Review aggregator Metacritic has published the Metascore for Pokemon Legends Arceus.

With 41 critic reviews at the time of this writing, Pokemon Legends Arceus has been given a metascore of 86. Notably, this is the highest metascore given to any mainline Pokemon game released on Switch so far, topping Pokemon Sword/Shield which received a metascore of 80, Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee with a metascore of 80, and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl with a metascore of 73.

You can read some of the reviews below:

VGC ~ 100

Pokémon Legends is the breath of fresh air the series has needed for so long. It may not have been apparent from the trailers, but this is one of the most entertaining, engaging and engrossing games in the entire history of the Pokémon series, and is highly recommended to both long-time fans and complete newcomers.

Comicbook.com ~ 100

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is easily the strongest Pokemon game made in recent memory and should provide unforgettable memories that rival the first time a player first encountered a favorite Pokemon or conquered their first Pokemon Champion fight. It’s a must-buy Pokemon game destined to land on many “top games of the year” lists and should bring countless new and lapsed fans to the franchise.

NintendoWorldReport ~ 90

An astoundingly smart improvement on the tried-and-true Pokémon formula. It’s not without its blemishes, largely in the dreadful visuals, but the foundation laid here is what I hope the Pokémon franchise pivots to more in the future. It twists the focus just enough to make the experience of filling out a Pokédex more engaging, all the while filling battling and catching with way more variety. Legends Arceus doesn’t quite catch them all, but it’s satisfying the whole way through and makes me thrilled for the future of Pokémon in a way I haven’t been in years.

Nintendo Life ~ 90

Pokémon Legends: Arceus feels like the result of Game Freak learning lessons for 25 years, refining the formula, and finally taking the franchise in a new, incredible, exciting direction. With its emphasis on extremely rewarding exploration, addictive catching mechanics, a fine roster of Pokémon and a genuine sense of scale that’s unlike anything in the series, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is quite simply one of the greatest Pokémon games ever made.

Dexerto ~ 90

For years, fans have begged Game Freak for deeper storytelling and Pokemon Legends Arceus absolutely delivers that. Players who have stuck with the series from the beginning will be blown away by how many lore-specific elements are tackled…Unlike previous titles, the game is packed with side quests, exploration, and an emotionally rich narrative. While technically a Diamond & Pearl origin story, it is a love letter to the overall franchise that fans will not want to miss out on. This is the most exciting that the Nintendo RPG has been in years and a blueprint for how the series can move forward in the future.

Game Informer ~ 88

Pokémon Legends: Arceus charts an exciting new direction for the series, while still maintaining many of the core tenants that made Game Freak’s franchise so beloved in the first place.

GameSpot ~ 80

Some of the new ideas in Arceus have rough edges, and it’s slow to start before you get access to many environments and mounts. This is an awkward first step, and it was a big adjustment for me, a longtime fan of the series, to make. Once Pokemon Legends: Arceus finds its stride, though, it’s the most daring and inventive the series has been in years, breaking apart the staid core and creating something new and exciting from its pieces.

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