For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to review a new Pokémon game. Game Freak’s series has been one of my few lifelong obsessions, and these last couple of weeks, I finally got what I wanted, as I was given the reins for our Pokémon Legends: Z-A review. I’m happy to report that this certainly isn’t a case of being careful what you wish for. No, this, in many ways, is the sort of monster-taming adventure I’d always dreamed of, just not in every way.
Let’s start with the basics. For those who don’t know, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a spin-off from the main series, much like 2022’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Whereas a regular Pokémon game has a whole region for you to explore, in Z-A, Lumiose City is your playground, with the urban area divided up between Wild Zones, where Pokémon live, and civilian areas. Your player character isn’t a Lumiose native, though, so the city is just as new to you as it is to them during the opening sequence of the game, which, as fans of the series might anticipate, involves a lot of hand-holding for the first couple of hours.
In terms of story, I can’t reveal all that much, but Legends: Z-A weaves a tale of pretty epic proportions that finds its center in Mega Evolution. It’s pretty linear at first, as you find your bearings in Lumiose, but after that, you can pick up side missions in between your main quests, which adds a nice bit of variety and serves as a way to introduce you to new mechanics or gift you free Pokémon.
Read the full story on Pocket Tactics: Pokémon Legends: Z-A review – rooftops, rogues, and rising the ranks
