Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Do you also have a slightly toxic relationship with a specific type of fast food? Maybe you bring home a chocolate bar in a moment of weakness, or you simply can't resist a Big Mac, but the idea is basically the same. You know it's not made under the best conditions, or that it doesn't give your body the optimal combination of nutrients, but at the same time, you insist that everything doesn't necessarily have to be "minimised" and that there's room for fraying and less than optimal decisions.

That's what the modern Pokémon games are like, an experience that is now seriously marked by rough edges, obvious glitches, flaws, and shortcomings that are not just technical, but run deeper, right into the backbone of Game Freak's way of designing and executing. But despite all that, whether it's dazzling nostalgia or perhaps a suitably entertaining premise, you enjoy it anyway, either because you allow yourself a moment of weakness or because you are more steadfast in your belief that not everything needs to be explained, measured, and compared.

And yes, I must, somewhat regretfully, announce that this slightly complex relationship between fan and developer will continue with Pokémon Legends Z-A, which once again delivers an overly underwhelming technical world, a continued curious lack of voice acting, and at times stagnant design conventions, but which is then combined with this completely rudimentary, fundamental love for the franchise, the rules of the game, and the gameplay loop that is presented.

Okay, so that was the essayistic opening, let's get down to what we're actually dealing with here. This is called "Legends", but it's actually a pretty clear farewell to the open expanses of Arceus, where there was a huge focus on catching countless Pokémon out in the wilderness. It's not that this is directly missing in Z-A, but this takes place primarily and exclusively in Lumiose City (a slightly misunderstood play on Paris - just without all the charm), where you can catch individual wild Pokémon in the streets and on rooftops, but primarily do so in the so-called Wild Zones. There are far fewer types per Wild Zone on average, and EXP. Share is turned down quite a bit for catches, so Z-A becomes a kind of mix between more classic chapters and Arceus. This is good if you are a classic player who picks a fixed team and sticks with it throughout, but there is not the same thirst to fill your PokéDex because, strangely enough, it has been made a lot more difficult. So now you know.

We will (unfortunately) return to Lumiose. The story is... well, it's not particularly impressive. Game Freak tries to give us a colourful cast of characters and mystery surrounding the so-called "Rogue Mega Evolutions". In fact, in some instances, there is evidence that Game Freak has grown as storytellers, and this can be seen in particular in what could be called the game's third act, just as was the case with Arceus and especially Scarlet/Violet, but all character and presence is sucked out by once again dropping voice acting. There is no intensity in these scenes, no energy, just a vacuum, and it's downright unforgivable that a studio with Game Freak's resources, and with a fairly obvious desire to tell a story, chooses to do it this way.

And now that I'm complaining. The idea of the city as a singular setting is fine, and in fact there are lines, situations where the inhabitants debate whether living side-by-side with wild animals in this way is a good idea at all. But the execution is lacking, and you probably knew that already. The verticality is provided by ladders and lifts that allow you to explore the city's rooftops, which works quite well, actually, and this is where the city really comes into its own. But down at street level, it's one grey facade after another. Yes, it runs smoothly at 60fps on Switch 2 and is far more technically polished than its predecessors, but that's also because a balcony is actually a 2D JPEG that has been control-c/control-v'd onto every window on a given surface - and that's how it is throughout Lumiose, with only a few actual breaks.

A flawed storyline, a critical lack of voice acting, a failed city concept - it doesn't look good, does it? Just like a nutritionist would look at your BigTasty Bacon with raised eyebrows, and you're forced to pull out the good argument that "it just tastes good, for crying out loud". And Pokémon Legends Z-A tastes good. Gathering resources on a rooftop, catching a glimpse of a Riolu out of the corner of your eye, and imagining it as a permanent part of your team for the rest of the experience? It feels great. Seeing Eevee evolve into Umbreon after a long night of levelling up? It feels great. Filling out your PokéDex and being rewarded by Mable with new TMs? It feels great. There's a very basic rhythm here that doesn't reinvent the wheel, but again consists of enough satisfying elements to make the whole thing endlessly entertaining. It's not that this loop is particularly broad; you hunt for new Pokémon in a Wild Zone, complete side missions on the side, check your PokéDex for possible evolutions, buy a new piece of clothing along the way, and end up in battles in the evening to push towards your next Z-A Royale battle. Yes, there is distraction, that's clear, but you already know the basic Pokémon formula, and even though that fantastic Arceus freedom is limited, and even though Scarlet/Violet's three-part mission structure is also conspicuous by its absence, Pokémon, in my view, is solid enough as a foundation that it can survive these sacrifices.

Therefore, when all is said and done, this is a positive review. And it may be that I am helping to make excuses for Game Freak, which prevents them from feeling the need to develop this formula. But there are innovations here, you can't take that away from them. For example, the battle system has been given a boost that actually works surprisingly well. Your Pokémon still have four abilities, but instead of being turn-based, there is a rudimentary internal cooldown from when you use each ability, and the same applies to your enemy. This makes the system much more active. As in Arceus, you can move around freely, but now your Pokémon doesn't stand still, it moves with you. Therefore, with a little ingenuity, you can actually avoid enemy damage by, for example, strafing away from a Rollout or backing out of Dig. You can play it as before if you are either... well, a child, or don't want to bother with these fundamental changes to the physical dimensions of the attacks, but if you want a high "skill ceiling", this is much more interactive, deep, and satisfying. We're not quite there yet, because, funnily enough, some of the strategic restraint from the turn-based games is missing, and you often feel like you're just spamming attacks to stay comfortable in your internal cooldown, but as a seed that will grow over a long period of time, possibly in collaboration with the series' most dedicated fans, this is a good start and represents a real desire to take the formula in new directions.

The battle system also comes into its own in the game's Mega Evolution battles. When you use one yourself, it's as boring as it gets, a slightly remixed design for a limited period without extra moves or different animations, but the "Rogue Mega Evolutions" you fight against act as a kind of boss battle, and for the first time there are, for example, area-of-effect moves that mean you really have to move with your Pokémon to survive. No, it's not mega deep (pun intended), but it's the first time Game Freak has utilised 3D space for more movement-based strategy, and it gives these "bosses" a little more dimension.

There are many obvious things Z-A could have done differently, or better. If it's all going to take place in a city, why is it so undetailed and rough around the edges? And how does it serve the Legends formula to limit the number and variety of Pokémon you can catch in the restricted Wild Zones? Why does Game Freak have an obvious ambition to tell a compelling story, only to leave out the most crucial component - the voice acting?

The questions pile up, and with Game Freak's resources, it's hard not to be distracted by these headscratchers. But at the same time, when all is said and done, the studio still manages to deliver a Pokémon experience that is worth the time investment, at least for me. And the last thing that is quite crucial. I will not explain away or excuse Game Freak's bizarre way of constructing their games, nor will I claim that it makes sense for these AAA titles to be so incredibly stingy with rudimentary details such as 3D-modelled balconies in a city inspired by Paris, or voice acting. But at the same time, this is fundamentally a game that is once again about collecting, developing, and battling with Pokémon. That's what you do most, and that's what works best. The point is that your enjoyment of Z-A is entirely determined by how much you already enjoy this specific formula, because without that "Pokémon pull", it's not quite on point.