This week it is the Pokémon World Championship in Anaheim, and with it the first playable demo Pokémon Legends: Za. I had the opportunity to play in two different ten -minute segments of Pokémon Legends: Za, and although I still pass me plot From the questions I played enough to develop the first impressions about the mechanic that I am most curious about: his battle system.
But first, quickly, to answer the great question, many of you undoubtedly: I played in Pokémon Legends: Demo for Nintendo Switch 2, and it worked well and looked moderately better than the novel versions of Switch 2 Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. Of course, this is only a demo, which is why I could not experiment with a distance of the draw, nor did I test it with dozens of wild Pokémon on the screen.
Return to the demo: One part of my game session was set at an early stage of only the fourth main mission: fight in Zaala. Here I entered the battle zone marked by the red area on the map, where I had to get a sufficient number of ticket points in the trainer’s battles to get a pretender ticket, who is needed to take part in a promotional match. Winning this promotional match for Royale would improve my rank from Z to Y.
We have already known about this basic game loop, in which I assume that we will take part many times until we reach the rank and winning the unclear award for one wish. It is a bogus enough system in which it wanders on the streets of a predetermined area at night to face other trainer stars. In the expected fashion, Pokémon, as soon as the coach sees you, the battle continues – but in legends: for, if the coach attacks You, when you do not look, it means that the opponent’s Pokémon gets this free first attack on your Pokémon, i.e. Also Guaranteed critical hit.
Personally, I think this is an extremely naughty tactic that is contrary to the affable competitive spirit of Pokémon, but of course I used it when one of my stylish teammates, Lida, suggested that I would try. The tight corners of the city streets mean that it is basic to surprise, but also offers the possibilities of squatting and sneaking close to the target.
The battle begins smoothly, just like in Legends: Arceus, but legends: for legends: a slightly modified version of Arceus of the basic battle mechanics based on the tournament, which we all know. Instead, it is in the full reality of real -time action. At least this is how it looks.
To attack, you basically apply a targeting with, holding the zl button, and then pressing the face buttons to instrument your Pokémon that move. The same, regardless of whether you are in the battle, initiating the battle or by instructing your Pokémon, to attack the obstacle – like some rocks that I saw at the beginning of the mission that none of my Pokémon was forceful enough to stop.
As expected, each Pokémon can know four movements at the same time, and these are movements to which you have access to four face buttons. Surprising that movements do not seem to have PP (power points), which means that they can be used unlimited number of times, taking into account their renewal, the novel Pokémon mechanic commonly used for action games based on skills. Different movements have different renewal times, but the movements that I had access at the beginning of the game, all had relatively tiny renewal times (about six or seven seconds), as well as tiny times of “casting”, which are not communicated in any menu.
Regardless of these restrictions, I was always able to attack with another move as soon as my Pokémon finished the attack with the first. The movements will “fill” with color when the icy deducts, indicating when you can attack it again, but I regret that the feedback has been more clearly provided. It ended up using almost all movements available in the rotation quite thoughtlessly. You cannot instrument your Pokémon to avoid or perform other maneuvers except these four attacks, although Pokémon may miss the attacks if the opponent is too far from the attack.
Battle activities appear on the right side of the screen, informing about such things as the attacks, debuffes and critical hits. The feedback on the missing attacks seemed non -existent, so I can see learning When The best time for attack can be a bit arduous.
In the trainer’s battles, you can’t be damaged or hit your Pokémon (I tried. Marep still fainted.) But you Power Stay wounded in battles against Wild Pokémon and a more hazardous, golden-tired Pokémon, the second basic feature device in legends: Za. (And you still can’t go to your Pokémon, at least it seemed that it was).
The second part of the demo version is fighting the dishonest mega-sorted graduate graduation after following the dog of Zygarde 10% form as part of another early game mission, this time ninth. Somehow, little Zygarde takes you to a roof in which there is a graduate, but apparently your character closes your eyes, while it happens when the screen disappears and suddenly you are on the roof.
In any case, at the beginning of the game, you do not have the ability to make a mega Pokémon independently, so mysterious until you borrow a mega ring, Lucario and Lucionite mega stone, so you can face the dishonest mega absoli without passing the ass.
In this battle, you must avoid your opponent’s attacks as a graduate Is Come for you – not just your Pokémon. I decided that it is a bit troublesome to balance the attack and avoid enemy attacks, because you can only attack when blocking the target with zl, but you can not quit or avoid during aiming. I am sure that I would develop a better muscle memory because I play more, but it was strange to have such actions.
There is also a secondary goal that should be noted when, contrary to Rogue Mega Elevolved Pokémon: you must collect a mega power ball to build enough energy to evolve your Pokémon and collect them so that your Pokémon does not evolve. Attacking the dishonest mega-tainted Pokémon forces mega bullets, which you need to pick up. It’s quite a clever way to force you to expose yourself to danger and apply Dodge mechanics.
This fight was much more engaging than the trainer’s battle, as expected, taking into account all the additional things I had to worry about, in addition to pressing the attack buttons. Another thing I noticed is it, although you can’t tell your Pokémon to avoid, they will be By default, return to the side when you are not closed to your opponent. So if You Start avoiding AOE attacks (effect area), your Pokémon too, if you give them enough time to withdraw.
In general, legends: I did not feel a full action for me, but more like MMO, with times of casting, sometimes renewal and mathematics from behind the scenes. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but I hope that legends: it becomes arduous enough to make me more deliberately throwing orders and think about changing Pokémon at the right moment. I see the potential, but with only twenty minutes of early game experience, it is much too early to determine whether this battle system in real time outlines the Pokémon Games strategy, they usually do for me.
Some cleaning at the last minute, as I briefly discovered the menu: Pokémon has a common six -paid spread, without skills (just like in Legends: Arceus), but Down have nature that affect their statistics (otherwise In legends: Arceus). I also found a shop that sells mint to change these nature while I played in the ninth mission of history.
As I said earlier, I have many questions and I am Very Wanting to play more Pokémon Legends: For, but for now we will have to wait until it is on October 16 to learn more.
Casey Defreitas is the deputy editor of guides in IGN and POK POZANDMon, since red and blue. Catch her on communities @Shinycased.
