What makes Pokemon a "Legends" game?
Before the announcement of Legends ZA, specifically its nature as a modern-day sequel to X and Y, almost everyone, including me, thought the Legends subseries of the mainline Pokemon games was all set in the past. But the reveal of Legends ZA made me rethink what makes Pokemon a "Legends" game. I believe I have a good idea of what makes a Pokemon Legends game. It all comes down to five major elements.
The first major element is its use of the same themes and even several plot beats, if not the same general plot, as its base game. Sinnoh, as a region, has a heavy emphasis on mythology and the higher powers of not only the region but the universe itself. It only makes sense that the first Legends game would be set in a time when some of these myths are either forming or myths unknown to the present are still present in the past. In comparison, Kalos is centered around life and death, the importance of balance, and how to create a fulfilling and sustainable future. Meta-wise, XY is considered one of the weakest Pokemon games, needing some fleshing out. It makes a lot of sense why they chose to make a sequel to give Kalos its moment to shine...mostly. I also feel like AZ's backstory alone gives us all the Kalos backstory we need.
The second major element is its various new gameplay styles. So far, both Legends games have utilized more diverse gameplay styles over the simple, classic turn-based combat of most mainline games. Both games have the trainer take damage and black out without even battling with a Pokemon. It also allowed players to catch Pokemon without engaging in a battle. Alpha Pokemon, big red-eyed Pokemon with better stats, also roam through the Legends games. Legends Arceus went with a more complex turn-based battle system, where once a battle is initiated, speed determines how many turns a Pokemon can take at once. It also incorporates Agile and Strong Styles, which cost more PP. The Agile style allows a Pokemon to potentially go first and might even allow for two moves at once, at the cost of lower attack power, status effect, or stat increase. The Strong Style allows a Pokemon to conduct a stronger version of its move, but at the risk of letting the opponent attack twice or even more. In contrast, Legends ZA did away with turn-based combat with real-time combat. Suddenly, combat is just like the anime: fast-paced, and Pokemon can move. Instead of PP, moves have cooldowns. For Mega Evolution, there's the Mega Power bar, which, once full, can allow a Pokemon to Mega Evolve until the bar runs out. Mega Power moves, done via a Mega Evolved Pokemon or a Pokemon using some of the Mega Power, are the same as the Strong Style of Legends Arceus. I really hope future Legends games expand on what we got and introduce new gameplay styles.
The third major element is reanalyzing and revisiting a region and its cast through a new perspective and a more mature lens. We revisit Sinnoh from a time when humans and Pokémon weren't close with one another. The concept of death is thrown a lot, with it being explicitly stated that you could die in this region. Suddenly, a region where there's a soothing jazz vibe takes on a whole dangerous survival vibe. Then there's Volo. A character associated with Cynthia, one of the big goods of the Sinnoh games. However, Volo has the same goals and mindset as Cyrus, but he has Cynthia's personality, always curious about history and myths, and fascinated by our character's potential and role. In comparison, we revisit Kalos, or more specifically Lumiose City, as tourists. It turns out the events of X and Y have led a lot of people to leave the city and, by extension, Kalos. The urban redevelopment plan is meant not only to retain its current residents but also to attract tourists. However, as the plot goes on and the side quests reveal, a lot of people dislike the urban redevelopment plan. The disruption to normal life with the Battle Zones, the lack of sleep, and even getting back home. The Wild Zones only divide Pokemon from humans and vice versa. The redevelopment also increases rent and makes living in the city much more expensive, with Lida being one character who was worried about her future when she couldn't pay rent. I really appreciate how the Legend games feel more "mature" but not coming across as edgy.
The fourth major element is a focus on Legendaries and Mythicals that didn't get their moment to shine. One couldn't even access Arceus through legal means until Legends Arceus. It's fitting that, given Arceus' status as the Pokemon God, it's only natural for the first Legends game to focus on said being. Likewise, for Kalos, Zygarde is infamous for not getting its third version game (Pokemon Z) to be the central focus. Instead, Zygarde was pushed into Alola as a side quest. Zygarde is finally able to shine in Legends ZA and then some. The way the writers somehow explained Zygarde's appearance in Alola truly shows that, despite GF's flaws, when it comes down to lore connections, they generally excel.
The final major element is the "Legends" component. Aside from the Legendaries and Mythicals, there's a natural and logical pattern of focusing on the legends of the regions. In Legends Arceus, it's tied around the Sinnoh, or rather, the Hisui region itself. A region full of mysteries to uncover and ponder. In Legends ZA, it's tied to Lumiose City and AZ. AZ is a living legend as one of the oldest human beings in Pokemon. The iconic Prism Tower ends up becoming much more of a legend than one might presume.
Pokemon Legends is one of the best things to come out of the Switch Era. It allows Pokemon to tell stories that they couldn't explore in the standard mainline titles and experiment with various gameplay styles. I cannot wait to see what region they'll tackle next.
While this isn't about speculation, I'll give my two dimes into what I consider to be the ideal for each region when they get their Legends game:
Legends games set in Kanto and Galar work better as prequels.
Legends games set in Hoenn and Unova work better as sequels.
Legends games set in Johto, Alola, and Paldea should function as..."paradoxical": neither a standard prequel nor a sequel.
