Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Stuart thinks back on decades of trying to get into Pokémon, and his joy at finally coming in from the cold...
Back in the misty vales of 1999 and at the frankly silly age of 12, I must confess that I was into Pokémon. I have fond memories of the anime on CITV – a show which seemed so unusual and stylised to a complete anime virgin such as myself that it was, at times, no less than fascinating to behold. I bought magazines, books, toys. I even fashioned a Psyduck out of wood as part of a school project. I liked Pokémon, if you’ll forgive the invective, one hell of a lot. But I never had a Game Boy.
I played the games, sure. I’d borrow a friend’s handheld with Pokémon Red and walk to Viridian City, not really understanding the hype between what I determined to be a glacially-paced RPG with dull, repetitive combat and absolutely rigid movement. And this carried through the sequels, for me; I played (in part) Pokémon Gold, Pokémon Diamond, Pokémon White, Pokémon X and, most recently, Pokémon Sword. It cannot be said that I didn’t try (and try) to get into this flagship series.
You may be asking why dedicated time and money to a series that I demonstrably don’t like. It’s a reasonable question and one I feel I can answer; almost 400 million players can’t be wrong. That is to say, when a series succeeds to this extent, there’s obviously merit there and it frustrates me as both a player and a games writer (snoot, snoot) that I can’t see it myself.
So I tried to enjoy these games, and although I’d get on better with some of them than others (shout-out to Gold and White), I never finished them. I’d simply get bored of what felt to me like repetitive, unengaging, simplistic gameplay, and I’d stop. I’d move on.
I must remind you, though, this does not reflect a disdain for Pokémon as a franchise. Where the mainline series failed to stimulate me, I’d get a kick out of the likes of Pokémon Pinball, Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. Add this to my general affection for the early anime (everything up to the Snubbull episode) and you’ve got a series that I genuinely, earnestly want to enjoy. But that gameplay that never seemed to evolve from its Game Boy roots turned me off big time.
If Pokémon as creatures are so characterful, why don’t we see that? Even in Pokémon Sword the battles feel anaemic and static to me. Where’s the drama in just standing around waiting for your opponent to make their move? It’s something I can adapt to in the likes of RPGs; I have no beef with turn-based combat at all, but all these years now with almost no evolution? Nothing to really express or enhance characterisation? It’s not for me, folks. I’d find myself dreaming about a Pokémon game without these kinds of restrictions; an open world or near-as-damnit that casts you firmly in the role of the adventuring trainer rather than a top-down avatar limited to the cardinal directions.
the mystery and promise of Pokémon Legends: Arceus set imaginations aflame. Me, though? Didn't care. It was a new Pokémon, wasn't it? The same thing with a new coat of paint
Then came Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a title that debuted with an intriguing little trailer that seemed to suggest what seems to have been tediously labelled as Pokémon's answer to Breath of the Wild. Little was shown of the game, but the mystery and promise of it all set imaginations aflame. Me, though? Didn't care. It was a new Pokémon, wasn't it? The same thing with a new coat of paint. Fans will love it, sure, more power to them. But not me. I'd paid my dues. Pokémon Sword was the series' last chance to impress me. I was done.
Except it turns out that Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the best Pokémon game ever made by a country mile and fixes basically everything about the series that I didn't like. It reframes the player's relationships with their Pokémon by sheer virtue of having you cart them around yourself. Wild Pokémon roam the open world and will at times attack you on sight. These aren't docile bits and bytes waiting invisibly in the long grass, these are dangerous, untamed animals. You fear the Pokémon. You respect the Pokémon.
Catching Pokémon is no longer necessarily a matter of selecting a Poké Ball from a menu — you can sneak up on the monsters and throw the darn thing yourself. It's so much more immersive and satisfying to be the one in there aiming and chucking the Poké Ball after so literally decades of the act of "catching them all" being so rote. Now you're right in there with the wild Pokémon, dodging their attacks lest you end up being the one who faints.
Battles remain turn-based, which at first put me off the game but in practice is a vast improvement by virtue of allowing the player to move around and cut loose, observing the ensuing battle from any angle and becoming an active part of the proceedings. It's vital, it's tense and frankly it's absolutely brilliant. I can't stress enough how much more I find myself pulled into the proceedings because of this vastly more dynamic and exciting approach to one of its mainstay mechanics.
There's a very real sense of understanding, and in a game that's ultimately about wildlife conservation, doesn't that engender a much stronger feeling of connection between you and your Pokémon?
