Nintendo is gearing up to release Pokémon Legends: Arceus later this month and with that, the company is teasing fans with the biggest look at the game yet. Today, the company released a brand new video on their Japanese Nintendo YouTube account showcasing the game like never before. Although the video is completely in Japanese, it reveals plenty of new information about the game and offers some great examples of gameplay. Check out the six-minute video below.
The introductory video illustrates what Pokémon Legends: Arceus has in store for players in the Hisui region. The video gives fans a look at some of the locations, Pokémon, and NPCs in the game, as well as provides the best look yet at the HUD and menu screens that Nintendo has released so far.
Nintendo has described Pokémon Legends: Arceus as an open-hub game, similar to the popular Monster Hunter franchise. First looks at the game made many fans believe it was open-world and would be Pokémon’s version of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo denied these assumptions and this new video gives players a look at the hubs. Their size seems considerable and perfectly apt for riding around on a flying Pokémon.
The gameplay in the trailer is particularly interesting as it depicts players catching Pokémon in a completely new way. In one instance, the character is shown simply exploring the region when they happen upon a Pokémon in the wild. The player does not automatically get taken into battle with the Pokémon but instead, simply throws a Pokéball at it. The Pokéball does its iconic three-movement shake and then lights up, signifying the Pokémon had been caught. While another scene shows the player in an actual battle, it looks like Pokémon Legends: Arceus will change the perspective of the game and make each encounter feel a bit more natural.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus launches on January 28, 2022, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.