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Pokémon Legends: Z-A General Discussion

I've learned my lesson about making sweeping judgements on game design before I actually play the damn thing after my disastrous USUM essay but I think this game's version of Lysandre Labs is already my new favorite dungeon in the series just by looking at footage of it. It's not even that I'm an absolute sucker for the aesthetic of seeing previous iconography ruined and dilapidated (The Death Star II ruins from Rise of Skywalker are my favorite visual setpiece from mainline numbered Star Wars which is one hell of a thing to say given that movie's dismal reputation), it also has a fully-fledged old-school warp panel puzzle where you gotta collect Flare Scientist-themed key cards to make progress (at least that's what I surmised from the glances I got thanks to this video). Couple that with a wicked slate of wild encounters from Noivern to Beldum to Alpha Aegislash as well as a unique wild battle theme much like Lumiose Sewers and you got one hell of an atmosphere being built up.

Honestly profoundly encouraging that ever since Teal Mask it seems like Game Freak has gotten consistently good at 3D dungeons. Oni Mountain, Chargestone Cavern and the aforementioned pair from this game all rock
 
Took me until just now to realize that all the alpha Pokemon have 252 HP EVs when you catch them. Handy for training up for the PVP mode!

I am still bummed IVs are a thing, of course. I will keep complaining until this very bad system is abandoned for good. All the free rolls between alphas and most of the gift Pokemon are nice, but this wound deserves to be sealed for good.
 
CynicalGiant said:
there should be scaffolding and multiple ladders on the northwest of that roof, with a metal bridge off that roof, think you can even just roll off it onto the metal bridge on the other roof without even gliding
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ah! you're right, I somehow looked right past that entire section when i was circling around. Thanks, that screw was really bothering me.
 
Cheryl. said:
Unfortunately the game only makes wild Drampa available pretty late (I think once you reach Rank B?) despite the fact that you can get its Mega Stone way earlier.
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Yeah its Wild Zone 19. Really annoying as an NPC used Mega Drampa early on iirc, it was “seen” in my Pokedex for a long time. One of the best designed new Megas imo. Might just be my favourite.
 
Ranked is fun but I need the camera to zoom the fuck out. Its already hard to keep up with this battle system and it doesn't help it when half the screen is covered by a big fat alpha mega mon
 
Ear547 said:
I actually think it makes sense to do these given the revamped battle system. Pokémon games frankly don't do enough to really teach players about the battle mechanics aside from games like Stadium 2.
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Oh, I definitely think they have a place in the game, for sure. It’s just their categorization as “side missions” that I find slightly deflating, because I don’t really see much of a… value, for lack of a better term, difference between these side mission battles and like, your average Trainer battles in previous games (especially SV). The terminology of “side mission” makes me expect something at least a little more involved. Ideally, side missions could incorporate battles while still wrapping micro-narratives around them.

But, I suppose from the devs’ perspective it could be that having these battles specifically earmarked by the side mission flags on the map is good for increasing the likelihood of players will actually find them and see those mechanics in practice.
 
After about 48 hours playing the game, I think it's safe for me to say this is the best Pokémon I've played since Legends Arceus. Having done all the Side-Quests (only exceptions are the ones that appear on the Post-Game) and completed the Dex, I've and will keep enjoying this game quite a lot. There are certain aspects that can be improved, some of the are:

1) I do think the battle system is pretty interesting and has a lot of potential, and for this very reason I cannot find a proper answer as to why didn't they add abilities. Through the game there are a lot of instances where, as you come to know the battle system more and more, you quickly switch in your Flying type into an Earthquake, or your Dark type into a Psychic to gain momentum. This could be improved by simply allowing you to switch in your Levitate mon, or your Flash Fire mon into those same moves. Imagine an scenario where the opponent uses Eruption, which in this game can overlap with other moves (meaning you can use Eruption and then use Flamethrower and both moves will be active in the field at the same time since moves like Eruption have an inherent delay, something that isn't possible in a turn based game like the normal Pokémon) then you send out our Flash Fire move, boost its Fire moves and then you switch again said Pokémon but preserving the Fire boost for later. Thinks like that would greatly improve the experience and doesn't collide with anything they are trying to do.

2) Two particular aspects of the end-game related quests should be less grindy. Although I get they are optional, thinks like having to capture 50 Pokémon of each type just to release them after getting the points or having to beat 1000 trainers is too much. To put things into perspective, when I finished the game -and, again, I've not rushed it since I completed everything there was to it prior to the Post-Game- I've done roughly 480/1000 battles. Maybe it is just me, since I do like a lot the Battle Facilities -I know some of you aren't-, but even if they presented the idea on a slightly different flavor, I'd have preferred an offline challenge, like having to reach a decent number of consecutive victories on a difficult restaurant instead of just farming for 1000 trainers.