The new focus on researching Pokémon can require you to approach and tackle each individual creature in a number of different ways, which enhances your bond with them and makes each monster much more memorable than they've ever been before. There's a very real sense of understanding, and in a game that's ultimately about wildlife conservation (it is!), doesn't that engender a much stronger feeling of connection between you and your Pokémon? You're not pausing the proceedings to fumble through your Poké Balls, they're all right there on you ready to assist at a moment's notice. Your squad is by your side in a way that's totally fresh to the series and utterly welcoming.
None of this is intended to undermine the clear success of the Pokémon formula to date; Shining Diamond and Brilliant Pearl are testament to the fact that the more traditional flavour still resonates with gamers. But the fresh and dare I say it modern direction of Pokémon Legends: Arceus isn't just a boon for the fandom; it's introducing a whole new set of players to the series. While there have been many evolutions of the Pokémon formula, this feels a significant revolution. It also proves that it's never too late — even for the biggest, most established, most stuck-in-a-profitable-rut series — to change. The traditional-style games aren't going away, of course, but Legends: Arceus is bringing in a whole new wave of fans and rejuvenating the entire franchise. I hope the lessons learned here will be brought forward to the future of the series
Or, failing that, they could just localise Pokémon Card GB2 and stick it on the Game Boy app for Nintendo Switch Online, if and when that ever exists. Either is fine. Cheers.
Comments 68
Just say you don’t like rpgs and leave.
I’m so tired of the “I’m so glad traditional rpg game X has more action elements in it and is now “modern”.
I don’t have a problem with arceus, I bought it. I just hate these types of comments.
I haven't played any of the Switch Pokémon entries yet. The response to this one has me intrigued.
Funny enough, LOF is a breath of fresh air LOL.
Its not perfect, But things can be improved, but they are changing, they are trying, and that gets points from me.
I love the new take on Pokémon. It does feel like an (ahem) evolution of the franchise, albeit a first step. Sequels or follow-ups of some kind could really improve on this style to make Pokémon finally feel fresh again.
I have really enjoyed the game so far, but, I don't want them to use this formula for the main line games. Hopefully the gen 9 game keeps the gym badges, elite 4, routes and multiple towns, random encounters, trainer battles and online battling.
And at the same time release more "legends" games in between mainline releases
I think this should be the direction for "New" Pokemon games heading forward. There are plenty of remakes to be done that could still fall into the "traditional" Pokemon game mold. I just hope they are done in the style of Sword and Shield or Sun and Moon and not the Chibi artstyle we were desecrated with from the Diamond and Pearl remakes. Those games maybe fun but they're so painful to look at that I will never know.
@Strictlystyles lol this
People always act like it’s an improvement if they ditch the traditional formulas, but the moment something “goes backwards” like with the gameplay of Yakuza Like a Dragon people lose their minds lol
People are over simplifying the game rather then seeing it as a different immersive style of change to the traditional standard Pokémon gameplay. People are Afraid of Change that is quite obvious from all the NintenDoomed opinions but the sales numbers show quite a different view. I myself like the immersive and making one think rather then just toss the PokeBalls-you have to find materials and create them that makes it more fun and challenging. I haven't done SpeedRUNs as I want to just grind throughout the game and enjoy catching Alpha Pokémon and doing quest at my pace. That's what this games shows it has changed for the better.
Now we wait for Gen 9 to be exactly like everything before Arceus. 😀
I really hope Legends is a co-existing game series to the mainseries rather than flat out replacing it or, even better, incorporates the best parts of both into one amazing experience.
The previous games, in my eyes, are all about strategy. Yes, you can just run through it with your starter and decimate everything. But if you actually limit yourself in levels and spread out your team, you can have so many nail-biting experiences that really test your brain on what you need to do and it is the best thing ever. It's why I love BDSP so much, I played through it like that and it was without a doubt the most nerve-racking Pokemon game I've played in forever, making it insanely memorable.
However, Legends is amazing because it takes what came before and adapts into something even more wild. Now, instead of it being about strategy, it's all about thinking on your feet. Surveying Pokemon, dodging out of the way of attacks and stealthing your way through tall grass, it has a very free feel to it and makes it exceptionally fun to move around in.
And that's the key thing for me, both styles excel in different areas. I prefer the battling and strategy of older games but Legends has the movement and freedom that I never want to see go away. Only time will tell what happens next but I'm excited as all hell to see what they decide to do.
