Pokemon Legends: Arceus General Discussion

[nickdt]

There will be trading involved, maybe because you won't be able to pick the other two starters later? However, I don't expect online battles to be a thing, mainly because the point of the game is to explore the surrounding wilds.

Trading! In this time period! How though.

 

[TheCapsFan]

There will be trading involved, maybe because you won't be able to pick the other two starters later? However, I don't expect online battles to be a thing, mainly because the point of the game is to explore the surrounding wilds.

I don't think that this game will feature much, if any, online functionality, as this seems to be largely a singleplayer campaign. We haven't seen trading yet but I think that is the most likely online feature to be introduced, as you've alluded to.

 

[Hidden Mew]

This trailer was so cool. I was also really confused when they first called it the Hisui region, but then they said it was ancient Sinnoh and then it all made sense. Getting to see what I assume are the ancestors of Professor Rowan and Cyrus was pretty cool. I suspect that we'll see Cynthia's ancestor at least. Barry's ancestor is also pretty likely.

I was really caught off guard by the regional forms. I was not expecting that given that this game is set in the past, but I'm so happy about that. Regional forms are just such a great and creative way to give new life to older Pokemon. I adore Hisuian Growlithe. Fire/Rock is a really rough typing for it, but Growlithe is one of my favorite Pokemon and I've wanted Growlithe to get a regional form since the concept was introduced in Sun/Moon. It's adorable and I need a plush toy of it yesterday. I'm still certain of choosing a Cyndaquil as my starter, but I really want to raise a Hisuian Growlithe too. Hisuian Braivary is also really cool and making it part Psychic is such an interesting choice. I like how even one stage Pokemon like Statler and Basuclin are getting some love here with their new evolved forms. Wyrdeer is just beautiful and Basculegion looks a lot cooler than I would have expected.

I do wonder what kind of explanation they'll have for why these forms aren't in present Sinnoh. Saying that they went extinct would just be depressing, as well as a bit odd considering that all of their original forms still exist.

Having trainers take damage from wild Pokemon was surprisingly intense and really makes battling different for this game. I also got a bit of a laugh with how trainers need to hide in the tall grass to capture some Pokemon. That is such a different take when they've always said it's too dangerous to go into the tall grass without a Pokemon to battle with. Learning a bit more about what completing the Pokedex means was pretty cool. The fact that you'll still need to go through missions and observe Pokemon indicates that it will take more work to complete the Pokedex than just catching them. The battle system also sounds like a pretty cool experimental way to have wild Pokemon battles. Since we'll get an outfit based on Hisuian Growlithe via Mystery Gift, I suspect that there will be some amount of customization in the game as well.

This game just looks and sounds so cool. Getting to explore this ancient region with new regional forms sounds terrific. I hope that we'll get a good amount of regional forms. The graphics look pretty solid and the scenery is just beautiful. I still wonder if we'll see something like how Pokemon Gyms were created or if there will be more to do outside of working with the Galaxy Team. We still don't know how Arecus fits into this or if there will be an antagonist for the player characters to deal with during their journey. The Pokemon Presents just made me more excited for both games and I was already on board for both of them.

 

[Silktree]

Trading! In this time period! How though.

Along with the headquarters of the Galaxy Team and your own lodgings, Jubilife Village boasts a range of useful institutions and services—such as the trading post, where you can trade Pokémon with other players.

A paid Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to enjoy certain features.

That sounds like the GTS rather than direct trading.

I still wonder if we'll see something like how Pokemon Gyms were created or if there will be more to do outside of working with the Galaxy Team.

That reminds me of the fans that talked about gyms for the Alola games. It makes slightly more sense to wonder what's going on with the Pokemon bosses we've already seen.

 

[Esserise]

If we follow the lore, Galarian Weezing technically cannot exist in this time-period yet. Shield dex entry: Long ago, during a time when droves of factories fouled the air with pollution, Weezing changed into this form for some reason.

I mean, we still don't actually know when these games are set relative to any others. Clearly there's some industrialization going on even in Hisui, so Galar could just be further ahead in that regard.

 

[Silktree]

Galarian Weezing existed long ago, so it can't exist in a game that seems to take place in the 19th century?

And folks, we should be a little more concerned about how Hisui seems to disregard Sinnoh lore. The multiverse is a poor excuse when the official site is celebrating how Hisui turned into DP Sinnoh.

 

[Esserise]

Congrats to Basculegion on being the 900th Pokémon! (... to be publicly revealed, anyway - I'm sure the game will introduce more species than those two, so the actual numbering will probably be different.)

 

[Oriden]

Wyrdeer makes me think of the Irish elk.

