Pokemon Legends: Arceus Backtracks on Pikachu's Development
From the moment it was revealed, there was no doubt that Pokemon Legends: Arceus was far from a traditional Pokemon game. The RPG franchise is usually deeply rooted in its own traditions, but now Game Freak has created a title that defies hallmarks of the franchise. For one thing, Pokemon's iconic Pokedex has been overhauled in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, featuring much more complicated completion mechanics; players also get greater rewards than ever for working on it. Pokemon Legends: Arceus makes progress in plenty of other departments, like its crucial crafting system, greater options in catching Pokemon, and battles that pose an active threat to the protagonist.
However, in some ways, Pokemon Legends: Arceus also seems to have taken steps back. Not every change it brings is an advancement for the franchise. For instance, some players might have noticed that Pikachu doesn't say its name as its cry; it has returned to making a signature noise like every other Pokemon. Pikachu fits in better as a result, which is good, but the move is still confusing because of what it suggests about past and future Pokemon games. Will Pikachu no longer distinguish itself, or is Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Pikachu just an outlier because of its place on the Pokemon timeline?
How Pokemon Legends: Arceus Hints at Generation 9's Region
When the Pokemon franchise started, Pikachu would make a bespoke cry at the start of battle just like any other Pokemon. As time went on and Pikachu became a face of the franchise through the Pokemon anime, Game Freak replaced that noise with a clip of Pikachu saying its name. That move isn't so strange, since Pokemon always speak in altered versions of their own names, but Pikachu stood out for generations because
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