Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Pokémon Legends: Z-A?

I may still be in the honeymoon phase but 8/10 so far. I really like the game a lot.

Game is fun, but more like 30$ fun. I saw indie game with bigger scope and more life in their game. All npc have have the same idle pose. City is sterile. Is a botched game that will still sell 10M+ copies.

The game has been out for a few days. Most of your audience doesn’t play games for a living. Actual reviewers held back their scores because they only had a week to play it prior to the embargo being lifted.

I think you do a disservice to the idea behind reviewers and reviews by putting this out so soon after release.

Instead, it should be “how are you feeling about the game so far?”

Haven't played the game yet, but it looks like it has the potential to be another 10/10 Pokémon game.

Pro's:
Battle system is great
Models look fantastic
Music
Side Missions are a massive improvement over PLA
Mega mechanics being reworked
NPC dialogue
Interiors are great
Canari
Rooftop and obstacles are fun
Runs amazingly on Switch 2 and surprisingly okay on Switch 1
Story is okay but halfway through so lets see if it picks up
Most new Mega's are great some a bit goofy in execution though

Con's:
Rogue battles while fun are a bit too easy, think the player char shouldn't heal like PLA and would be more challenging if solo like Absol.
Wild zones are a bit underwhelming some more than others, instead of having so many would have preferred like one big on in each sector.

Didn’t the game just come out? Give people some time with it first lol

I really like this game so far

I think it's a great game, I'm having a ton of fun. It's not as good as Legends Arceus though, imo.

First impressions with a weekend under my belt (still haven’t finished the story): 8. Might lower once I hit endgame, but so far I’m enjoying the gameplay loop and emphasis on battling.

Only a few hours so - so really unsure how I can rate it. It’s my first Pokémon since Sword & Shield.

So far it’s been fun. I wasn’t aware of the Paris setting heading into the game. Love the fact that you get mugged immediately after getting off the train at the start of the game.

The internet seems predisposed to hate this one no matter what. Personally, I think it's fine. The Switch 2 version is the best looking Pokemon game ever (maybe damning with faint praise, but) and the new battle system is a welcome change. Could it have been a touch more ambitious, especially for the price? Sure, but the dogpiling has been absolutely insane.

8/10 for me so far
I love the combat and the return of mega evolution, and I'm a huge fan of the Kalos region already so I might be a bit biased. But the renowned flat buildings, tiny wild zones, and only one music track for Lumiose and the wild zones respectively are getting a bit old, and I'm only 7 hours in...
not distracting enough to stop me from having a good time but i really do expect more from a game I've already spent $70 on and with a $30 DLC....

Been... fine? So far? Switch 2 version feels like a 6 or 7 to me. Fine, good in ways, even, but nothing spectacular or specifically impressive. Switch 1 version would probably be a 5 or 6 if I was playing that like my spouse is.

It middling to fine to good imo. I am RENTING it, if I paid 70 bucks for this I'd actually be miffed, honestly. I'm also playing Ghost of Yotei, Hades 2, and Silksong alongside it, for comparison.

If this game wasn't a Pokemon branded game I feel like the entire conversation would be so much smaller and more averaged out. People would by and large be ignoring it. The IP carries GameFreak's games HARD, and they know it.

@Bats1234 Have you tried doing them without Mega Evolving a Pokemon? That's what I did during the Victreebel one before I realised I could actually use my own megas. Was surprisingly tough up until then.

Still too soon to score it from my wife and I. It has been a blast so far though! I really enjoy the combat, and the gripes I've heard about the "bland" visuals is completely lost on me, as it's extremely charming to us both. The Pokémon and NPCs seem to have a lot more personality in this game than any other entry so far.

Performance on Switch 2 has been flawless, but I am concerned for it's longevity of the game outside of online Ranked battles.

We're about 16ish hours invested though and can't put it down! Completely hooked and we will determine a score around the 50 hour mark!

8/10.

Yeah, the graphics aren't the best, the game could really benefit from voice acting, and there are a few things that could have been improved. Despite all this, I don't hate the game. In fact, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but it might be the best Pokémon game I've played on the Switches. Whether that's a low bar to clear or not, I can't say for sure, but it’s definitely less awkward than Scarlet and Violet, and it doesn’t feel as dreadful to play like Sword and Shield.

@Bats1234 Glad to see I'm not the only one enjoying the side missions. I didn't care for them at all in Legends Arceus but I've been doing every single one in ZA.

@martynstuff Instinctively I push R in whenever the gauge fills lol so thanks for the tip not mega evolving will definitely make a difference I think!

@MamaSymphonia There will always be an internet punching bag. Criticism is indeed warranted, but the vitriol is ridiculous.

It gets a 7/10 from me about 40% into the game. Good Pokemon game, but limiting it to a city that we were sold as huge, when in fact it is not, is a bit of a downer for me. Everything else about it is neat so far.

@ShieldHero Calling an Pokèmon game 10 out 10 is pretty insane especially in today times lmao.

It’s really bad. They took out the most fun aspect from the previous game, catching Pokémon! The wild areas have 5 or 6 Pokémon, and the city is tiny. They should have made it so that you can take a tram to different cities with different styles and Pokémon for some variety.

8/10

I have some concerns in the game (such as locking certain Megas behind online matches and DLC).

Initially, my expectations for Z-A went from excited to concern to disappointment prior to release. However, when I played the game, I was really having so much fun with it. I thought that the exploration being restricted within the city will get dull easily but tbh, I'm having fun exploring. The wild zones definitely could be better but it's not so bad. Voice acting will make the game better but not a deal-breaker for me. I also like how fast-paced the battles. I'm also liking the characters in this game, especially Emma.

