Pokemon: Legends Arceus features a host of brand-new Pokemon and regional variants.
During today's Pokemon Direct, Nintendo introduced a host of new arrivals that haven't previously been seen in the series. First up is Wyrdeer, an evolution of deer Pokemon Stantler, that's grown accustomed to life in the harsh mountain environments of the Hasui region - the name attached to what will eventually be known as the Sinnoh region. During the showcase, we got to see the player character using Wyrdeer as a mount.
The next new arrival shown off was Basculegion, an evolution of fish Pokemon Basculin. The trailer also shows the character using this Pokemon as a water-based mount, but the story behind it is a little alarming. Nintendo says that Basculin will only evolve into Basculegion if it's inhabited by the souls of its former shoal-mates, which could make for an interesting levelling experience.
Unfortunately for Wyrdeer and Basculegion, their existence in Pokemon Legends: Arceus is likely to mean an unfortunate end. Since the game is set hundreds of years before the events of the other games, it seems likely that these evolved forms eventually went extinct, as they don't exist in the modern-day games.
More happily, however, the new footage also revealed regional variants of two Pokemon. Hisuian Braviary is a wintery form of the Gen 5 flying Pokemon, and is imbued with Psychic powers, likely trumping its traditional normal typing. Hisuian Growlithe has also adapted to the cold, with extra fur to keep its head and chest warm. A number of rock attacks on show in the new footage suggests that the Gen 1 Pokemon will get a second type in the new game, making it a Fire/Rock type.
This isn't likely to be a comprehensive list of new arrivals, so expect to discover more new evolutions and regional variants in the run-up to release, and after Pokemon Legends: Arceus launches on January 28, 2022.
Nintendo has confirmed that Pokemon Legends: Arceus is an open-world game.
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