Pokémon Legends: Z-A – The Final Preview
Wilds Zones – Where There’s Always a Catching Chance
Wild Zones are areas within Lumiose City where wild Pokémon reside. This is where trainers can engage in Pokémon catching. Players can throw a Poké Ball directly at a Pokémon, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but it’s easier to weaken the Pokémon first. Pokémon Legends: Z-A has adjusted the capturing mechanic.
- Trainers don’t have to worry about accidentally defeating a Pokémon.
- Pokémon will “faint” temporarily, indicated by stars above their heads, giving trainers a free chance to capture them.
- Note that the Pokémon will eventually disappear if too much time passes after fainting.
It raises questions about how this affects capture rates compared to status effects or lower HP. Perhaps knocking a Pokémon out resets its catch rate, adding value to strategic move selection. Removing challenges to streamline the experience can negatively impact the satisfaction of succeeding. Some consequence is needed to make the task feel more meaningful.
Verticality and Challenges
The Wild Zones take advantage of Lumiose City’s verticality, allowing exploration of waterways and skyscraper rooftops, creating micro-habitats for diverse Pokémon. Ascending a building to evade an alpha Houndoom resulted in finding a group of Swablu at the top.
- Players can encounter different Pokémon depending on their altitude.
- Alpha Pokémon can pose a significant threat if the level gap is too large.
The encounter encouraged experimentation with strategies, such as Gyarados’ Whirlpool remaining active even after switching Pokémon. Mixing different moves from different Pokémon can lead to interesting combos, but the Pokemon has a cool down when you switch them out which requires quick thinking and good positioning to avoid enemy attacks.
Trainer Battle Zones and Extra Goals
The demo featured a Z-A Royale battle zone at the higher W rank. Obstacles like slime blocking pathways, removable with Water-type attacks, suggest the need for varied Pokémon teams for exploration. Trainers will also want a mix of Pokémon and moves on your team to take advantage of extra missions.
- The inclusion of obstacles will make the game more diverse.
- Players will need teams of various types to handle varied challenges
Bonus cards found within the battle zone provided missions, enhancing the experience. Instead of simply defeating trainers, these missions require specific actions. For example, start a battle with a Flying-type sneak attack, or land a super-effective Water-type attack. Fulfilling these conditions earned more Ticket Points, speeding up promotion to higher ranks.
Battling Mega Victreebel and Repeat Mega Evolutions
The final demo segment involved battling a rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon, the Mega Victreebel. The demo team included three Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution: Houndoom, Absol, and Gardevoir. The Mega Victreebel battle was fierce. Its attacks poisoned the ground, making avoidance difficult while commanding Pokémon and collecting Mega Power orbs to enable Mega Evolution.
- Players can battle Mega-Evolved Pokémon.
- The demo team included three Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution
When one Mega Evolution Pokémon fainted, it seemed like the end. However, in Legends: Z-A, trainers can Mega Evolve all three available Pokémon, as long as they gather enough Mega Power. It’s unclear if this applies in trainer battles. We were told that trainers were not limited to a single Mega Evolution per battle, as long as they had the Mega Stone and Mega Power.
Plus Moves – The Solution to the (Possible) Repeat Mega Evolution Problem
Mega Power is more than just a means to Mega Evolve. It can also be used to enhance a Pokémon’s move into a “Plus Move” for increased power. This enhancement is activated by pressing the plus button on the controller.
- Mega Power can be used to enhance a Pokémon’s move.
- A “Plus Move” increases the power of an attack.
It’s unclear why someone would choose to use a Plus Move instead of Mega Evolving. However, this could prevent Pokémon that cannot Mega Evolve from being completely useless. The mechanic is useful if players can Mega Evolve multiple times in trainer battles, solving the potential problem this freedom would cause.
Closing Thoughts
It’s hard not to compare Legends: Z-A to Legends: Arceus, its predecessor, setting high expectations. The modified battle system and feudal setting of Arceus allowed for cool exploration of Pokémon lore. Arceus triumphantly set itself apart from the other games’ modern settings, and this was my highest expectation for the Legends series.
- Players shouldn’t compare Legends: Z-A with Legends: Arceus.
- Legend: Arceus had a unique system
Skepticism remains about whether Legends: Z-A’s battle system, setting, and story will be as captivating as Legends: Arceus, despite potential improvements. After experiencing Legends: Z-A, it’s still uncertain if it will surpass its predecessor. However, the gameplay loop is unique, and the new, real-time battle system is worth mastering. The risks Pokémon is taking are appreciated; let’s hope they pay off.
Leave a Reply