The shift to a semi-open structure genuinely reinvigorates the Pokémon loop. Lobbing a ball to catch or trigger a battle in real time still feels thrilling, even if the visuals look rough. Hisui has a rugged, lovable charm that sets it apart from the mainline games.
Your verdict
Category
Action RPG1 player7+
Description
Sent to a Sinnoh of old, you compile the very first Pokémon catalogue of the Hisui region. Published by Nintendo, released worldwide in 2022. Real-time catching across wide open areas, dodging, item crafting and battles rebuilt around tempo.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Catching each Pokémon turns into a genuine hunt here: you observe, sneak close, time the throw, then fill the Pokédex one entry at a time. Climbing the research rank constantly unlocks new regions and checklist tasks, so you keep heading out for "just one more specimen." The loop of exploration and discovery stays gripping, provided you accept a degree of repetition in the capturing routine over many hours.
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Massive"
The series' first major foray into open structure: capturing creatures now means observing them, approaching by stealth and filling out a genuine research notebook. Completing every entry, exploring each region and facing the elite specimens stretches the adventure far past the story. That reinvention of the hunt gave the formula a fresh and lasting breath.
Technical info
💾6,5 GB📅28/01/2022
Published by Nintendo
Pokémon Legends: Arceus (Nintendo Switch) price, value & rarity
Far from classic catching, the frenzied Nobles upend the formula: you dodge-roll, lob balms to calm them, then seize the window to throw a Poké Ball or strike. These open-arena clashes blend action with type strategy, setting a nervous rhythm where reading charges and managing stamina matters as much as picking the right Pokémon.
Is Pokémon Legends: Arceus still worth playing in 2026?
More than four years on, Arceus still occupies a singular spot in the series. Its semi-open layout, real-time captures and brisk pacing opened a path that Scarlet and Violet later extended, sometimes more elegantly. The modelling stays modest and the zones feel sparse, yet the loop of studying species, dodging and crafting keeps a genuine freshness. For anyone curious about how the Pokémon formula shifted, this trip to Hisui remains an essential step, pleasant to play through today despite its rough technical edges.
