New Pokemon Legends Arceus gameplay: 5 things we learned

Game Freak is opening up the map for Pokemon Legends Arceus with plenty of new gameplay details emerging in the lead up to its worldwide release on Nintendo Switch.

Arceus will be the Pokemon franchise’s first dive into an action RPG complete with open-world portions where players will interact with creatures like never before.

Ahead of the game’s January 28 release, Nintendo have shown off 13 minutes of new gameplay that revealed more about what the Hisui region will have in store for old and new Pokemon fans alike.

In the video, we saw different ways Game Freak wants to open up exploration and interactions with Pokemon giving us a clearer picture of how capturing ‘mons will play out in Pokemon Legends Arceus.

1. Gathering materials/Resources

Pokemon’s crafting system is alive in the Feudal era of Sinnoh. In Legends Arceus, trainers will forage for raw resources and gather materials to craft Pokeballs and other helpful items.

Players will be able to go to a base camp’s workbench to mix Medicinal Leeks and Vivichokes with Apricorns and Tumblestones to craft Poke Balls and Potions.

2. How Pokeballs work with battles

Battling a wild Pokemon until it’s weak isn’t the only way to catch it. Pokeballs can be thrown at unsuspecting Pokemon, but if your attempt fails or you’re discovered that’s when you have to wear it down.

Distract and sneak up on Pokemon to then use a Pokeball outside of combat. Throw a Pokeball with one of your Pokemon inside near a wild creature to initiate an encounter.

3. Initiating Pokemon Encounters

As an adventure, trainers will discover different Pokemon behaviors that will make every encounter a bit different. Some Pokemon react differently to trainers while some are more aware of their surroundings than others.

Throwing Pokeballs at a wild Pokemon can grant players an extra turn in battle. Along with the Agility and Swift moves, this will give trainers another dimension of strategy to think about when encountering Pokemon.

4. Research levels

Different types of Pokemon will have a research level depending on how many tasks you’ve completed for them or how many you’ve caught.

Raising your research levels will increase your rank in the Galaxy Expedition Team’s survey corps and will unlock new areas to explore.

5. Hisui villager requests

Hisui villagers will have a ton of requests players can complete for rewards and items. This will encourage players to catch different Pokemon and explore the region while going through the main story.

• Read more: Pokemon Legends Arceus Mystery Gift codes

Tasks range from simple goals like catching a specific creature to taking down powerful Pokemon.

Pokemon Legends Arceus is launching soon and there’s bound to be a lot more to discover throughout the Hisui region.