Fans of the Pokemon series are no strangers to spin-offs, and some of the best Pokemon adventures feature a twist on the main formula. Take, for example, the recent remake of Pokemon Snap, a much-beloved picture-taking title that captivated a lot of Pokemon faithful when it was first released for the Nintendo 64 back in 1999. But rarely does Game Freak deviate from the "tried and true formula" that players have come to know and love over the years.

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"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies to Pokemon perhaps more than many other video game franchises but that doesn't mean there isn't room for innovation within the series. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is shaping up to be quite the leap for Game Freak and anxious fans wait with baited breath to see if the upcoming epic will change the face of future Pokemon adventures for the better. To help prepare for the impending release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, here's a complete look at all players know about the title so far.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Release Date & Development

For many, Pokemon Legends: Arceus was very much a "surprise." It's only been approximately two years since Pokemon Sword & Shield released, and since then we've seen a couple of DLC additions, many updates for Pokemon GO, a remake of Pokemon Snap, the release of Pokemon Unite, and the announcement of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. It's been an incredibly busy time for Nintendo and the Pokemon IP, with seemingly more and more development companies getting a shot at bringing their own Pocket Monster visions to life.

Even with all of these new releases and upcoming titles, Pokemon fans have yet another future release to look forward to. Pokemon Legends: Arceus, was announced on February 26th, 2021 as part of Pokemon's 25th Anniversary Event. The announcement came paired with a look at Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, with the developer noting that the RPG-themed release will serve as a "premake" to the upcoming Switch releases.

Although other Pokemon spin-offs are being handled by a variety of developers, Pokemon Legends: Arceus will remain under Game Freak's banner. This is great news for fans out there who have fallen in love with the formulas that Game Freak has created in the past, but it is important to note that the upcoming release marks the first time the studio has worked on a title within the action-RPG genre. It will be interesting to see how the company plans to utilize the concepts from Pokemon's past while also creating a "real-time" action game that incorporates some of the most iconic mechanics from the beloved series.

Thankfully, players won't have to wait too long to experience what Pokemon Legends: Arceus has to offer as the game is currently slated for a January 22, 2022 release. The title will be available exclusively for Nintendo Switch, and we haven't heard any information so far about additional ports.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Trailers

During the February 26th announcement, Game Freak showcased their first trailer to the world. Unlike some announcement trailers, this one seemed to show a decent amount of gameplay. The video opened with some non-gameplay cutscene renders but also featured real-time Pokemon catching mechanics, stealth, open-world movement, and Pokemon using attacks.

The second trailer was released on August 18th, 2021 and is much more robust than the teaser. It stretches out over 3 minutes and showcases mostly gameplay mechanics, including rideable Pokemon, rampaging "bosses," traditional Pokemon battle mechanics, a vast open-world with multiple biomes, new regional Pokemon forms, and a bustling village-style hub.

What We Know About The Story & Setting Of Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Although Pokemon Sword & Shield was an impressive outing in terms of its expansive "Wild Area," Pokemon Legends: Arceus looks much more like a traditional open-world experience. Just from the glimpses of the environments present in each trailer, the action-RPG is shaping up to look a lot like Nintendo's spectacular open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While players will forgo traditional weapons like swords and shields, and instead use Pocket Monsters to battle against their foes, it's easy to see the influences present in the overall design for Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

Here's a closer look at some of the story and setting themes players can expect from Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

Before Sinnoh Was Sinnoh

Although the region may seem familiar, Game Freak is taking a Breath of the Wild-style approach to their upcoming release. Players will make their way through an area known as Hisui, a beautiful under-developed wilderness teeming with Pokemon of all shapes and sizes. Set far into the past, this area is a far cry from the modernized, people-filled Sinnoh region that it is destined to one day become.

At the center of this gorgeous open-world sits Mount Coronet, a massive peak that stands tall and casts a mighty shadow around each of the surrounding biomes. Much like other open-world experiences, players will have access to a wide assortment of weather types and terrains. Lush meadows, water-logged zones, and snowy hillsides are just some of the areas that players will be free to explore in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. It looks like a "true" open-world experience, free from the semi-linearity of most traditional Pokemon titles. However, it remains to be seen just how much "freedom" players will have to explore this vast world.

Are Pokemon Friend Or Foe?

Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes place in a time far before the "traditional hierarchy" of humans and Pokemon was developed. The modern games tell tales of trainers receiving their first companions and setting out on grandiose adventures to achieve glory through battle but the underlying storyline in Game Freak's upcoming epic is a bit different. The denizens of Hisui are "just learning" about the impressive creatures that call the region their home. It's unclear exactly if "research" will take the forefront in the release, especially since we see a lot of action and combat-based mechanics within the trailers, but it appears that Game Freak wants to tell a tale of how humans and Pokemon first came to co-exist.

