Pokémon Legends: Arceus review – makes even old-school fans feel childlike again

Nintendo Switch; Game Freak/Nintendo
More than a quarter of a century since the cuddly critters were first sent in to battle, the magic of those early adventures has finally been recaptured

Ever since the monochromatic thrills of 1996's Pokemon Red and Blue, I've dreamed of embarking on a sprawling 3D Pokemon adventure. While 2019's Sword and Shield did their best to belatedly bring the series' love-worn formula in to the third dimension, a lack of real innovation left the franchise's legions of older fans despairing over their Pikachu plushies. More than two years later, the ambitious Pokemon Legends: Arceus sees creators Game Freak attempting to really modernise the series.

Dispatched on a time-travelling mission by none other than Pokemon God, Arceus, Legends begins with your adolescent avatar plummeting through a portal to the past. Mercifully, the titular divinity isn't completely unreasonable - you're at least sent on your way with a fully charged smartphone. Cheers, your holiness. As calming flute melodies float around your ears and dramatic feudal-Japanese fonts fill the screen, it's hard not to be swept up in the novelty of it all. At least until you take a closer look at your surroundings.