Summary
With high expectations as the next major entry in the franchise,Pokemon Legends: Z-Ais hinted to be set entirely within what could be the most detailed environment yet seen in aPokemontitle. The reveal trailer introducingLumiose City’s urban redevelopment planremains the primary source of official information about the game and suggests an experience that could approach more realism than the abstracted worlds ofPokemonever have.
IfPokemon Legends: Z-Abuilds upon the groundwork laid byArceusto depict a more realistic version of Kalos, it could mark the most significant stylistic shift in the series to date. Previous generations have depicted expansive towns and cities, but these in-game areas have often felt limited when quantifying their populations and architecture. Expanding on how Lumiose City is shown could easily make up enough content for an ambitious enough title, but this format might also leave the door open for further content that gives other places fromX and Ythe same treatment.
Retaining the Core Vision of Pokemon Legends: Z-A While Going Beyond Lumiose City
Pokemon’s Shift Towards DLC Releases
As there has been some mixed reception toPokemon’s transition to newer technology over recent generations, post-launch updates that help to address potential shortcomings of base game content have become highlights of these experiences to many players. Now that expansion passes have come to replace the previous sequels andthird versions of previousPokemongenerations, it’s likely that this will continue to be the norm in future titles. There wasn’t a major DLC release forLegends: Arceuson the level of the likes of the Indigo Disk, but this could easily follow a successful launch toZ-A.
Embracing Realism in Legends: Z-A
While there are cities within existingPokemongames that can sustain some impressive exploration, the concept of featuringone location like Lumiose Cityas the entire map is totally unprecedented. Considering the fact that the developers seem to be taking more time between releases leading up toZ-A, this vision seems to have the genuine possibility of setting the tone for future titles to adopt what could be this new structure.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Potential for DLC in Other Cities
An Approach to Post-Launch Content to Fit a Larger Scale
Fleshing out a vision of Lumiose for a new generation can inspire enough content to make up an entire game, but that doesn’t mean the rest of Kalos can’t end up represented through subsequent support. If there ends up being an expansion pass like theHidden Treasure of Area ZeroforZ-A, stepping into other cities within Kalos could resemble the excursions into other regions of past content. Witnessing the possible rise of Lumiose City into the hub it has always been known as inX and Yis a strong premise, but there is arguably just as much significance to several other parts of the region which might be hard to ignore along the way.
Cities Besides Lumiose that Make Sense for Legends Z-A
As the height of Kalos' development is represented by its flagship city of Lumiose, several other key aspects could be captured by delving into a more detailed version of similar locations. There’s not as much inherent scale to Anistar or Shalour City, but their roles in the greater lore and importance of Mega Evolution make them candidates for bringing more context to the lore of the sixth generation ofPokemon. Several smallertowns of the Kalos regionhave enough personality to support a DLC story, but the distinct aesthetic of places like Laverre and Cyllage City also make them solid contenders for an experience that achieves the same diverse settings seen in pastPokemonexpansions.
Pokemon Legends Z-A
The sequel to Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes Pokemon trainers back to the Kalos region’s Lumiose City.