@Strictlystyles I also hate the modern "action RPG" and find they're usually just rubbish action games with some RPG elements sprinkled on top. I recoil at any suggestion that the turn-based battles should be scrapped so the main games can be Pokken Tournament Lite.
But what I take away from this article is much of that audience might be pleased with just getting to run around in the turn based battles. That's it. That's all this author apparently wanted in the battle system, is cosmetically running around. This also worked for Dragon Quest 11, so maybe Pokemon can just stick with that.
Pretty much what everyone else here said, I love this game, but I don't want to lose classic pokemon.
Legends Arceus is perhaps the finest Pokémon game since Silver/Gold in my eyes, and may be even better than that, with only my childhood nostalgia courting my eyes in regards to it. After Shining Pearl, I had said Arceus might be my last attempt at a Pokémon game until the inevitable Gen 1 re-re-reboot, but now I’m actually excited for the future of the series rather than feeling ready to turn away from it. By shying away from the cliched plot line and progression, making Pokémon actually wild monsters, and incentivizing the wildly fun gameplay of actually catching ‘em all, Arceus did everything I’ve wanted out of a Pokémon game for well over a decade and I’m so happy it exists. If it would’ve been a holiday game last year, I would’ve called the game the second best game of the year, behind only Metroid Dread. This year… while it’s perhaps too early to speak of GOTY 2022, Arceus begins the conversation anyway. What a remarkable title.
I have always been a fan of the series. I can see why some people feel the game is lacking in innovation and trots out the same old tired dull format year after year. Legends Arceus was changing point for a variety reasons. It showed us what Pokémon could have been and to many what the series should have been and what the series could be. Game Freak dared to do something different with a 26 year old series and that is to be commended. Whether Legends Arceus is the future of Pokémon I don't know. The game does make some much welcome and needed quality of life improvements that I hope are carried forward. However overall Legends Arceus just didn't feel right to me as a long time fan. I am not adverse to change but it has to be change that is done right and I don't feel this game accomplished that fully. Than being said I would like to see Legends continuing in different regions and take over from the traditional remakes as a side series while classic Pokémon continues as the main series with new regions and Pokémon provided that Legends gets the improvements it needs.
As much as I love Legends Arceus I feel there is a major issue I want to point out. What the hell is with the A.I getting multiple turns in a row when you're 1) faster 2) MUCH higher leveled and 3) they're only using generic moves?
I've used moves like Quick Attack to raise my much higher speed along with moves like Icy Wind to lower the opponent's speed and nope the computer still gets multiple turns in a row, sometimes 3 and even more if there's more than 1 Pokémon.
Like what gives? oh and the grass stuttering in places during battle along with the bizarre framerates (aka pretty amusing) of Pokémon when seen from the distance. I don't think I have anymore criticism for an otherwise incredibly enjoyable experience. Actually scratch that there is, the damage output. IMHO the damage output in Arceus is all over the place, would love to know how a level 10 Pokémon can inflict 100 damage on a Level 35 Pokémon.
These are my nitpicks so far. I have no doubt they will improve the formula moving forward or at least I would like to think they would.
Even though I beat Pokemon Yellow way back in the day, Pokemon's main games just never clicked right with me, but I always appreciated the franchise from afar, so I can fully understand @stuartgipp. I love RPGs, but for me the Pokemon games felt basic and childish (just my opinion, no need for pitchforks!). I always said to myself, if Pokemon ever went (or tried) to go open world, I would likely be all over it. So I'll be giving this a go when I can.
The game has a lot of nice QoL, but screwing over a majority of the player base with no multiplayer is a big step back
@Screen Multiplayer isn't everything and nearly everytime I did decide to play Pokémon online the other Player always disconnected anyway. I don't miss that, no this is a step in the right direction. Maybe make it where you can interact with people in real time next time and battle with them that way otherwise I'm pretty sure most people of my age simply don't care about Multiplayer. I'm 43 just a FYI.
Multiplayer isn't all that. If you got bad players that ruins the fun factor. So let's be honest you need to have ISP to be able to play online and that isn't cheap ok. Someone has to pay so you can multiplayer online. That's added cost to just playing the game and not everyone plays the same.
