Pokemon Legends: Arceus

[Maf]

In my first post I said that levelling wouldn’t be easy and typing would be really important when it comes to battles. I would throw the first point away, levelling is quite easy. But typing does actually remain important throughout. I’ve had strong Pokemon lose battles to Pokemon 15-20 levels weaker than them just because they surprised me with a move they have. So I get what you’re saying about Pokemon survivablility in general, and it’s double so a thing in this game. I threw a Steel Pokemon out against a Poison Pokemon 10 levels weaker, turn 1 it pulled a Flamethrower out of it’s ass and I got OHKO’d. 
 

I assume it’s by design but I think that’s why items are so free in the game. As long as you always pick stuff up when you walk by it there should always be enough potions and revives to deal with how easy Pokemon get knocked the fuck out. Which is what separates it from other Pokemon games and other JRPG’s really. Items are not to be hoarded. Use as many as you want you are effectively surrounded by them. 
 

I don’t think any part of this game is shit, I just think it’s all really basic. Whether it’s down to budget, their first attempt at this, or whatever the reasons are, this game is incredibly basic and is really leaning heavy on the experience of just getting to run around huge zones and catch Pokemon. How that came to be, like they put all their effort in to the core gameplay, the maps, Pokemon locations, the main missions - and then everything else was added almost in a perfunctory way or just their first attempt at it. Hard to say. But I don’t think any part of is bad. I think the core of it is amazing, and all the secondary stuff is just basic. It’s not like it’s rubbish and doesn’t work. It’s just really simple. 
 

But then I am wondering if I’m finding this game so enjoyable just because as a Pokemon fan, wanting this type of game for so many years and then finally getting it is what’s so delighting, or it’s great on it’s own terms. I’m not sure. Probably a bit of both. Is it really that good of a game or is it just a game I’ve wanted for so long I was going to enjoy it anyway? I’m beyond being able to tell. But I don’t think this game is shit at all. I’m loving nearly everything about it. 

The only things I think are actually bad is the Pokemon sorting system. So basically what would be the PC in the normal games is terrible here. In the normal games it doesn’t matter because you catch one of something and move on. But here I find myself catching 10-20 of some Pokemon then having to sort through and organise. It’s just not good.

 

The other thing I don’t like is basically all the redesigns. 
 

My boy. My boy. What did they do to you Goodra

 

Spoiler

 

That’s not even a timed snap. Goodra just looks that fucking sad the whole time because of this huge, metal tumour they gave it. My boy, my boy. Why. Please stop redesigning Pokemon. You’ve been fucking it up since Mega Evolutions. 
 

I’m up to the last area now. Might have the main story finished tomorrow?

[DANGERMAN]

6 hours ago, Maf said:

The only things I think are actually bad is the Pokemon sorting system. So basically what would be the PC in the normal games is terrible here. In the normal games it doesn’t matter because you catch one of something and move on. But here I find myself catching 10-20 of some Pokemon then having to sort through and organise. It’s just not good.

Definitely. I was hunting through trying to find the Pokémon I'd been using in amongst the 15 others of the same type I'd caught. I've ended up moving all my rotation Pokémon in to box 7 so that at least then they aren't dotted around or surrounded with the weak ones I've caught

[Maryokutai]

7 hours ago, Maf said:

You’ve been fucking it up since Mega Evolutions.

 

There are some good mega evolutions that I actually miss, but the redesigns in this game are absolutely horrendous. I think the worst one is that second to last ride Pokemon you get. At some point the designers decided to leave the animal inspiration for Pokemon designs and went to make cartoon characters, I think thats when it all went downhill.

 

I beat it over the weekend, or rather I saw the credits. I think the last two hours were pretty bad as there isnt anything new to discover anymore, its just running around for ages and talking to people. Worst part of the game by far. Im also not sure if Ill continue playing because the postgame (doubt this is a spoiler) consists of filling up the Pokédex, which I really dont want to do. But I got around 35 hours out of this, 30 of those were really enjoyable, so that's a good ratio and Ill leave it at that.

