Pokemon Legends: Z-A has the potential to break new ground for the Pokemon series by cementing the new mechanics and themes presented in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The game will focus on the redevelopment of Lumiose City, but the Kalos region has too much to offer for Pokemon Legends: Z-A to be stuck in just one location.
Fans were surprised when the announcement of the next Pokemon Legends game confirmed the Kalos region as the next to receive a makeover. But, as more news and theories began to spread, it became clear that Kalos would be the perfect region for a Legends game. Ever since the X and Y era ended without the typical third game, fans have complained that the story of the region felt unfinished. Pokemon Legends: Z-A provides a chance to rectify that by diving deeper into the history of the Kalos region’s war and the ultimate weapon that ended it. The game’s story will focus on the urban redevelopment of Lumiose City, Kalos’ hub location, with The Pokemon Company confirming that the entire game will take place within the city’s limits. But, in a region with so much to offer, it would be a tragedy if players couldn’t return to other locations from the X and Y games.
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Kalos is Too Grand to be Reduced to One City
Based on real-world France, the Kalos region hosts some of the most beautiful locations in the Pokemon series, all inspired by the natural, architectural, and historical variety of one of Europe’s most visited locations. Lumiose City is home to the iconic Prism Tower, which will likely play a central role in Legends: Z-A, but the memorable locations don’t stop there, and the game shouldn’t either. The mysterious beauty of the Anistar City Sundial and its link to Mega Evolution would be a wonder to see in an updated art style. Parfum Palace holds too much historical significance not to be part of the game’s narrative. If the game stays locked in Lumiose, it would be giving up chances to enhance parts of the gameplay and story that would be better served by the larger region.
With a focus on redevelopment of the region’s major city, it would be reasonable for most of the game to occur there, but certain areas of the region must at least be referenced in Legends: Z-A in order to create thematic unity between the games. It may be that part of the development efforts focus on bringing the greater Kalos region into Lumiose City. This would at least offer players a reminder of the wondrous setting around them, even if the decision is made to exclude certain areas.
Some of the Kalos Region’s most interesting locations include:
- Parfum Palace
- The Anistar City Sundial
- Geosenge Town
- Ambrette’s Fossil Lab and Aquarium
- Santalune Forrest
- The Sea Serpent’s Den
Staying in Lumiose Might Have Some Advantages
Anyone who’s played Pokemon X and Y will remember Lumiose City and instantly understand why it needs to be redeveloped. The location does an excellent job of capturing the hustle and bustle of a worldwide tourist spot, but part of that feeling is the ability to get lost easily. To its credit, the game makes sure there’s plenty to do in every corner of the city by packing it with memorable locations. Some fans would say that the returning landmarks in Lumiose City are grand enough to carry the game by themselves. Locations like the Looker Bureau and the Stone Emporium could offer enough potential for unique quests and storylines. With all that the city has to offer, some might argue that including outside locations would, ironically, make the game feel smaller when returning to the hub city.
A Large Region was Key to the Success of Legends: Arceus
Because the Pokemon Legends games are a brand-new subset of Pokemon games, it’s still not clear to fans, or maybe even developers, what works best for this type of experience. What they can look to though, is what worked well in Legends: Arceus. One of the best parts of that game was exploring a familiar region and finding hidden locations in Hisui. If Pokemon Legends: Z-A forgoes the region surrounding Lumiose city, it risks eliminating an important part of the last game’s success.
