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The year is 2013. Pokémon X and Y released on Nintendo’s highly successful 3DS console and marks the first time a main series Pokémon game has been fully rendered in 3D. This is the best Pokémon has looked up to this point and it’s the start of an exciting new era. Beyond the pretty visuals however, X and Y also left a legacy of unfulfilled ideas and wasted potential. The rumored Pokémon Z never materialized and we inevitably left Kalos and Mega Evolution behind…that is, until recently. 
The time has finally come to talk about Pokémon Legends Z-A, the second entry under the Legends moniker following the success of Arceus back in 2022. Unlike Arceus, which took place in the distant past, Z-A takes place in the future, at least as far as X and Y are concerned. This time the setting is the massive Lumiose City, crown jewel of the Kalos region.
At the start of the game, you’re a tourist who just arrived in Lumiose via train. Soon after, you meet the friendly rival character - either Urbain or Taunie depending on the initial appearance you picked for your character. A mischievous Pancham steals your travel bag and from there the adventure kicks off. After picking your first partner from among Chikorita, Tepig or Totodile(I picked Totodile) and defeating the Pancham, you get checked in to Hotel Z(Run by the familiar AZ) and introduced to Team MZ, whose goal is to protect Lumiose City. From what you may ask? We’ll get to that shortly.
The main premise of Legends Z-A is that Lumiose City is currently seeing an influx of wild Pokémon for unknown reasons. To accommodate this, Quesartico Inc is enacting an urban redevelopment plan which includes adding designated “Wild Zones” to the city. These wild zones are home to all sorts of wild Pokémon and it's here that you’ll be adding new members to your team. There are 6 wild zones at the start with more being added as the story progresses, each with their own assortment of adorable critters. On top of that, Pokémon can be found all over Lumiose, some in trees, on rooftops or in alleyways. It’s a nice touch that really cements the idea of people and Pokémon living together. Just like in Legends Arceus, Pokéballs can be thrown at Pokémon to catch them without needing to battle and different Pokémon will have different behaviors. Some will be more aggressive while others might run away. Between the Pokémon, the side missions and the hidden items, there’s quite a bit to discover in Lumiose.
Keep an eye on the clock though, because as soon as nighttime rolls around, the Z-A Royale kicks in. Every night, a section of Lumiose gets designated as a battle zone where trainers wander. If you get seen by a trainer, expect a battle. Battles in this game work differently than they have in previous games with the biggest difference being that they now happen in real time. Pokémon move about alongside trainers, potentially avoiding an attack altogether. Moves now have a cooldown instead of pp, with stronger moves taking longer to recharge than weaker ones as well as sometimes being slower to pull off. It’s the closest the games have ever been to feeling like the anime. You can even sneak up on trainers and attack pre-emptively to gain an advantage. Defeating trainers and completing objective cards that can be found scattered about awards points that go toward obtaining a challenger’s ticket, which lets you face off against a skilled trainer in a promotion match to decide who ranks up. At the end of the night, you’re awarded prize money based on the number of medals acquired and how many trainers you beat.
In-between catching Pokémon and working your way through the Z-A Royale, you’ll be helping defend Luminose from the rogue Mega Pokémon that are mysteriously appearing. These serve as boss battles similar to the guardian Pokémon from Arceus. You have to dodge their attacks while fighting back with your own Pokémon. As you do so, it’ll drop mega energy which fills up a meter. Once fully filled, you’ll be able to mega evolve your Pokémon and deal extra damage. If Mega Evolution isn’t an option, the new Plus Moves(enhanced versions of regular attacks that can be activated with a press of a button) can provide a quick way of doing damage like a Mega without tapping into the full meter. The system reminds me of EX attacks and special gauges from fighting games. I enjoy these little tweaks and shake ups to the typical Pokémon formula. It’s nice to see Game Freak is still willing to experiment and helps make Legends Z-A feel distinct from its older siblings.
Of course, we can’t talk about Z-A without mentioning the visuals. Is Lumiose the most beautiful city I have ever seen? No. Is there a lot to see in it? Yes. Admittedly, I find the urban environment to be somewhat refreshing after the mostly rural settings of previous titles. The buildings may not be spectacular but they’re not bad to look at. Prism Tower is majestic as ever and some familiar sights for those of us who played X and Y have been given new life. Additionally, there are NPCs and Pokémon everywhere which really make the city feel more alive than ever. On top of that, this game features some pretty well done character models. In fact, character customization is the best it has been in a Pokemon game. The hair styles and clothing options are spectacular. And I like how each new NPC has a distinctive design. These are faces you won’t be forgetting anytime soon. The game also introduces several new Mega Evolutions for the first time in over a decade. Some, like Hawlucha and Drampa look incredible, others are a bit more questionable. Nevertheless it's refreshing to see some old ‘mons get a fresh coat of Mega paint.
Accompanying these new faces is a bevy of new banger tracks. One of my criticisms for Arceus was the lack of anything new in its soundtrack. Many of its excellently done compositions were remixes of classic Sinnoh tunes. I’m happy to say Z-A found a very happy medium. While It has a lot of remixes of tracks from X and Y, it also has a number of new tracks mainly associated with the new characters. And these tracks are absolute bangers. Trainers you’ll meet later on have battle themes that are insanely good. There’s also the constantly present Lumiose City theme, which changes between day and night. The different versions of it are a nice touch that keep it from overstaying its welcome. I can’t stress enough how good this games soundtrack is. They knocked it out of the Lumiose park.
Is Legends Z-A the greatest Pokémon game ever? Debatable. But it definitely has its strengths. The changes to gameplay are a welcome breath of fresh air. The characters look great and Lumiose City is really pretty most of the time. Speaking of, this game has a fantastic cast. New characters like Naveen, Lida, Ivor and more all stand out and have some great moments. Plus Lumiose City is chalk full of easter eggs, references and funny dialogue. There’s a lot to love and I’m definitely enjoying my time here. Wonder what the DLC is gonna bring to the table? For now, there’s plenty to be had in the base package and I for one, am happy about that.