My only gripes so far (aside from the locking of certain Megas behind DLC and online battles) are the unskippable dialogues (which can be a frustrating thing when I replay this game again), and lack of rides. It's fun to explore the city but I wish we could at least get a bike for faster travel. Lastly, and this might be a spoiler but an immediate leap of rank in-game, I mean, I guess it's to avoid burnt out but still, the whole point is that we're suppose to work our way up instead of giving to us freely. Lastly, lack of hairstyles, like, come on, I know there will be more once the DLC comes out but the selection of hairstyle in this game is so disappointing.

Overall, this is a fun Pokémon game, definitely a different experience from Legends Arceus but it has its own merits. This is probably my favorite Switch 2 game so far.

I'm not going to provide a rating as I'm just not the audience for this game because I've not really enjoyed much from the series after gen 2.

I'm baffled by how folks find this game enjoyable. It looks so soulless. I wish The Pokémon Company would try a bit harder. That said it's good to see a bunch of folks in this comments at least finding it to be a good time. Fair play to you.

While I think the hate is blown out of proportion, it's not too bad honestly

I really want wonder trade. I got a bunch of duplicates in my boxes.

I was not doing much gaming when Pokemon started, so this franchise has never done much for me. When I got a Switch I made an honest try on the newer video games (Sword/Shield, Scarlett/Violet, Arceus) and found them all really boring and tedious.

Something has clicked with me over the last few months with Pokemon though. I got hooked on the TCG Pocket app and still play it daily, and I am having a FABULOUS time with Legends Z-A. I find the progression and various quest options to be so much more entertaining than in games past and am hooked on it. I imagine this will be the first Pokemon game I finish.

I will never collect the physical cards or watch the cringey anime, but I sure am liking the video games lately!

I decided to wait til next Pokémon game that will be switch 2 exclusive and utilize its Power. I havent played this Pokémon game, but from what i read and see on streams, it looks like what was warned about.. a dull game that suffers from being in between 2 generations. Just a filler.

20-something hours in and I'm having a fun time with it so far. The catching mechanics seem kind of tacked on, though, like the only reason they're there is because the last Legends game had them.

The lock-on and throwing ranges are pretty short, there's not much cover to hide in, and there aren't any other throwables to stun or otherwise make catching any easier. I don't find the charms helpful, either. I find myself just knocking the Pokémon out and catching them the old fashioned way whereas in Arceus I very rarely actually entered combat and caught them by the dozen because it was so quick. Which is what was so refreshing about that game.

But still, it's Pokémon, so I am thoroughly enjoying myself. 8/10

I enjoy the game. Is it worth $70? Absolutely not. Is it better than Arceus? Nope. Does it still feel like a PS2-era game? Yep.

I've put around 12 hours into so far and I'm quite enjoying it more than I thought I would. So for me it's an 8/10 for now, but could be higher in a week or two depending on how the rest of the game goes.

I still have to start playing it. I've already set my expectations low though

I'm 15 hours in and I've really been enjoying it. I get the complaints that people have been giving, but I also think people are going overboard with their complaints as well. Okay, windows are flat textures and the city is small....Doesn't mean this game is an instant 1/10.
I enjoy the combat, even though is does feel a bit turnbased with having to move, moves reloading and more. I say I'd give it a 8/10. Looks great to my eyes, sidequests don't take long to complete, but the city is a bit small to me. I would have like to have some wild areas outside of the city, even if they were a bit small. Just makes it easier to have different biomes and feel more alive.

@YunoboCo And somehow people are already done with the game and working on post game. It's not the longest game from what I've seen.

12 million dollar budget gamefreak wants to put on a game on a limited budget so it can sell 20 million copies .. why tinker with success..

Anybody who gave this a 1 (or really anything lower than a 6) is just trying to make a point, and also probably hasn't even played it.

Yall, think about the true scale of what a terrible game can be, and understand this isnt that even though the graphics are a bit janky and there's no voice acting.

@solarwolf07 And A DLC you do not have to buy shrugs

Its OK but overall really disappointed.

8/10 for me. Visuals in Pokemon games are nowhere near as bad as people say, at least not on every aspect. Many textures look good, performance is pretty much flawless on Switch 2, Pokemon models are nice and so are humans. The problem is that some human animations look rigid while others look good and the exterior environment looks bland. However, interiors look beautiful and there's many different npc models. There's good and bad and the hatred that the game is receiving is exaggerated. A lot of the criticism isn't even real and is clearly from people that haven't played it or wanted to give it a bad score from the start. There's an agenda against companies that for them is tied with the reception to this game and they see things in black and white. It's not as easy as not buying it because that just says that you don't want this kind of spin-off and we shouldn't be hating it or loving it blindly, but almost everyone goes to extremes. It innovated and added things that people wanted like real time combat and the gameplay is quite fun and satisfying, but it also cuts corners in some things about the presentation that could be there. Simple as that.

Love this game so far through and through... about 20 hours in and only rank F so far. The main buildings exteriors could look better but overall everything in this game (save for massive wild areas) are better than Arceus.

The human mannerisms in cut scenes are fantastic, Pokemon actually have personality in this game, very cute and charming game from some of the main story and side missions with Pokemon, excellent battle system with so much dynamic play at foot (battled 8 Pokemon at once at one point haha), and the music is stellar.

I have moments where I just walk down a street with my partner Pokemon enjoying some sights and definitely the sounds of the game. This is another amazing Legends game that I dearly hope TPC builds upon from here on out. I just pray that the Turn Based battles are finally gone for good moving forward or TPC allows you to choose between two gameplay mechanics.

I need to do a formal video review of this game cause my wife and I are honestly addicted to it.

Can they stop doing the bare minimum design work like they had to make the game on a shoestring budget

I'm having a ton of fun with this. I think I'm about half way through and having a great time. I'd give it an 8.5 so I decided to round up to a 9 since I'm having more fun then not with this entry.

