Pokémon games have always been about the personal journey — the young upstart kid builds a party of cuddly companions, taking on the world. Pokémon games inherently feel personal, which is a large part of why they’ve always been so successful. But despite that personal nature, Pokémon hasn’t always done a great job at character customization, even as so many other RPGs doubled down on letting you make your character unique. That’s why I’m absolutely pleased as punch that my favorite part of Pokémon Legends: Z-A has turned out to quite literally be playing dress-up. It’s by far the best character customization the series has ever had, and while I have some problems with Z-A (a full review will be coming later), I can’t deny the sheer joy I’ve had vibing in its world, shopping for cute outfits, and kicking back at cafes with my beloved Haunter.
Z-A is the second in the “Legends” line of sub-games, following in the footsteps of 2022’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus. While these two games are largely unrelated, Z-A is similarly a smaller, more focused Pokémon experience that uses specific gimmicks — instead of the typical “fight through gyms and become champion” format. What that means in Z-A is that the game takes place entirely in Lumiose City, the Paris-inspired central hub of the Kalos Region.
