I love Pokémon. Who wouldn’t?
Everyone, even if they’ve never touched a Nintendo console, has a memory of the franchise, either with the anime, the trading card game, or the mobile apps. And everyone, of course, has a favorite Pokémon (mine is Inkay, just so you know).
It’s no secret that Pokémon is one of the most popular franchises in the world. No, scratch that. It is the most popular franchise in the world, raking in more than $100 billion since 1996 thanks to merchandise, trading cards, box office movies, manga and comics, and of course, video games.
The most recent addition to Pokémon's vast lineup of games is “Pokémon Legends: Z-A”, the second game in the sub-series “Pokémon: Legends,” following “Pokémon Legends: Arceus.” Announced as a Nintendo Switch exclusive all the way back in February 2024, it was shown that the game would take place in the Kalos region, more specifically, limiting players to Lumiose City, thereby serving as a sequel to the 2013 main series games “Pokémon X and Y.”
There was little about the gameplay, Pokémon, or battling system that was revealed in the announcement trailer. Even the scenery was left out in favor of a blue grid pattern taking the shape of buildings.
There were still problems present. Doubt arose from fans due to being limited to the urban sprawl of Lumiose, but I still decided to let “Game Freak” and The Pokémon Company cook.
Then, the leaks of the game came out. A massive exposé was released by leakers in March 2025, revealing which Pokémon would receive Mega Evolutions (an extra evolution that served as “Pokémon X and Y’s” special gameplay gimmick), which turned out to be 100% true. With important aspects being revealed and the game expanding onto the Nintendo Switch 2, the excitement around the game was starting to decline.
Then autumn rolled around, and this September, something else dropped – an official reveal by The Pokémon Company. It was the announcement of Mega Dimension, a $30 DLC for the base game, which was released on Oct. 16. Fans criticized this decision, and there were comments under the trailer calling the decision “diabolical” and saying, “The Pokémon Company really does hate us, huh.”
To add on to this, three of the most hyped Mega Evolutions (for Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja, the final stages of “Pokémon X and Y’s” first partner Pokémon) are also locked behind Nintendo Switch Online – another $20 paywall that increases the game’s cost from $70 to potentially $120.
All this before the game even releases?
I started to lose more hope when the game finally came out. People online were critiquing every aspect of this game: the storyline, gameplay, visuals, and setting. I decided that the only person who could make up my mind was myself.
So, I put in a preorder for the game on Oct. 13. The game was released just three days later. With midterms wrapping up, I finally got the chance to play the game, and...
It’s mid.
I’m sorry to any diehard Pokémon fans out there, but it’s just the truth. While some common criticisms I see online are invalid in my eyes (such as the storyline, which I do enjoy), there are just too many problems.
The graphics are extremely flat and pixelated, something that’s especially noticeable on the buildings. I wouldn’t mind this issue anywhere else; however, considering the game takes place entirely within the city, the textures aren’t doing the game any favors.
Speaking of flat, the characters’ expressions are also shockingly still. While the storyline and characters are enjoyable, it can get boring watching the NPCs (slang for non-player characters) cycle through the same three faces when they speak. Come on, “Game Freak.” I’m honestly baffled that voice acting hasn’t been included in a single Pokémon game yet. It would definitely fix half of this game’s problems.
And no, I’m not trying to hate on Pokémon. I’ve loved the franchise since I was young, and I’m criticizing the game because I know it can be so much better than what it is.
The DLC version should have been a part of the base game. DLCs have already been included in other Nintendo games, such as “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe”, “Xenoblade Chronicles 3,” and “Donkey Kong Bananza,” but this one feels especially insulting. It feels like it was already meant to be part of the base game, in a way that many other DLCs don’t, but they decided to sell it separately to drain more money from devoted fans.
The setting also feels limited, not just because of the entirety of the game taking place in a city, but also because you can’t enter any of the buildings, except for a handful of ones you enter in the storyline. They should add interiors to the buildings, which would enhance the game's worldbuilding and bring life to Lumiose altogether.
I’m disappointed by “Pokémon Legends: Z-A,” but that doesn’t mean I’ve lost hope. Game Freak and The Pokémon Company are capable of releasing masterpieces that still hold up to this day – just look at this game’s predecessor, “Legends: Arceus.”
“Legends: Arceus” is one of the most acclaimed Pokémon games in recent history, having only been released in 2022. The game has a vast, expansive setting, an interesting storyline, and textures that don’t look like they were taken from a disposable camera’s film reel.
Pokémon, despite its flaws, is still an amazing franchise that can and will continue to make improvements and developments, and with “Generation Ten” on the horizon, I’m sure this isn’t the last time you’ll hear from me about Pokémon.
Also, please just add Mega Flygon. If you know, you know.
Mathew Koroski is a writer for The Setonian’s Opinion section. He can be reached at matthew.koroski@student.shu.edu.
