Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the ninth-generation mainline title of the franchise. Even with subpar graphics, it has delivered when it comes to fun factor, at least. However, that doesn't mean it is free from any gameplay issues, and they're certainly noticeable to longtime fans such as myself.
Among them, one stood out, as it has plagued many Pokemon games and has yet to be addressed. It is an issue that involves dialogue choices that occasionally present themselves. When they appear in other titles, they're expected to affect important aspects such as the storyline, characters, or what locations you can explore, just to name a few examples of its gameplay integration.
However, in Pokemon Legends: Z-A and in other previous entries, they do nothing. Regardless of what dialogue choice you pick, the game refuses to or barely acknowledge your choices before moving on with the scripted storyline, and it gets increasingly frustrating every time I see it happen.
The reason why Game Freak placed them there is to give players the illusion of choice, making them feel like they actually play a part in the overall outcome during conversations or conflicts. It's a way of giving them something to do without actually giving them anything, and it can feel incredibly insulting.
There was a bit of hope that Pokemon Legends: Z-A would stray away from that problem, as there were instances when the game provided options to either talk smack or be nice to opponents before matches. I thought this was the game's opportunity to show that our choices finally have consequences, even minor ones, but I was wrong.
As mentioned earlier, whether I chose the dialogue that was either really nice or mean, it isn't acknowledged, and the NPC continues chatting without reacting to it whatsoever. The worst part is that there are other similar situations.
There will be instances when characters ask you about your opinion on something or how you're feeling about a specific situation. Normally, there would be a dialogue option that provides both a positive and a negative option. But in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, they almost always lead towards being nice, so you have no choice but to be friendly even if you'd rather not. Things like that take away whatever the in-game personality players wanted to have, which can ultimately ruin the experience.
Understandably, a game where every choice matters is incredibly difficult to make, even for one as big as the Pokemon franchise. But if that's the case, instead of shoving them in, they shouldn't be there at all, as that removes the problem of fans being dissatisfied with choices that do not matter.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A would have likely provided a much better playthrough experience if it hadn't stuck with giving players the illusion of choice. It's disappointing knowing that it had ample opportunities to stray away from the persistent mainline Pokemon entry problem, but chose not to. Hopefully, generation 10 can finally do what its predecessor didn't and make dialogue options matter, as it needs to for the sake of the fans and the franchise as a whole.
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