Apart from that, the game has a lot of pros. For once I've felt the charm they put onto Arceus. I've genuinely laugh at some Side-Quests, though I'd not write the details to avoid spoilers. Those were clearly directed at the fanbase. The translation is fantastic. Whoever directed both the translation and localization of the games into Spanish deserves a raise, because they have even used bits of Spanish well-known memes here and there. And I cannot put into words how important this charm I talk about is to the series. If for whoever reason you are not giving us the technical efforts we demand (and this is without question the more visible lacking aspect of modern Pokémon, their technical difficulties), at least put both content and soul into it. I've noticed both in this title. Constantly. I do sincerely hope for a Gen 10 where they are able to put a fraction of this effort. Something that goes far from the recent concept of just battling dens and focuses more into the adventure in itself. I've too to ask Starmie for forgiveness and move it from my bottom megas tier to top S, but that's a claim I'm not yet ready to do.

The game is fire. Truly the legend of ZA.
 
I finished the main game like two days ago and now finishing up postgame stuff and doing online battles, so I wanna share my feelings on the game as a whole.
It is good, but it has a serious problem with the lack of polishing on some areas that you expect for a game of this price, the obvious first, I'm mostly ok with the graphics, the art style is nice, but they cut corners here and there so we have flat buildings which you can get used to after a while. Voice acting would have been nice by now, yeah.
Now the important stuff, does anyone feel like this game needed a jump button? There are plenty of small obstacles that you would think a regular person could just walk over, but the character acts like is facing a wall, over at least one of the buildings there are a bunch boxes you can walk over, but you need to do it in a specific way because it is not clear what could stop your character so you may have to walk without actually moving until your character decides it can move.

As far as writing goes I think it has been improved by a lot, the characters are actual characters, they have relationships with other characters, they affect the world around them, the actual plot could use some work, it does get repetitive to rank up, do a meeting, beat 3 megas, rank up, and so on. The wild megas could have been more wild, they never get a chance to cause any trouble and always appear in the perfect amounts for your friends to face one each. Also, they quickly abandoned the "regular people may be annoyed at this whole wild area situation" plotline, which should have been a mayor point for this setting.

I been enjoying the battle system, wish it took more from PLA instead of getting closes to the regular games in some aspects, we didnt need IVs back, I sure dont like the best way to max out EVs being putting all your money into vitamins which means grinding the infinite royale. And it was better when you didnt ohko everything just by being sightly overleveled.

Either way one of the mainline pokemon games, while I have plenty of complaints they are mostly stuff I can ignore or get used to, except for the day and night transition being a cutscene you cant skip and will be seeing a lot while playing, you will have to remember to look at the clock to not have it mess with your encounters, but you will have to see the same cutscene every few minutes regardless of you actually doing any battles that night, would say is the best from the switch games if it wasnt for that unnecessary addition to a system they have been experimenting with since the game boy color.
 
The game has plenty of "cameos" of Pokemon not in the game but most of it is in signage that's easy to miss or pretty minor. Rust syndacite's primary iconography being statues and pottery of Pokemon not in the game, in contrast, is very funny.

Also, while doing side quests, I see this game decided to give some diffentiation between Protect & Detect (Protect lasts longer, Detect has shorter cooldown). That's pretty neat, Detect's always been a weird move to have around. Suppose you can't really adapt that to the mainline games though.
 
KaenSoul said:
I finished the main game like two days ago and now finishing up postgame stuff and doing online battles, so I wanna share my feelings on the game as a whole.
It is good, but it has a serious problem with the lack of polishing on some areas that you expect for a game of this price, the obvious first, I'm mostly ok with the graphics, the art style is nice, but they cut corners here and there so we have flat buildings which you can get used to after a while. Voice acting would have been nice by now, yeah.
Now the important stuff, does anyone feel like this game needed a jump button? There are plenty of small obstacles that you would think a regular person could just walk over, but the character acts like is facing a wall, over at least one of the buildings there are a bunch boxes you can walk over, but you need to do it in a specific way because it is not clear what could stop your character so you may have to walk without actually moving until your character decides it can move.

As far as writing goes I think it has been improved by a lot, the characters are actual characters, they have relationships with other characters, they affect the world around them, the actual plot could use some work, it does get repetitive to rank up, do a meeting, beat 3 megas, rank up, and so on. The wild megas could have been more wild, they never get a chance to cause any trouble and always appear in the perfect amounts for your friends to face one each. Also, they quickly abandoned the "regular people may be annoyed at this whole wild area situation" plotline, which should have been a mayor point for this setting.

I been enjoying the battle system, wish it took more from PLA instead of getting closes to the regular games in some aspects, we didnt need IVs back, I sure dont like the best way to max out EVs being putting all your money into vitamins which means grinding the infinite royale. And it was better when you didnt ohko everything just by being sightly overleveled.

