Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a great new entry in the iconic monster-collecting franchise, outside of a few issues that seem to stick with the series. The story is enjoyable, the gameplay is stellar, and the new Mega Evolutions are a lot of fun to see – I just wish the game could look as good as it feels to play.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Developer: Game Freak
Price: $100 CAD, $70 USD
Platform: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
MonsterVine was supplied with a Switch 2 code for review.
Like millions of people around the world, I played Pokémon X/Y on the Nintendo 3DS when it first launched all the way back in 2013. As a high-schooler, I had a ton of free time, so I went hard on the first 3D mainline Pokémon title and sank hours and hours into it. When no third version came, I was admittedly a bit confused, as it felt like the story was meant to be expanded upon. Now, 12 (I feel immensely old, suddenly) years later, the story has been continued through Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and, for the most part, it’s an excellent follow-up.
One of the biggest changes to Pokémon Legends: Z-A comes in its battle system, which goes for a decidedly more real-time approach rather than the strictly turn-based mechanics of games past. Each move you use has a cooldown, which keeps a bit of the turn-based pace present, but you can freely run around and use attacks whenever they’re available. This makes battles feel a lot more dynamic and timing-based, so I rather enjoyed it as a refreshing shakeup.
Lots of quality-of-life improvements are still present here, too. You can freely evolve your Pokémon from the menu once they meet their evolution conditions, you can access your Pokémon storage boxes from anywhere, and moves can be taught freely without TM limits. Your attacks even get stronger after leveling up a certain amount, allowing them to be used as Plus Moves that take some Mega Energy but do extra damage. It’s a neat system that balances the use of Mega Energy well between the two different mechanics.
Speaking of Mega Evolution, seeing the return of Pokémon’s best mechanic is a wonderful bonus. Maybe it’s the Digimon fan in me talking, but I’m always happy to have my creatures temporarily transform into a more powerful new form. It’s pretty easy to get the Mega Stones for most Pokémon, so you can strategically build your team from the get-go with many Megas in mind.
There are lots of old and new Mega Pokémon to wield in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, with many of them sporting sharp designs. There are a couple of clunkers here and there, but I’d say the ratio of solid to meh designs is firmly positive. Granted, I was pretty thrilled that my party, which was largely monsters that I’ve liked for a long time, could all become Megas, as it also helped make battles more exciting.
“The last few mainline Pokémon titles left me feeling underwhelmed, mainly by their narratives, so having a narrative that follows up on Pokémon X/Y’s plot in a satisfying way was a pleasant treat.“
One issue I do have with Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a recurring one with the series of late – it takes a good while to get started, as the beginning is a tad overencumbered with very hand-hold-y tutorials. I get why they’re there, but the ability to skip them or speed them up would be ideal, as I don’t need to be reminded of all the basic mechanics of the franchise. Once you’re able to actually explore the city and do as you please, it’s a blast, but there’s simply too much standing in your way at the beginning.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A has you exploring Lumiose City.
Exploring Lumiose City is a lot of fun, as there are lots of nooks, crannies, and shortcuts to discover throughout the open area. I was always thrilled to unlock a new Wild Zone to catch Pokémon in, and found the many, many side quests to provide me with both world-building and a reason to run around the town. Movement is a little clunky when you’re trying to platform between roofs, but it’s a pretty minor irritation.
Unfortunately, Pokémon Legends: Z-A also still struggles with having less-than-stellar visuals when it comes to Lumiose City. A lot of the areas and buildings are a bit dull and rough, which makes city exploration less exciting as it goes on. On the other hand, the colors for the Pokémon models seem to have had their more vivid shades and tones restored after a few games of paler, weaker coloring. It may sound like a small thing, but it makes the creatures look way better overall. The lack of voice acting is also sadly quite noticeable, especially towards the end when actual cutscenes pop up more frequently.
Finally, the story is surprisingly enthralling. The last few mainline Pokémon titles left me feeling underwhelmed, mainly by their narratives, so having a narrative that follows up on Pokémon X/Y’s plot in a satisfying way was a pleasant treat. The characters are much better written than I expected, too, with the main team of allies, AZ, and all of the peculiar rivals you meet standing out as creatively designed and likable characters. The ending is particularly good, as Zygarde finally gets its due as a true Legendary Pokémon so many years later. I do wish a few more X/Y characters popped up in the plot given the location, but it’s not a dealbreaker.
The Final Word
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is an overall strong step forward for the series, as it utilizes past mechanics alongside interesting new changes to great effect. The visuals are still underwhelming, and it takes a good while to get going, but other than that, this really does feel like the Pokémon Z we thought we’d get so long ago, but with plenty of exciting modern twists.
MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
