Is Pokemon Legends: Z-A Worth It?

The new Pokémon game, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, is now available, and many players are understandably hesitant about buying it right away. This is because recent Pokémon games, such as Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl and Scarlet & Violet, received mixed reactions from fans, despite the overall popularity of the Pokémon franchise.

After a long development process, *Pokemon Legends: Z-A* has a lot to prove to dedicated *Pokemon* fans. While the game isn’t perfect, it offers plenty of enjoyable features that make it worthwhile. If you’re unsure whether to purchase it, here’s a breakdown of the game’s strengths and weaknesses to help you decide.

Pro: The New Style Of Pokemon Battles

The Real-Time Combat System Is Very Refreshing

I’m really loving the combat in *Pokemon Legends: Z-A*! The biggest change is that you can now move around the battlefield with your Pokemon, positioning them to dodge attacks and set up powerful moves. Honestly, I was a little worried about such a big change at first, but now that I’ve played it, I can confidently say it’s a fantastic system and really adds to the experience.

Honestly, *Legends: Z-A* features some of the most engaging combat in any core *Pokémon* game. Battles are faster, more exciting, and more unpredictable than before. To win, players need to think quickly and make smart choices, rather than simply selecting the most powerful move. *Pokémon* fans have wanted a fast-paced, real-time battle system like this for years, and *Legends: Z-A* delivers perfectly.

Pro: Mega Evolution Is Back!

This Beloved Mechanic Takes Center Stage

The sixth generation of Pokémon games introduced Mega Evolutions, a battle feature that let fully evolved Pokémon temporarily transform into even more powerful versions of themselves. These transformations were a big hit with fans, so many were disappointed when the feature was removed in the eighth generation of games.

Good news for fans! *Pokémon Legends: Z-A* brings back Mega Evolutions – a popular feature that hasn’t been seen in a main *Pokémon* game for over seven years. What’s really exciting is that Mega Evolutions aren’t just an addition; they’re central to the game. *Legends: Z-A* includes all-new Mega Evolutions (like Mega Dragonite and Mega Hawlucha), and players will also encounter and battle powerful, rampaging Mega Evolved Pokémon affected by a strange event called Rogue Mega Evolution. This makes Mega Evolutions feel truly integrated into the game’s world.

Pro: The Return Of The Legends Formula

This Is A Worthy Follow-Up To One Of The Best Games In The Franchise

In early 2023, *Pokemon Legends: Arceus* received a lot of positive attention for its fresh approach. It was a more open-world game where the focus was on catching, researching, and completing the Pokedex, and it removed random battles and trainer fights. Many fans felt this was a much-needed change for the series. Because of this, some were a little let down when the next installments, *Scarlet* and *Violet*, largely returned to the traditional *Pokemon* gameplay, even though they did include some significant updates.

I’m so excited for *Pokemon Legends: Z-A*! It seems like it’s building on everything I loved about *Legends: Arceus*. You can still sneak up and catch Pokemon without battling, which is awesome, and there’s still that frantic dodging when a wild Pokemon spots you first. From what I’ve seen, the big battles against those Rogue Mega Evolved Pokemon feel like a really cool step forward from the Noble Pokemon fights – like a natural progression of a system I already enjoyed!

Pro: It’s A Continuation Of The Kalos Storyline

This Underrated Region Finally Gets The Love It Deserves

While *Pokemon X* and *Y* weren’t necessarily *bad* games, they didn’t feel as captivating as previous installments. It seemed Game Freak focused more on bringing the series into 3D than on creating a truly compelling and challenging experience. However, this wasn’t entirely unusual – earlier *Pokemon* generations also had weaker first releases, like *Red* & *Blue* or *Diamond* & *Pearl*. Those games eventually became fan favorites with their enhanced third versions (*Yellow* or *Platinum*), so many hoped a potential *Pokemon Z* would address the shortcomings of *X* and *Y* and add enough new content to make the overall experience much better.

