Hello Source Gamers & Trainers! PhantomZ2 is here to discuss the latest news revealed about Pokémon Legends: Arceus on September 28th, 2021.
If you missed out on my previous analysis with AShadowLink during the August 2021 Pokémon Presents, then you should check that out since I’ll be continuing our work from there.
To begin with our first acknowledgment, we finally have standalone trailers being uploaded again! While the first two trailers of both BDSP and Legends: Arceus were showcased in Pokemon Presents, The Pokémon Company seems to have moved back to their old format of just uploading trailers as we aim closer to release. Considering that this was done on a monthly basis for every previous title, I believe it’s fair to say that this will be the case here going forward – especially since November 19th is mostly just a month and a half away now.
So, let’s start our analysis in the order that the English trailer presented it – starting with the Riding Pokémon feature.
Riding Pokémon
Even though the Hisui region is an untamed venture for trainers to explore and research, certain Pokémon will be able to assist you in your journey as rideable mounts. However, the way to gain their assistance is through an item called the Celestica Flute.
By playing the Celestica Flute, certain Pokémon will be summoned to help you travel across land, sea, and air. Respectively, Wyrdeer, Basculegion, and Hisuian Braviary (though there may be more). Aside from traveling across different terrains and moving in different ways, you will also be able to continue your mission of catching Pokémon while riding. While it’s unknown if you’ll be able to do this with every Ride Pokémon, it was shown that you can leap into the air with Basculegion and quick-scope capture wild Pokémon.
Based upon the UI, it seems that you’ll be able to call these Riding Pokémon at situational will from scrolling through your different options at the bottom of the HUD. For instance, while you may be able to call Wyrdeer on land, you probably won’t be able to call for Basculegion if you aren’t near a body of water. Hisuian Braviary may be able to pick you up from both land and sky, as the previous Legends: Arceus trailer showcased the player character leaping off of a cliff and then ascending with the Pokémon.
One final tidbit comes with the music of the Celestica Flute, here is what it sounds like. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it is also the same notes as the beginning of the Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum intro when the Game Freak logo appears. This means that we can now say that these songs feature the Celestica Flute!
Wardens
Next, we have Wardens! While the lives of humans and Pokémon aren’t fully at the point of cohabiting, Wardens are other people like yourself that not only use Pokémon for battle but have been entrusted with caring for special Pokemon, including Ride Pokémon. Some are even referred to as Lords. Since the concept of a Pokémon Trainer has not yet been established at this time, these Wardens may serve as the majority of Pokémon Battles players will experience against other people.
The first Warden we meet is Mai, who is in charge of a special Wyrdeer that lives within Obsidian Fieldlands. Her partner Pokémon is a Munchlax, but she also has a special sibling-like relationship with it as they both grew up together. You may have noticed this instantly as I did, but Mai seems to be an ancestor of Marley, the gothic lolita Pokémon Trainer from Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum that had a special interest in the Mythical Pokémon Shaymin. In connection to her care of a special Wyrdeer, she also wears a unique bracelet that resembles the face of a Wyrdeer – thus probably representing the responsibility and badge of a Warden.
Next up is the easily frightenable Iscan, a brand new character. Although we’re not able to see clearly what Pokémon his bracelet represents in his artwork and from the trailer footage, the website informs us that he cares for a special Basculegion, “of the area.” We don’t have a specific area like we do for Mai and our next Warden, so it may be fair to say that he’ll be a Warden within a different area of the Hisuian region and that the ability to surf with Basculegion won’t arrive suddenly in our journey.
The third is Lian, who cares for the new Pokémon: Kleavor – who we’ll talk about in more detail later. However, I will state now that this Kleavor he takes care of is the Lord of the Obsidian Fieldlands. Although young, he’s been given the responsibility of a Warden due to being very talented. If you notice, his hat is awfully similar to Clay – the Ground-type Gym Leader of the Unova Region. As stated within the previous analysis, some Pokémon and people within the Hisuian Region aren’t natives. Professor Laventon, as stated within the last Pokémon Presents, came to the Hisuian Region with the starter Pokémon from other regions he’s traveled. Maybe it’s possible that Lian, an ancestor of Clay, came to the Hisuian Region along with Laventon – as one of the starter Pokémon is Oshawott, the Water-type starter of the Unova region.
The last Warden revealed to us is Arezu, who looks awfully similar to a certain Team Galatic member we know… but fortunately for us, she has no relation to the Galactic Team Survey Corps. As far as we currently know. Feeling a great deal of responsibility as a Warden, Arezu likes to handle things on her own. The special Pokémon she takes care of wasn’t revealed to us, but we do know it’s a “special Lady Pokémon”, due to the website’s character description. Considering that the information today showcased two Wardens that take care of Ride Pokémon and one that takes care of a Lord Pokémon, I would like to think that she also takes care of a Lord Pokémon – which would be even more responsibility for her to bear. However, given her clothing being similar to Mai’s and Iscan – who both take care of Ride Pokémon, she probably also takes care of a Ride Pokémon.
