All the latest information on Pokémon Legends: Arceus

The Pokémon Presents which aired earlier today has revealed a raft of new information about Pokémon Legends: Arceus, with more than half the run time of the video presentation being devoted to the highly anticipated game. In this post, we'll give a wrap-up of everything revealed in the video, and in the updates to the official Pokémon Legends: Arceus website which went up immediately after the video.

Region, Plot and General Gameplay:
Pokémon Legends: Arceus takes place in the Hisui region, the lands which will one day become known as Sinnoh, in a time before humans and Pokémon commonly lived together (and presumably before the time of Sinnoh Folk Story 3?).

With Jubilife Village as their home base, players will set out as a member of the Galaxy Expedition Team, engaging in survey work intended to help develop the first Pokédex for the Hisui region. Many of the members of the Galaxy Expedition Team have names and appearances clearly intended to reference characters from Diamond and Pearl, and it seems reasonable to think these may be intended as those character's distant ancestors.

Rather than being a Breath of the Wild style open world, it appears that it's best to think of the game's map as a set of separate wild areas. On leaving Jubilife Village for an excursion, players select an area of the map that they wish to travel to and explore. Each area includes a base camp which players can return to whenever their Pokémon needs rest, and where players can also craft items using materials they've acquired in their travels. Players will gain access to each area over the course of the game, as they improve their rank in the Galaxy Expedition Team.

Battling will work somewhat differently in Pokémon Legends: Arceus than in past Pokémon titles. Instead of Pokémon simply taking turns, combat now is more similar to an active wait system like the older Final Fantasy games, or Octopath Traveller. Pokémon's stats don't just influence the order in which they go, but also influence how fast and frequently they're able to attack. This could mean you're attacking two or potentially even more times before your opponent can get off a single attack. Pokémon can also employ special styles, the Agile Style and Strong Style, when using their moves, in a system which likely inspired the recent Battle Styles mechanics of the Pokémon TCG. The two styles each change the strength of moves, trading off between speed and power.

Pre-Orders and Early Purchase Bonus:
Pre-orders for Pokémon Legends: Arceus have already been available in retail stores for some time now, though those wanting the game digitally can now pre-order on the Nintendo eShop, with those having gone live immediately after the video presentation concluded.

Early purchasers of Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be able to receive a special in-game outfit, the Hisuian Growlithe Kimono Set, via Mystery Gift. This outfit will be available only until May 9, 2022. Unlocking the Mystery Gift feature is able to be accomplished within approximately two hours of play time.

New Pokémon and Regional Forms:
The video revealed two brand new Pokémon, both of which are evolutions of existing Pokémon which only appear in the Hisui region. Hisuian regional forms were also revealed for an additional two Pokémon.

Wyrdeer
Category: Big Horn Pokémon
Height: 5′11″
Weight: 209.7 lbs.
Type: Normal/Psychic
Wydeer is a brand new evolution of Stantler, unique to the Hisui region. The Pokémon is said to generate and unleash psychic energy using the black orbs at the base of its antlers, which are powerful enough to distort space.

Basculegion
Category: Big Fish Pokémon
Height: 9ʹ10″
Weight: 242.5 lbs.
Type: Water/Ghost
Basculegion is a brand new evolution of Basculin, with a backstory that's dark even by Pokédex entry standards. The Pokémon apparently evolves when Basculin are possessed by the souls of Basculin which died during the harsh journey upstream. These souls power up Basculin's propulsion through the water, allowing the Big Fish Pokémon to swim tirelessly.

Hisuian Braviary
Category: Battle Cry Pokémon
Height: 5′7″
Weight: 95.7 lbs.
Type: Psychic/Flying
Hisuian Braviary is noted as a migratory bird, appearing in Hisui in the winter. Losing the Normal-type of a regular Braviary in favor of the Psychic-type, this Pokémon is able to generate powerful shock waves with its psychically imbued screech.

Hisuian Growlithe
Category: Scout Pokémon
Height: 2′7″
Weight: 50 lbs.
Type: Fire/Rock
Hisuian Growlithe appear to be based on temple dogs. The wary and highly vigilant Pokémon is fiercely protective of its territory. The horn on its head is the apparent source of its Rock typing, however as the horn breaks easily, the Pokémon is careful to time the proper use of it in battle.