Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Demo Clearly Hasn’t Played the Ace Up its Sleeve

Pokemon Legends: Z-A has started a brand-new round of discussion, speculation, and analysis following its public demo at the Pokemon World Championships. Through this vertical slice of gameplay, Pokemon Legends: Z-A fans now know the size of the singular location in the game, Lumiose City. Some players are voicing concerns that the urban landscape might be too small for the adventure they’re expecting, while others feel like it’s a notable step forward after Scarlet and Violet‘s infamous performance issues on the original Switch. Following many months of barely any prominent news, fans have access to plenty of official information about what’s been seen of the demo so far, from hidden details demo players are finding to the reported difficulty curve that might change series expectations.

Because of all the information players now have when it comes to Pokemon Legends: Z-A, there are plenty of questions that have followed. Some event attendees and streaming viewers are hoping that the Pokemon World Championship closing ceremonies will end with a new trailer, possibly revealing a new Mega Evolution. On that same train of thought, many players are wondering how the removal of Mega Evolution’s original once-per-battle limit will affect the real-time gameplay.

The preview has left so many potential players divided over the game, with the way Lumiose City looks a bit empty sparking complaints, while some fans who haven’t picked up recent Pokemon installments have found themselves interested in what Z-A has shown off so far. Regardless of where one falls, it seems that Game Freak’s long silence about what the studio has been working on with Legends: Z-A has been worth it, as the buzz around the game has expanded tenfold. It’s impressive to witness, especially when considering the very same demo that generated this conversation has also made it apparent that it’s only showing the tip of the iceberg.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Day-Night Cycle Could Be a Game-Changer For Wild Areas

In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Lumiose City’s circular shape serves as the game’s setting and the player’s map. Demo players noted that only six wild zones were accessible, with six Pokemon to catch in each one. If these were the only wild zones that players could go to, that would mean only 36 species were up for grabs. Fortunately, not only do screenshots and trailers already confirm that this isn’t the case, but if it was, it would leave Pokemon Legends: Z-A with the smallest Pokedex in series history by far.

This means that Lumiose City’s current urban redevelopment plan may play a bigger role in regard to exploration than it might have seemed at first. With the use of a day-and-night cycle that allows players to explore while the sun’s out, and the freedom to experience the Z-A Battle Royale at night, it seems the city will change every day in accordance to the redevelopment plan. From there, the city’s wild zones can change and adjust as fans progress through the day, offering different Pokemon to catch, which helps explain a few spaces that could work perfectly with the green and red gates in Legends: Z-A.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Likely Has Plenty of Secrets Hidden in its Back Alleys

From the very moment players knew Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s setting was just Lumiose City, and even now, after what the demo has shown, fans have had concerns that the lone town wouldn’t be able to match up to the scale of the adventure. Trailers showed that different times of day and even the rooftops play an important role in how Pokemon Legends: Z-A handles its story beats and pacing. The idea of having a day-night cycle to mark progression and keep the story moving is also not unlike Legends: Arceus‘ approach to its large yet separated areas. If anything, it seems as if every element from Arceus‘ map to its narrative progression has been merged together and given a more “modern” coat of paint through its city. With so much care put into the city itself, it’s easy to imagine that there will be Pokemon to find in all its nooks and crannies, so players are surely in for some unexpected encounters.

Pokemon Legends Z-A Might Be the Most Interesting Pokemon Game Yet in Unexpected Ways

Pokemon Legends: Arceus‘ Jubilife Village is a perfect example of what fans can expect from Lumiose City already, as Jubilife Village changed after every mission and step in the player’s journey. With the addition of wild zones, Z-A seems to offer the best of both in one location, with the battle royale serving as a competitive addition that Arceus didn’t necessarily have. In this way, Pokemon Legends: Z-A manages to improve itself on what came before it while also offering an entirely new experience that players shouldn’t be so quick to judge by its cover so far.

The demo puts enough roots down to imply what will come beyond it without giving too much away, and that’s a good thing. It also showcases enough entirely new elements that prove Z-A is still experimenting like the Legends titles have been expected to do following Arceus‘ real-time battles. With the adjustments and changes to what’s been expected of both the mainline and Legends formula, Pokemon Legends: Z-A has the potential to be a breath of even fresher air than Arceus was. Now it’s only a matter of time to see if Pokemon Legends: Z-A can stick the landing.