Images: The Pokemon Company
This year's big Pokemon game has been unveiled.
The Pokemon Company has unveiled more information on Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the game franchise and a successor to Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The game is set in the Kalos region, which was first introduced in Pokemon X and Y, focusing on Lumiose City in the midst of an urban redevelopment project. Players will be able to explore the city and engage in real-time combat.
Watch the trailer below:
More gameplay shown off Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Pokemon Legends: Z-A is set in Lumiose City, a Paris-inspired city first introduced in 2013’s Pokemon X and Y. Some time after the events of those games, an urban redevelopment plan has gone underway to allow for both Pokemon and people to coexist within its boundaries. Here’s how The Pokemon Company describes the game’s setting:
The story is set in Lumiose City, where an urban redevelopment plan is underway to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pokémon. Compared to Lumiose City as it appeared in the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y games, released in 2013, more greenery now adorns the city, alongside facilities with a cutting-edge feel. In Lumiose City, spaces frequented by people—such as shopping arcades, cafés, and restaurants—coexist with more natural areas, such as waterfronts and verdant parks. At the center of Lumiose stands Prism Tower, the very symbol of the city.
Players will visit Lumiose City during their travels, and stay in an old hotel named Hotel Z. In time, this hotel will serve as their base as they, and their new friends in the city, tackle all sorts of incidents surfacing around them. These friends include either Urbaine or Taunie, only one of whom will appear depending on the player’s appearance. A man called AZ will also appear, as the owner of the Hotel Z.
In a disappointing move for Cyndaquil fans, the game's starter Pokemon have been confirmed to include Chikorita, Totodile, and Tepig–meaning that all of the Johto starters are present minus Cyndaquil, the poor thing. Once players have a starter Pokemon by their side, they’ll be able to find and catch wild Pokemon living in various designated ‘wild zones’ in Lumiose City. The legendary Pokemon Zygarde will also play a key role in the story.
The game also seems to feature an all-new kind of combat, according to The Pokemon Company. In a “Pokemon series first,” players and their Pokemon can move around in real time during battles, suggesting that positioning will now be a key factor in winning battles. Using precise timing for certain Pokemon moves and considering their area of effect will also be a factor.
Additionally, Pokemon will also be able to Mega Evolve in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Much like other mainline titles, only certain Pokemon can Mega Evolve, changing their appearance and sometimes even their types while doing so. The trailer showcased a few of these Mega Evolutions, including Mega Charizard X and Y, Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Gyarados, Mega Absol, and Mega Altaria.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A will launch in late 2025.
