Critics have received Pokemon Legends: Z-A positively, noting the return of Mega Evolution and an interesting gameplay loop. However, they point to mediocre graphics and uneven pacing.
Currently, the game has a score of 79 on Metacritic based on 57 reviews — higher than Scarlet and Violet, but slightly lower than Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
The player scores are worse. The new Pokémon has faced massive "review-bombing" — users are tanking the rating in protest. The average score is 4.3 out of 10. Comments include accusations of The Pokémon Company's "greed", developer "laziness", and even mentions of legal disputes surrounding Palworld. Most of these reviews are 0/10 or 1/10.
Other factors have influenced the criticism. There is discussion online that the game's budget was modest — according to former Nintendo employees, the project was expected to break even with sales of 200,000 copies. Fans also complain about the lack of voice acting and repetitive textures that do not match the scale of the brand. Recent rumors about plans for Generation X and a major remake have reinforced the feeling that Z-A is a secondary project. Now we have to wait and see if the community's attitude will change, or if the game will remain one of the most controversial in Pokémon history.
