Kalos is, by far, the Pokémon region most deserving of a Legends game. When X/Y came out in 2013, it was the first new generation of Pokémon not to get a third (or in the case of generation 5, third and fourth) game. This would later become the new normal for Pokémon of course, but that didn't even happen immediately following X/Y, as though it marked the turning point. That happened after the next generation, with Sun/Moon and Ultra Sun/Moon.

As though to rub some Nacli in the wound, even among those later Pokémon generations that never got a third game, it's because they got DLC expansions instead. But not X/Y, despite a Pokémon Z never manifesting. In other words: X/Y are the only main series Pokémon games that never got a third game or DLC. It's the only generation of Pokémon to be shortchanged by only getting those two initial games, and nothing else. Knowing about that, not to mention the overwhelming success of Pokémon Legends Arceus, it's hard to look at a game like Pokémon Legends Z-A and not feel excited—and all the more so when you realize the sheer scope of how much this game has to offer. To make things easier for everyone, I've made sections for each of the main topics.

Story

If I don't expect much from the stories in Pokémon games, then I can't be disappointed when they don't amount to much. We've had a few great ones over the years, but I'd call them the exceptions rather than the rules. And I'd rather find myself pleasantly surprised than disappointed. So with that being said, it brings me great joy to tell you that while I wouldn't go so far as to call it one of the all time best stories we've ever seen in a Pokémon game, this was still one of those times where I found myself impressed at how invested I was getting in the story. Admittedly, the story of Z-A takes longer than most Pokémon games to really get going, but the payoff once it starts hitting its stride is incredibly worth it.

A big part of why the story can hit as hard as it does is how, more than most Pokémon games, Z-A is built to go easier at your own pace. Ever since Breath of the Wild's overwhelming success, “open world” has become a pretty unavoidable buzzword in the gaming industry, and that's yielded some pretty mixed results. Nearly a decade later, it's hard not to feel the exhaustion setting in, and not to miss a more linear experience. Pokémon has always existed in sort of a gray zone in this regard: Post-game is open world, but before that, they tend to err linear (older titles especially). But in this Pokémon game, while the world does develop as you progress (EX, More wild areas unlock), it still only takes place in just one city—most of the map is accessible to you right off the bat. And the spots you go to progress the story are always clearly marked. So if you'd rather take your time to fill up your dex, do sidequests, play dress up with the franchise's most robust character creation options to date, or do whatever it is you want to do, Z-A facilitates that far more than other Pokémon games.

Battles

By now, you've no doubt heard that the gameplay of this game can only generously be described as “divisive.” And to put it plainly, I didn't like the battle gameplay. I got used to it the more I played, sure, but I could never stop thinking about just how sloppy it was, and how I'd so much rather be playing in the glorious turn-style battles of the main series.

The gameplay of the main series is so firmly ingrained into the franchise now that how do you translate that to action-style gameplay? That's what the gameplay of Z-A feels like to me: A half-hearted attempt at translating a battle style and moves that simply weren't built for this. Some moves work more or less comparably to the way they normally do, which is fine. But while I can think of several examples of moves that don't work nearly as well in this game (EX, replacing sleepiness with drowsiness, protect), I can't think of any examples of the contrary. A little bit of time spent coming up with moves or mechanics original to Z-A would've gone a long way because of this.

Also, moving around and your Pokémon following you adds a whole layer of mess to this. Cool in theory, but in practice, clumsy because you can't directly control your Pokémon. All the time, Pokémon get stuck, or fall. There's nothing more annoying than seeing that your attack isn't connecting just because your Pokémon accidentally fell off a platform, or is being blocked by any manner of obstacle. See example, my beloved—but both very tall and very wide—Mega Meganium.

But of course, one can't talk about battles without also bringing up this game's gym-leader-system-substitute, the Battle Zones and Promotion matches. This is pretty clever, since it still lets the game feel, structurally, like one of the main series Pokémon games. It's also a great way to grind for money, which comes in very handy because of all the clothing options this game offers, and how—well, yes, you could just fast-travel back to the Pokémon Center whilst in a Battle Zone, but let's be honest: There's no PP in this game, which means the only barrier that kept you from using a million hyper potions has crumbled, and lays lifeless at your feet, unable to revive (because it has to go back to the Pokémon Center instead).

Exploration

If you had told me before this game that the second Pokémon Legends title—or any Pokémon game with an exploration element, really—was going to be confined to just one city, I would've laughed at you and told you that the game is doomed. But the Lumiose of Z-A doesn't just feel like a big city relative to other Pokémon games (although it is), it just feels like a proper, breathing city center with parks, scaffolding, shopping, a museum, cafes where I took I-don't-even-know-how-many pictures of my Pokémon, and more. This is, very surprisingly, some of the most fun I've ever had exploring in a Pokémon game, and that says something.

