Pokémon Legends Z-A stands at a pivotal moment for the series, emerging not merely as a sequel to the comparatively tepid Scarlet and Violet but as a continuation of the acclaimed Legends franchise, which includes the widely praised Legends Arceus. To secure its place in the hearts of fans and avoid negative comparisons with its predecessor, Legends Z-A must excel in both gameplay mechanics and narrative depth. Failure to do so could tarnish its legacy and potentially jeopardize the future of the Legends series.
This upcoming title may also serve as a crucial benchmark for the Pokémon experience on the anticipated Switch 2. The innovative combat systems and world-building in Legends Z-A are expected to influence subsequent releases, similar to how the DNA of Arceus permeated Scarlet and Violet. However, for Legends Z-A to effectively mark the dawn of a new era for Pokémon on the Switch 2, it must implement a significant feature that has long been overlooked: voice acting. Without this crucial addition, the game risks being perceived as a relic of the past rather than a step forward.
The Crucial Need for Voice Acting in Pokémon Legends Z-A
Addressing a Long-standing Absence
Despite being a staple of modern video games for decades, voice acting has eluded the Pokémon franchise. While early iterations on Game Boy and DS lacked the technical capacity to include voice work, the series has missed an essential opportunity to enhance player experience with the advent of the 3DS and Switch. This absence of voice acting has only grown more glaring over time, significantly impacting player immersion.
Take Arceus, for instance. While it is celebrated as one of the finest Pokémon games, the omission of voice acting detracts from its storytelling depth. Experiencing a 3D world where characters are animated yet voiceless leaves players unsettled, disrupting the flow of engagement with the narrative. Therefore, for Legends Z-A to truly resonate, it must address this long-standing gap, as further neglect could anchor the series in its outdated practices.
The absence of voice acting diminishes the immersive quality of Pokémon game worlds, the emotional weight of stories, and the significance of characters. This results in a static, lifeless experience that feels overly reliant on antiquated gaming conventions. Important figures in Pokémon Legends Z-A, many of whom are reintroduced from Pokémon X & Y, could add layers to the narrative. However, without unique voices to imbue these characters with personality, they risk blending into the forgettable backdrop of previous titles.
The Impact of No Voice Acting Compared to Outdated Visuals
Immediate Impressions Count
Ultimately, the lasting impact on players is far more influenced by the story and character dynamics than by graphical fidelity. While Legends Z-A appears poised to introduce significant gameplay improvements, a failure to implement voice acting could severely undermine its narrative experience. Just as a film can skimp on visuals yet thrive through compelling sound, games will invariably be more affected by the absence of voice acting than by low-quality graphics.
While subpar visuals might be interpreted as artistic choice, the absence of voice acting cannot be justified, especially considering Pokémon’s financial success. According to director Shigeru Ohmori, the lack of voice acting was initially attributed to the complexity of localizing rich dialogue into nine languages simultaneously. In a past interview, he explained:
“This is a RPG with a whole lot of text that we’re then localizing and releasing in nine different languages at the same time. So, from a purely practical point of view, actually getting that organized and carrying out all the voice recording, the corrections and so on in nine different languages for release on exactly the same day is something that would be incredibly difficult. […] If we have really flavorful text, for those characters, but no voice, the players can kind of create their own image of who that character is as they’re playing. And that’s something we really like to encourage as we’re creating games.”
Yet, such justifications no longer hold water. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, another game laden with dialogue, was successfully localized into four languages, adding subtitles in many others. Even Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 managed to achieve localization into six languages, despite containing over 2.2 million words. Given the scale of its resources, one must question why The Pokémon Company has not chosen to reinvest its substantial profits from over 480 million units sold, according to the official Pokémon website, into hiring additional voice talent and bolstering its development team.
Signs Suggest Legends Z-A May Lack Voice Acting
Indications of Continuity in Tradition
Furthermore, the rising acceptance of JRPGs that allow players to experience dialogue in Japanese indicates that The Pokémon Company could opt for this route to mitigate expenses while still offering a translated script in various languages. Regardless of potential cost-saving measures, current gameplay footage reveals that Legends Z-A will likely not include voice acting. During its Direct trailer, the sequences showed players interacting with multiple NPCs, each accompanied by the signature beep of dialogue box transitions, yet conspicuously absent were any spoken lines.
It is frustrating that the Pokémon series persists without voice acting. No other major franchise operates in such a way, remaining entrenched in outdated mechanics, visuals, and narrative styles. Such reliance on antiquated conventions limits the experience to those unfamiliar with contemporary advancements in gaming. As indie games increasingly outshine Pokémon in numerous areas, one must question whether innovative gameplay mechanics and upcoming titles like Pokémon Legends Z-A can sustain the franchise’s long-term viability.
Source: Metro, corporate.pokemon.co.jp