I think the characters and Pokémon look great and the menus are superb. The graphics for the city are a bit bland but they're fine. The gameplay is a ton of fun. I wish the wild areas had more Pokémon but it's not a deal breaker. Z-A is fun to run around in, the battles are fun and engaging and the catching is great! The story is engaging, I care about the characters and I really like the side quests/missions adding some extra flavor.

I think its another embarrassing, low-effort cash in from Gamefreak. That won't be changing any time soon.

I'm having a lot of fun with it. I'm disappointed with the lack of new Pokemon or regional forms, but the new mega evolutions are cool, and the storyline is a lot of fun. I'd definitely put it at the very bottom of main series games, but I'm still having a blast. GameFreak may be lazy and/or incompetent with making Pokemon games look better than a Wii U title, but they're undeniably fun to play. I gave it an 8.

Easily a 9/10, one of the best Pokemon experiences in a long time. 1 point off because the city could have been fleshed out a bit more, although the environments are quite beautiful. Say what you will about Legends: Z-A, but the gameplay loop is brilliant. Can't wait to see what's in store for the DLC.

These articles don't really make sense - having a poll in which a good amount of people who haven't played the vote not to mention this early in the games launch where everyone here probably hasn't finished it is pretty stupid.

I don't have the game nor a Switch 2 and after seeing gameplay of ZA I definitely don't plan to get it because even taking the Switch 2 version in mind it looks terrible. And it's even more baffling how people are rating the Switch 1 version so highly when it runs like garbage.

But then again, it's pokemon. If this was any other IP as someone mentioned, it would be ripped apart.

@iLikeUrAttitude I agree with the completion aspect. I think it took me several months before I beat the main story in Arceus even. Considering the game loop in this game, it'll probably take me even longer to beat the ZA story.

@kal_el_07241 Yeah this poll along with other review sites, should've been pushed back a week minimum. I get clicks matter but still.

@demacho Yeah. I agree. There seems to be some haters I doubt have even played it that are being way too dramatic over it even calling it the worst game of all time or worst Pokemon game they have seen and they did the same with 'Pokemon Scarlet and Violet' and I honestly didn't think they were that bad either and my Niece who is a big Pokemon fan loved them along with the DLC.

I think because Pokemon has sold so much (it is the highest grossing media franchise of all time) there are people that just hate it because it is more successful than other games they like more and aren't as popular or well known and it doesn't matter how good the game they put out it will get hated at this point.

@iLikeUrAttitude Pokemon has been getting Sonic level hate for at least the past decade now from people who pretty much hate on all the Pokemon games and say only the classic ones are the good ones. It is the latest thing to do with long running video game franchises even when the older games weren't that great. They do it with 'Legend of Zelda' all the time despite a lot of fans liking the newer games but nothing compares to their classics.

No it's exactly as bad as people are saying it is and the fact that you're defending it is baffling. Every building basically have the same jpeg for the windows and look the same, most of which you can't enter. Which is embarrassing since the entire game takes place in the city, so you'd think there would be more effort put into it. The textures for both versions are very low resolution and muddy and it's especially apparent with the water where different layered textures clash over each other like something out of minecraft.

I'm not knocking you for enjoying the game, but going through all these mental gymnastics to defend something that objectively looks terrible isn't a good look.
It's also strange how you just go out of your way to invalidate criticism for the game by just saying most of it isn't real and is pushing some agenda for companies like you worded.

That isn't quite true because you have to understand that only pokemon is being criticized this harshly for the reasons I stated above and many more.
Of course it's going to receive flack for how it looks in the context of it's series when it's the highest grossing media franchise in the world and a multitude of games coming out blow it out of the water visually and performance wise, even in the same genre as it. (Digimon Time Stranger, SMT V, Monster Hunter Stories 2, Palword, list goes on).

Again it's great that you like that game but this is not how you respond to criticism about it.
But like you said it's pretty simple - the game looks mediocre and should so much better especially when it's the highest grossing media franchise in the world.

@DollyrotsFan1 Well at least unlike pokemon Sonic has mostly been listening to it's fans and actual made significant strides in it's series. If every pokemon release in the last decade or so is going to release in such embarrassing state, naturally, it's going to receive just as harsh criticism in return.
It's very simple.

Other long running franchises don't receive the same level of flack because they don't release in such embarrassing states. You're overcomplicating it for the sake of it and resorting to your own personal theories when the answer has been very clear for a while - people just want a more polished product from the highest grossing media franchise in the world.

@Keegsy I didn't know there was going to be DLC but I am glad to hear that after we didn't get any for 'Pokemon Legends: Arceus.'

I give it a solid 8/10. Been playing the backside off it, it’s definitely a blast to play. Already got well over 30hrs into it.

Can’t give it a higher score because there are still those annoying shortcuts pokemon likes to take (I.e fading to black instead of animating your character pulling a lever comes to mind, come on guys, it can’t be that much effort to make)

I myself am a satisfied customer, but I am but one twit on the internet

@iLikeUrAttitude I wish you’d spend your time on something you actually love instead of writing dissertations on something you’ve already openly admitted you don’t own or intend to play.

Other people enjoying things you don’t, or even being perfectly ok with things you aren’t, isn’t “mental gymnastics.” That’s just the variety/spice of life, and I’m sure you can learn to be ok with that.

@iLikeUrAttitude As somebody who loved playing Pokemon Snap on Nintendo 64 myself and a lot of other fans I know wanted a sequel to it for years and they finally listened to the fans and gave us one and I loved it and know I wasn't the only one that did either since both my Nieces and Nephew enjoyed playing it too. While I agree not all the latest games have been the greatest and I can understand people wanting a more polished product a lot of kids like my Nieces and Nephew and their friends enjoy these and that is the audience they are going for and I think there are a lot of people that criticize the games that forget that and want them to be masterpieces much like adults who complain about Dora the Explorer, Paw Patrol and Bubble Guppies and call them immature when they are meant to be for children.

