Galaxy Team HQ. Following a short conversation, Cyllene will send them up to the third floor to meet with a man named Commander Kamado, who, for some reason, will ask them to face him in combat.
Whether players try to throw him or charge at him doesn't matter in the slightest, as they'll end up on the floor regardless. They'll soon be back on their feet, however, and a short conversation will ensue. Once Kamado finishes talking the mission will be marked as complete. Cyllene will then give players a crafting recipe for Poke Balls and a brand-new mission that teaches the basics of crafting will get underway.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available now for the Nintendo Switch.