@RubyCarbuncle the damage output and extra turns are due to new changes how level ups work. When you get your starter, you'll notice that they have WAY higher stats than a level 5 in the other games. They basically smushed the floor and ceiling closer together, meaning each level is less impactful. You get your biggest bumps from grit items as well which replace EVs, so if you're not using those, there are tons of additional stat points you got in past games that you're missing out on. Action speed and its interaction with the speed stat are interesting. Each move's individual action speed is more impactful than anything else, and even if you increase yours and decrease theirs, they can still double up turns, it will just be less frequently and later, plus they'll have to resort to agile style more often to keep up, which means sacrificing power. It's kinda convoluted for sure but it's all ultimately still math.
Whether they keep this format or go back to traditional Pokemon for future games, Legends Arceus has so many improvements to the formula that they would be fools to ignore them in future titles. The game is rough around the edges at times but they get kudos from me for finally, FINALLY experimenting with the formula in a game that isn't an obvious side project.
Now the question is whether they can keep this up.
If Pokemon Generation 9 doesn't use at least SOME or the new mechanics from Legends Arceus, it will be two embarrassing steps back for the series 😖
@CharlieGirl sure will be but from what it looks this might be the trend GameFreak will probably go. Can't see them changing from this direction. They can expand on it like XenoBlade and add more to the map since the current map is the northern Japan right now so they got a complete southern to the south to do more Pokémon Arceus series.
This game feels exactly what Pokemon needed. Pokemon has felt fairly stale and sterile and outdated for years now and we needed a new experience that feels more at home on a console like the Switch. This is the game that Pokemon needed to help attract new fans that may not have been interested in the handheld games or lapsed fans that were sick of the direction Pokemon's taken recently. I don't think they need to get rid of the old style, there's still millions of people that like that style, but I think this should be a running series with its own sets of fans. I think over the next 5-10 years we'll see the Legends series develop to be for Pokemon what games like Mario 64/Sunshine/Odyssey are for Mario or what the Metroid Prime series is for Metroid, something that's a very different, more AAA feeling experience that can attract different fans but still distinctly feels like a main entry. That would be the best way to handle things going forward.
I am loving Legends, but it isn't the same as what I enjoyed about the mainline series. In my perfect world, Legends would become a new series and the mainline games would return to 2D sprites and focus on evolving what made the early games so successful, but I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority there
It's ok to like this game despite the graphical limitations!
I quite like the sound of Arceus. I’ve never played a ‘normal’ Pokémon game since last week, and I thought I’d try the first; literally Red on the gameboy. It’s also good fun so far.
For me, whilst I’ve had a vague interest in the series, the latest games seem so steeped in lore, backstory and franchise history and seems to me as being a bit off putting if I’ve not played at least one or two.
So Red - and it looks like Arceus will be, too - seems to be the start of this journey. Only 25 years late!
To preface this, I like PLA (8/10 imo). I used to believe that an overhaul in this style was the only way to modernise the series. Then I played Dragon Quest 11. Like Pokémon, it has a rigid turn based combat system and extreme linear world design, and yet it never once felt dated due to how polished everything was, the amount of personality in the designs of enemies, the creativity behind some of the environments, and a basic story and characters being elevated by sheer charm. Whilst changing a formula from the ground up can be a great approach (see BoTW), it isn’t always necessary. Sometimes all a series needs is a renovation rather than a reconstruction.
Isn't that what Breath of the Wild did? And it is a longer running franchise.
I want The Pokémon Company to take notes from Nintendo, most notably the Zelda team, on how releases should be handled.
Legends Arceus presented a huge shift in the mainstream formula, but it also presents a big message from the fans collectively that there should also be a balance between new and old, which is why there are many people wanting to see both formulas co-exist rather than have one replace the other.
The Zelda franchise seems to be going that route, having huge releases every 4-6 years, and having a smaller and more traditional game released in between.
I hope they adopt this approach, because it will bring the best of both worlds without ever having to clash.
@Strictlystyles Legends: Arceus is a turn-based JRPG, though. It just also has:
The problem with traditional Pokemon games isn't that they're RPGs. It's that they were stuck in a creative rut and did little to evolve the gameplay style the series had been running with since the the late 90s.
@Ralizah I purchased the game, I know what it is. My comment was based off the OP saying they never really liked Pokémon as an rpg anyway and clearly was more impressed by my action elements in arceus than the battle system changes. I didn’t say that the problem with Pokémon was that they were rpgs, I just hate when people make those types of comments when an rpg adds more action based features.
I hope it won't replace the mainline games.
It was fun, but every location felt so similair, and there wasn't really much to look at/explore. I kinda lost interest after beating the main story, and that took me about 18 hours
@SwitchForce you know local multiplayer has been a staple of the series for going on 30 years right
I really enjoyed Pokémon Legends, but I don’t want it to replace the traditional mainline games.
