New Gameplay Features in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Pokemon Legends: Arceus introduces a number of new features that make it unique among titles in the long-running Pokemon series of role-playing games. Below is a breakdown of all notable gameplay elements found in the game.
Please note that this page is constantly updated for new features released in official material such as trailers, press releases, and information found on the game’s official social media pages.
Hisui Region
Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes place in the Hisui region, a historical settlement of what would eventually become the Sinnoh Region featured in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. The region’s overall theme takes heavy influence from ancient Japan as seen from the map of the region and design in the game itself.
Varying Weather Conditions
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The Hisui region experiences a number of different weather conditions which people and Pokemon alike have adapted to. As part of the Galaxy Expedition Team’s Survey Corps, you must journey across sunny, rainy, and even snowy locales to closely study Pokemon in the wild.
Mission-based Story Progression
Survey Missions
Unlike past titles in the series, Pokemon Legends: Arceus lets players progress through the game by clearing survey missions. From Jubilife Village, the game’s main hub, you must go on a series of expeditions across the Hisui region to advance the main story.
Research Requests
Apart from main story missions, you can take on different research requests. These are essentially the game’s version of optional side quests that reward you with useful items to help you take on more challenging missions.
Hisui Pokedex
The Hisui Pokedex appears as a simple research log and is very much in-progress. This is due the game taking place in an earlier time period compared to other Pokemon titles which have seen many advancements in technology. While out in the field, you will be given research tasks that are specific to Pokemon species registered in your Pokedex.
Pokemon Research Tasks
Simply encountering and catching Pokemon during survey missions is not enough to study them. Each Pokemon registered in the Hisuian Pokedex will unlock a variety of research tasks for each Pokemon species. Clearing these will increase the research level of a particular Pokemon, giving you more insight on their nature and behavior.
Galaxy Expedition Team Rank
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As you complete more research tasks in the game, you will earn research points which will eventually make you eligible for promotions in the Galaxy Expedition Team. Ranking up will unlock more areas for you to explore in the Hisui Region as well as new features to help you take on more challenging missions and requests during the main story.
Galaxy Expedition Team Rank Guide
Hybrid of Action and Role-playing Gameplay
Pokemon Legends: Arceus blends both action and role-playing gameplay elements that deviate from other titles in the series. Pokemon will now be visibly wandering the wild with some even attacking you on sight. Avoiding a wild Pokemon’s attacks by recognizing patterns and timing, therefore, becomes essential for surviving while out on survey missions.
Upon sending out your own Pokemon to take on wild Pokemon, however, the game becomes somewhat similar to the series’ turn-based gameplay with some new key features.
Action Order Battle System
The game adopts a battle system that revolves around the order at which each opposing Pokemon can act during battle. This is displayed in the action order indicator on the upper right of the screen. A Pokemon’s turn is determined by a number of factors such as stats, action speed, and active buffs or debuffs.
Agile Style and Strong Style Moves
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In battle, Pokemon can perform moves in two different ways which can either be Agile Style or Strong Style. Agile Style allows the Pokemon to increase its action speed, allowing it to move first in the next turn at the cost of lowering the power of the move used. Strong Style, meanwhile, boosts the power of moves at the risk but lowers action speed in the next turn.
Agile Style and Strong Style Guide
Crafting
A new item crafting system will now allow you to create various items at a workbench using the necessary materials and recipes obtained in the game. You can find materials throughout the different locations of the Hisui region so be sure to explore as many areas as you can while out in the field.
Crafting recipes, meanwhile, can be purchased from the Jubilife Village Craftworks. As you progress through the game, more recipes become available which lets you craft even more useful items to help you out during missions.
Riding Pokemon
Certain special Pokemon can be summoned to help you travel around the Hisui region. By obtaining the Celestica Flute, you will be able to call on Wyrdeer, Hisuian Braviary, and Basculegion to explore new areas where new Pokemon can be found.
New Characters
Pokemon Legends: Arceus introduces a cast of new characters that you will meet on your adventure. As the Hisui region is what would eventually become the Sinnoh region, certain characters who are likely the ancestors of those encountered in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl appear in this title.
Wardens
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Wardens are non-playable characters (NPCs) that have been tasked with caring for special Noble Pokemon found in the Hisui region. They are akin to the series’ Gym Leaders and can be challenged to Pokemon battles to progress further in the game.
New Pokemon
Pokemon unique to the Hisui Region also appear in the game which are Noble Pokemon and Hisuian variants.
Noble Pokemon
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Noble Pokemon are Pokemon living in the Hisui Region who have received a special blessing, thus making them incredibly powerful and respected by people. They are frequently encountered throughout the game’s main story, often in the care of special guardians called Wardens.
Frenzy
Some Noble Pokemon fall under the influence of a strange phenomenon called Frenzy that causes them to go into a fierce and destructive state. As part of the Galaxy Expedition Team, you will be tasked to quell these rampaging Pokemon on special missions in the game.
Hisuian Variants
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Pokemon variants also appear in the game, likely as a result of the Hisui Region’s unique environmental conditions. These Pokemon, in turn, gain new types and characteristics that set them apart from their regular variants.
New Facilities
Base Camps
Base Camps serve as small outposts for the Galaxy Expedition Team during survey missions and requests. Base Camps give you access to the workbench for crafting items, a resting station to heal up, a shop to purchase supplies, and other useful services.
Pastures
You can deposit Pokemon that you do not want to take with you during missions at Pastures. These facilities function similarly to Pokemon boxes found in previous Pokemon games but are likely to other new features. An interesting change in this new system is that you are able to visibly see your Pokemon moving around and interacting with other Pokemon while they are staying in Pastures.
New Equipment
Arc Phone
The Arc Phone is a mysterious device that you acquire near the beginning of the game. The key item gives you access to the Hisui region map and allows you to view all active missions and requests. It is also expected that more features will be unlocked when you progress through the game.
Celestica Flute
The Celestica Flute lets you summon and ride various Noble Pokemon to traverse on land, in the air, and at sea. As with the Arc Phone, the Celestica Flute is likely obtained fairly early in the game.
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