Nintendo‘s announcement of Pokemon Legends ZA through their official Twitter account asking “What was that noise?” lit up the internet like a Christmas tree. The accompanying GIF with the tweet not only reveals that players will sneak up and surprise attack both Pokemon and Trainers, but also the silent violence involved. Are we just ambushing people in the streets now? The Pokemon universe has become a dark place.
But, the game mechanic is the protagonist of the story; player reactions are the main heroes. The comments section is now an absolute battle ground. Players are either loving the new direction or some of them are just killing the game with their negative comments. There is no middle ground.
Let’s kick off with performance complaints since it was obvious from the get-go that the banging would be loudest. One of the prominent users, JOSH, walked straight to the corral and said, “That noise? Probably the sound of the Switch fan trying to render a single 3D building model without the framerate dying.” Wow, that’s a real cut. Still, others came up for the defense, and Andrej N. remarked that it “Plays fine even on Switch Lite to be honest.” Thus, a division of views is clear.
Another major source of disagreement is the price. BigE from Canada stated it right out, calling the game “unpolished and unoptimized garbage” for $99.99 CAD. At the same time, another user asked, “This game looks like garbage why is it $70?” So, indeed, the public is divided both ways – on the issue of the price and the quality received.
But hold on! Not everything is bad! To some players, a new game in the stealth play genre is a major plus. A Twitter user named SkyloftSword tweeted, “I love using my shiny Delphox to nuke NPCs” which sounds dreadful but also pretty cool at the same time? Another gamer, DarklingGaymer, admitted, “Anyone could sneak up on me tbh lmao. I’m too busy taking selfies.” That’s certainly the most relatable thing I’ve heard all day.
Post-game content is an issue that creates some drama among gamers. Amy- Lewis@105wins! went on a tirade about the necessity of winning 1000 battles for Shiny Charm, dubbing it “atrocious” and “just another reason why this game completely sucks.” But then, mucrush countered back at amy with “So many salty comments. Meanwhile, ZA is already one of my favorite Pokémon games! Had a blast with it, doing the postgame stuff now~” As a result, it is clear that some gamers are relishing the grind while others are simply thinking that it is excessive.
Also, it is hard not to bring up the comparison with Palworld. FireWing came in with the simple but deadly “Palworld is better” which honestly at this point seems like an added insult when you are down. But that’s social media for you.
Another point that is getting pretty much roasted is the visual style used in the game. Englishman68530 made the remark “Sneak up on GameCube graphics” and that honestly made me laugh out loud. And Nubdub47s added “Game doesn’t lag on either switch because the buildings don’t have any 3D models; those things are flat.” So, for sure the public is noticing the limitations in graphics.
Still, the criticism cannot overshadow the fact that there are definitely players who are really excited and having fun with Pokemon Legends ZA. One user CrunchyHyena shared “Was I the only guyou who got their Froakie for free from this side quest?” thus revealing that there are little surprises hidden inside the game. And many players are sharing their gameplay screenshots, which indicates they are actively playing and enjoying it.
The moral dilemma of attacking random trainers is also a topic of discussion. Matthew the highest asked, “Didn’t they put it in the old games that you shouldn’t do that to other trainers? Or is it okay because the French are already smelly degenerates?” This query highlights how the moral concerns of the series have become less strict over time. And Xuruko1 playfully commented, “Hey you! Why not go jump some people that are just trying to go to work with their pets!” which really does sound rather messed up when you frame it like that.
To sum up, Pokemon Legends ZA really looks like one of those divisive games that can split the community into two. The players who feel it is unoptimized and overpriced are one side, and then there are those who adore the new mechanics and are quite undisturbed by the technical limitations living on the opposite side. The stealth feature indeed looks very interesting, although the execution could be the source of all the controversies.
It is certain though that Pokemon fans are still very much passionate and they are not going to hesitate to express their wants for the series loudly and clearly. Whether you love it or hate it, Pokemon Legends ZA is definitely a talking point. And in today’s gaming world, that is already half the battle won. The game might not be flawless, but at least it isn’t boring – and sometimes this is what holds players’ attention even with the imperfections.
Now, everyone knows what noise it is – it is the noise of the Pokemon community going through yet another huge debate about the direction of their most beloved franchise. Some things never change, and to be honest? I would not want it any other way.
The PlayStation and Xbox platforms also feature exciting new game updates.
