Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Spoilers for Pokemon Legends: Z-A ahead.

When Game Freak first announced Pokemon Legends: Z-A, perhaps the biggest question on my mind was how Zygarde would fit in. There was never any doubt that it would be important to the game; it would be baffling for Game Freak to return to Gen 6's setting and alphabetic naming conventions without spotlighting the Legendary that famously never got its Pokemon Z. Still, early Pokemon Legends: Z-A marketing focused heavily on the return of Mega Evolution, rather than concentrating on Zygarde. Now that I've got the game in my hands and know the part Zygarde plays, I'm actually thinking a lot about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet instead.

Like they do for many others, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet hold a complicated place in my heart. The graphics leave a lot to be desired, and I was very disappointed about Pokemon going open-world, only for the Paldea region to feel like a wasteland with almost nothing to do besides the franchise's bare minimum. However, I'd praise Terastallization for getting players to think differently about type matchups, and (more importantly to me), I was pleasantly surprised by the writing. Scarlet and Violet made the bold decision to team the player up with Legendary mascots Koraidon and Miraidon right off the bat, and the true friendship forged by that decision is what Zygarde is lacking.

One flaw they have in common, if you ask me: both Scarlet/Violet and Pokemon Legends: Z-A should have voice acting. But that's not what we're here to talk about.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Confirms that Scarlet and Violet's Legendaries Set a New Standard for Me

Exploring the overworld on Koraidon's back - Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Pokemon games spend a lot of time talking about the power of friendship with your Pokemon, but when it comes to that theme, Scarlet and Violet understood how to show rather than tell like few other Pokemon games do. One of the first things you do in the game is earn Koraidon/Miraidon's trust through an act of kindness, which it quickly repays. From then on, you spend the whole game sharing adventures with that Pokemon as a trusty steed, and nurture Koraidon/Miraidon's full potential while helping Arven nurse his Mabosstiff back to health. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Legendary mascots almost never leave your side and constantly show their affection, and that made me feel like I had a real friendship with that Pokemon unlike any other.

That camaraderie is what I'm sorely missing in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. In this game, Zygarde plays a much more traditional role as a Legendary Pokemon. It's aloof and mysterious, only making appearances or getting referenced when the story touches on the main mystery of Rogue Mega Evolution. Sure, that intrigue makes every Zygarde scene exciting, but it's a very functional role rather than an emotional one. Whereas Scarlet/Violet put us on even footing, Z-A makes me feel more like a disciple or student of its mascot, not a friend.

None of this is surprising, given the long precedent set by Legendary Pokemon, including in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, but Pokemon doesn't have to handle its Legendary mascots the same way every time, especially after Scarlet/Violet proved there's another way. I even had some hope at the start that Z-A would follow in Scarlet/Violet's footsteps. The very early appearance of Zygarde Cells made me think Zygarde would join my team after the first few story beats, but instead I was left hanging like so many times before. Sitting with that disappointment, I'm left to wish I could play Pokemon Gen 9 for the first time all over again.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Didn't Learn From Scarlet and Violet, but Gen 10 Can

I haven't lost faith that Scarlet and Violet's design will prevail. The next era of Pokemon likely isn't far away, especially based on the recent massive Pokemon Gen 10 leaks. These suggest that the next mainline games will feature something called a "Seed Pokemon", a rare 'mon that the player gets early and evolves into unique forms with the help of procedural generation. That'd be a promising start, but I'll temper my expectations until we get a better sense of Gen 10's writing; an early intro is only as valuable as the friendship the story establishes. Knowing what Game Freak is capable of, there's clearly a chance that the alleged Pokemon Wind and Wave take after Scarlet/Violet more than Z-A.