Pokémon Legends Z-A

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the newest game in the Pokémon series, set in Lumiose City, the same location featured in Pokémon X & Y. While Arceus' main focus was open-world exploration, Z-A focuses more on refined gameplay within a smaller world. The idea is good, but the result feels a bit incomplete.

Let's start with the good. I have played every generation of Pokémon games, so I have seen a lot, and honestly, the gameplay is fun, like very fun. It is different and dynamic. I like that they tried a more action-based approach, and it works well for Pokémon. Catching Pokémon, sneaking through areas, and battling all feel good, and there is a nice sense of progress in Lumiose City (even if I was surprised by how fast the progression was after a specific story part).

The characters are one of the best parts of the game. After Scarlet & Violet, which set the bar high for its cast quality, I think this is my second favorite group of characters. They are fun and not too annoying for a Pokémon game. I also really liked the sound design. The music and the sounds the Pokémon make really help bring the world to life.

That brings me to the bad. While the gameplay, sound, and characters really try hard to make this world interesting, it is held back by its outdated visuals. For example, there are no real balconies. You only see an image of one copied and pasted on a block. This is a shame, because the game has a lot of good qualities, but the visuals distract from them, and you always have this feeling of what could have been. I'll be blunt, sometimes the visuals make it feel like a demo.

The environment is also very repetitive. You are always confined to the city, and after multiple hours in this setting, I was a bit tired of seeing the same kind of environment. There are some interesting specific parts of Lumiose City, but they are not enough to really make it shine. The game would have benefited from going a bit into the wild because of the visual drawbacks. It would have diversified the world and made it easier to accept some of the visual issues.

Finally, we need to talk about the price. I understand that Nintendo raised the base price of their games. That being said, it is an expensive game, and the visuals and technical issues make you wonder why you paid that much. I would have been more forgiving of its flaws if the price had been lower.

In summary, even though the gameplay is fun, I don’t think it is worth the cost. I would suggest waiting to find a used copy if you can. I remember when I was a kid, I always thought we would see a big, beautiful Pokémon game with diverse environments, but the more time passes, the more I understand that it will take a long time before that happens.