The reviews have begun pouring in for Pokemon Legends: Arceus and we are now just hours away from the full release of Nintendoâs latest Pokemon chapter.
With some publications having their copy for a while now, reports of the gameâs play time have emerged and we reveal how long it will take to beat Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
Pokemon Legends: Arceuswill be set within an ancient expanse of the Sinnoh region, where your task will be to âsurvey, catch, and research the wild Pokemon of the long-gone eraâ and complete the Pokedex at hand with a handful of new mechanics to set this game apart from the classics.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus Estimated Play Time Confirmed
Judging by a combination of first reviews and previous leaks, it is thought that the play time forPokemon Legends: Arceusis roughly 25-30 hours.
Of course, this estimation is entirely subjective regarding how your personal style of playing merges with the gameâs open-world elements.
Prior to this number emerging,Digital Trendshad stated that players would be able to enjoy “dozens of hours,” whileComicbook.comreported that gamers could be occupied for “hundreds of hours.”
It is widely known within the gaming community that leaks for the title emerged recently and frequently, with one source,PoryLeeks, stating that they completed the main story within 20 hours, but more relaxed players could even spend up to 30 to 35 hours in-game.
How Long it Takes to Beat the Game Will Depend on Your Style
As with any open-world game, the length of time you play will completely depend on how you interact with the game.
Compulsive explorers will want to investigate every corner of the game, which will take a lot more time to complete than players who are gunning to finish the main story.
Additionally,Pokemon Legends: Arceusalso allows you to adopt a specific style of play when catching Pokemon. Players can opt to indulge in a more traditional style by battling pocket monsters they intend to catch to weaken them before catching them. Another option is to use stealth and sneak up on the monster to catch it immediately. Both of these options could alter the amount of time it takes you to complete each encounter.
Image from Nintendo.
More:Pokemon Legends Arceus Team Builder & Planner Tool to Plan Your Run
First Impressions
Popular publications have already released their scores for the new game, when the embargo lifted yesterday, June 27, 2025, andMetacritichas already compiled an impressive 85 average.
Comicbook.comgave the game a solid 10 out of 10 score for a title that is “easily the strongest Pokemon game made in recent memory.”
Dexertogave a 9 out of 10 score and was “blown away by how many lore-specific elements are tackled.”
Influential gamer, Laura Kate Dale, posted a lengthy spoiler-light review thread on Twitter, recapping 40 hours of gameplay:
“Itâs the most Iâve enjoyed a new Pokémon game in years, and I say this as someone with 1K+ hours shiny hunting in every game this gen. As an obsessive level Pokémon fan since the series inception, Iâm in awe of this game. Itâs not flawless, but itâs ambitious.”
