February 2024 - Samantha Lienhard

Pokémon Legends: Z-A?! No One Saw That Coming!

Feb 282024

I’ll admit, the rumors had me completely fooled.

All the rumors claimed the new Pokémon game would be something related to Johto or Unova, and when I made my predictions, I figured those were the most likely things.

A new Kalos game never even crossed my mind.

Yesterday’s Pokémon Presents wasn’t exceptionally exciting for most of its run. They gave updates on their many, many mobile games, and then they announced a new mobile Pokémon Trading Card Game. Then they ended with one final announcement, and it was one no one saw coming.

The odd teaser trailer revealed an “urban redevelopment project” for a city soon revealed to be Lumiose City from Pokémon X and Y, after which the game was officially announced as Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

This is crazy. It’s a new Pokémon Legends game, which I’m definitely looking forward to after Arceus. And it’s sort of the long-awaited Pokémon Z that people expected for so long but never got.

It’s curious that they aren’t calling it Pokémon Legends: Zygarde, despite the previous Legends game being Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but they might be intentionally calling back to the X/Y/Z trio of games everyone expected at the time. Since it’s specifically Z-A, the letters must have some sort of meaning as well… and we can’t forget that a major character in Pokémon X and Y was named AZ. That can’t be a coincidence, can it?

We know very little about Pokémon Legends: Z-A right now, aside from it involving a redevelopment project in Lumiose City designed to create a place where people and Pokémon could live in harmony. A tweet from Nintendo says it will take place “entirely within Lumiose City,” but even that’s not the clearest statement of what to expect from the game.

Regardless, I’m excited! Although X and Y weren’t my favorite Pokémon generation, I did enjoy the lore behind the story, and a a new Legends game is definitely welcome. In the midst of so many rumors and supposed leaks, it’s nice to be surprised by an announcement like this, too.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A won’t be out until 2025, so we have plenty of time to learn more. Until then, what are you expecting or hoping for from this surprise new Pokémon game?

Reynatis is Coming West This Fall

Video games 3 Responses » Tagged with: reynatis, rpg

Feb 262024

That didn’t take long!

Last week, we talked briefly about the action RPG Reynatis, announced in the Japanese Nintendo Direct.

With Kazushige Nojima as the scenario writer and Yoko Shimomura as the composer, it already had my attention even before I watched the trailer, which just interested me more.

At the time, it was only announced for Japan, so I had my fingers crossed for localization… and today, NIS America announced that Reynatis will be coming west for Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC this fall!

A limited edition will also be available.

(Why it wasn’t just revealed last week, I don’t know, but it wouldn’t be the first time a game was announced only in the Japanese Nintendo Direct but then confirmed for localization shortly afterwards.)

Reynatis is a fantasy action RPG set in Shibuya, starring two main characters: Marin Kirizumi, described on the official website as “a wizard who seeks freedom through unstoppable power,” and Sari Nishijima, “an officer who seeks an orderly world where magic is regulated.”

The pauses during combat look a little strange to me, but overall it seems very interesting. I’m excited that this one is being localized, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on it!

Pokémon Presents Hopes and Predictions

Video games 7 Responses » Tagged with: pokemon

Feb 232024

We’re now past the Nintendo Direct and the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer, but we’ve still got another showcase to look forward to next Tuesday.

A Pokémon Presents was announced for February 27 at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET, with exciting news promised.

February 27 is always Pokémon Day, because it’s the anniversary of the first game coming out in Japan. This year marks the 28th anniversary, to be precise. So it makes sense that they often celebrate it with announcements.

This is an odd one for me, because it’s the first Pokémon Presents in a long time where I won’t be waiting for news on Detective Pikachu Returns. That game is now out (and I loved it, even though I’m in the minority there) and showed no indications of getting a sequel, so Detective Pikachu is off the table for predictions now.

Where does that leave us?

All the buzz right now is from people expecting either new games connected to either Johto or Unova (or both), ranging from Let’s Go style remakes, BDSP style remakes, or another Legends game. I loved Legends Arceus, so that’s the possibility I’d like to see the most. On the other hand, Black and White are so hard to find nowadays that I’d be pretty excited for faithful remakes, too.

The most amazing thing ever would be if they remade Black/White and Black/White 2 and bundled them together, but I doubt that will ever happen. That’s a pipe dream, not a prediction.

But you know what I’m hoping to see? Pokémon Mystery Dungeon! No I haven’t played the ones I have yet. This would be incentive! A year ago, everyone was convinced a new Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game was going to be announced, and it just… didn’t happen. So maybe this will be the year!

Of course, I’m sure they’ll devote time to discussing updates to the various Pokémon mobile games, too.

It’s probably too early for the next gen to be announced, but a remake does seem plausible enough. So I’ll predict the Black/White remakes and/or a new Legends game as the most likely announcements, with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon as my personal hope.

(Watch me be completely wrong and they announce Detective Pikachu 3.)

Anyway, what do you expect to see from the Pokémon Presents showcase next week? What games are you hoping for the most? Should I finally give in and play Sword/Shield or Scarlet/Violet? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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