Players will get the opportunity to see the "start" of it all, when people first began researching and studying Pokemon, in the hopes that the two lifeforms could one day live happily together, and even count on one another in times of crisis. It's a refreshing angle to a Pokemon world that is filled with "past lore" but not a lot of playable titles that explore these themes in-depth.

A Place To Call Home In Jubilife Village

Before it becomes a bustling city in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Jubilife Village is a small town filled with a variety of Pokemon-centric crews. Players will meet a variety of characters like:

• Commander Kamado - The hard-nosed but reliable leader of the team.
• Professor Laventon - A driven researcher intent on completing a Pokedex of the region.
• Captain Cyllene - Leader of the Survey Corps and a strict but helpful acquaintance important to the player's journey.

These characters all work for an expansive collective known as the Galaxy Expedition Team. Dedicated to all things Pokemon-related, the Galaxy Team consists of the Medical, Survey, and Security Corps.

Two Main Characters To Choose From

Much like newer Pokemon titles, players will have the ability to choose between two named protagonists at the start of their journey. For Pokemon Legends: Arceus, this duo is known as Akari and Rei. Although it isn't clear if there is a rival mechanic yet, developers do note that choosing one particular protagonist at the start will cause the other to "join them as a team member." It will be interesting to see if there is any conflict amongst the protagonist and their teammate or if things will be a bit more relaxed, as they have been in recent Pokemon releases.

Regardless of which character is chosen, players will start their quest as a member of the Survey Corps and be given the monumentally daunting task of meeting all of the Pokemon in the Hisui region to build and catalog each species. It appears as if the main goal of Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the creation and completion of the region's first Pokedex.

Even More Pokemon Regional Forms

Game Freak has been cranking out new and exciting Pokemon for each subsequent release in the series. With almost 900 Pokemon to choose from, players will never have an issue finding a creature they connect with. But even with all of the new designs, that hasn't stopped developers from revisiting fan-favorites and giving them new and exciting "skins." Regional Forms have allowed players to see their favorite Pokemon re-imagined as different typings and it seems that this trend will continue in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. A new form of Growlithe can be seen within the second trailer for the upcoming release and it will be interesting to see just how many Pokemon get the regional treatment when it drops early next year.

What We Know About Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Gameplay

There are a lot of gameplay nuances that look traditional to the Pokemon series that have been "upgraded" for use in this open-world setting. Moves like Fly and Surf look natural within the gameplay and it's going to be interesting to see how the "traditional menu-based Pokemon attack mechanics" play out when mixed with an abundance of real-time action and stealth mechanics. At first glance, Pokemon Legends: Arceus' gameplay appears to mix the strategy-based elements of past Pokemon titles together well with open-world action mechanics that players have come to know and love,

Here's a look at some of the new and familiar gameplay elements that will be available when Pokemon Legends: Arceus releases.

A Familiar Duty

The Pocket Monster series has always been about one particular thing, catching wild Pokemon. Players will need to fulfill the same condition in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, although it may be a little bit more complex than in series past. According to the Pokemon Legends: Arceus website, some Pokemon will only be available under a particular set of circumstances. This could include things like time of day or weather patterns. It will be curious to see if some Pokemon have additional conditions that must be met, similar to some of the "puzzles" present in Nintendo's remake of Pokemon Snap.

One of the unique mechanics in Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the ability to catch a Pokemon without engaging it in battle. In the trailer, players are seen sneaking up on Pokemon or running right at them and simply tossing out a Pokeball. To further the immersion of this new mechanic, players will need to actively "aim" their Pokeball before they throw it, giving an entirely new feeling to the series' catching mechanics.

Players will also need to perform a variety of other tasks to catch certain Pokemon, including:

• Weakening: Some Pokemon are much stronger than others and will be defiant to capture unless they are weakened in a battle first.
• Observing: Certain Pokemon react differently to the presence of a human, it's important to watch a Pokemon before catching it to see how it's going to interact with its surroundings and the player.
• Sneaking: While some Pokemon are apt to immediately attack the player on sight, some will actively run away. The only way to capture these creatures is to sneak up on them using cover and stealth mechanics.
• Identifying: Capturing certain Pokemon may take more effort than others when it comes to finding them, getting to them, and successfully getting them into a Pokeball. Identifying, researching, and studying these Pocket Monsters will be paramount to success on the Survey Corps.

How Does Combat Work?

Although all of the "combat pieces" that Pokemon fans are familiar with are present in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, battles are handled differently than in the rest of the series. The "turn-based" structure that many have come to know and love has been tweaked a bit, in a similar vein to how battles were updated in newer installments of the Final Fantasy series.

