Pokemon Legends: Z-A Hit With User Review Bombs

Pokémon Legends: Z-A has won over critics, but is facing a wave of negative user reviews. Explore the community's perspective on the game and the key criticisms being raised.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A Divides Opinion

Critical Acclaim Meets Fan Backlash

Pokémon Legends: Z-A sparked a division in its initial reception, with critics praising the new installment while many fans expressed significant disappointment. At the time of writing, the game holds a Metacritic score of 80, categorized as "generally favorable."

Many reviewers consider it an improvement over Pokémon Legends: Arceus and a notable step up from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Despite some graphical shortcomings, the addition of new Mega Evolutions and its willingness to deviate from the traditional Pokémon format were widely seen as positive innovations.

In contrast, a large portion of the fanbase rated the game much lower. Legends: Z-A currently has a user score of 4.6, placing it among the lowest-rated Pokémon titles by fans. For comparison, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet hold a user score of 4.1, while Pokémon Sword and Shield stand at 4.8.

The user ratings are sharply polarized, typically clustering at either the high end (8-10) or the very low end (0-2), which significantly brings down the average. Common complaints in negative reviews cite the limited map size, underwhelming visuals, stiff animations, absence of voice acting, and other issues.

At Game8, we awarded Pokémon Legends: Z-A a score of 88/100 for building upon and refining the gameplay of Legends: Arceus, potentially setting the stage for the creative future of Generation 10. For our detailed analysis, you can read our full review below.