Pokémon Legends: Arceus launches tomorrow for Nintendo Switch. It’s the boldest entry into the series in years. The new game dramatically shakes up the decades-old Pokémon formula, adding even more real-time action to the gameplay and expanding the scale of the setting. These tweaks and changes make Pokémon Legends a very different experience than Pokémon fans are used to. So ahead of its release, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about the game.

What is the story?

From a narrative standpoint, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is like a prequel to Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. The game is set in the distant past, when the Sinnoh region was known as Jade and the concept of Pokémon trainers and the Pokémon League had not yet been established.

You take on the role of a recruit for the Galaxy Team, an expeditionary group that undertakes various exploration missions across Jade. You will venture into different areas of the region to complete these missions. The overall goal is to capture Pokémon and eventually catalogue the first Pokédex for the region.

How does the game work?

As mentioned above, you will spend most of your time completing missions for the Galaxy Expedition Team. You receive missions from your base in Jubilife Village, the central area of ​​the game, and head out into the field to complete the missions. Some missions require you to not only catch Pokémon, but also observe certain behaviors, such as whether the monster uses a certain attack.

In the field, you can also collect materials such as berries, stones, and apricots, which can be used to create useful items such as new types of Pokéballs. Completing missions will gradually increase your rank within the Galaxy Team, unlocking new story tasks and advancing the story.

Catching Pokemon

Unlike traditional Pokémon games, in Pokémon Legends: Arceus you can see wild Pokémon roaming the environment, adding a new level of complexity to the catching process. Some monsters, like Starly, will flee when they sense your presence, requiring a silent approach, while others, like Shinx, are more hostile and will attack directly when they spot you.

Pokémon Legends also gives you a greater level of control than previous titles. This time, you’ll need to manually aim and throw Pokéballs to catch wild Pokémon. You can also send your own monsters into battle to weaken the wild Pokémon before you can catch them.

New battle strategies

Like other Pokémon games, combat in Pokémon Legends is turn-based, but the title introduces a new twist to the combat system in the form of fighting styles. This time, you can command your Pokémon to use attacks in either the Agile or Strong style.

The Agile style sacrifices some strength but allows your monster to move faster. Meanwhile, Strong style attacks take longer but are much more powerful, making them better for finishing off weakened opponents.

These new fighting styles bring a new level of strategy to combat. For example, you can command your Pokémon to quickly paralyze your opponent’s monster with an Agile-style Thunder Wave. This will slow them down, giving your monster more of a chance to follow up.

New Pokemon

While many well-known Pokémon make an appearance in Pokémon Legends, the game also introduces some new monsters. In addition to new regional evolutions like Wildear and Cleaver, various older Pokémon, including Zoroark and Voltorb, have hisui-exclusive forms. Here’s a roundup of the new Pokémon that have been revealed so far.

Jubilife Village

Between missions, you’ll spend a lot of time exploring Jubilife Village, the largest settlement in the hisui region. In addition to the headquarters for your Galaxy Team, the village is also home to a number of different shops, including a beauty salon and a clothing store where you can customize your coach’s outfit. You can also deposit the Pokémon you catch in the pasture and take photos with your monsters in the studio.

Are there bonuses for playing other Pokemon games?

Yes! If you’ve played other mainline Pokémon games on Switch, you’ll get some extra bonuses in Pokémon Legends.

If you’ve played Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl, after playing the game you can go on a mission to catch the Mythical Pokémon Darkrai. This mission is only available after completing the main story and watching the end credits. You can also get the latest Team Galactic uniform from the tailor.

If you’ve played Pokémon Sword or Shield, you can embark on an investigation mission to catch the Mythical Pokémon Shaymin. Meanwhile, Pokémon Let’s Go players will receive free masks for their characters Pikachu and Eevee.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus will launch exclusively for Nintendo Switch on January 28. Anyone who picks up a copy of the game by May 9 will receive two bonus customization items: the Hishian Growlithe Kimono Set and the Ferocious Fox Mask. For more on the game, check out CNET’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus review.