For many Pokemon fans, the idea of an open-world Pokemon game was appealing. And then, we got Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This game broke the formula wide open. Where most prior main series games had you progress in a pretty linear way from one town to the next, Scarlet & Violet let us roam at our discretion. This had its pluses and minuses, leaving many fans curious to know if open-world is the way forward for Pokemon. Pokemon Legends: Z-A isn’t the best point of proof here, since it’s not exactly the next main series game. But when it comes to this Pokemon game, at least, it’s certainly no open-world approach.
Videos by ComicBook.com
We’ve known for a while that Pokemon Legends: Z-A would take place entirely within Lumiose City. But that left plenty of questions about how the exploration would feel. How big is the in-game Lumiose City, and how will players explore it? Having gotten the chance to play some of Legends: Z-A, I came away with a solid sense that this game is doing something different with exploration compared to prior Pokemon games. And honestly? I think it was a smart move.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Breaks The City into Zones
Like any Pokemon fan, I’m eager for the day when I am fully let loose in the world of Pokemon Legends: Z-A. But from what I did get to see, I can tell that the flow of exploration is going to feel quite different in this game. The city has specific “zones” where certain activities take place. You have to click to enter them, clearly dividing your free-roaming time from things like catching wild Pokemon or engaging in the Battle Royale.
Catching wild Pokemon takes place in Wild Zones throughout the city. These areas are clearly marked on the in-game map, and players will need to walk up and actively choose to enter them. That’s a good thing, because once you’re around those wild Pokemon, some of them are coming for blood. In this way, entering a Wild Zone feels a bit like stepping into the tall grass in early Pokemon games. Once you enter, you’d better be ready to battle whatever Pokemon pop up.
Similarly, the nightly Battle Royale zones bring you into the trainer battle tournament. I didn’t get a chance to see whether trainers might also challenge you as you roam the rest of Lumiose City, but the Battle Royale itself is contained in the specific zone. This area appears only at night, and you’ll need to find and enter it to participate in this tournament. Once inside, battles are fair game for any trainer who spots you… or who you choose to sneak up on.
In this way, the game feels very different from Scarlet & Violet, and even from Pokemon Legends: Arceus. I’m guessing there will be some more free-roaming moments as we explore the city, but certain activities being chunked off into zones is a different direction here. Depending on how it fits together with the full game, it just might be the right choice. The open world of Scarlet & Violet felt empty to many, so designating smaller areas chock full of Pokemon and/or trainers to encounter just might be the right move here.
Lumiose City Felt Bigger Than I Expected… And I’ve Barely Seen It
But what else defines Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s world besides the different zones? Like many Pokemon fans, I had some concerns about the plan to set the game in a single city. After all, so much of the fun of Pokemon is the sense of adventure and exploration. Designating specific zones helps ensure that the areas within Lumiose City don’t feel empty or pointless, but how else does the world of Z-A come to life?
In my play session, I spent a lot of time battling (and getting sent to the Pokemon Center). However, there was a bit of time to roam, and I was impressed with the dynamic feel of the map. Lumiose City reminds me a bit of exploring Midgar in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. While you’re confined to the space of the city, you can climb ladders, get on top of buildings and scaffolding, and find nooks and crannies. This use of levels helps make Lumiose City feel bigger, without the “oops all hallways” syndrome that some earlier Pokemon games have struggled with.
I’m not sure how small Lumiose City will feel once we’ve all been roaming it for a few hours. But my initial impression shows that this Pokemon map is one that feels more vibrant, more full of things to interact with, than what we’ve seen in recent entries. That leaves me cautiously optimistic that the step away from an open world here is a solid blueprint for what’s to come. We don’t want Gen 10 in just one city, of course, but it does feel like Legends: Z-A might be a solid masterclass in how to make the spaces within our next main series entry feel more interactive.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Stage 6 Films -
Image courtesy of Lucasfilm
