Although Pokémon Legends: Z-A will undoubtedly follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, there is one Legends: Arceus feature that should be reworked for the title. Little is known about the actual gameplay of Legends: Z-A at present, although promotional material has indicated the return of Mega Evolution. Nevertheless, it is natural to conclude that the game will bear strong thematic and mechanical similarities to Legends: Arceus; the true question is what features may be introduced or altered to fit the new title.

According to the promotional material released so far, Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be set in Kalos’ Lumiose City during a period of widespread urban redevelopment. The premise suggests that the player character may be able to have a fix the mistakes of Legends: Arceus, as well as innovate on and improve even the more successful gameplay features of the earlier title.

Legends: Z-A Needs A New Take On Research Tasks

New Research Tasks Could Focus More On Pokémon Behavior

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the Hisui Pokédex is filled out through completing Research Tasks, which is framed as performing field research for Professor Laventon. Of course, Legends: Z-A’s redeveloping Lumiose City, introduced with wireframe models in its original teaser trailer, seems likely to be set much closer to the modern day than Jubilife Village. As a result, the same field research framing seems unlikely to suit the Pokédex in the new title; the people of this era will presumably be much more familiar with Pokémon, and so far less wary and uninformed about the creatures.

On the other hand, it is still likely that Research Tasks, or at least a new version of them, will be one of the Legends: Arceus features brought back in Legends: Z-A. After all, removing such a core gameplay mechanic would badly damage any sense of shared identity between the two games. Instead, the game will need a new spin on the concept, which may well be rooted in the redevelopment plan’s stated goal of “beautiful coexistence between people and Pokémon.” This could pivot the goal of Research Tasks towards examining how Pokémon react and behave specifically in urban environments.

At present, it is unclear precisely what time period Legends: Z-A takes place in, and if it will be set before or after the events of Pokémon X and Y. However, the aim of coexistence indicates that the humans living in Kalos will not show the same fear and ignorance of Pokémon as the inhabitants of Hisui did. By extension, any form of research must fit into that new paradigm, which lends further credence to Research Tasks becoming more oriented around specific quirks of Pokémon behavior.

Researching Pokémon Should Be More Complex

Pokémon Legends: Z-A Could Examine Its Pokémon In Close Detail

Of course, there is also nothing to prevent Legends: Z-A from expanding upon Research Tasks with other new features. For example, one strong possibility is that new Research Tasks could involve more complex interactions between Pokémon and various stimuli. In order to achieve this, some Research Tasks could involve moving Pokémon around Lumiose City in order to examine how they react to different noise levels, smells, and other unique environmental factors that arise in an urban environment. This would prompt people to explore Lumiose City in extremely close detail, and by extension allow for an incredible level of worldbuilding.

In order to settle these disparate species into their ideal places in the city, a close examination of their preferences only makes sense.

There will undoubtedly be a wide variety of Pokémon in Legends: Z-A, all of which will have their own preferences in of environment. In order to settle these disparate species into their ideal places in the city, a close examination of their preferences only makes sense. Helping to ensure that this integration goes smoothly may even prove to be the protagonist’s official role in Lumiose City during the course of the game, presumably once again acting as a member of a larger organization like the Galaxy Team.

Furthermore, instead of simply completing a Pokédex entry, fulfilling enough Research Tasks in this manner could be critical for implementing various changes to Lumiose City. For example, sufficient research into various species of bird-like Pokémon could lead to perches, feeding stations, and other such amenities being added to the city. Other such changes could unlock new facilities or even minigames. This would allow Lumiose City to visibly grow and change as a direct result of the player’s actions, providing a visible record of their efforts and progress through the game.

Legends: Z-A’s Research Tasks Could Involve Laboratory Testing

A Lab Mode Would Open Up New Possibilities For Exposition And Gameplay

Another possible change to Research Tasks is the addition of completing tasks in a laboratory setting rather than in the outside world. Such tasks would presumably be performed in tandem with more city-wide investigations, and could involve the player characters collecting both Pokémon and items from across Lumiose City to examine reactions. For example, some such tasks could involve determining which water source is most suitable for a given Water-type by exposing it to differing samples taken from across the city.

Furthermore, there is also a strong possibility that Pokémon Legends: Z-A will also introduce new new regional Pokémon forms and Mega Evolutions to the franchise. A lab-oriented feature like this could be used to organically introduce new lore into the franchise regarding such Pokémon, further justifiable by them being presumably rare specimens deserving of close study. Given the potential significance of their unusual nature, specialized gameplay segments revolving around these new Pokémon would allow them to enjoy the spotlight they deserve, and could even be important in progressing the main plot of the game.

Implementing a laboratory would also provide a perfect setting to allow people to interact with their Pokémon one-on-one, which would fittingly echo the gameplay of Pokémon X and Y’s Pokémon Amie.

Instead of simply capturing and battling Pokémon, it would be extremely interesting to also directly investigate how Pokémon react to different environments. The strong possibility of the game adjusting the format of Research Tasks and introducing new complementary mechanics offers the opportunity to do just this. It would also be incredibly rewarding for such efforts to visibly shape Lumiose City in ways both big and small. As a result, making a change like this would undoubtedly represent a huge improvement to the gameplay of Pokémon Legends: Z-A.