Pokémon Legends: Z-A made its playable demo debut at the Pokémon World Championships, offering a glimpse into its real-time battle system. I had the chance to play two ten-minute segments of the game, which left me with more questions than answers. However, my experience has given me some initial impressions about the mechanics that excite and frustrate me.
The demo took place in the early-game mission “Battling in the Z-A Royale,” where players must earn Challenger’s Tickets by defeating opponents in trainer battles. The system seems entertaining, but I found the tactic of an opponent attacking when you’re not looking to be a bit too aggressive for my taste. Nevertheless, I took advantage of it myself and enjoyed the fast-paced action.
The battle system is real-time, using Z-Targeting to instruct Pokémon on which move to use. This mechanic feels similar to Legends: Arceus, but with some notable changes. Each Pokémon can know four moves at a time, with no PP (Power Points), meaning they can be used an unlimited number of times with cooldowns and casting times in mind.
While the system shows promise, I felt that feedback for missing attacks was lacking, making it difficult to gauge when to attack. The demo also showcased some interesting features, such as the ability to dodge enemy attacks and collect Mega Power orbs to Mega Evolve Pokémon. However, the restrictive action mechanics felt a bit cumbersome at times.
Overall, Legends: Z-A’s battle system feels more like an MMO than a traditional action game. I’m eager to play more and see if it scratches my strategy itch. With its unique twist on real-time battles and interesting features, I hope the final product will be challenging enough to keep me engaged. For now, we’ll have to wait until October 16 for more information about this highly anticipated Pokémon title.
Source: https://www.ign.com/articles/pokemon-legends-z-a-battle-system-first-impressions