Solomon Aesop

I’m about halfway through the game, and I’ll say this as a longtime fan. Legends ZA is neither perfect nor is it terrible. It is refreshing. For the first time, it feels like Game Freak is polishing its games. The gameplay is finally just as satisfying as the narrative. Though the atmosphere needs more work, it makes me confident that the series will continue to grow from here. It’s a Pokémon game that, at last, actually feels like a Pokémon game, not just an experimental project made under crunch. In contrast to ZA, Scarlet & Violet for example exuded plenty of potential with its well-written story and characters, as well as its stellar soundtrack. Additionally, its introduction to open world exploration almost gave players the means of shaping their own pokémon adventure. However, it was incredibly lacking in performance quality and had an overworld that wasn’t as fulfilling as it could’ve been, which would go on to be the biggest drawbacks to SV as a main series entry. ZA is a bit more beginner-friendly than Arceus. The side quests are rather easy, if not tedious at worst. That said, each of them have been a delight, making the city feel more alive than it looks. But if you’re a stickler for difficulty, and you’ve come for the same level of challenge as Legends Arceus, you won’t be seeing it until later in the game. You’re better off trying your hand at Rogue Mega Evolution battles or catching Alphas if that’s what you’re looking for. Even with those drawbacks, I think ZA serves as a satisfying experience for new fans and longtime fans alike. Due to culture wars and grifting, most of these reviews are full of people whose pettiness makes it clear that they haven’t actually played the game. Folks are just looking to stir up controversy, much like with the #Dexit situation of 2018 (and this is coming from someone who personally came out of SwSh feeling like it was mid), so it’ll come to pass eventually. If anything, I wish culture warists had something to criticize instead of rehashing the same vague negative statements they always give when they want to dunk on something.