Game Information
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**Game Title**: Pokémon Legends: Arceus
**Platforms**:
– Nintendo Switch (Jan 28, 2022)
**Trailers**:
– [Pokémon Legends: Arceus | Gameplay Preview](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERAhGia6azE)
– [New faces from the Hisui Region | Pokémon Legends: Arceus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lAN9yMnfrQ)
– [Hisuian Voltorb’s shocking debut! ⚡ | Pokémon Legends: Arceus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6-SDCGZglI)
– [Mysterious footage restored! | Pokémon Legends: Arceus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEb9gbJUUeA)
– [Encounter Noble Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtBHGbBLJTU)
– [Discover the Hisui region in Pokémon Legends: Arceus!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRsbFmM37T4)
– [Pokémon Legends Arceus: A familiar region. A new story.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUW1ZWAq09M)
**Developer**: GAME FREAK Inc.
**Publisher**: Nintendo
**Review Aggregator**:
**[OpenCritic – 86 average – 86% recommended – 21 reviews](https://opencritic.com/game/12091/pok-mon-legends-arceus)**
**[Metacritic – 85/100 – 19 reviews ](https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/pokemon-legends-arceus)**
Critic Reviews
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**[CGMagazine](https://opencritic.com/outlet/82/cgmagazine)** – [Preston Dozsa](https://opencritic.com/critic/4878/preston-dozsa) – [9 / 10](https://www.cgmagonline.com/review/game/pokemon-legends-arceus-review/)
>Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an adventure that is charming, surprising, and above all else, wonderful to play.
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**[Console Creatures](https://opencritic.com/outlet/798/console-creatures)** – [Bobby Pashalidis](https://opencritic.com/critic/7698/bobby-pashalidis) – [Recommended](https://www.consolecreatures.com/review-pokemon-legends-arceus/)
>Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the evolution the franchise has desperately needed and while there are some growing pains, visiting Hisui is nothing short of legendary.
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**[Digital Trends](https://opencritic.com/outlet/124/digital-trends)** – [Giovanni Colantonio](https://opencritic.com/critic/6533/giovanni-colantonio) – [3.5 / 5 ](https://www.digitaltrends.com/game-reviews/pokemon-legends-arceus-review/)
>Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a step in the right direction for the aging series, even if its technical limits can’t always support its ambitions.
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**[Eurogamer](https://opencritic.com/outlet/114/eurogamer)** – [Chris Tapsell](https://opencritic.com/critic/1280/chris-tapsell) – [Recommended](https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2022-01-26-pokemon-legends-arceus-review-budget-bare-minimum-or-the-series-purest-form)
>Inspired as much by Pok’mon Go as it is Breath of the Wild, Pok’mon Legends: Arceus is flimsy and compulsive – and exhilaratingly new.
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**[Game Informer](https://opencritic.com/outlet/35/game-informer)** – [Brian Shea](https://opencritic.com/critic/1037/brian-shea) – [8.8 / 10](https://www.gameinformer.com/review/pokemon-legends-arceus/pokemon-legends-arceus-review-learning-some-new-moves)
>Pokémon Legends: Arceus charts an exciting new direction for the series, while still maintaining many of the core tenants that made Game Freak’s franchise so beloved in the first place.
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**[GameSpot](https://opencritic.com/outlet/32/gamespot)** – [Steve Watts](https://opencritic.com/critic/276/steve-watts) – [8 / 10](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokemon-legends-arceus-review-what-pokemon-is-evolving/1900-6417818/)
>Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a significant reimagining of what makes a Pokemon game, with an exciting level of flexibility that’s only slightly hampered by a slow early-game grind.
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**[Geek Culture](https://opencritic.com/outlet/701/geek-culture)** – [Jake Su](https://opencritic.com/critic/6215/jake-su) – [9 / 10](https://geekculture.co/geek-review-pokemon-legends-arceus/)
>Great for newcomers, even better for fans, Pokémon Legends: Arceus represents a natural evolution for the series, and it is one hell of a ride from start to end.
