The More I See Of Pokémon Legends Z-A, The More I’m Afraid It’s Wasting Its Setting
The announcement of Pokémon Legends: Z-A was exciting at first, but I’m beginning to get concerned after seeing the latest trailers. Set in the Kalos region from Generation 6, Legends: Z-A had the chance to build on a beautiful area. With its rich history and unique landscapes, Kalos seemed perfect for the next Legends installment. However, as more details emerge, my excitement for Legends: Z-A is becoming disappointment.
Most of this frustration is due to the game’s location, seemingly set in just one city – Lumiose City. The more we see of the game’s world, the more it feels like a missed opportunity. In Arceus, players could explore a wide, connected world that felt alive. In Legends Z-A, it’s unclear if the game will meet the high expectations set by its predecessors. So far, it seems that we’ll only get to explore a very small portion of Kalos, and that leaves me feeling underwhelmed.
Legends: Z-A Is Set In The Kalos Region From Gen 6
Kalos Is From The X And Y Games
The Kalos region, introduced in Pokémon X and Y, quickly became a fan favorite. Inspired by France, Kalos featured impressive landmarks like Lumiose City’s Eiffel Tower-like Prism Tower, charming streets, and beautiful landscapes, from lush forests to coastal areas. X and Y also brought big changes to the franchise, such as introducing 3D graphics for the first time in a mainline Pokémon game.
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New features like Pokémon-Amie allowed players to interact with their Pokémon more personally, and the addition of the Fairy-type made battles more interesting. Kalos also introduced new Pokémon, including the Legendary Xerneas and Yveltal, and the starter Pokémon Fennekin, Chespin, and Froakie. Plus, it also introduced the newest and latest Eevee evolution, Sylveon.
Pokémon X and Y were the first games in the series to include cloud storage through Pokémon Bank.
Despite Kalos’ beauty and new features, X and Y was still a fairly linear game. Many areas of Kalos felt underused, with some places just serving as backgrounds instead of being fully explored. The lack of an open world left some fans, including me, wanting more from the region.
Now, with Pokémon Legends: Z-A, it seemed like Kalos would be explored in a new way. The newest Legends game had the potential to build on Kalos’ charm and history, but it seems the game might be missing a chance to make the region feel as expansive and exciting as it could be. There’s also the fact that Legends: Z-A won’t introduce any new Pokémon, which is also a huge disappointment.
Legends: Z-A Taking Place In Lumiose City Is Disappointing
Being Tied Down To Lumiose City Is Underwhelming
The decision to set Pokémon Legends: Z-A mostly in Lumiose City, the heart of Kalos, feels miniscule compared to what we could explore in Legends: Arceus. While Lumiose City is a well-known part of Kalos, it didn’t give players a full sense of the region in Pokémon X and Y. It was just one of many cities where you could catch Pokémon, battle gym leaders, and move the plot forward. Now, it looks like Legends: Z-A is focusing on Lumiose City, which raises concerns about the game’s world-building.
The appeal of Pokémon Legends games comes from their open-world exploration. Games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus showed how a big, open world can make the experience more exciting. The chance to explore vast areas, meet wild Pokémon in their natural settings, and discover a region’s history was a big part of Arceus’ success. Yet, in Legends: Z-A, focusing on Lumiose City limits the chance for this kind of exploration and sticks us instead with wild zones that make little sense.
While Lumiose City is great, it’s just not enough.
While the city is charming with its Prism Tower and busy streets, it doesn’t offer the variety and adventure of a larger open world. If the game is mainly set in this urban area, it could feel more like a traditional RPG than the immersive experience fans hoped for.
Fans wanted Legends: Z-A to do for Kalos what Legends: Arceus did for Sinnoh – expand on the region’s history and create something new. Instead, it looks like we’ll be revisiting the same old sights from Pokémon X and Y, which might make players feel like they’ve already seen it all. Sure, Mega Evolutions are returning, which is exciting, and while Lumiose City is great, it’s just not enough.
Kalos Had Great Locales That Would’ve Been Worth Revisiting
There Are So Many Other Great Regions To Explore
Kalos has so many unique spots that could have been great for exploration in Legends: Z-A, but unfortunately, it looks like many of them are being overlooked. For example, Route 7 offers vast, open fields that could have been an amazing area to explore, filled with wild Pokémon and unique environmental features. The peaceful atmosphere and diverse landscape could have made it a perfect place for players to uncover rare species and enjoy the calming beauty of Kalos’ countryside. Players could have traveled this route to Camphrier town or explore the Connecting Cave.
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Another area with untapped potential is Santalune City. While it’s often remembered for being the starting point of the Kalos journey, it’s home to lush forests that could have been expanded upon in Legends: Z-A. These forests are full of wildlife and hidden pathways, making them a perfect location for players to uncover secrets or even face off against rare wild Pokémon. The potential for branching storylines and side quests here could have been huge.
The mysterious Lost Hotel could have been another great addition to the game’s world. This eerie, dilapidated building is full of mystery and could have played a role in revealing some of Kalos’ darker history, possibly tied to the region’s Legendary Pokémon or even Team Flare. Players could have explored its creepy rooms and discovered secrets that would add more depth to the world of Kalos.
There are other cities that deserve their chance to shine. The seaside Shalour City, or Coumarine City’s resort area. There’s Laverre City, Snowbelle City, and Kiloude City, too. Let’s not forget the towns of Vaniville, Ambrette, and Couriway. Each of these places offers a piece of Kalos’ history that would have been worth exploring.
Finally, the Battle Chateau could have added some much-needed variety to the game. This stately mansion is tied to the nobility of Kalos and offers a unique setting for high-stakes battles. It could have played a bigger role in the story or provided side quests that explore the region’s history and politics. The Battle Chateau could have given players a taste of Kalos’ aristocratic world, with challenges and stories that expand the game’s lore.
Ignoring these areas, Pokémon Legends Z-A misses out on opportunities to show more of Kalos’ rich history and diverse landscapes. Fans were hoping for a deeper dive into the region, but instead, it looks like many of Kalos’ hidden gems will remain unexplored. This is a real shame, as Kalos has so much more to offer than what is being shown.