Satoshi Tajiri has said Pokemon is for children and while it is okay for people of all ages to enjoy it children will always be their target audience.

@anubisvel Good that you enjoy it, but I'm going to voice my criticisms whether you like it or not. Criticism is how games improve and pokemon definitely hasn't had enough of it, looking at the releases.
I also recommend you actually read the context to what I was replying to, I obviously wasn't calling enjoying the game mental gymnastics.

@DollyrotsFan1 Being marketed for kids isn't an excuse for the game to look as bad as it does. That was most likely an explanation for the difficulty and formula. The presentation is Gamefreak blatantly cutting corners.

@johnedwin That’s the thing that bugs me so much. I’m truly enjoying the new game but they surely have the budget to make these so much better right?

@iLikeUrAttitude With Pokémon allegedly being the “most successful IP in the world”, these games should have Disney level budgets and much better graphics. I find the new one very fun but the graphics are not its strong point.

Let's be real. If this didn't have the Pokémon brand attached to it, it would have limped away with a 6/10, especially for that $100 price tag.

@iLikeUrAttitude A lot of the older games didn't look that great when they came out either and I remember wanting them to look like the cartoon but the graphics were very basic back then even compared to other games that were out at the time and always thought it was silly they put the main games on the Gameboy since putting them on Nintendo 64, Gamecube, Wii etc would allow them to have better graphics. They have come a long way with the graphics since then and do look more like the cartoons now but I do fully agree with you that they could do better in that department.

With the complaints about the level of difficulty of the latest games though I have heard they deliberately make a lot of newer games that are aimed at children easier so they can enjoy them from a young age and I think some people are expecting a challenge but they are looking at the wrong games if they want that.

GameFreak needs to hand over the reigns to a competent developer. The flat Bitmap windows on the buildings are embarrassing for a company this big. I'm happy people are calling them out for charging full price for a game where so little went into it graphically. Also just one city? Less is not more.

Made me laugh and has a strong finish. I kind of feel like I was playing the game wrong though and just sort of brute it and reduce it back into being turn based

@spiderman0616 You're right but the series has been adamant about maximizing profits with it's very small 13 million budget.
For reference even Expedition 33, a much more polished game had an estimated budget of 18 to 30 million.

@DollyrotsFan1

While you're right that pokemon has never been visually impressive, back in the handheld era it wasn't criticized for it's presentation because it actually matched the presentation of the console.

As for the difficulty yeah Pokemon has never been that easy, but options to make the game harder would be appreciate instead of fanmade ways to do so.

100% right, any other ip would've and has been ripped to shreds for less.

@DollyrotsFan1 Agreed!! I want more of this especially what it seems like we're going to be getting story wise... luckily I have three more months at least to progress/have fun in the game before the DLC drops.

@demacho I mean for the price, gameplay and battle issues.. this definitely feels like a 5 or lower. Especially if youd want all aspects of what the game offers, its like $110? Which is absurd. (Game, dlc, and online for ranked mega stones)
The game didn't become fun until after beating your head against the wall in the tutorial. Even that fun slowly became meh when it felt like I spent more time reading character dialogue, going back to the hotel for a strat meeting, or trying to find a way onto a specific rooftop than actually playing.
The battles are annoying when your mon bugs out on an object so the opposing gets free hits, or when you get hit after you've already ko'd them, or when any move that doesnt flinch still interrupts your move and forces it onto cooldown.
There are a few good side quests in terms of them having a story and background, but the majority are uninspired and feel lazy. Not to mention almost all of the side missions give useless items.

@DollyrotsFan1 it comes out in a few months, I believe. You can see the DLC on the eshop already. If the rumors are true, it sounds like it'll almost be an entirely new game. The big rumor is that it will take place in an alternate universe of Lumiose City, transforming the city and environments. Which would be amazing!

@iLikeUrAttitude Pokémon’s had no shortage of criticism over the years — some fair, some not. They’ve also received plenty of praise and success, which you seem to dismiss as if it’s your noble duty to knock them down a few pegs.

The issue isn’t differing opinions; it’s the constant repetition from naysayers who believe their negativity carries more weight than others’ enjoyment. If Pokémon isn’t for you, that’s fine — there are countless other games that probably are. It just seems like a better use of time and energy than dwelling on what doesn’t bring you joy.

The Pokémon Company will keep shaping their games around their own vision and the fans who actually connect with it, not the detractors who don’t. Being loud or persistent doesn’t automatically make feedback more right or more actionable, and having something to complain about doesn’t inherently make something bad.

I’m not here to convince you to like Pokémon Legends: Z-A or to think it’s a great game. That’s perfectly fine. Rather, you’ve made it very clear that it’s not for you, so what else are you looking to accomplish here?

Hot take - Sword/Shield, Legends Arceus, and Legends Z-A are the best on the Switch. I know that certainly doesn't hold true for everyone, but all of them are top tier Pokemon games in the franchise. Violet was surprisingly fun, but so rough around the edges. It could have been a masterpiece if there was a little more prep put into it.

@iLikeUrAttitude Have you seen Pokémon Pokopia? It looks pretty different than the other games and we are looking forward to playing that when it comes out. There is a new game coming out on X Box Series X next year that looks similar to Pokemon but has better looking graphics called 'Animo’ and you catch the creatures and have them battle each other like you do in Pokemon games but you can actually turn into them and play as them instead of just being the human.

