Pokémon Legends: Z-A Review

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With the tenth generation of Pokémon on the horizon, I’m starting to think about the future of the series and where it’s going.

Having grown up with Pokémon, I still find myself wanting something truly new and exciting from the series. I realize many of us are no longer kids, but I can’t help but hope the franchise will surprise us with something amazing.

For years, I hoped for a massive, open-world Pokémon game similar to Breath of the Wild, but it never came to be.

I thought maybe Pokémon Legends: Arceus would be it. It wasn’t.

While Pokémon Legends: Z-A isn’t the expansive, open-world Pokémon adventure some fans hoped for, it still delivers a solid and enjoyable experience.

This game isn’t revolutionary, and it doesn’t drastically change the Pokémon formula. However, it’s still a solid and enjoyable Pokémon experience, even if it doesn’t feel entirely fresh.

That Old Familiar Feeling

Pokémon Legends: Z-A evokes the same feelings that most modern games in the franchise do for me.

At first, I was really enthusiastic, but quickly became discouraged by how much guidance I received right away. Even after being given more freedom, I still felt micromanaged hours later.

When it does get going, the core gameplay loop of Pokémon Legends: Z-A is actually incredibly fun.

Games for kids don’t need to hold players’ hands so much, but Pokémon still seems to think its audience can’t figure things out on their own.

Fortunately, as you progress in Z-A, it starts to feel much more welcoming and builds trust with the player. It’s just a bit frustrating that it takes a while to reach that point.

Honestly, once Pokémon Legends: Z-A really gets going, the actual gameplay is a blast! It’s super engaging and I find myself really getting into it.

It’s incredibly enjoyable to explore Lumiose City, catch Pokémon, and level up your team, then use those skills to compete in the nighttime Battle Zones and rise through the ranks of Z-A Royale.

This game really makes you feel like you’re moving forward. Unlike older Pokémon games where you measured progress by collecting gym badges, this system makes each battle feel more important and impactful than it has in recent titles.

Honestly, for once I felt like I was working towards something *more* than just beating the Pokémon League. And with the series feeling a little stale lately, like each game was just following the same old formula, this new goal was a really welcome change. It felt… refreshing!

Rank And File

I spent most of my time playing Pokémon Legends: Z-A simply appreciating how beautifully the game’s world is designed. This has been an area the Pokémon series has struggled with recently.

I’m excited for the main Pokémon games to eventually adopt the open-world style of Breath of the Wild, but these smaller, side games are a great opportunity for the developers to try something different – focusing on more traditional gameplay.

Lumiose City feels cozy and really draws you in. It’s not a huge place, and that’s actually one of its best qualities.

As you explore Lumiose City, you’ll discover your own special places – the shops, cafés, and Pokémon Centers you enjoy the most.

One of the best parts of the game is exploring – running across rooftops, hunting for valuable items like TMs, and tracking down your favorite Pokémon. I personally spent hours searching for Lucario, and it was totally worth the effort!

The game isn’t perfect, but it runs much smoother than other recent releases. You might notice some minor issues with objects appearing suddenly or things loading in from a distance, but overall performance is strong.

It’s a small problem, but it’s still happening in certain situations.

The world of Lumiose City feels tight, focused, and immersive.

As you explore the city, you’ll notice it changes and grows along with you. You’ll find more Wild Zones appearing, Battle Zones expanding, and you’ll gain more freedom to move around and discover new areas.

Side quests in Pokémon Legends: Z-A are surprisingly enjoyable – a welcome improvement over recent games. There’s a good mix of activities to discover, and dedicated players could easily spend around 70 hours completing everything the game has to offer.

The Great Debate

The discussion over whether Pokémon should have voice acting probably won’t ever be settled, but I increasingly feel like it’s something the games really need now.

The game is particularly disappointing because, despite having some beautifully made cinematic scenes, the lack of voice acting really detracts from the overall experience. It just doesn’t quite work.

The characters’ lips move in sync with their speech, which is a nice touch, but the sound design is really strange and distracting. I don’t expect top-tier audio like in games such as The Last of Us, I just want something that sounds polished and doesn’t feel like a glitchy, unfinished scene.

The rest of the story follows a familiar pattern for the series, featuring a simple plot about friendship and some villains causing trouble with Pokémon.

I really like that the games are trying to build out the world with more backstory and explore the complicated relationship between people and Pokémon. It’s just a shame it hasn’t quite come together in a way that feels really impactful, you know?

The characters are definitely interesting, and the game still has that classic, fun Pokémon spirit. It keeps the quirky writing style that’s been a part of the series since the beginning, and I really hope it always does.

The music is a standout feature, skillfully weaving together familiar themes and melodies from throughout the series. In fact, Legends: Z-A boasts one of the best soundtracks of any recent game, including a truly exceptional battle theme.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Pokémon seems to be stuck in this weird position of being unable to grow up with its audience.

Game developers like Naughty Dog have grown alongside their audience. This evolution is clear when you look at their journey from creating the playful ‘Crash Bandicoot’ to the cinematic ‘Uncharted’ series – a transition they’ve handled remarkably well.

I don’t think Pokémon needs to completely change into a big, action-packed game like you’d see on PlayStation, but it definitely needs something to shake things up and get it moving in a new direction.

Pokémon seems to be stuck in this weird position of being unable to grow up with its audience.

Legends Z-A isn’t a groundbreaking title; it’s simply an enjoyable little game with fun combat and a good soundtrack.

Okay, so the gameplay itself is really fun, but honestly, the way the game *looks* and feels just isn’t grabbing me. It needs a bit more polish to really pull me in.

As long as Pokémon keeps relying on lengthy, silent cutscenes and overly detailed tutorials, it will struggle to move beyond its current formula.

Closing Comments:

Pokémon Legends: Z-A isn’t the major new Pokémon game many fans are hoping for. While that might be a letdown, these side games are still enjoyable and can keep you entertained until the next big release. Don’t expect a deep story or characters with spoken dialogue, but the core experience of catching and battling Pokémon remains a fun adventure.

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2025-10-20 22:11