(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)
Pokemon Legends: Z-A is ramping up for its official release later this year. Recently, we learned about its director, and it seems we’ve uncovered an interesting detail about him. Haruka Tochigi, the newly announced director, appears to be a fan of the renowned Xenoblade Chronicles series, offering a tantalizing hint at potential influences in the upcoming RPG.
Haruka Tochigi’s contributions to several Pokemon games since Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have been noteworthy, but him stepping into the director’s role for Legends: Z-A is an exciting first. Tochigi’s excellent gaming preferences shone through when he proudly tweeted about purchasing the newly released Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. As content creator Aero enthusiastically tweeted, “oh we fucking won.”
Recently, we’ve been treated to gameplay footage of Legends: Z-A. The visual disparity between it and the visually enthralling Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and its predecessors is apparent. Critics have drawn comparisons, using Xenoblade’s lush open-world settings as a benchmark against Lumiose City’s simpler aesthetic. However, my focus is on Legends: Z-A’s engaging gameplay.
In the real-time battle mechanics revealed in Legends: Z-A, it’s noteworthy that Pokemon moves have cooldown timers, reminiscent of the combat style in the Xenoblade series. The way the move icons refill shares striking parallels with those in Nintendo’s celebrated JRPGs. Even the arrangement of diamond-shaped icons on the Legends: Z-A interface echoes the battle UI of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Discovering Tochigi’s likely engagement with these games makes these connections feel quite affirming.
There’s no confirmed inspiration drawn from Monolith Soft’s masterpieces, yet considering their acclaimed real-time combat systems, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Legends: Z-A borrowed notes from these genre-defining titles. This revelation opens up curiosity about other possible parallels we have yet to notice – remaining vigilant for new gameplay revelations will be insightful.
A single frame in the latest Pokemon Legends Z-A trailer offers a glimmer of hope to hardcore shiny hunters and Nuzlocke enthusiasts, suggesting a potential significant quality-of-life improvement. Join our weekly digests and discover more tales from the vibrant communities you love.