Can We Finally Admit That Pokemon Legends: Arceus Is Bad?

thegamer.com:

When it comes to new releases, I try my best not to yuck anyone’s yum. I remember how excited everyone was for Pokemon Legends: Arceus when it came out in January, and how much fun everyone was having hunting down their Big Buizel and save scumming to hunt shinies more efficiently. Except for one (earned) diatribe against Bagin the Bag Man, I kept my mouth shut at the time. For once we actually got a new kind of Pokemon game, and I’m glad people were enjoying it, even if I wasn’t.

However, it’s almost Game of the Year time and I can’t hold it in any longer. Now that we’re ten months removed from it, it’s time to really examine its strengths and weaknesses and face the truth. If you’re being honest with yourself, do you really think Legends: Arceus is a good video game?

Related: Did Cynthia Just Throw The Most Important Fight Of Her Pokemon Career?

If you still love Legends: Arceus, I totally get it, I’m a huge Pokemon fan myself. I have literally traveled around the world to talk, play, and write about my love of Pokemon, and if you’re the kind of person who would dig a hole for fun if the shovel had a Pikachu on it, you have my blessing. I’m not here to tell you you shouldn’t like Legends: Arceus, I’m just saying it's a bad game.

I’ll also admit that the first hour is great. Sneaking up on Pokemon and catching them in real time is novel and exciting, and I enjoyed being able to freely explore the Obsidian Fieldlands. I was eager to discover everything there is to see out there in the world, but it didn’t take long before I realized there isn’t actually anything to see.

All of Legends’ maps are big, flat, barren wastelands filled with nothing. There’s nothing cool to find, no puzzles to solve, and no stunning vistas to