Pokémon Legends Z-A: finding light in lumiose (city).

Pokémon Legends: Z-A isn’t really a game about wandering far. It’s more about the life inside Lumiose City and the moments that make it feel real. Even here, I find small pauses with my Pokémon that feel strangely human. The little details stand out, from the hilarious and sometimes dark dialogue of NPCs to the way Pokémon themselves seem to have more personality than ever before.

I’ve been back into Pokémon for a while now, but Legends Z-A hits differently. It showed up at a time when work has been rough and my head’s been heavier than I’d like to admit. Somehow, this world gave me a bit of light again. There’s something peaceful about running through Lumiose City at night, not sure what you’ll stumble across next.

The story takes place five years after X and Y, during an urban redevelopment plan in Lumiose City (based on Paris, France), which aims to create a place where people and Pokémon can coexist.

Because I took French in high school and always felt drawn to French culture, exploring a city built on that idea feels oddly familiar. It’s not perfect, but it doesn’t need to be. It reminds me of watching the rain through a window, quiet, simple, and somehow grounding.

One of my favorite things is how natural it feels to interact with your team. You can toss out your Pokémon, stand beside them, or take a seat on a nearby bench just to hang out. It sounds small, but it adds warmth. It makes the city feel alive in a way most games don’t.

Outside the main streets, wild Pokémon roam freely through the designated wild zones, while the battle zones come alive at night. Trainers can take on contracts to earn money through fights, giving the city a rhythm that feels structured but still breathing.

The battle system feels sharper too. Even when the flow gets repetitive, it still keeps me hooked. The strategy, the animations, the thought of new DLC, all of it gives the game energy past the main story. Knowing that returning Pokémon will show up in new zones makes me want to keep going.

Some players say the graphics feel too repetitive or that the city looks too uniform, and I get it. It wouldn’t hurt if the visuals were updated a bit more, especially for a 2025 release. I’ve even seen people joke that Lumiose City looks fine as long as you don’t stare too hard, since it starts to feel like the same JPEG pasted everywhere. Looking at a building near one of the Pokémon Centers, I counted three rows of six identical windows. The first floor had a different one, and a few buildings throw in maybe one or two other styles, but they’re still flat. It’s giving Toontown.

Still, the life is in the Pokémon. That’s what keeps it from feeling empty. I appreciate the detail they’ve finally built in. It only took around twelve years since the shift from sprites to 3D models back in X and Y, but we’re here now, and it’s worth it. The replay value is substantial, and every time they improve the graphics or animations, it feels like a small reward for sticking with the series.

The dialogue adds even more life. The NPCs have genuine personalities, are funny, awkward, and sometimes surprisingly deep. One line from an old man stuck with me: “Go where you want, die where you must.” First of all, mood. But it also fits a city inspired by France, poetic, a little dark, and perhaps not meant to be taken too seriously, yet it lands that way anyway.

Other lines hit the same tone. I’ve seen things like, “Some people age like good cheese, but most age like... bad cheese." There are dozens more like that. They’re funny, but they sound like real people, tired, self-aware, trying to make sense of life. Maybe that’s why they work so well. Maybe Lumiose City doesn’t have antidepressants.

I keep coming back to these newer games, especially those with open worlds and free camera controls. It gives you more freedom to shiny hunt, which is a big part of why so many players return. I also love the return of the shiny sound and sparkle when one’s nearby. It’s easier to spot, but it’s also a solid accessibility feature. Sometimes I wonder how many shinies I’ve walked right past without noticing, especially with how faint some of their colors are.

Some people think shiny Pokémon are only liked because they’re rare, and that might be true for some players. But for a lot of us, the fun’s in the process. It’s still a challenge to find one compared to the regular version, and most of the time we just enjoy the colors. They don’t hold any real value, they’re just pixels. But finding one after hours or even days, there’s nothing like that small thrill.

my shiny Fennekin.

Not everyone has the time or energy to hunt for a single Pokémon, which is why I like when it just happens. There’s a different kind of joy in those accidents. Like the other night, I was hunting for a shiny Fennekin.

It took hours, and I didn’t find it until almost 11:30pm, right before bed. But earlier that evening, I’d taken a break and wandered back through Zone 18, and there it was, a female shiny Alpha Lopunny. I would’ve preferred a female Fennekin, but beggars can’t be choosers. Next up is shiny Froakie, one I’ve wanted for a while but waited on until I got the Shiny Charm.

Now that I have it, I’m ready for the DLC, which is coming early 2026. Hopefully it brings more wild zones, more Pokémon to fill the Pokédex, and more Mega Evolutions to play around with. Maybe even some new outfits. And please, more short-sleeve shirts.

My Switch 2 has already given me a lot of joy this year, but Legends Z-A stands out. It reminds me that comfort doesn’t have to come from anything significant. Sometimes it’s enough to sit beside your Pokémon, pause between battles, and let the glow of Lumiose City feel like home for a while.