Although we can’t see her badge completely, we can see it features a light green color on its band – which means that we have enough information to potentially mark down what Pokémon she is responsible for. It could be a brand new Pokémon or a Hisuian variant. Honestly, based upon all of the green and lady-like Pokémon we know of, the only Pokémon that I could think of that you’d also be able to ride is… Virizion. I don’t feel as if they’d grant such a role to a Legendary Pokémon, so I’ll guess that it’s a brand new evolution for a pre-existing Pokémon.
One last thing about the Wardens. While I can’t say for sure how many there will be, I think it will potentially be broken down based on how the map is structured. Thanks to having the artwork of the Hisuian Map, we know that the region is mainly broken down into six sections: Jubilife Village and the other five being the main areas for you to research and explore. One of those areas is the Obsidian Fieldlands. I think it’s fair to say we’ll have five Ride Wardens and five Lord Wardens. This means that as of right now, we’re missing a corresponding Ride Pokémon for Arezu, a Ride Warden for Hisuian Braviary, and then a Ride Warden and Pokémon entirely.
Customization & Other Features
I don’t really have much to say about this, but you’ll be able to customize your trainer and also take photos with your Pokémon. One thing that I did find interesting was the person you go to for clothing! If you take a close look at the lady’s hair, she looks to be an Ancestor of the Battle Frontier’s Caitlin’s butler, Darach! Potentially an ancestor of Caitlin helps fund her store, that’d be an interesting nod to the relationship.
Additionally, it seems like the feature replacing Pokémon Boxes (since there aren’t any computers), will be Pokémon Pastures! Since you’ll only be able to keep six Pokémon with you at a time, the rest need someplace to stay while you’re out and about.
Noble Pokémon
Now, the highlighted feature of the new information – the Noble Pokémon. Noble Pokémon are similar to Ride Pokémon where they’ve been blessed with mysterious powers but don’t actively help the people of the region in the same way. The people of the Hisui Region see these Pokémon with great respect and the Wardens serve not only to protect them but to offer food and water to them. In that sense, these Pokémon and their locations may be akin to Shintoism – the various locations are shrines, the accompanying Pokémon are the kami, and the Wardens are the priests.
Unfortunately, a mysterious force has been causing these Noble Pokémon to spark into a frenzy and become Frenzied Noble Pokémon. Your duty as a member of the Survey Corps is to tame the frenzies of the Noble Pokémon. This will be done by engaging in active combat through dodging their attacks, countering with throwable balms made of their favorite food, and weakening to a point where you enter into a Pokémon battle with them.
The Noble Pokémon showcased in today’s showcase of information was Kleavor – a new evolution of the Kanto Pokémon, Scyther! As stated by the Pokémon Legends: Arceus website, there are special minerals within the Hisui Region that cause Scyther to evolve into this Pokémon. Through battle, these stones that are part of their new body will be chipped away into larger and sharper pieces – maximizing their slicing power with their ax-like arms. With its arms, it marks up and cuts down trees to note where its territory is. Additionally, the people of Hisui use the fallen pieces of stone from Kleavor’s body as crafting tools!
Personally, I think this design is very interesting. While its overall body scheme reminds me of Pokémon of the more modern generations, its eyes, color scheme, and formation of shapes do feel like a reconnection to the many sharp and tough-looking designs of the earlier generations.
The Arc Phone
Here is the final point of today’s information and this just comes from the official website. Early in your journey, you will receive an Arc Phone – a device that clearly has some sort of connection to the Mythical Pokémon: Arceus. Aside from the fact that it has some strange power, it also serves as a map. That’s as much as we know at this point.
Including such a device in what is meant to be the early days of the region where technology hasn’t developed to this point is very contradictory and leaves me a bit confused. Part of me believes that this decision may be due to wanting to connect the reality that players live in with the in-game universe so not every single thing is designed with an old, pre-technological system. However, another part of me thinks this may just serve as a nod to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its Shiekah Slate, which was also a piece of advanced technology in a time without such machines.
That’s all for this analysis. Considering this trailer was dropped at the end of the month, I imagine that the next trailer will also be dropped at the end of October. Was there anything that you noticed about the new trailers that I didn’t mention here? What did you think of the music showcased? I personally can’t wait to hear more of it, this is probably the most anticipated I’ve been for a Pokémon game’s soundtrack. Hopefully, the next trailer features new tracks and even more information that causes me to be even more pumped for Pokémon Legends: Arceus release.