You make some good points but I do have to wonder if the games are actually Game Freak's main priority with Pokemon now or do they see the animated shows, movies, trading cards or plush toys as that because they make a lot of money off so many things and not just the games and I have heard they are working on another Live Action movie but it will be based on the original animated show this time with Ash.

@kal_el_07241 Me too. It is good news and I am looking forward to it.

@Keegsy Oh wow. I didn't realise it was going to be that big but that is definitely great news since I have only started playing the game but have seen people saying it is short and were disappointed we only got one city so an alternative version of Lumiose City would be fun to play in. 😀

@anubisvel

You're constantly putting words in my mouth and it's blatantly obviously you aren't actually reading my comments. You're just arguing with the made up version of me in your head.

I'm going to voice my opinions and criticism and if you feel so annoyed by it, then by all means block me. I was having actual productive conversations with other people here, I'm not going to waste any further time with you.

I am just glad, that I decided to give it a chance. It is really good and the vibes are warm and welcoming, I feel at home.

@Keegsy My Top 5 on the Nintendo Switch are

1) New Pokemon Snap
2) Pokemon Legends: Arceus
3) Pokemon Sword/ Shield
4) Pokemon Scarlet/ Violet
5) Pokemon Legends: Z-A

But I could see the bottom one going up higher when I have played it more but I really loved 'New Pokemon Snap' and I am disappointed we didn't get a 'PokePark 3' on Switch since we loved those games and they are so cute!! lol

@DollyrotsFan1 I hope the rumors are true! So far I'm 15 hours in and there's just so much to do. I'm taking my time with the Z-A tournament and am doing all the side quests, Pokemon research, item collectathoning, etc.

@DollyrotsFan1 Yeah I think the spinoff looked cute, more side tracks for the series are always welcome.

As for the main priority it's most likely the anime and merch, with is actually most of the money pokemon generates if i recall correctly.

@DollyrotsFan1 Nice list! I still need to play New Pokemon Snap. I picked up a copy and never really got into it. I would agree with the rest, but would swap out SV for Let's Go Eevee. Absolutely love that remake and found the updated Pokemon Go catching system to be so addictive. I loved Violet originally too, but I did the first playthrough in handheld mode. I tried again recently to start over and play it on the TV, but was a little distracted by the graphics/performance. Would like to get back into it after Z-A

All the people who give these games a pass are the reason we will never get a well made game ever again. Just go play the handheld games it's over

As a long time Pokémon fanatic, it makes me a little sad that I just can’t get into the Legends games. I like turn-based combat and don’t particularly like the lack of gyms. That’s not to say either are bad games, they're just not for me. Looking forward to Gen 10 though.

Z-A seems like a step in the right direction in terms of objective quality, following on from the poor launch of Scarlet and Violet, so thats definitely a positive.

@demacho I disagree I'd give it a zero of I could. The fact that people are even defending this lazy slop is insanity

@Crecca A 0 is “insanity” when actual “lazy slop” exists. But hey… one man’s Trubbish is another man’s Gimmighoul. 😅

@iLikeUrAttitude You’re absolutely free to share your criticisms. That’s not what I’m contesting. It’s more about the repetition and intensity, especially when the same bold, subjective assertions keep being presented as objective fact. And I don’t disagree that Pokémon could do more with its resources; that’s a fair point. But they are making strides, even if it’s not always at the pace people hope for.

As for the “version” of you I’m engaging with, I’m just responding to what’s been said here. I know that’s not the full picture of who you are, but in the context of this thread, it’s the only side I can really respond to. You’ve made it clear you don’t own the game or the console it’s optimized for, and you’ve only watched some gameplay footage.

I’m not trying to change your mind, just pointing out that it’s hard to have a meaningful back-and-forth without shared firsthand experience. Everyone deserves to spend their time on what they actually enjoy, and if this game isn’t that for you, that’s okay. I’ll leave it there as well.

@iLikeUrAttitude Big agree—that game was a masterpiece. I hope some other developers took note. (I think they did)

The game is ok, the thing that really makes it an experience is the new battle system, but if that's all it has going for it, it gets very repetitive very quickly. something to tide us over till gen 10 I reckon. Not a patch on Legends Arceus

@VoicelessWolf I think I’m a lot more optimistic about the next core games now as well.

@Keegsy as someone who's been playing Pokémon since the first games I have the opposite opinion. The switch games have been so terrible it is the first time I just decided to not play a Pokémon game. My buddy bought me scarlet and it was so terrible I could hardly bring myself to finish it.

I don’t own the game. This is the first big pokemon game I’m skipping. I have SwSh, S/V, Let’s Go and Arceus, but I’m not feeling the effort from Gamefreak with ZA.

@anubisvel yeah I think three fact that people are willing to pay premium prices for a game that's twenty years behind is worth a zero for sure

@spiderman0616 Honestly Expedition 33 felt like a game you see once a generation. I don't expect many devs to follow suit since, as you see with pokemon, following a familiar formula works just fine.

@Crecca Ah. How much do you think Legends: Z-A is actually worth?

@Crecca I totally understand that opinion. Oddly enough, I wasn't a fan of the 3DS Pokemon era very much. Didn't like the transition to 3D, the worlds and environments paled in comparison, etc. X/Y was fun, nothing groundbreaking though. ORAS was the only Pokemon game that I couldn't wait to be done with. Sun was a vibrant entry, but the islands were repetitive and they could have put more effort into the environments and story. I'm not saying that the Switch era comes close to the brilliance of the original GB/GBC/GBA era, but the games I mentioned I put in my absolute favorites.

Should Pokemon be more evolved (pun intended) at this point on a system like Switch/Switch 2? Sure, but the Legends games have been great at pushing the boundaries on the series. The main line series is where serious improvements need to be made. And even then, the games are still plenty fun. They give fans that feeling of getting lost inside the world of Pokemon and at the core of the series, that's what it's all about. But again, I agree that with the next generation they really need to pull out all the stops.

