Pokémon Legends: Z-A might not be quite what people have in mind when they complain that the Nintendo Switch 2 launched without some kind of big, sprawling RPG alongside it, but it'll do 'til that comes along.

Series developer Game Freak's second entry in the more experimental Legends sub-series (after 2022's Arceus) does exactly what I wanted it to do: It drags the Pokémon formula kicking and screaming into a more modern design philosophy. Game Freak has disposed of the rigid, stop-and-go pace of the mainline games here, replacing it with a gameplay loop that flows in a delightfully brisk manner.

Quite honestly, that's an even bigger change than the excellent new combat system, which I detailed in a preview a few weeks ago. Between its quick pacing, fresh combat, and a decent amount of

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