Summary
Pokemongames aren’t exactly known for getting sequels, with most third versions being just different spins on the base games' concept, starting all the way back withPokemon Yellow. Although there have been sequels in the series, with the notableexception ofPokemon Black 2 and White 2,Pokemon Legends: Arceushas been skirting that concept since it was first released, but Game Freak and The Pokemon Company at large have been radio silent about potential follow-ups.Pokemon Legends: Arceuscould very well justify a full-fledged sequel or a spin-off series with the same name, with one game per mainline series region, but there’s also an argument to be made for the game to get a half-sequel.
Half-sequels are quite popular now for big AAA games, as they allow developers to focus their efforts on smaller-scale projects that are between full sequels and spin-offs.
In the case ofPokemon Legends: Arceus, a half-sequel game would make sense for various reasons. There are some plot threads introduced with the title that were never resolved since, and some others that seemed to point in the direction of a sequel or at least a spin-off series, but were never followed up on. As such, a half-sequel could be the perfect medium forPokemon Legends: Arceus' successor, buying The Pokemon Company time to determine whether it wants to commit to a full-scale series or just make another one-off title.
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How a Pokemon Legends: Arceus Half-Sequel Could Work
Why a Pokemon Legends: Arceus Half-Sequel Makes Sense
One of the biggest mysteries left unsolved in the game’s original run is the role and fate ofPokemon Legends: Arceus' Ingo. It’s unclear whether Ingo time-traveled to Hisui as a so-called “Faller” or if he was brought to the past in a similar fashion to the game’s protagonist. Likewise, the main character inPokemon Legends: Arceusends the story on a high note, but their fate is never officially confirmed.
APokemon Legends: Arceushalf-sequel could still feature Arceus as a guiding entity, but this time send the same protagonist of the first game to a different region or maybe explore Hisui once more through the eyes of someone else. A half-sequel could also take place in a different time or place, somehow circling back to the first game’s plot threads left unexplored and giving them closure. If a new protagonist were to be chosen, they could maybe find pictures of the main character fromPokemon Legends: Arceusin their old age, effectively confirming they remained in Hisui and never got back home.
Likewise, a half-sequel could have the protagonist chat with some of the characters fromPokemon Legends: Arceus, who might confirm that the previous protagonist traveled back through time and space. If the same protagonist is kept, however, then players could get aPokemon Legends Unovagame(or one based on any other region) where the character embarks on a new journey - either one that stems from their own free will or one that’s guided by the deities of thePokemonuniverse, once again. Both are interesting premises, and both would be solid options for a new game.
The half-sequel angle would also be great to complete some of theGen 5Pokemongamesplots tied toPokemon Legends: Arceus, maybe having Ingo reunite with his brother, Emmet, or learning why there were pictures of Alder in a camp in the original game. WhatPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Paradox Pokemon showed is that there were vastly different creatures in the world in the distant past and there will be other ones in the future, so the half-sequel could even have the main character travel to modern-day Unova. With so many possibilities, and with the option of not committing to another full-fledged series, a half-sequel forPokemon Legends: Arceusmight be the best option moving forward.
