Legends Await in Lumiose
With Legends: Z-A, Game Freak has a chance to reimagine Lumiose
Every so often, a video game announcement hits me with the same kind of nostalgic thrill as opening a booster pack of cards. The reveal of Pokémon Legends: Z-A was one of those moments. It is not just another entry in a long-running series, it feels like a return to something special while still promising to take us somewhere new.
For me, the excitement is twofold. First, there is the setting: Kalos, the region introduced in Pokémon X and Y. I still remember exploring Lumiose City for the first time on the Nintendo 3DS.
Its central plaza, wide avenues and café culture gave the world a European charm, though the handheld’s limitations meant much of that vision was restrained. With Legends: Z-A, Game Freak has a chance to reimagine Lumiose as it was always meant to be: alive, sprawling and full of surprises.
Then there is the approach. Pokémon Legends: Arceus proved the franchise could break away from its usual formula and still hold true to the spirit of adventure.
Open exploration, regional variants, even small quality of life changes breathed new life into a series that at times had grown predictable. If that experiment worked with Hisui of the distant past, imagine what Legends can do with the urban heart of Kalos.
I am particularly curious about the focus on “urban redevelopment.” That phrase stuck with me from the reveal. Will it tie into the storyline? Will we see the city transformed as we progress, or even play a part in shaping it?
The possibilities are endless, and it suggests that Z-A could explore themes rarely touched in Pokémon: growth, change and the tension between progress and preservation.
And of course, I cannot forget the Pokémon themselves. If Zygarde is at the centre of this story, the lore potential is massive. Zygarde was always one of the most mysterious Legendaries, a guardian of balance. Pairing its mythos with a city undergoing transformation feels like more than coincidence, it feels …