Game Freak surprised everyone when it launched the open-world RPG Pokemon Legends Arceus in early 2022. While many Pokemon fans were expecting a remake of Diamond and Pearl, no one was really expecting the studio to also release a prequel to those games. It not only brought fans back to an era of the Pokemon franchise that has not really been explored yet, but it also revolutionized what it meant to be a Pokemon game. It was a pleasant surprise, and fans are clamoring for a Pokemon Legends Arceus sequel as soon as possible.
The Pokemon Legends spin-off series has a ton of potential, and Game Freak has barely scratched the surface. This series could bring players across the Pokemon world and give them an insight into the earliest days of the most popular Pokemon regions. It could give fans an experience unlike any Pokemon game before it, going a long way in expanding the franchise in brand-new ways.
Pokemon Legends Arceus Took Players Into Sinnoh's Past
Pokemon Legends Arceus took players back in time to the early days of the Sinnoh region. The game served as a prequel of sorts to Diamond and Pearl, and it let players be a part of the region's history. Players got to see the vast wilderness that was the region before all the towns moved in, and witness a time when Pokemon were still treated like wild animals. Poke Balls were in their simplest form, and the Pokedex was still just a paper notebook. While the core gameplay loop is similar to the mainline Pokemon games, the open-world is wholly unique.
Pokemon Legends Arceus brought players to a never-before-seen period of the Pokemon world, and it felt like a nice treat for fans of Pokemon Gen 8 and Gen 4 alike. The game's story does not have major implications for the future of the region, nor does it really set up anything in Diamond and Pearl, but it was cool to see a Pokemon game set in the past. The gameplay also helped set this game above the rest as it was unlike anything that the mainline series had done. This exploration of the past proved to be a critical and commercial success, and that likely means that sequels are on the way for this spin-off series.
The Pokémon Legends Franchise Should Explore Every Region
Game Freak may continue to explore this version of Sinnoh in the next Pokemon Legends game, but it should definitely take the concept to a different region. The core series has featured nine different regions, and various Pokemon spin-offs have featured even more. All of these regions would make for some interesting prequel content, and the Pokemon Legends series would be the best place to explore those time periods.
One of the first regions that Pokemon Legends should go to is the Kanto region from Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow. This is one of the most iconic regions in the franchise, and it is where a lot of fans first started their Pokemon journey. This region has been revisited in FireRed, LeafGreen, and the Let's Go titles, but Pokemon Legends could take it to the next level. Seeing this iconic region during its earliest days would be a nostalgic treat for fans of the series, and could serve as a great palate cleanser after the mixed reception of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
After Game Freak explores Kanto, the Pokemon Legends series could go literally anywhere, One of the games could bring players to the Johto region from Gold and Silver, another one could take a trip to the Kalos region from X and Y, and the series could even go for a newer region like Galar from Sword and Shield. There is a ton of potential for more prequel content within the Pokemon franchise, and it would be a missed opportunity if Game Freak only decided to explore Sinnoh.
Pokemon Legends Arceus is available now on Nintendo Switch.
