top 10 games

top 10 games 

The battle system is possibly the most recognizable aspect from previous Pokemon games, with each Pokemon in Legends: Arceus only being able to equip a total of four moves at a time and all the usual rock-paper-scissors elemental match-ups intact. But needing to know the finer nuances to type matchups is deemphasized in Arceus, to the point where moves are just listed as Effective, Super Effective, Not Very Effective, and No Effect from the start. More recent Pokemon games have included this feature, and I appreciate the help as someone who does not have the brain-space to keep track of every move match-up, but it has previously kept those hints gated behind having completed a Pokedex entry. In Pokemon Legends: Arceus that rough edge is sanded down to be even smoother, since you'll see them listed right away, even the first time you ever encounter a new Pokemon.

You can also get into an encounter against multiple Pokemon, sometimes just through sheer luck by starting a battle in the middle of a crowd of wild creatures. These moments can feel appropriately harrowing, since you can still only have one monster out at a time. And sometimes you'll simply run into Pokemon far above your level, including red-eyed "Alpha" Pokemon that are larger and more powerful than the average for their species. If you can catch them, they're essentially the apex predators of their type with the requisite stat bump.

Adding a small but sometimes-vital wrinkle to the battle system is the option to make any of your attacks "Agile" or "Strong" style. An Agile attack sacrifices some strength for speed, which sometimes lets you attack twice before your opponent can respond. Conversely, a Strong attack will pack some extra punch, but it might slow you down enough that your opponent can act twice. An optional battle timeline shows when turns will occur, so you can see how swapping between Agile and Strong moves will affect the turn order. This adds an extra layer of creativity and strategy, especially once you start supplementing less effective attacks with Strong style because you want to inflict a status effect, or using Agile style on a Super Effective attack to finish an opponent off quickly. Your opponents can make their attacks Agile or Strong too, so it cuts both ways, increasing the number of variables you have to consider in the midst of a fight and making it that much more fulfilling when your strategy pays off with a victory.

A series of boss battles called Frenzy battles are also a significant change from the Pokemon norm. These large-scale conflicts tie into the story, as you work with each Pokemon's caretaker "Warden" to learn what kinds of foods they like so you can make special Balms. You then go into a distinct arena where you have to dodge the rampaging Pokemon's attacks and hit it with Balms, only occasionally sending out your own Pokemon to stun it long enough that you can rapid-fire Balms at it. Sating these beasts by juggling the priorities of active dodging, looking for open opportunities to throw, and then mixing in traditional Pokemon battles is the most exciting the series has been in years.

The Wardens and the leaders of their clans are standout personalities in Legends: Arceus, introducing a totally new cast of characters but keeping the focus relatively small. Pokemon games often have a fairly sprawling cast of friends, professors, gym leaders, Elite Four members, and the Champion, and we rarely get to know any of them particularly well. In Legends: Arceus, there are less than a dozen main characters, and we spend much more time with them, getting to know their personalities and how they clash with each other. There's not a massive amount of depth to the story and characters, but I still got attached to these cute anime kids.