@spiderman0616 Yes, from a graphical standpoint I think Z-A looks pretty good, at least of Switch 2. With a bit more tweaking I think they could finally nail an art style that works perfectly for modern Pokémon. Of course, I’ll always be a sucker for the pixel sprite work of the GBA and DS games, but times have changed.

@Nintendan64 feel very similar. The battle system was fun until it wasn’t, if you get what I mean? At first it was quite refreshing, but it became repetitive very quickly.

@anubisvel honestly just from what I've seen I would pay 35-40 bucks and feel like I didn't get totally ripped off. Anymore than that is just atrocious

Dude with the surfing Pikachu profile pic I didn't mean to block you I was driving I'm sorry. If you see this I'm sorry I can't see your comments anymore and I didn't get to reply to you but if you see this I remember what you said and I agree I just hit report instead of trying while I was driving, probably should of just waited but out of all the Pokémon games I've played I would say soul silver and leaf green are my favourites and the worst is a draw between sword and scarlet. I didn't hate moon but I didn't like it that much. Anyways if someone can tell me how to unlock someone it would be appreciated cuz I didn't mean to block that dude and we were having a good conversation

I'm having a blast. I gave it a 9. My only real gripe is the lack of a bike, skates, or Pokémon riding.

@Crecca
Go to:
Account > Ignored users > On the far right remove ignore

@poudigne I don't care much about the technical specifics, but yes this game would be having it's praises sung had it been 40 bucks. I do think It deserves just a little extra credit for creating a new gameplay loop along with new fighting mechanics. Za is not what is considered a "safe" game and I wonder if they kept the fidelity on the less expensive side Incase it was a total flop.

@eaglebob345 yeah that upset me to. You would think in a city a bike would be a no brainer, or at least a skateboard.

@DollyrotsFan1 yeah. Holding the most profitable franchise in the world to a higher standard is a good thing, but completely ignoring the positives about it isn't helpful

@Crecca no worries at all! Here's what I said if it shows up in the comment: I totally understand that opinion. Oddly enough, I wasn't a fan of the 3DS Pokemon era very much. Didn't like the transition to 3D, the worlds and environments paled in comparison, etc. X/Y was fun, nothing groundbreaking though. ORAS was the only Pokemon game that I couldn't wait to be done with. Sun was a vibrant entry, but the islands were repetitive and they could have put more effort into the environments and story. I'm not saying that the Switch era comes close to the brilliance of the original GB/GBC/GBA era, but the games I mentioned I put in my absolute favorites.

Leaf Green is amazing, I love that game!

@Ghosti if you genuinely think it's among the bottom percentage of all games you've ever played (of course i don't know what your ranking scale is but most people i think wouldn't rate a game they've bought 5/10 very often), that's fine, it seems like you've played enough to form your opinion about it

Not that this has anything to do with Z-A, but my main gripe with Pokemon is that we never got a Conquest 2. What a game that was.

@Crecca so this is a good example of a comment by someone who hasn't even played the game

Other folks have and still dislike it, that's fine, but play the game before deciding to crucify the devs

@demacho I wasn't planning on buying the game based on the trailers and previews. The idea of it being entirely inside of a city, as opposed to the beautiful sprawling landscapes in Arceus, didn't appeal to me at all. When Z-A released I read some really positive reviews and it was enough to make me want it. Glad I didn't judge the book by its cover too much

@Keegsy yeah, i also originally (and kinda still) didnt like the lumiose-only concept, but the game is so satisfying and addictive.

@demacho agreed! Can’t wait to see what the DLC will be.

Personally was a solid 5-6 until I found out online existed. Easily the funnest online experience from a Pokémon game for me. Chaos and some strategy in there too. Really great way to use the new mechanics

Game Freak are essentially printing money with this release, as we all know Pokemon is a Juggernaut of a franchise, but here is a game framed as a AAA release with the minimal of effort put in whilst it looks like a budget title that you would expected to pay no more than 15 bucks for, Silksong showed the worth and value of a game done right.

Both my kids turned their nose up at the game when they seen it, i picked up 2 copies thinking we'd play at the same time like last game.

I took a gander at metacritic to see the scores, and much like other high profile games of late there is a real disconnect between reviewers and gamers, overall quality of titles are diminishing rapidly but seem to be propped up by games media to the bemusement of gamers, holding games creators to higher standards has all but disappeared.

Personally i am not finished with Z-A, i am hoping it will click for me soon, but the lack of voice acting, battling is uninspired and feels like a cooldown simulator, and the city feels soulless.

@demacho I would buy it if it ever got down to thirty dollars. I don't need to play it too make a judgment. I've seen enough of it.

@Crecca you may have seen enough to make a decision about whether you want to buy it, and that's fair, but the opinion of a game held by someone who has never played it will always be of extremely limited value to discussion of the game's quality/deserved rating.

You had the chance to rank it by alphabet instead of numerical!
Ah, opportunity gone...

Graphics are ps3 like but Im having a blast

Like many I really like the gameplay, both the battling and the "cozy stuff" but the city isn't grabbing me. Most of the "Wild Zones" are just bits of the city that has more pokemon and not interesting places to explore/visit. (I do like it is acknowledged in game that its not a great idea)

5/10, tops.

It's fun, but cheaply made, and there's simply no excuse for the price. I bought it knowing my copy would be played by me and multiple others in my household; if it was just for me, I would've never.

Maybe if it a) didn't have PS2-looking textures, 2) had voice acting, and D) didn't cost like 3 Expedition 33s (an RPG that looks better, sounds better, plays better, and has voice acting), I'd rate it higher.

