Pokémon Legends: Arceus was so close to being a new, completely revolutionary Pokémon game at its release. Legends: Arceus gave players new mechanics for catching and battling Pokémon and a new semi-open world to explore. It still had the main focus on catching and battling Pokémon though, even with the veiled premise of research.
While Pokémon Legends: Arceus gave Pokémon fans a new experience with its new catching mechanism and new battle-type moves, it still follows the same formula that other Pokémon games have had. The player is tasked with "researching" Pokémon by catching or battling as many as they can while also taking on a powerful, godlike Pokémon. This formula has worked since the release of Pokémon Red and Blue in 1996.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus could have been a game that focused even more on the research aspect of Pokémon instead of the battling aspect. Legends: Arceus encouraged players to research Pokémon and complete the Pokédex more than any previous Pokémon game; however, its main focus was still catching and battling as many Pokémon as possible. A Pokémon game that focused more on studying the actual Pokémon would be revolutionary.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Missed An Opportunity To Focus On The Pokémon
One of the only Pokémon games that doesn't have the player catch and battle Pokémon is Pokémon Snap. While the Pokémon Snap games are not in any way perfect, they do focus more on researching Pokémon and observing them in their natural environment. Combining this aspect with the research aspect of Legends: Arceus would make the perfect Pokémon game.
In both the Pokémon Snap games and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, players have a chance to observe Pokémon in the wild. Legends: Arceus is a better safari-like experience because of the ability to freely roam the area, but both games allow players a chance to watch Pokémon from a distance. Giving players the chance to learn about Pokémon just by observing them, taking pictures, and interacting with them would be a refreshing change to the normal battling and catching players have to do to complete their Pokédex. Legends: Arceus started to move in this direction with some of its research tasks like feeding Pokémon or seeing them use certain battle moves. There were also a few quests in Legends: Arceus that focused on observing Pokémon in the wild.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus also started to give players more of an opportunity to use Pokémon in a way to help other people and build up a village. Players had to catch certain Pokémon so they could be used for farming, building, and even security. Legends: Arceus should have added town-building to expand on this aspect. Pokémon being a vital part of the community instead of a means of entertainment would open up a whole new way to study Pokémon.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus was so close to being a truly better version of a Pokémon game. Completing a Pokédex should require less battling, more studying, and focus on Pokémon and how they can help others with their abilities. While battling will always be a part of the Pokémon franchise, future games have lots of room for improvement and increasing the ways humans can interact with Pokémon.