I’d rather they took Atlus’ approach, where Legends is GameFreak’s Persona, developed alongside their mainline games, as is Atlus’ SMT.
This game way too overhyped and overrated....
I prefer way more how PLA plays than the traditional games. O got titred of the same formula of Go do your pokemon league with gyms get interrupted mid league by some villain team you already knew the villain since the beginning of the game because he was obviously looking like a villain, then beat em capture the legend they had and end the league with some sort of empty post game with a battle facility that is inferior to Battle Frontier.
The reason they called it “Legends” is because it is a side game from the mainline franchise. Like “Let’s go”. I have enjoyed it immensely but I think that the people who think that this is how Pokémon is going to be moving forward are going to be very disappointed when gen 9 does drop.
people can change.
let the boy hold the baby
@RubyCarbuncle Woah! Have you been a long time fan of the franchise? If so, what hooked you?
@MJF YES! (but maybe don't let an actual boy hold the baby, it's scary)
@Edwirichuu that slicks back real nice
@Strictlystyles You probably meant traditional *JRPGs.
I agree completely with your opinion. I played Pokémon yellow, which I found ok for the time it came out in, and only tried coming back with Pokémon X which I did finish... but it felt the same. So many generations had come and gone and Pokemon felt like the same game with a few changes... Arceus made me love the franchise again. It's like I've always wanted it to be more dynamic and engaging, with the trainer actually being an important character alongside the Pokemon! I hope they keep making Legend games.
@inenai no this can be said for non jrpgs with traditional rpg mechanics that get nixed or added more “modern” features(aka more action)
Funny thing this is my first Pokemon game but this is the way I thought they were all played.
So from what I played, you have to catch the same Pokemon multiple times, wait for a Pokemon to use a certain move and other tedious things like that. That's the gameplay people are praising?
The Pokémon games need better storylines. I mean the gameplay is fun and all, but the main series has definitely got repetitive. I purchase shining diamond and I played about an hour of it and I was like get away from me. I wasted $60. The main line series need something. Pokémon Arceus feels fresh and good. I do wish there was a better story though something to get you a little bit more invested. I love the game play Arceus and there’s only room for improvement.
I enjoyed the original pokemon titles, but I agree 100% with the comments on Legends Arceus's improvements. I've never felt so immersed in a Pokemon game before to the point that I forgot that there was a main objective and just interacting with the Pokemon is fun. Like the only reason I want to proceed through the game is to unlock more areas to explore. This game not only met my expectations, it raised them 100x.
@Crono1973 No, that's an area of the formula that could be improved. What people are praising is that the gameplay is (semi) open world and that the gameplay is much more action oriented (having the trainer dodge attacks and allowing them to throw Poke Balls without battling).
Meh. I appreciate that GameFreak is trying something new and this is the first "proper" 3D game in the franchise. There are also a lot of nice features that I'd like to see implemented in the main games in the future. That said, I'm currently 20 hours into the game and I just don't feel it. There is absolutely no point in capturing the Pokemon since there is barely anything to use them on. There are no gyms, barely any trainers, no PvP and wild Pokemon can be caught without fighting. Like, what's the point? Every time I'm playing PLA I'm just thinking about wanting to play New Pokemon Snap since the gameplay loop is basically the same but NPS looks a lot better. At this point I'm just playing to see the credits roll and call it a day. Meanwhile I am still playing Pokemon Sword after almost 500 hours of playtime ...
I really hope the next game is a traditional mainline game
@moodycat as many old, returning yugioh players have recently found out
Now all they need to change are the graphics, framerate and the variation in gameplay in the open world….
They probably won’t because reviews were already raving so no intentions to change that, right?
There are elements of this which can be carried over the to traditional format. The battle's being the key area. I'm so bored of the traditional battle format. Introducing the ability to change up turn order with agile and strong styles breathes new life into a tired format. But it likely won't change, because the competitive scene would be in uproar. I'd also like to see being able to swap your lead Pokemon around on the fly before you start an encounter.
Also if they introduced a way to send out Pokemon to do field tasks (like cutting or moving things with strength) the same way you can throw them out to collect materials here, it would make travelling way more interesting. Come on, why isn't Pokemon more like Golden Sun with puzzle elements hindering your progression through the overworld and dungeons? You can do a lot more than just cutting a tree or pushing a block with Pokemon moves.