@demacho I'd agree if this was a new IP but with Pokémon this is just a downgrade compared to even a handheld version

Haven't bought the game and don't plan to. But as a former Pokemon fan that still can't completely remove myself from the series, I've watched a lot of reviews and gameplay footage so far. Everything about this screams 5/10.

I like the ideas behind the new combat system, but it looks like it could've used a lot more refinement still. Seen a lot of footage of player pokemon being sent out and taking damage during their forced entry animations. Technical issues are common in the industry, but they are harder to forgive when a game looks as dated as this. That said, I do think it is a massive step up visually compared to Legends Arceus and Scarlett/Violet.

The game world being solely Lumiose City could've been fine if the city was larger and felt more alive. As it stands, it seems awfully small and sterile to me. NPCs stand around motionless all day, and there are so few building interiors. Stores simply being menu screens feels incredibly lame and is exactly what many complained about in FF13.

@Crecca dude. You haven't played the game.

@demacho dude I don't have to. Do you have to eat ***** to know it tastes bad?

I just beat it today, and I'm not sure if it's my FAVORITE Pokemon game i've played through, but it's definitely in my top 3 now with Legends Arceus and Ultra Sun/Moon. I was really worried about the whole "This game takes place in Lumiose City, and ONLY in Lumiose City" thing, thinking that there's no way they'd do that for one single town, and that something was up. But there wasn't anything up, it's ALL in Lumiose. Looking back, I think i would've actually hated that I lot, thank goodness they did keep it all in one area.

Either and 8 or 9 out of 10 for me, would recommend. Also, I haven't cried over a Pokemon game since OG Moon, and this game broke my 8 year streak. Good stuff.

Got it on my V1 Switch thinking I would bounce right off. 12 hours of game later, I bought the full Switch 2 version, willing to play the tutorial again. Haven’t clicked with Pokemon since Y. Also I love the art style? Writing is pretty good. Music is incredible, I actually don’t mind it being stuck in my head so far lol. And the one location is so condensed, I love that too. Battling is the same, just immediate and snappy. Exactly what I’ve wanted in a Pokemon. Not the biggest fan of random encounters and slow battles. Great mix of action and strategy. Online battles are a huge draw to me. It’s a matter of preference. 8.5/10 for me so far

Im going with a solid 6/10.
1. You want better give me voice acting in cutscenes
2. A full region to explore
3. A better story
4. And a jump button (an impossible ask)

@Deekith

You a pokemon fan? If so you got a better suggestion for a game?

@Deekith I'm not taking the opinion of someone who signed up 30 minutes ago.

@Dyna-Z

Lmao dont brother

Solid 7/10. It's a fun game with some neat ideas. It keeps the joy of catching, battling, and evolving Pokemon, and the new and returning Mega Evolutions are charming.

BUT oof, this does not feel like a $70 game. It really feels more like a spinoff that should have been $40-50. The fact that Legends: ZA costs more than games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 or Final Fantasy VII Remake, just feels insulting. It's a fun game, but it's way too expensive for what it is.

And here come the pretzels...

@Dyna-Z
What does the time they signed up have to do with the validity of their opinion?

@Dyna-Z and absolutely has not played a single second of the game

I mean didnt the game come out like 2 days ago. Seems a little premature for this, and I abstained because poke.on isnt really interesting to me.

The setting made me lose all interest early on in development, doesn't look like a good game to me.

Still not finished, so score is not final: 9,48/10 Putting it just below Donkey Kong Bananza (9,51) and above MarioKart World (9,30) also above all other Switch Pokémon games - Legends Arceus (9,40) included.

Downsides:

• No link cable item for trade evolutions (see PLA)

That's it.

I've played it all weekend, and I have to say...

Playing this game feels like running through a never-ending rabbit warren of mostly empty buildings populated with mostly mindless rabbits occasionally asking for carrots.

The music is great. The battle system is okay, even if it's little more than Xenoblade Chronicles with a Pokémon skin. The Pokémon themselves look mostly fine on the Switch 2 in TV mode and handheld.

And then, there's the rest of it:

We went from beautiful scenery and the freedom of open exploration in Arceus to...being trapped in a hamster cage.

Setting-wise, it reminds me of Ys IX, where they trapped you in a city and tried to make it seem interesting by adding a rooftop layer.

When you finally get the ability to float between buildings, the mechanic is so poorly employed (requiring a timed button press and hold) that you just end up having to climb up scaffolding and run along rooftops to get back to where you were trying to jump.

The biggest sin that the Pokémon Company continues to employ is the inability to skip entirely the worthless, slow-paced chatter from annoying NPCs trying to make the most mundane things sound like life-altering stakes.

I get it...you want people to experience the story. But, at LEAST put a fast-forward mode into the games, so those of us who don't enjoy the comfort of a nice set of thumbscrews don't have to keep mashing buttons to advance the flavor text.

It's not a BAD game, by any means, but it's not a great game.

All the complaints about giving people time to play the game...it's a gaming website. Their industry is gaming news, reviews, and polls. It's not a standardized test that you need more time to complete.

Been playing for about 9 hours now and it's.....fine. It scratches that pokemon itch, but it's far from Nintendo's best and definitely not worth the price tag.

My biggest complaints are the DLC's content not coming out till February next year and 3 mega stones locked behind achieving a certain rank in online PvP 3 seasons in a row.

@BuckT38 Reaching that rank is actually not hard if you have at least one mega evolving Pokémon. I did it in only a couple of hours. Also I am happy I get to play the main game before the DLC releases.

Story: -
Mystery: +
Audio: +
Controls: -
Combat: +
Humor: +
Graphics: -
History/lore adherence: +
Character Design interface/depth: +
Other: n/a

6/9/10 it is an okay game...

