Pokemon Legends: Z-A Has One Big Thing in Common With Scarlet & Violet, and It Has Me Excited for Gen 10

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Compared to the more straightforward trajectory of most Pokemon games, Scarlet & Violet got creative with its storytelling. This worked to a point, but also became a bit of a shortcoming. You could do anything in any order for the most part, which meant that the separate storylines had to stay relatively separate until they finally came together. While each individual character’s story was compelling, they never quite fit together as a whole. Pokemon Legends: Z-A largely fixed this problem, and it has me eager to see what Pokemon pulls off in Gen 10.

I Still Think About Pokemon Scarlet & Violet‘s Side Characters

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Yes, I’m a bit of a Scarlet & Violet apologist. The game ran well enough by the time I picked it up that I never fell through the floor, so I mainly focused on what I did like about the game. And its shining star, or stars really, are in its nuanced and interesting side characters. Nimona’s single-minded battle focus feels a bit familiar, but both Penny and Arven are interesting characters with their own complex motivations. Having three separate storylines was something Pokemon didn’t always manage to balance, but these side stories have stuck with me even years after the credits rolled.

Arven and Penny are both fully developed characters with their own pasts and motivations. As we complete their quests, we uncover more of those stories, and each comes to a pretty satisfying conclusion in and of itself. Penny gave us the Eevee fan girl so many of us are, in video game form. And Arven is a foodie who’s working so hard to help his best buddy. Both have emotional story arcs that let us get to know them outside of the “hey, battle me again” setting. It’s one of the highlights of Scarlet & Violet, and one of the reasons I love the game for all its flaws.

That said, the game’s overall story didn’t quite stick the landing. Once all of our friends come together, there are some fun interactions between them. But even after paying for two extra story DLC and getting the epilogue tossed in, I still don’t feel like I’ve gotten a cohesive story with a true ending. There are a lot of unanswered questions when we get to the end of Scarlet & Violet, and it’s never clear what some characters, like Briar, were even up to. As much as the game gave us compelling side characters and mini-stories to go with them, it didn’t ever really bring us to a big, climactic finish.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Has a Good Story and Solid Side Characters, So Let’s Keep It Up

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Going into Pokemon Legends: Z-A, I was a bit surprised to find that more linear storytelling yet again. After the freedom of Scarlet & Violet, I wasn’t sure how to feel about a lengthy tutorial that told me where to go and what to do. But ultimately, that story felt worth exploring, and the game balances freedom to roam Lumiose with a solid, well-designed narrative. And it doesn’t sacrifice developing interesting side characters to build that final arc, either.

Legends: Z-A brings back some familiar faces, but it also gives us an interesting and diverse cast of new characters. We have our core friends from Team MZ, including our determined yet mysterious “rival.” Each has a dream and a goal that brings them to the team, and we get to spend time battling alongside each of them. But then, there are our opponents in the Battle Royale. From a certain point forward, each new Promotion Match introduces a fascinating new character. And to battle them, we have to complete another bit of story that lets us get to know people like Canari and Corbeau.

I loved getting to know these characters, and although they do fall somewhat into stereotypes, they still feel like actual people rather than just Poison Type trainer, etc. And Legends: Z-A brings them back in the end in the most satisfying conclusion to a Pokemon game I’ve ever personally experienced. This impressive use of side characters leaves me hopeful for the story of Gen 10.

If the Pokemon Company manages to bring what they’ve learned from Scarlet & Violet and Legends: Z-A forward into Gen 10, I think we might be in for a treat. The next main series installment will likely be a return to form when it comes to catching and battling, but I hope it gives us those same compelling side characters and satisfying narrative we saw in the two most recent entries. Walking away from Z-A (for now), I am left feeling more optimistic about the future of Pokemon than I’ve felt for quite some time.

Who is your favorite side character in Pokemon Legends: Z-A? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!