Pokemon Legends: Arceusrepresented a significant shift for the franchise, embracing open-world elements in a way that diverged from the more restrictive formula of previous titles. The region of Hisui is open to exploration throughout its mix of main story Missions and supplementary Requests, and the upcomingPokemon Legends: Z-Ais likely to follow in its footsteps in its own potential setting. As the series looks ahead to improving its immersion and world building in a more detailed environment, however, specifically iterating on the side quest offerings would be one of the most effective ways forPokemon Legends: Z-A’s Lumiose Cityto address a weaker element of the firstLegendstitle.
The reveal trailer forPokemon Legends: Z-Ahinted that it may be set entirely within Lumiose, an urban setting that could set the stage for a new approach to denser exploration. Moving beyond the relatively basic Requests ofLegends: Arceushas some of the greatest potential to leverage the setting ofZ-Ato offer deeper narratives in side content, but this will require more handcrafted content for these side activities.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Side Quest Offerings Are a Mixed Bag
Requests Often Amount to Simple Fetch Quests
While they can break up the flow of gameplay in general, theRequest side quests ofPokemon Legends: Arceuscan boil down to simple fetch quests much of the time. Between gathering specific items or delivering an NPC a particular Pokemon, they can lack depth and only amount to the appeal of their reward. More closely exploring a part of Hisui for one of these smaller tasks can feel like a refreshing change of pace at first, but similar Requests can blend together and lack nuance.
Some Legends: Arceus Requests Show the System’s Potential
Despite their general lack of creativity, several Requests showed what was possible in the format. The likes of “Strange Happenings at Midnight”, which involved investigating mysterious noises and discovering a hidden Pichu, or “Back-Alley Mr. Mime”, that required navigating invisible walls created by amischievous Mr. Mime inPokemon Legends: Arceus, are examples of more imaginative and story-driven content that made better use of the unique elements of the world while making the region feel more genuinely lived in.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Approach to Side Quests Can Aim Higher
A Lumiose City Setting Deserves Deeper Open World Activities
Being set within Lumiose presentsan opportunity forPokemon Legends: Z-Ato create more intriguing and rewarding side quests among its diverse districts and their cultural history. With this backdrop, players might be able to enjoy side content that delves deeper into the city’s lore and the personal lives of its NPC inhabitants.
In a heavily populated area that will have to see Pokemon integrated into the lives of its citizens, new Requests with detailed premises like investigating mysteries and solving bespoke puzzles have more potential to immerse the player than generic quest objectives. As theLegendsseries represents a period wherePokemonhas only moved further away from its traditional gym-based progression, a more open-ended approach to what the player can achieve would continue to mark a move towards a more dynamic world.
Instead of mostly serving as mere distractions fromthe mainPokemon Legendsstoryline, Requests inZ-Acould be designed around consistently enhancing the worldbuilding and narrative experience through their own vignettes. Some of these side quests could start with typically small setups but escalate into more complex and pressing scenarios, offering the player a deeper sense of importance in the world. If Requests are more thoughtfully conceived inLegends: Z-A, they could majorly contribute to making Lumiose City feel like an active world with residents that invite players to explore more eagerly.
Pokemon Legends Z-A
The sequel to Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes Pokemon trainers back to the Kalos region’s Lumiose City.
