Summary
Pokemon Legends: Arceuswas one of the most innovativePokemongames in years when it was released back in 2022, soPokemon Legends: Z-Ahas some big expectations to live up to. Not only didPokemon Legends: Arceusshake up the series formula from the traditional Gym challenge storyline, but it effectively combined action RPG elements with the series' classic turn-based battles. As such,Pokemon Legends: Z-Ais in a strong position to further expand the series' foray into other genres, and its Lumiose City setting could be the perfect excuse for elements of a few different genres to be included.
While some players are concerned thatPokemon Legends: Z-Abeing set entirely within Lumiose Citymight limit the game’s scale when compared to a game likePokemon Legends: Arceus, there are some creative ways it could make the city feel like a more substantial world than players might expect. Catching wild mons within Lumiose City might seem like a difficult system to design, butPokemon Legends: Z-Amight balance this gameplay with elements from other genres. If this is the case, city-building mechanics, and even some life sim mechanics, could be on the table forPokemon Legends: Z-A.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Could Feature City-Builder Mechanics
A core part of the information shared in thereveal trailer forPokemon Legends: Z-Awas the concept of the Lumiose Urban Redevelopment Plan. While there wasn’t any gameplay shown for this title, the Urban Redevelopment Plan implies that players will be helping to build parts of Lumiose City inPokemon Legends: Z-A. With this idea in mind, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to assume the game could feature some degree of city-building or settlement management mechanics.
Although it’s unlikelyPokemon Legends: Z-Awill feature as robust city-building mechanics as a game likeCities: Skylines, introducing some light features from the genre could be a great way to iterate upon the formula established byPokemon Legends: Arceus. Depending on when inKalos' history the game is set,Pokemon Legends: Z-Acould feature a system where players will need to build and fortify parts of the city to prevent wild mons from attacking or natural disasters from destroying it, similar to a game likeFrostpunk.Pokemon Legends: Arceushas already established the tension between people and wild Pokemon, and this mechanic would help build upon that idea.
Fans Might Finally See Some Animal Crossing-Like Features in a Pokemon Game
Another directionPokemon Legends: Z-Acould take includes more life-sim-like mechanics similar to theAnimal Crossingseries. Fans have long requested acrossover betweenPokemonandAnimal Crossing, andPokemon Legends: Z-Amight end up being the closest thing players will get to that game if it includes life-sim mechanics. Given that the game describes the Urban Redevelopment Plan as a way to make Lumiose City a place that belongs to both people and Pokemon, the game could feature a mechanic similar toAnimal Crossing: New Horizon’s island rating system where players will need to accommodate the needs of certain critters within the city.
To this end,Pokemon Legends: Z-Acould make great use of mechanics from a game likeAnimal Crossing: Happy Home Designeror theHappy Home Paradise DLC forAnimal Crossing: New Horizons. Perhaps players will need to build parts of the city to the specifications of certain types of Pokemon, such as a park for Grass types or a pond for Water types, in order to meet the criteria for a perfect city rating. The concept of building a city for both people and Pokemon to thrive may be somewhat vague, but it opens the door for the franchise to dip its toes into these other genres in a main series game.
