While there's a lot of commotion going on about Pokemon's Generation 10 leaks, let's not forget that its 9th mainline entry is right around the corner. Many, including myself, will finally get their hands on the long-awaited Pokemon Legends: Z-A, making it an exciting time to be a fan of the franchise.
However, as happy as I am to be able to play it, I fear that the game may not be as amazing as it's made itself out to be. For those of you wondering why, it's due to the setting, which is supposed to be Pokemon Legends: Z-A's selling point, but what I think can lead to its downfall.
During your playthrough, you will be exploring a developed version of Pokemon X and Y's Lumiose City. It has certainly changed since its debut in the 6th-generation mainline entry, and both Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have done everything possible to show that it's a place you'll enjoy spending your time in.
While it is very likely that the brand-new Lumiose City will be a joy to play in, seeing nothing but a city-like environment can get really boring really fast. This is the problem I was afraid of from the moment I learned about the game's premise, and I'm sure others have felt the same.
There hasn't been any news of other environments aside from the city, which only further deepens my worry about the issue. Again, I understand that both Nintendo and The Pokemon Company may have worked to ensure that there are many things to do to alleviate that. However, I don't think it will be enough.
The updated Lumiose City will have things like shopping boutiques, cafes, and basically everything else you'd expect from an urban haven, but with the addition of Pokemon battles right within reach. It's meant to be a compressed version of the journey one would have had in other mainline entries, but it's still enjoyable because of the beautiful sights and the convenience of both peaceful and action-packed situations being equally accessible.
However, this doesn't change the fact that you'll be stuck within the confines of a city, which means nothing but building after building, no matter where you look. The Pokemon Wild Zones will likely try to make it feel more like an adventure in the outside world, but it will still be limited in how it can do that, especially given the game's premise of trying to blend the city to be habitable for the creatures.
After a couple of hours, the fatigue of seeing nothing but the inside of Lumiose City will likely set in, and no amount of shopping, coffee drinking, Pokemon battles, or other activities can prevent that. While it's possible the game could surprise us by providing additional areas to explore aside from the city, I highly doubt it will, given that its story is focused entirely on Lumiose.
But despite all that, Pokemon Legends: Z-A's singular setting should still provide many with an amazing experience, with some possibly even preferring it over the adventures of the other mainline entries. I, on the other hand, believe that it will strongly affect my enjoyment of the game and that of others, and I am hoping that there's more than just Lumiose City to run around in.
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