Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ stealthy open-world hits Switch in 2022

In celebration of the series’ 25th anniversary, the Pokémon Company announced a new “open-world” Pokémon game to come early in 2022 on the Nintendo Switch. Called Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the new game is going to be more action-oriented game set in a new setting reminiscent of feudal Japan.

Currently in full-swing development at Game Freak, Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be set in the Sinnoh region from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, but it will take gamers back to a time when the Sinnoh region was nothing more than a wide, open space and things like Pokemon Trainers or Pokemon Leagues did not exist yet. Pokémon in the region will be living in “harsh environments”, and players will get to explore various landscapes throughout the game to catch them all.

Much like your standard Pokémon game, players will start off the game at a base and will be given the option to choose from three starter Pokémon: a Rowlett, a Cydaquil, or an Oshawott. After choosing their starter Pokémon, players will be thrust into action-packed gameplay where they set out to complete the region’s very first Pokédex. As the name of the game suggests, the legendary Pokémon that players will encounter will be the Arceus. (Read: 5 Pokémon I’d want to have in real life)

However, the game’s developers seem to have made a few modifications to the usual Pokémon gaming format by “infusing new action” and “RPG elements” into the game. According to the game’s official site, players will have a camera view similar to Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Player’s will be able to study the behavior of wild Pokémon, sneak upon them, and aim their Poké Balls at them directly. This way, they can catch the wild Pokémon straight away. Additionally, players can also throw their Poké Ball containing a partner Pokémon next to a wild Pokémon to trigger the battle feature. Through this, Pokémon’s game developers hope to create a more immersive experience for players.

While open-world games have been around for a while, this is the fist time the franchise is going in this direction. Save for the minor tweaks in some game versions, Pokémon has practically stayed the same throughout the years. Perhaps the Pokémon team decided that it was high time to test out something new, especially considering that the franchise has already established itself in the gaming world.

Fans of the Pokémon franchise are reportedly excited to see what the game developers would whip up. It’s not yet known if players can get into trainer battles during the game, but this and additional details about the game are bound to be revealed as we draw closer to the game’s release date.

We’re already excited about it!

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