The Pokémon Company has stepped in to explain that Pokémon Legends: Arceus may not be the open-world Pokémon game fans have always dreamed of, but rather something more akin to Monster Hunter. In a statement sent to Kotaku, the company elaborated on its new game’s structure. Rather than delivering a The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild-like open-world Pokémon, Legends: Arceus apparently has segmented open areas like in Nintendo Switch’s Monster Hunter Rise. You can read Nintendo’s statement below:
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Jubilife Village will serve as the base for surveying missions. After receiving an assignment or a request and preparing for their next excursion, players will set out from the village to study one of the various open areas of the Hisui region. After they finish the survey work, players will need to return once more to prepare for their next task. We look forward to sharing more information about exploring the Hisui region soon.
The endless views and varied landscapes were two of the first things fans latched onto when Pokémon Legends: Arceus was revealed, generating speculation this was the big-budget, open-world Pokémon game they had always wanted. However, it sounds like Game Freak and The Pokémon Company have decided to give players more focused excursions.
Still, that isn’t to say Pokémon Legends: Arceus won’t have its own unique features when it launches on Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022. For example, an August gameplay trailer explained how the player character plays a more involved part in battles. A trailer from last month revealed even more, with an in-depth look at Jubilife Village, Noble and Alpha Pokémon, and Scyther’s new Kleavor evolution.
