From the earliest Pokémon releases, the journey has always begun with an extended tutorial. The structure rarely changes: you wake up or arrive in a new town, meet a guardian, pick a starter, learn how battles and catches work, wander through the opening route or two, receive a Pokédex, and only then are you finally allowed to roam (sometimes).
Recent entries have intensified that tendency. The opening beats of Sword & Shield felt drawn out, and Scarlet & Violet followed suit. Legends: Arceus was easier to forgive because it reinvented core systems, and Legends: Z‑A introduces a couple of fresh twists too — notably that wild Pokémon can directly target the player — but the opening sequence still overstays its welcome.
Game Freak, The Pokémon Company, Nintendo: please give experienced players the ability to skip or fast-forward these tutorials. Many of us have been playing Pokémon for decades. We know type matchups, how to use Poké Balls, and that TMs can be taught. A concise refresher is fine for newcomers and families, but veteran players should have the option to bypass repeated hand-holding.
Image: Game Freak/Nintendo via PolygonLegends: Z‑A isn’t without justification for a longer introduction — it nudges the formula in new directions and it’s been three years since Arceus, so a brief refresher is reasonable. Still, once the basics are clear, players should be allowed to proceed at their own pace rather than remain funnelled along a scripted path.
I’m over two hours into Legends: Z‑A and still effectively trapped in tutorial territory. The essentials were taught within the first half hour, and since then I’ve been trailing Urbain — the overly enthusiastic companion you meet when you disembark in Lumiose City — like a lost assistant.
After the first Wild Zone (the map lists only six for now, though more may unlock later), I’d prefer to explore Lumiose in any order I choose. Markers pointing to objectives are helpful, but constant vocal reminders to stay on the route get old fast. If Urbain scolds me for taking a side street one more time, my Totodile might just Water Gun him for good measure.
Image: Game Freak/Nintendo via PolygonI’m eager to see more once the game loosens the reins. Legends: Arceus ranks among my favorites because it reimagined familiar systems, and while Lumiose doesn’t yet feel as open-ended, I’m hopeful — though cautiously so, given recent patterns — that the city will reveal a rich, discovery-driven map.
The gameplay loop already brings fresh energy to the franchise: daytime Lumiose is inviting and alive, while nighttime battle zones feel genuinely hazardous. The Legends subseries as a whole has been a welcome breath of innovation for an otherwise formulaic line.
That said, the world still shows signs of shortcuts. Many building facades are flat textures despite having balconies, and blocks of apartments repeat in a way that makes the environment feel toy-like, almost stickered. On the bright side, the Pokémon models are expressive and animated with real personality.
Image: Game Freak/Nintendo via PolygonPerformance on Nintendo Switch 2 has remained stable so far and appears a touch improved over how Arceus ran on the original Switch, but pop-in still occurs for both characters and Pokémon. It’s a recurring frustration: Nintendo can deliver a smooth, expansive open world with games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, yet Pokémon titles often fall short of that technical polish.
All things considered, I’m only a few hours in and already invested — I’ve been wanting a new Legends entry since finishing Arceus, and Z‑A’s narrative hooks are promising. For now, I’ll keep following Urbain’s lead, eager for the day the city finally lets me loose.
Source: Polygon
