While trotting about the first free-roaming area of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, it would behoove you to visit the massive, angry Rapidash roaming the Horseshoe Plains. You’re sure to get on like a house-sized horse on fire.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus wastes no time in letting you know that Pokémon in the Hisui Region are not just standing around waiting for you to come along and befriend them (or capture them). Some will run away as soon as they spot you. Others will attack, pursuing you relentlessly across the green fields and attacking with their powerful special moves. The tiny, adorable pocket monsters attempting to murder you are almost cute. Then, you make your way around a large rock and you see this beast.
That is no cute, tiny Pokémon. That’s a level 40 Rapidash. It towers over your frail, human frame, the heat from its flaming mane making the ends of your hair curl. Get closer and you’ll see the glowing red eyes that signify this creature is an alpha of its species. You should probably leave it alone, unless you’re making a video for a gaming blog.
Here is the video of the Rapidash I made for our gaming blog. Witness me failing to take down the elite level 40 creature with my level 13 Oshawott. Watch in horror as the level 13 Oshawott is completely destroyed. See me try to throw a Pokéball, which does nothing, followed by me panicking and throwing a berry, which is even more ineffectual. Eventually, everything goes black. Fortunately, someone dragged my unconscious body back to camp before the Rapidash got around to eating it.
Having tiny Pokémon trying to kill you is cute. Having an Alpha Rapidash looming over you with angry red eyes is less cute. One might even say it’s a tense and frightening situation, something I’ve not experienced in a Pokémon game since Lavender Town. I won’t lie, it’s kind of nice. I can’t wait to see what other monstrous horrors await me as I continue working my way through Pokémon Legends: Arceus.