Unfortunately, *Pokemon Z* was never released, and for over ten years, the *Pokemon* region of *Kalos* was only featured in two games. That’s why *Pokemon Legends: Z-A* is so exciting for fans – it feels like Game Freak is finally giving this region, inspired by France, the attention it deserves. Seeing Lumiose City with updated, high-definition graphics is stunning, and *Legends: Z-A* is a direct sequel to *X and Y*, taking place five years later. This means familiar characters will return and play significant roles in the new story.

Pro: It Looks Great And Runs Very Well

No Need To Worry About Any Technical Or Graphical Issues

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were generally good games, but they received a lot of criticism for their technical problems. Players experienced issues like slow speeds, missing details, objects appearing suddenly, and noticeable visual errors. This led many to believe the developers, The Pokémon Company and Game Freak, had rushed the game’s release. As a result, fans became concerned that the upcoming game, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, might suffer from similar issues.

Many people were worried this game would perform as poorly as *Scarlet* and *Violet*, but *Legends: Z-A* launched with almost no technical or graphical problems. While it’s not the most visually stunning game, it has a pleasing art style, a stable frame rate, and very few bugs. It runs flawlessly on the Nintendo Switch 2, but surprisingly, it also runs well on the original Nintendo Switch, which is a relief for players.

Con: Repetitive Environments

Takes Place Entirely Within Lumiose City

A big part of what made *Pokemon Legends: Arceus* so popular was its variety of landscapes. The game was set in an older version of the Sinnoh region, called Hisui, and featured a large map broken into five distinct areas, each with unique terrain, weather, plants, and Pokemon. When *Pokemon Legends: Z-A*, which centers on Lumiose City and its construction, was announced, many players hoped the game wouldn’t be limited to the city itself and that they could explore other parts of the Kalos region. Unfortunately, that won’t be happening.

The latest version of Lumiose City is huge and feels incredibly vibrant, offering plenty to do. However, the city environments in *Legends: Z-A* can start to feel a bit samey after a while. While the Wild Zones offer a welcome change of scenery, they aren’t substantial enough to fully offset the fact that the entire game is set within the same city. Fans are hoping the upcoming *Mega Dimension* DLC will introduce new locations, particularly other well-known areas from the Kalos region.

Con: Not A True Open-World Game

It Follows A Linear Mission-Based Structure

With *Pokemon Legends: Arceus*, the *Pokemon* series began experimenting with open-world gameplay, and *Pokemon Scarlet* and *Violet* fully embraced this new style. While those Generation Nine games weren’t perfect visually or technically, players loved the freedom to explore the Paldea region and tackle objectives in any order they chose. This change felt refreshing and signaled an exciting evolution for the *Pokemon* franchise.

If you were hoping *Pokemon Legends: Z-A* would offer the same open-world freedom as *Legends: Arceus*, *Scarlet*, and *Violet*, you should know this new game is much more focused on a set path. While you can explore parts of Lumiose City freely at times, the main story is structured around specific missions that must be completed in a set order. Though this approach still works well for this type of game and the story is engaging, fans who enjoyed the greater freedom of recent *Pokemon* titles might be disappointed.

Con: Catching Pokemon Is Not As Important

This Game Is More About The Battles Than The Research

Pokemon Legends: Arceus was a really enjoyable game where you explored the outdoors, caught Pokemon, and helped Professor Laventon with his research – it was particularly appealing to players who preferred exploring over battling. Pokemon Legends: Z-A is similar, but it seems to be focusing more on battles than exploration this time around.

Catching Pokémon remains a key element in Legends: Z-A, with Professor Mable offering rewards like TMs for completing research tasks. However, battles are now the central focus of the game. Players will primarily be engaged in fighting powerful, Rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon or competing against other trainers in the Z-A Royale. While this new, fast-paced combat system is exciting, players who preferred a more relaxed experience might find this shift disappointing.

2025-10-19 22:09