Combat will take a much more "fluid" approach, and while it will still remain turn-based in a sense, fans can expect a greater degree of action thanks to Pokemon Legends: Arceus incorporating a larger focus on action-RPG elements.The traditional format sees trainers take turns dishing out attacks or commands and the only real "deciding factor" for this turn order is the speed a Pokemon possesses. Even though this stat is "important," it's really only ever been relevant at the start of a battle, determining the order at which turns moved back and forth between players.

In Pokemon Legends: Arceus, battle will take place if a player throws a Pokeball containing one of their previously caught Pokemon at a target. Throwing an empty Pokeball will not initiate battle and will instead attempt to catch whatever it's thrown at. Battle itself looks similar to the command-based menu-style combat we've seen in past installments but developers promise that Pokemon stats and abilities will "change battle" in a much more deliberate way this time around. Certain Pokemon may be able to take more than one turn before an enemy can respond, and players will be able to use items in addition to attacking or defending. The ability to take multiple turns or give multiple commands before a foe can respond should add a lot of depth to Pokemon's tried and true formula.

Mastering Two Styles

Pokemon Legends: Arceus introduces another interesting kink into the combat mechanics with Strong Style and Agile Style. These "move types" will allow players to hit their opponents harder, or faster, respectively. This change in speed and power can greatly affect a battle, giving Pokemon an edge over their opponents and turning the tide against certain enemies. It's a simple concept but should prove to add a nice layer of depth to combat, giving players more creativity when deciding how to approach certain battles.

• Strong Style: Causes a Pokemon to hit their opponent harder but will subsequently cause their action meter and future move speed to drop.
• Agile Style: Causes a Pokemon to strike faster and more often by charging their action meter but will cause the move to lose its strength.

Craft Items To Aid In Your Quest

Another unique gameplay facet that Pokemon Legends: Arceus is adding is Crafting. Pokemon fans got a small glimpse of what "could have been" with crafting in Pokemon Sword & Shield, with the ability to create curry to share with their creature companions. Crafting in Pokemon Legends: Arceus works similarly to how it does in other open-world games. When players have the right ingredients on hand, they'll be able to use a workbench (found in Base Camps or within Jubilife Village) to create items. They can even make Pokeballs!

Set Up A Base Camp

Camping isn't a new concept to the world of Pokemon, thanks to Sword & Shield. The mechanic returns in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, albeit with a few new "tools" for players to utilize on their journey. Each Base Camp will have access to a Crafting Bench, and the locations can refresh the health of them and their Pokemon partners. It's unclear if these Base Camps will be static points within the world or if players can deploy them but it's important to always know where they are. Taking too much damage from wild Pokemon or other mishaps during an adventure will cause players to "faint."

Stealth Comes In Handy

Adding stealth movement to a Pokemon game is a refreshing take on the "monster-catching mechanic." Stealth isn't just a gimmick here, either. It will be necessary to capture some Pokemon and there are even items that will aid in a player's quest to be as quiet as possible.

• Smoke Bombs: Can be used to pepper areas in "instant stealth cover," allowing players to get closer to Pokemon that are out in the open.
• Heavy Ball: A unique Pokeball that has a much shorter throwing distance but is heavier and harder for Pokemon to escape from. Players will need to use their stealth tactics to get close enough to use these specialized capture devices, making quiet movements very important.

Rumors About Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Although Pokemon Legends: Arceus is slotted to be released in January 2022, the rumor mill is always running rampant when it comes to Game Freak's releases. Players have seen two trailers, and been given access to a robust official website, but that hasn't stopped some fans from trying their best to estimate exactly what the finished product will look like come release day. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be many rumors that have "caught on" with a multitude of fans but this area will be updated in the future should anything interesting pop up.

News & Recommended Readings

There's going to be a lot to unpack as players prepare to receive Pokemon Legends: Arceus in its full form come release time. Hopefully, information-hungry gamers will get a better look at what they can expect in the near future. To help keep track of all of the latest concerning the next big epic from Game Freak, check out the news links below.

• Pokemon Legends: Arceus Is Making Small But Interesting Change
• Pokemon Legends: Arceus Website Confirms Pre-order Bonus, Trading, and More
• Pokemon Legends: Arceus - Every Confirmed Pokemon So Far
• How Pokemon Legends: Arceus Addresses Pokemon Mortality with New Trailer
• Pokemon: All of the Regional Variants in the Franchise So Far
• Pokemon Battling May Never Be The Same After Pokemon Legends: Arceus
• Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Should Connect to Pokemon Legends: Arceus