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**[Nintendo Life](https://opencritic.com/outlet/136/nintendo-life)** – [Jordan Middler](https://opencritic.com/critic/8444/jordan-middler) – [9 / 10](http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/pokemon-legends-arceus)
>Pokémon 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 Pokémon and a genuine sense of scale that’s unlike anything in the series, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is quite simply one of the greatest Pokémon games ever made.
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**[NintendoWorldReport](https://opencritic.com/outlet/138/nintendoworldreport)** – [Neal Ronaghan](https://opencritic.com/critic/1517/neal-ronaghan) – [9 / 10](http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/59498/pokemon-legends-arceus-switch-review)
>It’s not without its blemishes, largely in the dreadful visuals, but the foundation laid here is what I hope the Pokémon franchise pivots to more in the future. It twists the focus just enough to make the experience of filling out a Pokédex more engaging, all the while filling battling and catching with way more variety. Legends Arceus doesn’t quite catch them all, but it’s satisfying the whole way through and makes me thrilled for the future of Pokémon in a way I haven’t been in years.
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**[Polygon](https://opencritic.com/outlet/87/polygon)** – [Ryan Gilliam](https://opencritic.com/critic/5319/ryan-gilliam) – [Unscored](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/22901385/pokemon-legends-arceus-review-diamond-pearl)
>Still, Pokémon Legends: Arceus made me care about battling, and I actually wish there were more trainer battles scattered throughout the world. But I missed some of the predictability found in the mainline series. Whenever I’d go to swap out one Pokémon for another mid-battle, I held my breath, never knowing if I’d have to take a hit from the enemy before I could attack. Hours in, I felt like the game didn’t give me enough information to make some of the strategic decisions I wanted to. I love the direction in which the battles are going with Legends: Arceus, but a handful of “what the hell” moments killed some of my enthusiasm.
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**[Press Start](https://opencritic.com/outlet/491/press-start)** – [Harry Kalogirou](https://opencritic.com/critic/5119/harry-kalogirou) – [8 / 10](https://press-start.com.au/reviews/nintendo-switch/2022/01/27/pokemon-legends-arceus-review-the-evolution-weve-been-waiting-for/)
>Pokémon has been in dire need of a reinvention for some time now, and while Sword and Shield brought some new ideas to the table, Legends: Arceus serves as a solid jumping off point for future entries in the franchise.
>
>While it might not provide the visual fidelity and exploration we might wish for in an open-world-esque Pokémon game, it does provide a satisfying and addicting gameplay loop, alongside a surprisingly enjoyable narrative to boot.
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**[Shacknews](https://opencritic.com/outlet/62/shacknews)** – [Donovan Erskine](https://opencritic.com/critic/4485/donovan-erskine) – [8 / 10](https://www.shacknews.com/article/128488/pokemon-legends-arceus-review-when-pokemon-ruled-the-earth)
>Quote not yet available
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**[Telegraph](https://opencritic.com/outlet/28/telegraph)** – [Jack Rear](https://opencritic.com/critic/7974/jack-rear) – [5 / 5 ](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gaming/features/pokemon-legends-arceus-review-god-tier-creature-catching-experience/)
>By tearing up the rule book and breaking new ground, Game Freak has created the best Pokémon title in decades
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**[Unboxholics](https://opencritic.com/outlet/690/unboxholics)** – Στράτος Χατζηνικολάου – *Greek* – [Worth your time](https://unboxholics.com/reviews/games/nintendo-switch/90890-pokemon-legends-arceus-kalos-irthate-ston-paradeiso-ton-pokemon-review)
>Is Pokémon Legends: Arceus perfect? No, but nonetheless it evolves and moves the series forwards. Game Freak delivered a title that will entertain hardcore fans, but also those who just want to enter the beautiful world of Pokémon.
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**[XGN.nl](https://opencritic.com/outlet/810/xgn-nl)** – [Marcus Talens](https://opencritic.com/critic/8353/marcus-talens) – *Dutch* – [8 / 10](https://www.xgn.nl/review/pokemon-legends-arceus-review)
>Pokémon Legends: Arceus may often look bad, but its gameplay is excellent. The mechanics of finding and catching Pokémon feel good and bring a sense of discovery to the game. Changes in the battle system make for more engaging and strategic fights. Some repetitive bosses and a fairly standard story can’t drag down how fun it is to play this new kind of Pokémon game.
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