Sad thing is. I haven't played it yet, but I played the donkey demo on switch 2 at target last night. I have absolutely NO idea how that game got as good scores as it did....absolutely insane. I don't think it improves much at all past the demo either. I'd rate ZA higher than DK for sure

4/10. Disappointing game and very clear lazy design decisions. Least inspiring Pokemon game they've made.

The only Pokemon Switch games that really appeal to me are LGPE and Legends: Arceus. Pokemon was once my favorite series, but that's changed as I've gotten older and the games generally haven't gotten better. I was open to getting this instead of Arceus, but I don't think I will.

The battle system in Z-A looks excellent, and I hope they keep using it for future games! But seeing trailers for this game made me realize that one of the things I enjoy most about Pokemon games is going on an epic journey and achieving things as I travel, so Arceus is more closely aligned with that, even though the battling is ho hummer.

Pokemon might be the gaming franchise with the most regularly missed potential. I know reasons ultimately come down to money, which is sad. If the developers had a budget to match the profits these games make, and were able to work on a game for at least three years or so, they could make one of the greatest games of all time, especially if they implemented this new battle system!

I really enjoy this game way more than i expected when they revelaed the real time combat. 8/10 for me.

Whoever rates this as absymal is just hating to hate, go outside people.

New Battle system needs to be a mainstay going forward, much more fun than turn based combat. The interactivity of Pokemon with the enviroment is great (hiding in trees, jumping out at you from water)

For whatever reason, Game Freak made it their MISSION to make the sewer area look amazing. Like the wall and floor textures with the specular mapping what the heck?? Why is that the best looking part of the game? (So far, haven't beaten it yet) Genuinely impressed.

I gave it an 8 only because the rooftops seem a little empty and the implementation of the Rotom phone... "glide" or whatever it's called is terrible. There also needs to be a way to reach further rooftops, I spent far too long thinking I could reach the rooftops across the street and falling. My only other gripe is having an Aegislash on my team means i have to wait every time I send it out for it to switch to blade form to attack.

Side note the rival music SLAPS

Pros:
Emma's cakes

Cons:
Battle system is just button mashing, just like a mobile game. And is really buggy when there's any kind of elevation on the terrain
Graphics look awful
Music
Side Missions are uninspired
Megas look horrible
NPCs just stand around staring at walls
There are no interiors
Platforming puzzles aren't challenging
Has a few stutters and map doesn't load properly on switch1
Characters are unlikeable
Rogue battles are clunky, dodging is horrible, and your pokemon keeps coming back to you after every attack
Wild zones are underwhelming, and the city is really small

@Uncle_Franklin There's a reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally good chance they signed up just to talk down about the game, like a lot of people are doing right now, spreading misinfo, and telling people not to buy the game. Plus their comments got removed soooo. I might be right for once lol.

8.5 would be a safe range. I’m not gonna dock almost half the points because I can’t explore mostly empty plains, complaining about graphics of all things in Pokemon, and especially a non-issue like no voices in a series known for largely not doing voices for decades (When was this ever all of a sudden a Pokemon exclusive complaint? Ton of games chose to do no voices as a stylistic choice and gamers were fine with it for years. I didn’t hear gamers cry about Minecraft being silent for starters. Tons of games from indie to high end opted out for voices for one reason or another).

All I care about is the performance actually being good on the S2 unlike most prior Pokemon titles, the battle system finally evolving for the better (I laugh that people call it “button mashy” then I guess every RPG that isn’t menu turn based is that too like Xenoblade then) , it’s still a good monster collector, and the various QoL this game introduced.

Also people bringing up games like the new Digimon game as a “gotcha” that game was considered largely mid as a monster collector game just like back when Cyber Sleuth released. It has plenty of its own issues as well as someone that played it.

With people thinking that this game is a 8 or 9 I do have to think just how bad and lazy a game would need to be for people to give it a low score.

I reckon a Pokemon game stuck at the loading screen would still get a 6/10.

It was going to take a lot for me to give this a go but THIS for 70$? Nahh

I'm sorry, but how is this game an average (or above) $ 70 product compared to other 2025 games in that range on the same system?

The answer is absurdely simple: it is not an average experience, it is pretty far from it.

As long as there is some kind of internal logic to that whole idea of rating scales, it should therefore be rated below average, which in this ordinal scale equals to a rating of 4 or below.

Whether this then "is" a 3 or 4 might be subjective ... whether it is average or above is not though - at least 90% of that consideration is not subjective.

Stop rating it "as a Pokemon" game and start rating it as a videogame in 2025 on Switch 2. That is not a huge ask.

The current approach is completely broken and has no value to the consumer other than judging how much of a "Pokemon Fan" any given reviewer really is. That is not helpful insight to me though ... if any reasoning for a review contains any allusion to "... for a Pokemon game ..." it is by definition not trying to render an objective or even intersubjective rating.

That IS fine, don't get me wrong, but the least anyone could do then, is to clearly mark this as what is: an utter and complete opinion piece on a videogame -> don't called review or test or anything like that and don't let it feed into aggregated scores. Again, that is not a huge ask, but common logic.

The switch 2 version having better performance is nice and all, but better performance alone cant save how much this game has let me down. The visuals themselves are enough for me to give this a pretty bad score. The game takes place in a single city, and they couldn't even make the city look any better than an early PS2 game?! Not to mention the city itself just is not fun to explore or traverse. Charging $70 for this should be a crime. The gameplay isnt much better either, its better than normal Pokemon but its still just not that interesting. I feel like this game is being held up entirely by 3 things; the die-hard fans that will accept garbage slop as long as it has the word "Pokemon" slapped next to it, the admittedly decent story and characters (which is still hampered by the complete lack of voice acting), and how much genuine fun it is to dress up your character.