Let's Talk About Pokemon Legends: Z-A For A Minute

Critical Review: A Bold Evolution with Growing Pains

Score: 7.5-8/10

Pokémon Legends: Z-A represents Game Freak's most ambitious departure from the traditional Pokémon formula yet, building on the foundation laid by Legends: Arceus while charting an entirely new course. Set exclusively in Lumiose City five years after X and Y, this urban-focused adventure trades sprawling wilderness for a densely packed cityscape—and the results are as fascinating as they are divisive.

The Good: Revolutionary Combat

The standout feature is undoubtedly the real-time battle system. Moving away from the strict turn-based combat that has defined the series for nearly three decades, Z-A allows both trainers and Pokémon to move freely in 3D space during battles. You'll dodge incoming attacks, position yourself strategically, and time your moves with precision. It's exhilarating in a way Pokémon battles have never been before, feeling more like an action RPG than a traditional monster-collecting game.

The return of Mega Evolution fits perfectly into this new combat paradigm. Watching your Pokémon transform mid-battle while you're actively maneuvering around the arena creates genuinely thrilling moments. The Rogue Mega Evolution phenomenon—where Pokémon Mega Evolve without trainers—adds an interesting wrinkle to both the story and gameplay, with special raid-style encounters that test your mastery of the new combat system.

Performance on the Switch 2 is solid, maintaining a smooth 60fps throughout most encounters. After the technical disasters of Scarlet and Violet, this alone feels like a victory worth celebrating.

The Mixed: Urban Limitations

The decision to confine the entire game to Lumiose City is Z-A's most controversial choice. On one hand, the city is impressively detailed and packed with activities—cafes, shops, hidden alleys, rooftop gardens, and mysterious underground passages all beg to be explored. The game does an admirable job of making you feel like you're living alongside Pokémon in a functioning metropolis.

On the other hand, even a densely packed city can't match the visual variety and sense of adventure that comes from exploring diverse biomes. The "Wild Zones"—gated park areas where wild Pokémon roam—feel somewhat artificial, lacking the organic sense of discovery that made Arceus so compelling. You're always aware you're in a city, which inevitably creates visual repetition that can wear on you over a lengthy playthrough.

The Story: Surprisingly Mature

Z-A tackles surprisingly weighty themes about urban development, corporate influence, and humanity's relationship with nature in an industrialized world. The narrative involving Quasartico Inc.'s redevelopment plan and the Z-A Royale tournament provides genuine stakes and interesting character development. It's a more grounded, less epic tale than Arceus, but it's told with confidence and treats players with more maturity than most Pokémon games dare to attempt.

The Verdict

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is an imperfect but thrilling step forward for the franchise. Its real-time combat system is genuinely innovative and points toward an exciting future for the series. While the single-city setting creates limitations that prevent it from reaching the heights of Arceus, the game compensates with thoughtful design, smooth performance, and a willingness to take risks. It may not be perfect, but it's proof that Game Freak is still capable of meaningful evolution.

Recommended for: Fans looking for something fresh, players who enjoyed Arceus, anyone willing to embrace change in the Pokémon formula.

---

Personal Review: My Journey Through Lumiose

After sinking over 80 hours into Pokémon Legends: Z-A, I have complicated feelings about this game—but ultimately, I'm glad it exists. I have been playing Pokemon since my collective days during the Gameboy Era, starting with Fire Red and Leaf Green and gently jumping into the Dungeon crawler game for the DS, Pokemon Ranger. It wouldn't be until the 3DS where I would be excited for another Pokemon game and Legends: Z-A was a kind comparison to X and Y in the best way.

First Impressions

Booting up Z-A for the first time, I was immediately struck by how different everything felt. Gone was the vast wilderness of Arceus; instead, I found myself dropped into a bustling city with towering buildings and narrow streets. My first reaction? Disappointment. Where was my grand adventure? Where were the sweeping vistas?

But then I started playing, and something clicked.

The Combat Changed Everything

I can't overstate how much the real-time combat system transformed my experience. The first time I successfully dodged a Charizard's Flamethrower by rolling to the side and countered with a perfectly timed Hydro Pump, I actually shouted in excitement. This is what Pokémon battles look like in the anime, and it's incredibly satisfying.

Learning to read telegraphed attacks, positioning myself behind pillars for cover during the Rogue Mega battles, timing my Mega Evolution activation for maximum impact—these became second nature after a few hours, and I never wanted to go back to the old system. Yes, it gets easier as you level up (like every Pokémon game), but the core loop remained engaging throughout my playthrough.

Living in Lumiose

My initial disappointment with the city setting gradually transformed into appreciation. Lumiose has a rhythm to it. I found myself developing routines—grabbing coffee at my favorite café before heading out, checking in with the same NPCs, discovering hidden rooftop paths that cut between districts. The city started to feel like home in a way no Pokémon location ever has before.

That said, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the variety. By hour 40, I was craving mountains, beaches, forests—anything to break up the urban monotony. The Wild Zones help, but they feel like compromises rather than solutions.

The Pokémon Experience

Building my team was a joy. With Tepig, Totodile, and Chikorita as starters (an unusual mix spanning different generations), I appreciated the fresh combinations. The game includes all Pokémon from X and Y, which brought back nostalgic memories while introducing plenty of options for team building.

Mega Evolution remains as cool as ever. The first time I Mega Evolved my Lucario in the middle of a tense battle, watching it transform while still actively fighting, felt like pure magic. The seasonal ranked battles encouraging me to experiment with different Mega Pokémon kept me coming back even after completing the main story.

The Frustrations

Let's be honest about the problems. At $70, this game feels expensive for what it offers. The graphics, while functional and smooth, aren't impressive even by Switch standards—textures are flat, building details are minimal, and there's a general lack of visual polish. The absence of voice acting in 2025 continues to baffle me.

The game's loop can become repetitive. Rank up in the Z-A Royale, complete some tasks, catch some Pokémon, battle some trainers, repeat. The story beats help break this up, but there were stretches where I questioned whether I was having fun or just going through the motions.

Final Thoughts

Despite its flaws, Pokémon Legends: Z-A won me over. It's not the perfect Pokémon game, and it's not even the best Legends game (Arceus holds that crown). But it's bold, it's different, and it respects players enough to try something new.

I genuinely hope the Legends series continues as Game Freak's experimental playground. Z-A proves they can innovate when they commit to it—they just need to combine that innovation with more visual variety, better production values, and perhaps a bit more confidence in taking even bigger swings.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely—but with caveats. If you're open to change and can forgive some technical and design limitations, Z-A offers a unique Pokémon experience worth having. Just maybe wait for a sale if that $70 price tag stings.

My Personal Score: 7.5/10

Hours Played: 80+

Platform: Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2

Completion: Main story completed, 70% Pokédex filled, currently working on Shiny hunting.

DLC Available Now in the Nintendo Store and New Content Available February 2026.