Thanks to the release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus last week, Nintendo Switch owners are finally getting to grips with the latest installment of Game Freak’s iconic JRPG series. While the core concepts of catching, training, and battling that have made Pokemon a global phenomenon remain present, most of the franchise’s mechanics have been altered in meaningful ways for the latest entry. The end result is a more action-centric experience that feels like a breath of fresh air in almost every department. One of the aspects of the game that’s central to this sensation is the Hisui region itself.
While the landmass that players explore within Pokemon Legends: Arceus often feels like its familiar present-day incarnation, Hisui is not only unique when compared to Sinnoh, it’s also one of a kind in a wider franchise sense too. Built from the ground up to simulate a more open-world experience, Game Freak has packed each of the 7 maps that make up Hisui with distinct Pokemon, landmarks, and quirks. Figuring out why the game’s protagonist has been propelled to the distant past, whilst working towards an audience with Arceus, is often subsequently tied to the process of exploring and understanding the Hisui region.
Jubilife Village
After falling through a Space-Time Rift at the start of the game, players eventually make their way to Jubilife Village. Out of all the maps that make up Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ Hisui, this charming period-appropriate settlement is the region that they will become the most intimately familiar with. Beyond being the destination that awaits players after every expedition, Jubilife Village is also the home to a number of important buildings. Services like a hairdresser, clothing shop, trading post, and a battle arena, have all been packed into the game’s second-smallest region. Even though there’s no Pokemon that can be caught traditionally in this space, Game Freak has made up for this by stuffing the region with callbacks and references to the franchise’s present day settings.
Obsidian Fieldlands
Upon completing Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ opening tutorials, players are finally given free-reign to explore the game’s first open-world hub. Dubbed the Obsidian Fieldlands, in reference to the landmarks that will one day be found here in present-day Sinnoh, it’s this temperate-themed biome where players will become familiar with the game’s mechanics. The Obsidian Fieldlands subsequently contains the typical geography that fans of the franchise have come to expect from the opening area of a Pokemon game. There are fields, forests, rivers, and hills that all contain an abundance of starter-friendly Pokemon like Bidoof, Geodude, Zubat, and Magikarp. This space is also the location where players will unlock the ability to ride Wyrdeer, during their quest to calm the region’s Noble Pokemon, Kleavor.
Crimson Mirelands
After reaching the Galaxy Team's Second Star ranking and defeating Kleavor in combat, players are granted access to the Crimson Mirelands region. Located within Hisui’s south-eastern corner, this map blends together swampy bogland, prairies, and dried-out meadows. Besides being the perfect location to farm some of Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ rarer crafting materials, this unique space also offers players the chance to add the likes of Gastly, Ralts, and Torterra to their Pokedex. It’s also the Crimson Mirelands where players will do battle with a Noble Hisuian Lilligant, after befriending the rideable Ursaluna. The latter is of particular note thanks to the fact that he acts as the game’s Itemfinder alternative, and is a handy way to farm evolution items.
Cobalt Coastlands
So long as they’ve reached the third star of the Galaxy Team’s ranking system, players will be allowed to venture to the Cobalt Coastlands after completing all the story content contained within the Crimson Mirelands. Considering how this region of Hisui contains an abundance of water type Pokemon, it’s little surprise that the locale is the place where Basculegion becomes accessible as a rideable companion. After adding the likes of Tentacool and Hisuian Qwilfish to their Pokedex, it’s recommended that players jump back to some of the game’s older regions though. With Basculegion assistance it’s possible after this point to explore some of their previously inaccessible spaces in order to catch new Pokemon that will help toward future unlocks.
Acting as Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ answer to the Surf HM find in older installments within the franchise, riding the ancient Basculegion also allows players to access the Firespit Island area of Cobalt Coastlands. Despite the region’s wider affinity with the ocean, this specific corner of the map happens to contain some of the game’s rarer fire type Pokemon like Magmar and Ninetales. It’s on this rocky archipelago where they will also do battle with the game’s third boss fight, a Noble Hisuian Arcanine.
Coronet Highlands
After beating Hisuian Arcanine and rising to the fourth star of the Galaxy Team’s ranking system, the Coronet Highlands become accessible to players. While the opening mission within the region sees them team-up with Ingo, one of Pokemon Black and White’s time-displaced Subway Bosses, after this point players are given free-reign to explore one of Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ biggest spaces. As its name suggests, this region of Hisui is home to the iconic Mount Coronet and an abundance of hardy Pokemon like Steelix, Gliscor, and Hisuian Sneasel. Exploration of the mountainous terrain, and an eventual boss battle with a Hisuian Electrode, is aided by the fact that players are granted access to Sneasler as a rock-climbing assistant at this point of Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
Alabaster Icelands
Even though the Alabaster Icelands is the final area with catchable Pokemon that players unlock, Game Freak hasn’t held back from a design perspective. Inspired by Snowpoint City from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, this biome is filled with ice type Pokemon like Snover and Snorunt. While the frozen tundra might appear to be devoid of interesting geographical structures at first, thanks to the fact that most of it lies under a blanket of snow, the Alabaster Icelands contain a surprising amount of detail. Besides the imposing Snowpoint Temple and Pearl Clan settlement, there’s several caves that players can stumble across that contain rare Pokemon.
When it comes to the requirements that players must complete in order to visit the Alabaster Icelands, things are relatively straightforward. Reaching the halfway point along the Galaxy Team’s ranking system, in addition to defeating the aforementioned Hisuian Electrode, are the only tasks that need to be fulfilled. That's a small price to pay, considering how the region is the place where players unlock the ability to fly via a helpful Hisuian Braviary. The Alabaster Icelands is also the home of Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ final Noble Pokemon, a Hisuian Avalugg, which is one of the more memorable boss battles in the game.
Ancient Retreat
One final unlockable area called the Ancient Retreat awaits those that are able to successfully make it to Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ final chapters. In what is by far the game’s smallest area, players will eventually meet a character known as Cogita, who is an ancestor of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl’s Cynthia. As her lineage suggests, Cogita has a vast knowledge of the Legendary Pokemon of Hisui, and how they connect to the ongoing crisis. Despite offering useful guidance and information, and the occasional post-game mission via Cogita, the Ancient Retreat is likely to be the location that players spend the least amount of time within.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available now for the Nintendo Switch.