Pokémon Legends: Arceus: 6 details we love

Pokémon Legends: Arceus brings big changes to the mainline Pokémon experience. Trainers are thrust into its vast open-world, and for the first time, players get to do some of the fighting and catching themselves, rather than just leaving it to the Pokémon. What’s more, the series takes place in a completely different time period, hundreds of years in the past. In doing so, it introduces big questions: How was the very first Pokedéx created? The game reimagines Pokémon, and presents a fresh way to play and see the storied world.

As the Polygon team plays through the game, we can’t shake the feeling that so much of what makes the game shine are the tiny details about the world’s design. What makes the game so memorable doesn’t just lie in getting pummeled by an Alpha Pokémon for the first time, or having some epic battle, but in the little details like the crackle of an animation or the facial expressions of characters. Polygon staff decided that we would share our favourite details so far and why we loved them. Here’s what captured our hearts as we played through the game.

Crouching to see your Pokémon

Image: The Pokémon Company via Polygon

As a child, the adults who sat down and spoke to me from my eye level were my favourite. It’s a sign of acknowledgement and respect that helped me feel loved. It’s why I like doing this with my team. Pokémon Legends: Arceus. In the game, you can release your Pokémon from their Poké Balls and have a conversation with them while crouching. Stooping down is usually used to sneak through the grass, but I’ve just adored seeing screenshots of people crouching next to their favorite Pokémon. Your trainer even responds by smiling when you talk to them, which conveys a sense of intimacy that I like to see in Pokémon games. — Ana Diaz

Watching my Snorlax become a successful farmer boy

It is important to start early Pokémon Legends: ArceusOnce you have earned enough apricorns, you can access a farm where you can get any crafting material you desire. And after a bit of progression, you’ll be able to lend a Pokémon to the farmers in order to expand your field. This is a delight not only because you’ll get some additional farming options, but because you get to watch your Pokémon chill out by the field every time you come into town. I love walking by my Psyduck as it’s staring into the void each time I collect my apricorns. My huge Snorlax, which is a large bird that flies in the breeze while the farmers are working the soil, makes me smile. — Ryan Gilliam

Everyone’s surprised face

Image: The Pokémon Company via Polygon

It was the first time that I had ever seen a person in my life. Pokémon Legends: ArceusSurprised face. It happened very early in the game. My rival started talking trash about the professor. The professor later showed up to listen in. The face my rival made was incredible — mouth open so wide that I could see his molars. The timing was perfect and the result was just right. It turns out that this expression is quite common in Hisiun, and I still can’t get over its absurdity. This face makes me smile every single time. —Nicole Carpenter

The crackle of the Poké Ball when you catch a Pokémon

Catching monsters Pokémon Legends: ArceusThis has never been more simple. Now, you can walk up to any Pokémon at any point and bonk ‘em with a Poké Ball. In an hour, a skilled trainer could catch several creatures. While catching the Pokémon is usually its own reward, I find myself looking for the satisfying, fireworks-like crackle that plays every time you successfully catch a Pokémon. It’s a glorious detail that makes the repetitive action of catching even more fun. — AD

The sound of the flute

Image: The Pokémon Company via Polygon

The flute used for calling Pokémon — like Ursaluna Wyrdeer — is a callback to the flute in Pokémon Diamond and PearlIt was never included in the final game. Also, the sound it makes sounds straight out of “The Sound Of…” The Legend of Zelda – Breath of the Wild. It’s such a simple, satisfying sound, and I find myself pushing that button just to hear it more often. —NC

Your trainer’s arms in the running animation

Pokémon Legends: Arceus Either you can walk slowly and crouch, or you could run. As you dash about, your trainer’s arms have this noticeable way of flailing about, as if they have the stiff arms of a Barbie toy. It lends an adorable awkwardness to how the trainer moves. The arms look sort of long and gangly, which feels perfect for a character that spends all their time throwing Poké Balls. — AD