Pokemon Legends: Arceus Has a First Person Mode....Sort Of

Pokemon Legends: Arceus gives players the options to switch over to a first-person perspective, a first for the Pokemon game franchise. The new Pokemon game provides a radically different take on many of the mechanics that we've seen in every Pokemon game since the beginning of the franchise. For instance, players can now choose to toss Poke Balls at Pokemon at will, although a Pokemon can only be caught when it's not actively attacking (or attempting to attack) the player. Because players can also move around as they chuck Poke Balls or other objects at a wild Pokemon, Pokemon Legends: Arceus also includes a "focus" feature so that a player can automatically lock onto a wild Pokemon while trying to avoid their attacks. This focus feature comes with an unintended side perk to it – when players don't have a wild Pokemon to focus on, they can enter into a first person camera mode. 

To enter the first person view mode, players simply need to hold down on the ZL button. Players can still move around while in the first person view mode, although once they attempt to throw something or a wild Pokemon gets within range of them, the view will automatically shift to third person so players can get back to the business of catching Pokemon or dodging their incredibly deadly and dangerous attacks. 

We recommend using the first person view mode while at Jubilife Village or in an area where the Pokemon aren't hostile to you. You can even send out one of your Pokemon so that you can see them up close and uninhibited. It's a fun feature that players can use to immerse themselves even further into the game, which is already one of the strongest in the franchise.

While the first person view mode isn't a primary feature for Pokemon Legends: Arceus, it's another way that the game attempts to innovate on the already successful Pokemon game formula. If Pokemon Legends: Arceus is successful and Game Freak decides to make more of these games, we could definitely see a future game having the ability to switch between first and third person perspectives. While switching into a first person mode puts players at a disadvantage for attacks from behind, it's just another intriguing possibility for where the Pokemon franchise could go from here. 

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is now available for the Nintendo Switch.