Little can be written right now by way of an introduction to our beloved and well-known pocket monsters.
Pokemon Company It is listed as one of the most important companies for Japan, both economically and culturally. The Japanese breathe everything that has to do with our dear pocket friends, to the point that some of their most famous representatives are ambassadors in certain Japanese districts, such as Vaporeon.
But every moon has its dark side, and Pokémon does not escape this rule.
In recent years, the saga is one of the most controversial and criticized by countless social sectors, as well as excessive fans who only dedicate themselves to defending what has Pikachu on the cover. But what is all the fuss about?
With his longevity 20 years, Pokemon Company He has exploited the saga to such high pressure points that what we see in the diamonds are just child’s play. They see themselves as a company that today sells millions following the exact same idea, over and over again (perhaps with some good decision in between). And not to mention his excessive tendency to insist on bringing the retro to the new generations.
Please don’t get me wrong. I follow the franchise since its inception, I have played each and every one of its installments; and by showing me a picture of a Pokémon I can tell you who it is and what type it is, that is my level of unconditional love. In any case, I cannot deny that on more than one occasion he has had infinite doubts about the latter.
But something changed this January 28, putting in check again these ruminant thoughts that make me lose faith in the saga and the future of Pokémon.
I can assure you that Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the Nintendo Switch Trojan horse that no one expected to come.
Hisui: a new region and timeline
The new story brings with it a new ingredient for the saga. Basically we are presented with a new region, but already belonging to the well-known Sinnoh (where the deliveries of Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum). In short, Hisui is the name given to Sinnoh in the past.
Our protagonist seems to be brought to this new world through what we will know as the Space-Time Fissure, which mysteriously appears in the Hisui region and is interpreted as a manifestation of the Great Sinnoh.
Our mission: Be the Pokémon champion and win all 8 gym badges? No. To be the best, better than anyone else? Yes but no.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus It brings tied to its new story the first confection of a Pokédex, the first in history. Which radically changes the modus operandi of the adventure, since we will have to focus on battling, capturing and investigating the entire region. Without neglecting to discover the reason why we were transported to this new world.
New Pokémon, mounts and a large number of plot details
Once you play this installment, you will realize almost immediately why Nintendo made the decision to release Diamond and Pearl remakes. They basically prepared us plotly for this great new adventure.
The level of detail that is narrated throughout all the hours of play is admirable, we will even find symbologies and missions that we can only solve if we know data from Pearl and Diamondwhich I find incredibly well thought out.
Delving a bit into the core dynamics of this number, not much has changed despite being the other side of the same coin. We will have our classic team of six Pokémon, which will help us throughout the story. Special mention to the starters, which were drawn from different generations and have a small/big surprise at the end of their evolutionary line.
The most radical change is found in the capture system. We all know the classic rule of “first weaken, then trap”, right? But in Pokemon Legends: Arceus we will be able to catch new members without even having to go into battle, using our best ninja skills to go as unnoticed as possible and thus achieve a successful capture.
Another point, and the most fun in my opinion, is the interaction we have with the world around us. Game Freak It manages to give a marked personality to almost each Pokémon, be it to interact with our team or with a wild Pokémon. Some of the latter will flee at the slightest sound you make, and others will try to attack you at the first opportunity.
Nintendo bets on a minimalist sound and graphics that trace a new crack
It wouldn’t be Pokémon without a new complaint from the market, let’s say it. For better or worse, after each new delivery, the internet is responsible for noting how tired they are of reading “Pokémon” somewhere. This time it is tied to the graphic execution. We find an evolution that could be said to be something particular?
Legends Arceus It is drenched in hues that are rare in the franchise, combining intense tones as shadows and cool colors that go more towards pastel.
The point is that I don’t leave many happy, since at some point it might seem that the game was not finished at the time of its release (I’m not going to deny it, I thought so too).
On the other hand, its sound section is completely opposite. We are used to saturated, high-pitched and even repetitive sounds. In this case Game Freak adopt the formula Breath Of The Wild, which seems wonderful and intelligent to me. We found minimal similarities to the OST of Pearl and Diamondwith an ancient color almost taken from a musical composition from the Edo period itself.