Game Freak surprised everyone when it launched the open-world RPGPokemon Legends Arceusin early 2022. While manyPokemonfans were expecting a remake ofDiamondandPearl, 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 thePokemonfranchise that has not really been explored yet, but it also revolutionized what it meant to be aPokemongame. It was a pleasant surprise, and fans are clamoring for aPokemon Legends Arceussequel as soon as possible.
ThePokemon Legendsspin-off serieshas a ton of potential, and Game Freak has barely scratched the surface. This series could bring players across thePokemonworld and give them an insight into the earliest days of the most popularPokemonregions. It could give fans an experience unlike anyPokemongame before it, going a long way in expanding the franchise in brand-new ways.
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Pokemon Legends Arceus Took Players Into Sinnoh’s Past
Pokemon Legends Arceustook players back in time to the early days of the Sinnoh region. The game served as a prequel of sorts toDiamondandPearl, 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 themainlinePokemongames, the open-world is wholly unique.
Pokemon Legends Arceusbrought players to a never-before-seen period of thePokemonworld, and it felt like a nice treat for fans ofPokemonGen 8and 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 inDiamondandPearl, but it was cool to see aPokemongame 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 nextPokemon Legendsgame, but it should definitely take the concept to a different region. The core series has featured nine different regions, and variousPokemonspin-offs have featured even more. All of these regions would make for some interesting prequel content, and thePokemon Legendsseries would be the best place to explore those time periods.
One of the first regions thatPokemon Legendsshould go to is the Kanto regionfromPokemon Red,Blue, andYellow.This is one of the most iconic regions in the franchise, and it is where a lot of fans first started theirPokemonjourney. This region has been revisited inFireRed,LeafGreen, and theLet’s Gotitles, butPokemon Legendscould 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 ofPokemon ScarletandViolet.
After Game Freak explores Kanto, thePokemon Legendsseries could go literally anywhere, One of the games could bring players tothe Johto region fromGoldandSilver, another one could take a trip to the Kalos region fromXandY,and the series could even go for a newer region like Galar fromSwordandShield. There is a ton of potential for more prequel content within thePokemonfranchise, and it would be a missed opportunity if Game Freak only decided to explore Sinnoh.
Pokemon Legends Arceusis available now on Nintendo Switch.
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