[Maf]

Digital Foundry did a breakdown, although there’s not much to talk about which isn’t clearly evident already

 

Portable is definitely the way to play. Eliminates FPS drops and the smaller screen helps hide the pop in. I didn’t realise the game had FPS drops or the pop in was that bad until this video but I’ve exclusively been playing in handheld

[DisturbedSwan]

Think I’m about 30 hours or slightly less into this now.

 

Still really enjoying it overall and find myself losing hours to just going about trying to fulfil enough conditions to enter a newly found Pokémon into the Pokédex. 
 

The third area is really cool and different again from the previous two, I’ve enjoyed exploring here and think I’m going to get another ability shortly that’ll enable me to explore this region in even more depth. 

 

I have to say though that the gameplay loop is starting to wear a little thin at this point though. At first I was playing so much of it in huge multi-hour sessions but now I’m happy to just play in 2 hour stints so I don’t burn myself out on it before the end. 
 

Think I’ve got one or two more regions to go, still going to try my best to catch all the Pokémon I can in those areas and fill as many Pokédex entries as possible before heading to the finish line.

 

My team can be shown below long with some other pics:

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Maf]

That's a really cool team 

[mmmark]

I’m really enjoying this thus far. It’s really relaxing and nice to pick up. 
 

[DANGERMAN]

I'm about as far in as @DisturbedSwan and I'm more negative. There was a point yesterday where I was working my way down one side (the area that looks like a hand) and I was questioning why I was playing it still. It is a time sink but it's so irritating. There was a point where I was trying to catch a particular Pokémon but couldn't because there were 4 others that were somehow alert to me

 

I'm going to try to focus more on the main story now to just get it finished but I easily prefer Sword to this, let alone Shin Megami Tensei which I've put on hold to play this

[Maf]

I’ve cooled quite a bit on the game as well, although I still really like it. 
 

The big problem is how thin the gameplay is. I enjoyed it for a long time but after completing the 5th area I’m really kind of over it. I’m still having fun, but it’s not enough to sustain the length of this game.

 

Also getting annoyed by multi battles where you have 1 Pokemon vs 3. Like c’mon. Especially because the damage is really high in this game even 3 enemy Pokemon at half your Pokemon’s level can fuck you up and it’s annoying. This doesn’t happen too much but the last couple of trainer battles have been like this and I don’t like it.

 

Also disappointed by the flying in the game. The fact you constantly lose height but can’t regain altitude. It’s really not as freeing as I thought it was going to be.

 

I’ve finished the 5th area now and guess I’m on the home stretch. Just deciding what I want my final team to be before ploughing through to the end.

 

I still really like this game but last week I was completely amazed by it and this week I’m sort of over it. It’s still great, and a good base for more, but I’m also happy for it it to end soon as well

[Maf]

 

Current team. I like all these Pokemon but feel it’s a bit colourless 

[Maf]

Spoilers

 

Spoiler

Well that was easier than it was last month lol

 

 

Also glad I decided to cheat and bring a level 85 Alpha Garchomp with me. Just the way the battles has been in this game I knew it was going to be bullshit. 

[DisturbedSwan]

Great team @Maf I also managed to capture a Lv. 85 Garchomp last night (might've been the same one, in the final icy area?) and was super hyped so will bring that with me for whatever is in the spoiler tag lol.

 

Just under 40 hours on this now and definitely feeling the fatigue. I did still explore the 4th area and caught as many Pokémon as I saw on my way through but not to the same extent or ferocity as before. Enjoyed the boss battle there and then moved onto the (final?) 5th area which has an Icy theme which is cool, immediately it's more interesting to explore than the last one at least with a ton of high level cool looking mons. 

 

So I shouldn't have too much longer left, hopefully get it finished by the weekend. 

[Maf]

Got my 9th star rank and caught another Legendary in the post game. I did see a spoiler that there's a secret boss in this game so I might work towards that. The only thing I'm not a fan of is how slow it is to rank up the Pokedex. Only one more rank to go, I suppose, so maybe it'll be something I chip away at over time. But it's going to take a long time and I'm not sure why the need to make the player grind so hard. 

