‘Pokémon Legends: Z-A’ - nearly legendary

By Paul Harrington Staff Writer When “Pokémon Legends: Arceus” launched in January 2022, many fans including myself were impressed by the distinct change in the elements of gameplay. The “Legends” spinoffs revisit regions that have already gotten mainline games but focus on different time periods. “Legends: Arceus” was set in ancient Hisui, which was meant to be a prehistoric version of generation four's Sinnoh region. The fundamentals of catching Pokémon and battling other trainers were shifted to fit a "real-time action” model and a sandbox-like open world for the player to explore. Although I played the game through and through, l wouldn't be lying if I said there was so much the game could have done better. That’s why when I got news of the next iteration in the “Legends” series, I was already full of thoughts of how this could be better than the previous game. Trailers were shown of a customizable protagonist running around a remodeled version of generation six’s Lumiose City in the Kalos region. Many fan-favorite characters from the Kalos region made their appearance, alongside a fresh batch of new characters for fans to become acclimated with. The thing that stood out the most though, was the return of Mega Evolutions. In short, Mega Evolution is a phenomenon where certain Pokémon have enhanced fighting capabilities, and flashy designs. “Legends: Z-A” was slated to release in October 2025 on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. When I actually got the game, I enjoyed it. But I also felt like there could have been so much more. When you start the game, it acts as a fresh slate for the character - a new life, a new city, and new memories! Your new home is known as Hotel Z. It’s run by a mysterious man referred to as “AZ” and three other trainers known as Lida, Naveen, and Taunie. The game does a tremendous job of guiding you through the move, as you get a job your second day in the city - talk about easy money! Surely the city is full of interactive establishments for you and your Poké pals to relax at. Although, Lumiose City looks cool at first, it gets very boring after a while. In my opinion, where the game excels and stands out lies within its customization and character design. Kalos was known for having stores that allowed you to buy clothes to customize your trainer. This time around the stores are back and better than ever! Clothes are not locked behind a specific gender, so you can buy and wear whatever clothes you want. Your new life in Lumiose City is interlinked with the narrative of the game. You cycle between day and night. During the day, you’re free to do whatever. During the night, the battle zones emerge which allow for you to participate in the Z-A royale. You start at rank Z, and fight all the way until you reach A. In the grand scheme of things, the Z-A royale is not too hard and I felt like the battles could have used a tad bit more difficulty. What was a good challenge however, were the Rogue Mega Evolution battles. Throughout your stay in Lumiose City, you and your friends get tasked with fighting various Rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon. These poor fellas suffer immense pain during this process, and lash out with their sheer force as a result. The best way to counter a Rogue Mega is to use your own Mega, but some of the battles have attack patterns that are sure to throw you off once or twice. Don’t get me wrong, “Legends: Z-A” is an amazing game, but I think it’s not wrong to want more from a game. Certain aspects of the game felt like they deserved more content to satisfy players. Other aspects were, well, legendary. Rating: A- Gotta buy it all