Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes place in a version of the Pokemon world that’s practically unrecognizable, and it has nothing to do with the fancy new open world mechanics. Hisui is unlike any other region in Pokemon. Despite physically occupying the land that will one day become the idyllic Sinnoh region, Hisui is a cold and unforgiving place where untoldℱ dangers lurk around every corner. There’s remarkably little trust between people, and even less between people and Pokemon. Fear of the unknown is a defining characteristic of Hisui, which permeates almost every interaction you have in the game. We talk a lot about how different Legends: ꦍArceus is mechanically, but what surprised me the most was the constant, relentless hostility you experience throughout most of the game.

Long before you’re ever attacked by a raging Snorlax (168澳洲幸运5开奖网:too long, in fact) you’re introduced to a cast of characters that all hate your guts. In this tribal era that seemingly predates air t🔯ravel, the people of Jubilife Village aren’t used to meeting outsiders, especially ones who fall out of a portal in the sky. They’re understandably hesitant to embrace you until you prove you can be valuable to them. After catching three Pokemon for the feckless Professor Laventon, he immediately introduces you to Captain Cyllene, a severe woman who looks like she’s never once laughed in her life. Over dinner later that night, Laventon tells you that you’ll need to prove yourself a capable Pokemon researcher if you want to eat. Cyllene reiterates this quid pro quo the next day, saying that if you fail to pass her test, you’ll be cast out of the village and forced to “meet your fat🙈e - and perhaps your death - in the wilds.”

Never before has a character in a Pokemon game threatened to indirectly kill you, and Captain Cyllene isn’t even a villain. This is a far cry from the traditional Pokemon story about a chipper ten-year-old kissing th🌳eir mom goodbye and heading out on the adventure of a lifetime. Pokemon games have dealt with world-ending and reality-destroying events before, but we’ve never experienced anything so harsh and discompassionate before. Right from the start♐ Legends tells you that Hisui is not a kind place, and that’s before you head out into the wilds where the Pokemon try to murder you.

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All these years playing Pokemon, I always thought we were the aggressor when encountering wild Pokemon. I imagined they were all out there in the tall grass and in the ocean just vibing until we came along and forced them to defend themsꦍelves. Legends reveals that no, in fact, most wild Pokemon will try to body you on sight. I don’t know why I didn’t pick up on that after so many years of fleeing Zubat infested caves, but Pokemon games have 𒈔never made the world feel like such a dangerous place until now. In every other Pokemon game, running into a wild Chansey is a treat. In Legends: Arceus, .

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The people of Hisui have not yet discovered just how important the connection between people and Pokemon is. This is why there is so much antagonism in the world on Legends: Arceus, and why your role as a time-traveling Pokemon trainer is so important. As you journey throughout Hisui taming the rageful Noble Pokemon and restoring order, you teach the people how to work with Pokemon to make the world a better, safer place. Your exhaustive research also helps people understand Po⛄kemon better and fear them less. The side quests where you deliver Pokemon to the villagers feel like the most important quests in the game because they help people form relationships with Pokemon, thus laying the groundwork for the kind and compassionate world of Pokemon that we know today.

There’s a colonialism critique to be made about the way we snatch Pokemon from the wild and put them to work on a farm, which I definitely don’t want to gloss over. That said, there’s a lot of joy to be found in helping turn Hisui into a kinder, more cooperative place, and you only get that because it starts in such a cruel and pitiless place. I like to think thatﷺ wild Pokemon became more docile and less dangerous over time because we helped bring harmony to people and Pokemon in Legends: Arceus. It may look like a spin-off, but Legends: Arceus feels like the most consequential Pokemon game of all time.

Next: We Don’t Need Let🀅’s Go Johto, We Need Po𓂃kemon Legends: Celebi