But for every bit as fun as the exploration can be, it can also be equally frustrating at times. Navigating the scaffolding and roofs, in particular, can feel needlessly difficult purely because there's no jump button. You eventually get a glide, which makes things a little better, but I can't begin to quantify the number of times a platform looked like something you should be able to step over or jump on, and then you just can't. It's incredibly annoying, especially when the solution feels like such a low-hanging Oran Berry.

Characters

If there's one singular area that even the worst Pokémon games still usually tend to succeed in, it's creating charming, memorable characters. Even so, a largely forgettable cast of characters was a pretty common criticism of X/Y, so I don't think it would've been too surprising—let alone the cardinal sin it would normally be—if Z-A struggled similarly. And I'll admit: It took me a bit to warm up to most of these characters, but after a while, it's hard not to feel endeared to them.

Of particular note, In contrast to many (though not all) of the friends and rivals in the main series Pokémon games who have grand ambitions of being the very best (like no one ever was), your allies in Team MZ know they're not the best at battling and they're okay with that—they don't necessarily feel a burning need to be. They just want to hang out, be happy, and help their city. They give the game a more chill, laid-back vibe that pairs well with this game's more lax attitude in progressing the story.

And then there's my short king Corbeau. I don't want to risk spoiling anything, but he's an excellent and refreshing take on the menacing leader of the shady organization whose presence looms not-so-tall over everyone. Easily one of the most memorable such characters we've seen in a Pokémon game.

Side Quests

More than most Pokémon games, Z-A has taken a shine as bright as a red Gyarados to side questing. And while there are some very cute, fun, and inventive side quests (EX, The Budew Show), and the rewards tend to be good more often than not, the overwhelming majority tend to boil down to “battle me.” This would be fine, were it not for the fact that this comprises a metric word-that-rhymes-with-Shuckle-minus-the-le ton of the side quests. And even among the ones that aren't “battle me”-types, most of those remaining few are “show me this Pokémon.” If you remove just these two—or even just battle-me-types—out of the equation, you're left with very little. And especially in a game with such a unique setting and more for the player to do than most Pokémon games, less lazily constructed side quests could've added so much more dimension and personality to this game.

(There's Still No) Voice Acting

The lack of voice acting is a Wailord-sized absence in Z-A. More specifically, Pokémon's been pretty behind the times when it comes to integrating voice acting, even well before the release of Z-A. But as ever, it's hard not to feel its absence when entire scenes play out with only the background music accompanying them. This isn't exactly a small indie title that can't afford voice actors—it's a Pokémon game. One of the largest video game franchises in the world. There's plenty of dialogue, the characters' mouths move, but no sound ever comes out. So alas, the lack of voice acting remains jarring as ever.

Graphics/Music

In terms of visuals, Pokémon's never been anything exceptional. It has its art style, which is simple but well-executed, and it's always seemed content with that. At the very least, it doesn't seem to have ever striven for more. And of course, with Pokémon's visual identity being nothing if not consistent, Z-A's are—pretend to be shocked—the same in this regard: Cute, quintessentially Pokémon, and certainly not ugly by any stretch of the imagination, but also nothing terribly ambitious or impressive either.

Music, however, is a different story. Even from the first generation, Pokémon's always had a unique touch to its music. From new tracks to new takes on ol' reliables, Pokémon's usually able to balance giving each game a distinct-enough auditory identity, while also keeping it feeling very Pokémon, while also just making catchy tracks. And especially in the Switch era, Pokémon soundtracks have come really far. But Z-A's soundtrack—it pales in comparison to other recent Pokémon games, but it's fine overall. There are a few standout tracks, but they can't hold a Litwick to comparable songs in the Sword/Shield or Scarlet/Violet soundtracks. But even if this isn't a stand-out Pokémon soundtrack, it still gets me feeling excited to battle or catch Pokémon all the same

“Does it run well?”

I played this game on a Nintendo Switch 2, so although I've seen footage from other people playing on the original Switch, I can't speak to that from a place of experience. But on the Switch 2, at least, Z-A runs perfectly fine. I haven't experienced any glitches or frame drops. It's neither a technical nor visual marvel, but it's also Pokémon—I don't expect it to be. This game does what it's doing well, and especially with the recent memory that is the Scarlet/Violet games on launch, that's enough for me.

Overall Thoughts

I'm glad Kalos, in all its cafe-loving glory, finally had some long-overdue time in the spotlight with Z-A. While its shortcomings are pretty apparent, its successes are enough to outshine them more often than not. It's a very different Pokémon experience, for better or for worse. Still, it's exactly the kind of game I'd recommend to someone who loves Pokémon, but is craving a shake-up to its usual formula. And even if you're not, it's still a fun, fresh way to experience one of Pokémon's more slept-on regions.