In retrospect, Pokemon Legends: Arceus was a brilliant way for Game Freak to kick off a new kind of sub-franchise. Legends: Arceus has been lauded for its changes to the Pokemon formula, sending players into open environments with a greater focus on capturing monsters to complete their Pokedex than on battling to become a Champion. By setting the game's story in the past, Game Freak also took an opportunity to flesh out the lore of its universe by introducing the ancestors of recognizable characters.