@koekiemonster don't worry, there's already a dedicated mod scene doing the same thing they did to BotW. Replacing textures, improving draw distance, adding fun little quirks, etc. Not that you or I will enjoy it but it's nice to know people are out there who will improve upon game freaks shoddy workmanship.
@Edwirichuu I have I've been playing since Red and Blue launched. Honestly I couldn't tell you what got me hooked, I suppose the random nature of the game was appealing to me, the going out and catching them. One thing in the games I've been glued to ever since they became a thing is Shiny hunting. My luck might not be the best but it's the feeling of always hoping one will spawn I get a buzz from. That sounds silly doesn't it.
@tsdenizen Indeed it is convoluted. It's still a good game though despite its flaws.
@somebread you do know consoles never before this really started multiplayer or LAN games before. Gamers whom speed run through the games aka 18 hours missed the fun of Pokémon and shouldn't be complaining about such games as they missed the FUN Factor already. I enjoy the game not SpeedRun. I still own 3DS and Pokémon games since that time when I played them.
@moodycat my main point for why i was a srark defender of gamefreak's hesitance to overhaul the franchise.
I want pokemon to be better but if the magic dies so do I
@Arawn93 Yakuza Like a Dragon was a big surprise for me. When I heard it was a traditional turn based JRPG set in a modern world setting, I just had to play it. It’s freaking amazing. A new turn based modern Final Fantasy would be so fun to play again.
Just give me a 50/50 Legends Arceus/SwSh game for Gen 9 and I’ll be super happy.
The distinct lack of trainer battles is a relief. I love being able to wander and battle at my own leisure or just catch Pokemon as a means to level up. If this isn't the standard going forward, I don't think I can go back
I really like Pokémon Legend, and I also liked the formula before. Legend introduce to us players what Pokémon could become, and I find it amazing.
An open world where Pokémon are roaming, some big and dangerous, some cute and fluffy! Where you can sneak on them and catch them, or battle them!
If they can do that, and merge it with the classic formulas... It could be amazing. An open world Rpg, with sneaking element AND battle elements, with lots of towns and characters but with side quests, more customization for your character, gym battle, league 4, championship. AND EGGS!
It would be cool to be able to chose the age of your character too, and not only be a young girl/boy
I feel the pace of gameplay elements here is faster, and I really like that. But I did enjoy Pokemon Blue back then and had a lot of fun with Pokemon Brilliant Diamond very recently.
Legend Arceus is probably is still the most fun I had, but I equally did enjoy Brilliant Diamond having not played the original. (I know or expect Platinum is still better like people say, but I'm happy enough with what I've played on the Switch for now).
Legends is still a really nice change, I hope they continue that series, and if it can make sense to then include elements of it in the Gen 9 mainline Pokemon game, I hope they do. But it does depend on what would work better for that game.
@TommyTendo
I was the opposite way. I haven't finished a main game in years. They're too much like all of the other main games.
But PLA in still playing, well over 100 hours in. I'm obsessed with the new style and the freedom of hunting pokemon worth so few rails in place.
I skipped Sword and Shield mostly because I was just so tired of all the hand holding in the main games. I bought Arceus and had a blast, most fun I had with a Pokémon game since the original Gold version.
After finishing Arceus I decided to buy Sword and was immediately disappointed. The same hand holding was still there, but I also noticed something different that annoyed me even more: battles with wild Pokémon in these mainline games are extremely slow compared to Arceus.
Instead of being able to.walk around after the pokémon is defeated, you have to go through a not insignificant wall of text explaining the Pokémon fainted, experience was gained or new moves were learned if you're (un)lucky. I never noticed it until the snappy gameplay from Arceus, but now it's really annoying for me. If you dare to catch a Pokémon it gets even worse, with extra screens for nicknames, storage in Pokémon boxes and Pokédex entries.
In Arceus they just dropped all these and it results in a way more fluid and enjoyable experience that keeps you in the flow of battling and catching Pokémon instead of grinding everything to a halt with what feels like endless menus. This alone makes the mainline games obsolete for me.
I feel like I wasted my money on Sword. I'll finish it because I like the Pokémon designs and want to keep up with the new critters, but I'm not even half as excited to continue playing as I was for Arceus.
@itslukec sorry to break it to you, but gamefreak refers to both let's go and legends as mainline games, more specifically as "ポケットモンスター』シリーズ最新作"
"ポケットモンスター』シリーズ" being the official name for the mainline series.
@wanghosom don’t be sorry.
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