Either way one of the mainline pokemon games, while I have plenty of complaints they are mostly stuff I can ignore or get used to, except for the day and night transition being a cutscene you cant skip and will be seeing a lot while playing, you will have to remember to look at the clock to not have it mess with your encounters, but you will have to see the same cutscene every few minutes regardless of you actually doing any battles that night, would say is the best from the switch games if it wasnt for that unnecessary addition to a system they have been experimenting with since the game boy color.
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Hoo boy the day/night cutscenes get extremely annoying when I’m running around catching mons or doing side missions and not actively trying to do battle zones.
 
I like this a lot. Sometimes rooftops and the traihner getting damaged gave me headaches, but the new megas are often mons I esp like. Drampa, Victreebel, Malamar, Starmie, etc. I would have to think about it to be sure, but I'm inclined to say most are. End was a bit flashy for me, but ok.
 
I’m loving the game, but it is far past time for your trainer to be able to jump, climb, and swim on at least a basic level as, you know, a human in a world they’re meant to explore.

I don’t have issues with there being limitations to how those functions work (stamina or rough waters or whatever), but walking into water like it’s a wall is ridiculous game design in 2025.

Otherwise, I’m enjoying this waaaay more than I expected as someone who generally hates anything that isn’t turned based.
 
Kitsunine said:
I’m loving the game, but it is far past time for your trainer to be able to jump, climb, and swim on at least a basic level as, you know, a human in a world they’re meant to explore.

I don’t have issues with there being limitations to how those functions work (stamina or rough waters or whatever), but walking into water like it’s a wall is ridiculous game design in 2025.

Otherwise, I’m enjoying this waaaay more than I expected as someone who generally hates anything that isn’t turned based.
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I'm mostly okay with no swimming, but the jump & climb thing really sticks out in a game where you are parkouring around paris. Like okay my dude you can do combat rolls and climb up sharp inclines, but you can't just...lift your arms, and climb this chest-high bit of scaffolding?
 
I kinda think the parkour stuff and the way the rotom phone is utilised for giving a further boost is sorta them trialling stuff for Gen X, given we kinda.. know about it, I can't see that working without being able to jump / climb properly. But I agree that Pokémon is long overdue letting our characters jump.
 
Perriechu said:
I kinda think the parkour stuff and the way the rotom phone is utilised for giving a further boost is sorta them trialling stuff for Gen X, given we kinda.. know about it, I can't see that working without being able to jump / climb properly. But I agree that Pokémon is long overdue letting our characters jump.
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I will also say that I am also more lenient on lack of "player" jump/climb in L:A & SV because of how the ride pokemon are integrated and world is designed. Sure you have to wait a long time to climb in L:A and a medium amount of time in SV, but the way the world and areas are designed you are generally dealing with like. Mountain sides, buildings amid stretches of decently paced land segments. I suspect Gen 10 would follow similar design ethos.

Z-A constantly has you have to navigate around knee-to-chest high scaffolding, gates, and rooftops. Your best way to jump is to fall and use the yoshi flutter jump arc. Stands out a lot more.
 
Shoutout to the stupid boxes you can't really tell if you can climb or not, since you can climb others. (The ones near the ladder with the rocks to smash on top comes to mind).
 
Yung Dramps said:
I've learned my lesson about making sweeping judgements on game design before I actually play the damn thing after my disastrous USUM essay but I think this game's version of Lysandre Labs is already my new favorite dungeon in the series just by looking at footage of it. It's not even that I'm an absolute sucker for the aesthetic of seeing previous iconography ruined and dilapidated (The Death Star II ruins from Rise of Skywalker are my favorite visual setpiece from mainline numbered Star Wars which is one hell of a thing to say given that movie's dismal reputation), it also has a fully-fledged old-school warp panel puzzle where you gotta collect Flare Scientist-themed key cards to make progress (at least that's what I surmised from the glances I got thanks to this video). Couple that with a wicked slate of wild encounters from Noivern to Beldum to Alpha Aegislash as well as a unique wild battle theme much like Lumiose Sewers and you got one hell of an atmosphere being built up.

Honestly profoundly encouraging that ever since Teal Mask it seems like Game Freak has gotten consistently good at 3D dungeons. Oni Mountain, Chargestone Cavern and the aforementioned pair from this game all rock
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It felt like I was playing The Last Of Us with that segment.
 
Lysandre Labs wasn’t anything special as far as dungeon design goes; it’s fine, but it’s pretty basic. But when the series has been essentially bereft of dungeons since at least 2019, even just having something of that caliber back feels nice.
 
Likewise the sewers aren't anything special either. It's a fairly straight shot with a few offshoots for pokemon/items. You have a map the entire time and you can't get lost. It's just a cute set piece that offers some visual variety from the city.



I'll also say that for what it's worth base game SV, while primarily leaning on "exploring the open air", did have 2 fairly large cave systems. The cave near Tulip's gym is pretty sprawling and has lots of nooks & crannies and elevation stuff. And Glaseado mountain is pretty huge on its interior. There's even platforming puzzles! very unfortunate platforming puzzles.
 
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