The One Thing Pokemon Legends: Arceus Fans Can't Agree On
"Pokémon Legends: Arceus" may be the hit Nintendo was hoping the title would be, but some fans think the game is still divisive. Releasing only about two weeks ago, "Pokémon Legends: Arceus" has received no shortage of positive reception from critics, but some players feel like "Pokémon" games are still years behind other franchises.
"Pokémon Legends: Arceus" changes up the standard "Pokémon" formula by dropping players into a title that's much more closely structured to recent "Monster Hunter" titles than preceding "Pokémon" games. Taking players to large, open regions and allowing them to sneak around, research and catch wild Pokémon, the new title takes some bold steps away from series norms. That being said, it's not the gameplay that has vocal fans upset — it's the visuals, which some are even going as far as to call dated.
Not all players are impressed with how "Pokémon Legends: Arceus" looks and they've got something to say about it. Many have come to the title's defense, saying that "Pokémon Legends: Arceus" improves by leaps and bounds over its predecessors, but one side can't sway the other. Both camps of players have some valid points, but it's clear that the visuals are the one thing "Pokemon Legends: Arceus" players can't seem to agree on.
How Much Do Poképixels Matter?
It's clear some "Pokémon" fans are agitated, likely by the feeling that there's never been a game that captures the scope and visual potential franchise is capable of — though an argument can be made that "Pokémon Legends: Arceus" makes strides to reach this milestone. However, these upset fans also aren't even sure where to direct their rage, as evidenced by commenters responding to YouTuber ProsafiaGaming tweet calling out the game's graphics.
One commenter pointed the finger at Game Freak, saying, "Little work = great profits [because] they know pokemon fans are happy to get anything at all." Countering this argument, one fan responded, "It's not GameFreak, it's Nintendo. [T]hey just want the games to be made as quickly as possible so they can sell merch and trading cards." Fans don't know who to blame, but they seem to know what they don't like. Namely, issues with draw distance and pop-in have been at the forefront of discussions, alongside the constant hum of players believing "Pokémon" games should look significantly better by now.
Based on the overwhelming popularity of the title, it wouldn't be surprising to see these vocal fans get exactly what they want in a future "Pokémon" title. After all, "Arceus" has already made some much-needed revamps to the regular series formula.