 

Still I'm really enjoying it and I'll keep going. Despite all it's flaws I still love this game. Hopefully there's some meaningful DLC since it was so successful. 

[DisturbedSwan]

Not got much longer to go now at all. 

 

Got right up to just before (what I presume is) the final boss last night and left it there. Will get it finished tonight if all goes well.

 

Don't think I'm gonna bother with anything post-game really, I'm kind of burnt out on it and this point and just want to get it finished and sold. 

 

Have really enjoyed it overall though, but just a bit too much of a good thing really. 

[Maf]

 

It reminds me of when I played Dirt 5 and there was an achievement for driving 10,000 miles. But by the time I completed the game and got gold in every race I had only driven 5000 miles. So I would have to basically do as much as I did in the whole game over again to fully complete it.

 

Maybe asking too much eh, video games?

[DisturbedSwan]

Finished this on Friday night at about the 44 hour mark.

 

A really satisfying conclusion and cool to see

Spoiler

Palkia and Dialga again and being able to catch both of them

 

Thought it was a really epic conclusion with the 

Spoiler

Commander taking a heel turn that I really didn't see coming.

 

Despite saying I wouldn't bother with anything post-game, after finishing it you get another set of quests to pick up some items from around the world that I couldn't resist doing.

 

So I set about doing this and after picking up all the required items, met a character at the location of the the previous ending so to speak.

 

Spoiler

And had this super epic battle! The character you face is a nice twist I really didn't see coming. 

 

This battle is tough as fuck, the toughest I've had in years in a Pokemon game. I failed multiple times, changed my team multiple times, used a ridiculous amount of Max Revives and finally managed it but fucking hell it was difficult. 

 

It's a little cheap as when you defeat Giratina for the first time he/she then comes back to life and you have to defeat him again. Bloody arsehole, but managed it eventually after a few hours of trying.

 

After this was done you can then get another 'ending' if you've 100% filled in the Pokedex but there's no way I'm bothering with that. Got another interesting quest after that though to attempt to catch a legendary pokemon so I'll do that and then most likely sell it on tomorrow. 

 

Have to say these two endings have brought the game up a little in my estimations. Overall, I had a really great time with it but it was maybe a little too much of a good thing and the loop grew stale after awhile, but the foundations are still incredibly fun and addictive, I just hope they diversify the gameplay loop in the future if there's a sequel or something.

[DisturbedSwan]

Finished mopping everything up and think that’s me done with it now.

 

 

Post-Game spoilers

Spoiler

 

[Maf]

A good video on IV’s, EV’s and now EL’s and how this should be the future of Pokemon

 

 

Agreed with nearly everything except for the end where he talks about different ways for Pokemon to keep individuality. Get out of here with your costumes 

[DANGERMAN]

I finished this last night. All that build up to probably the easiest boss fight I've ever had

 

I can't see me going back to this. I can see me going and doing the post game content in Sword one day, but not this. I really hope this isn't the future of the series, I really don't see how it got the critical reception it got, but equally, if they fix a few things it could really improve in the next game

[Maf]

I’m trying to get Arceus in Pokemon BDSP, but I looked in to it further and to do that I need to complete every main mission in this game. So I did the post game missions, pretty easy except for the final boss which highlights everything I hate about the battle system. “You lost the battle, bring a stronger team” how about instead of a stronger team you let me heal between boss fights, you cunt. It made me so mad. Lucky I had a strong Togekiss on my team who is pretty much a wall and does good damage. I had to keep letting Togekiss battle, as it was about to die revive others, then sacrifice them to revive Togekiss, who could then do damage. I beat it on my second try but it’s just shit. 
 

Anyway after all that I unlocked mission 27 of 28 and the mission is…catch all Pokemon.

 

It’s not going to be too hard, and I have a huge majority of them already. But I’m only trying to achieve this here to get the reward in another game. The hoop jumping. Also my understanding is that the event ends at end of April so a week to finish this properly.

 

It took me 3 hours to get from mission 20-27 so I have a break for now and do something else. 
 

I still really like this game but I really don’t like the battling and some of it’s new systems and how turns work, then to be hit with “complete the Pokédex” oi vey