Pokemon Legends: Arceus has the potential to be the Pokemon game of my childhood dreams, and it comes so close to being just that. By shifting the Pokemon formula to focus on enhanced open-world exploration, and the quest to catch 'em all, Pokemon Legends: Arceus has truly revolutionized the series for a more modern audience. But that's not to say that it's perfect, as there are a couple of elements that hold this experimental Pokemon game back from being the very best the series has ever been. What it is able to accomplish is impressive, particularly for a 25-year-old series that's always been a little rigid with its formula.
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00:00So, you want to be the very best? Well, Pokemon Legends Arceus is a big change from the traditional
00:07Pokemon formula. This really isn't your average Pokemon adventure. Yes, you're tasked
00:14with making the region's very first Pokedex, but with no Elite Four, no gyms, and very
00:19few Pokemon trainers in sight, you might need a helping hand to get you off the start line.
00:24So here are our top tips to get you started in Pokemon Legends Arceus.
00:32If you're a Pokemon pro, you will no doubt notice some big changes when it comes to evolution
00:36and how your Pokemon learn new moves in this title. Firstly, your Pokemon will no longer
00:41automatically try to evolve once it hits a certain level or fulfills a specific criteria.
00:46Instead, your crew will let you know when they're ready to evolve, and then it's
00:50up to you to decide when it happens. You do that by selecting the Pokemon you want
00:54to evolve in your party menu, and then hitting X.
01:00And it's the same deal when it comes to your Pokemon learning new moves. They'll
01:04still unlock new moves at certain levels, but rather than having to choose then and
01:07there which moves to retain and which to forget, new moves are just added to a move library
01:12of sorts. Go to your Pokemon and hit A to open the menu, then tab down to change moves.
01:19In here you'll find all the moves your Pokemon has learned so far, and you can switch
01:23them out at will, anytime you like. It's super handy for finessing your team's moveset.
01:30The initial zone, Obsidian Fieldlands, is absolutely teeming with medicinal leaks, and
01:36they're possibly the most useful resource in the game. You'll use them to craft revives
01:40and other craftable healing items. But as you move on to other areas, you'll find
01:45they appear a lot less. So whenever, wherever you can, stock up on those green goodies,
01:52because there's nothing worse than being caught without a stock of revives when an
01:56angry alpha attacks.
02:02Some trees and rocks will be seen doing something rather strange in Hisui, wriggling. Well,
02:07if you spot one, throw a Pokemon at it, because some Pokemon can only be found hiding in trees
02:12and other objects. So if you want to catch them all, make sure you keep an eye out for
02:16those wobbly trees.
02:23When you first go up against an alpha Pokemon in Hisui, it's a daunting experience. But
02:28as your Pokemon gets stronger, and you obtain better quality Pokeballs, it is actually possible
02:34to catch an alpha without battling it. Just make sure you sneak around them. You can use
02:39tall grass to hide, or just desperately avoid their eyeline. Either way, don't do anything
02:44to alert them to your presence, like interacting with the world or catching another Pokemon
02:50nearby.
02:52When you're close enough, just let that Pokeball fly and keep your fingers crossed.
02:59The general rule of thumb is that when using Agile or Strong Style for your attacks, is
03:03that Agile moves are less powerful, but let you chain two moves together. While Strong
03:08Style moves are more powerful, but will make you forgo that next turn. However, that's
03:14not always the case. It might be that your Agile move now will earn you an extra move
03:19later on, or not at all. And the same with Strong Moves too. You can make the action
03:24order appear on the screen by hitting Y whilst in battle, and make sure you keep an eye on
03:29it to know what effect your style switching will have on the turn order.
03:35Pokemon Legends Arceus lets your Pokemon earn XP in a number of ways, and it works
03:39a little differently to previous titles. Firstly, your entire party will earn XP from catching
03:44and defeating other Pokemon, unless any of them have fainted. In a trainer battle, you'll
03:50have to defeat the entire opposing party before you can bank the XP. This isn't great for
03:56situations where you're left with one Pokemon standing at the end of a fierce battle. In
04:01this case, your entire party won't benefit from the XP.
04:06Pokemon you use to interact with the world will earn individual XP. For example, if you
04:11use a Pokemon to break a rock or shake a tree. You'll also find XP candy items by exploring
04:17the world, as well as catching and defeating Pokemon. These come in small, medium or large
04:22sizes and can be fed to individual Pokemon in your party for an additional XP boost.
04:30Pokemon stones and other seriously useful items can be found by defeating wild Pokemon,
04:35but that's a bit of a gamble when you're after something specific, so make sure you're
04:39using the trade post in Jubilife Village. You can buy special items from there using
04:44merit points, which you'll earn from collecting and returning lost satchels you'll find in
04:48the world. It's super handy if you're after a particular Pokemon or item.
04:53Thanks for watching, let us know in the comments if you have any great tips for Pokemon Legends
04:57Arceus and we'll all help each other become the very best. You can watch our full review
05:02of the latest Pokemon game right now on our YouTube channel. And finally, remember to
05:06head over to gamesradar.com for all the latest gaming news and reviews.