Highlights

  • Pokemon Legends: Z-A aims to continue breaking away from traditional Pokemon games with new mechanics and a unique storyline.
  • The game challenges players with unexpected plot twists, like the revelation of a friendly character's dark ambitions.
  • To stay ahead of the curve, Pokemon Legends: Z-A may focus on developing a complex main villain rather than relying on surprise twists.

Pokemon has always been about capturing and befriending monsters to do battle with. When it's time to encounter other trainers, they are rarely known to provide much challenge, let alone twists and turns to the plot of the game. In this aspect, Pokemon Legends: Arceus stood out from the rest of the series, so much so that it's hard to imagine Pokemon Legends: Z-A being able to top it.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the upcoming sequel to Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The Pokemon Legends series so far tends to break away from other mainline Pokemon games in a variety of ways. For example, Legends: Arceus is set in the distant past of Diamond and Pearl's Sinnoh region, known then as the Hisui region. Likewise, Pokemon battles are completely different in Legends: Arceus thanks to mechanics never seen before or since. Using the new battle system and this story premise, the game was able to present players with one of the best fights in the entire series.

Pokemon Legends Z-A- 7 Mechanics From Legends Arceus It Should Keep
Related
Pokemon Legends Z-A: 7 Mechanics From Legends Arceus It Should Keep

With Pokemon Legends Z-A announced for 2025, let's take a look at the mechanics that the game should keep from Pokemon Legends Arceus.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Has Big Shoes to Fill

Pokemon is undoubtedly a series full of traditions, for better or for worse. There are plenty of aspects of the series that continue to be timeless, and some others which have felt dated for years. A great example of the latter is Pokemon's narrative simplicity. Villains vary from gangsters stealing other people's Pokemon, to maniacs that want to destroy the world. Of course, this doesn't mean there's absolutely no depth in Pokemon's villains, but it's always pretty clear who the bad guy is supposed to be.

Pokemon's Most Dramatic Twist

Yet again, Legends: Arceus was able to break new ground. Legends: Arceus takes place in the distant past, and features many characters who are meant to be the ancestors of other characters in the series. Early on, players are introduced to Volo, an eccentric merchant. From his design, to his team, to his interest in ancient artifacts, it's immediately clear that Volo is meant to be an ancestor of Cynthia, one of Pokemon's most popular characters.

Cynthia is the champion of the Sinnoh region, and she is infamous for being one of the most difficult boss fights in the series. Despite the challenge she presented, she was a competent ally of the player. Similar to his descendant, Volo seems like a friendly guide to the player, even resembling the rivals of any other Pokemon game.

The Toughest Fight in Pokemon's History

That is, until players have fulfilled his request to collect the plates of Arceus. At that point, Volo reveals he has been manipulating the player for his own dark ambitions. Volo's team imitates Cynthia's, meaning he poses quite a challenge by himself. The stakes skyrocket when he does the unthinkable and summons Giratina thanks to the work the player did for him.

Pokemon may not be known for complicated storylines, but it certainly isn't known for being very difficult either. With a few notable exceptions, players can work with a great degree of freedom, and little effort to beat their opponents. Volo couldn't be more different. Players had to use plenty of preparation and strategy if they wanted to even stand a chance at beating Volo and Giratina.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Lost the Element of Surprise

Twist villains are incredibly hard to pull off. Pokemon Legends: Arceus had the benefit of a decades-long history of straightforward storytelling behind it. Even with the growing complexity in recent Pokemon games, nobody was expecting the friendly character who had guided them the whole game to have such a sudden heel turn.

This puts Game Freak in a tricky situation. After all, lightning never strikes the same place twice. If Legends: Z-A was going to use a similar plot twist, it would be immediately obvious hours before the reveal. The reason the twist worked with Volo was that it was so unprecedented.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Will Have to Innovate Yet Again

If Legends: Z-A wants to avoid being upstaged by its predecessor, the easiest solution is to refrain from trying its hand at another end-game twist villain. Instead, in the spirit of the Legends series, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will have to try a new direction. Rather than intending to shock the player, Pokemon Legends: Z-A can focus on the depth of its main villain. Pokemon isn't known for its complex stories, but maybe Pokemon Legends: Z-A could change that too.