Stantler may have just stopped evolving into it over time as conditions changed in the region, making the form less necessary. Same could go for growlithe reverting to its regular form in the present day. I know Sinnoh is a cold region but it might've once been considerably colder- these new forms and evos definitely have a "it's really cold here" theme going.

Some may have also just migrated out due to competition or a shortage of food sources as cities were built.

They're all probably still alive somewhere else, though, just not in Sinnoh. XD

 

[Poke Dragon]

Trading! In this time period! How though.

I don't think that this game will feature much, if any, online functionality, as this seems to be largely a singleplayer campaign. We haven't seen trading yet but I think that is the most likely online feature to be introduced, as you've alluded to.

The website talks about a trading post that requires Nintendo's online membership.

 

[Daenerys]

I'm sorry but to me Wyrdeer looks so basic. It's essentially winter form Sawsbuck aesthetic-wise and could easily pass for a regional variant of Stantler instead of a new Pokemon. That Basculin evolution looks like much more work went into making it unique compared to Stantler's evo. :/

 

[TheCapsFan]

Someone brought up a good point on Discord; do we think there is a blue form of Basculegion?

 

[WyndonCalling]

Laventon is a Galarian professor who's travelled the world to research Pokémon (including Alola, an island archipelago where different island environments result in different forms), and wants your help to complete his Pokédex-book. I'm pretty certain he's Pokémon Charles Darwin.

Also, I think we got some obscure story hints, or at least a sense of one of the potential themes. Laventon is scared of Pokémon, a notion that hasn't really been touched upon since Steven asked us our feelings about Groudon and Kyogre in Emerald. I think we're going to be bringing this society on a journey with us, to live in harmony with Pokémon.

 

[Poke Dragon]

Here is the mention about trading:

 

[Oriden]

Someone brought up a good point on Discord; do we think there is a blue form of Basculegion?

I wonder if it might get a separate evo, even. That would finally give some point to it even having the two forms.

 

[Esserise]

For what it's worth, I highly doubt that they'll ever consign actual Pokémon species - the heart and soul of the franchise - to some sort of contrived "extinction" in the name of continuity. Between reviving extinct Fossils, and having other Pokémon that have lived for potentially thousands of years, I think having a Wyrdeer walk around in the modern day wouldn't be too hard to write off.

 

[nickdt]

For what it's worth, I highly doubt that they'll ever consign actual Pokémon species - the heart and soul of the franchise - to some sort of contrived "extinction" in the name of continuity. Between reviving extinct Fossils, and having other Pokémon that have lived for potentially thousands of years, I think having a Wyrdeer walk around in the modern day wouldn't be too hard to write off.

I mean, they can make it so Wyrdeer/Stantler were introduced in another region (Scandinavia), that was colder than Sinnoh and is even colder today and they can only exist there.

 

[Phosphene]

Hisuian Braviary​

Spoiler

• CATEGORY
  Battle Cry Pokémon
• TYPE
  Psychic/Flying
• HEIGHT
  5'7"
• WEIGHT
  95.7lbs.

Spoiler

A solitary bird Pokémon that flies in from the north in winter​

When Rufflet in the Hisui region evolve, they become Hisuian Braviary. In the winter, this Pokémon flies in from somewhere farther north. It’s larger than the previously discovered form of Braviary and tends to live alone rather than in flocks.

Spoiler

Shock waves of psychic power​

Hisuian Braviary can imbue its eerie screeches with psychic power to generate powerful shock waves. It then uses its sharp talons to tear at and seize prey weakened by these shock waves. Apparently, it can also use its psychic power to sharpen its sixth sense and enter a trance that boosts its physical abilities.
Source: Hisuian Braviary | Pokémon

Just coming in to say that I think Hisuin Braviary is most likely based on Stellar's sea eagle. Patterning on the wings is similar and it's said to be larger than regular Braviary (Stellar's sea eagles are larger than bald eagles).

 

[Phosphene]

Apologies for the double post, but...

Someone brought up a good point on Discord; do we think there is a blue form of Basculegion?

I'm going to say yes, just because I think it would be weird to only give the Red form an evolution. Since we didn't see it, however, I'm wondering if it looks drastically different from the red form--if it exists, that is.

 

[Oriden]

Oh, comparing the maps is kind of revealing too- Hisui does appear colder than modern Sinnoh. Also the right side of the region has gotten a bit of a revamp. And the Battle Zone island is just... seemingly not there. XD

 

[Esserise]

Oh, comparing the maps is kind of revealing too- Hisui does appear colder than modern Sinnoh. Also the right side of the region has gotten a bit of a revamp. And the Battle Zone island is just... seemingly not there. XD

Surely the Battle Zone is the volcano up in the top-right, no? If I recall correctly, the original games even talked about how the BZ used to be just a harsh wilderness.