Pokemon Legends: Arceus will invite players to enjoy a more (semi) open-world experience when the game drops for the Switch later this month. One copy has made its way into the hands of an anxious player, and as is so often the case, screenshots and videos have begun to leak across social media platforms. The PokeLeaks subreddit came to life yesterday when one anonymous user claimed to have received a copy of the game ahead of schedule. While the legitimacy of this claim can’t be validated, those wanting to go into the game completely blind may want to steer clear, just in case.
One post on the Subreddit shows Arceus‘s map screen, followed by the 15-year-old player character being led through a series of tutorials introducing the game’s world and functions.
Footage from the game has also been shared on Twitter. One example shows the character engaging in an introductory battle in the new region, and while some are questioning the authenticity of the leaks based on the clothing worn by the player character, some sort of time travel can’t be ruled out. For more videos, the PoryLeeks Twitter page has continued to post over the past 24 hours, so there’s plenty to see.
Arceus players will travel to the Hisui region to discover both new and old variants of existing Pokemon. This is the past version of the Sinnoh region featured in the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games. Players will join the Galaxy Expedition Team’s Survey Corps in Jublife Village before starting their exploration of the mysterious new setting. Arceus will include an action order combat system, in which the order a Pokemon attacks will depend entirely on its abilities and speed stat. Pokemon will be able to use either strong style moves, favoring power over speed, or agile moves, prioritizing speed over strength.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is scheduled to release on the Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022. A 13-minute gameplay video was released last week, showing off the more action-oriented gameplay. Another brief trailer released earlier this month teases the title’s crafting and gathering features.