Screenshots & trailers
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 78 | 40 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 40 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 50 | 750 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 73 | 750 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (100)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 75
“Pokémon Legends: Z-A is another bold experiment from Game Freak. It may not fully succeed in building a cohesive, immersive world, but its innovative battle system and exciting new Pokémon make it a fascinating step forward.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“If you took out the branding and populated it with generic creatures instead of marketable pocket monsters, Pokémon Legends: Z-A would be rightly seen as a sub-mediocre and sloppy RPG, the kind with 115 "mostly negative" user reviews on Steam. Game Freak knows how much grace the public affords Pokémon and has taken the absolute piss with it, churning out a cheap budget game with a premium price, expensive DLC, and a ten buck markup to get a decent framerate...The audacity of this exploitative cash-in is honestly quite disgusting. At least Ekans is in it.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you prioritize up-to-the-minute aesthetics, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and arguably any title in the series, isn’t for you. Still, I can’t deny how much fun I’ve had playing this game. Its addictiveness triumphs over any minor issues. Real-time battles and entertaining side quests shine in Lumiose City. Launching at $70 with $30 of DLC might give some pause. But if you have a spouse or kids who will play this one too, the value is there, with dozens of hours of thoroughly satisfying adventuring. Don’t miss this release. ”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Pokémon Legends: Z-A should be celebrated for its fabulous real-time combat and its largely smooth jump to the Switch 2, but in condensing things down to one single location, it loses part of the Pokémon magic that Arceus and many other entries managed to amplify. I’ll forever find filling up my Pokédex fun, and for the Switch 2 generation, this is a good starting point for the franchise. But if the Legends series is to continue, it needs to recapture its personality and fuse that real-time system with a bit more freedom.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A decent enough game that fails to innovate in the same way Legends Arceus did, Pokemon Legends Z-A feels like a wasted opportunity that may only be worth it for die-hard fans.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Pokémon Legends: Z-A reinvents the series with bold real-time battles and an ambitious urban world. Though exploration feels limited, its combat depth and smooth performance make it a standout evolution for the saga.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Game Freak once again attempts to do something different with a series that's fast approaching its 30th anniversary. Pokémon Legends: Z-A puts a refreshed battle system front and centre, offering faster, real-time combat at its core. The change may not be for everyone; especially long-time fans who remain loyal to the classic turn-based formula. It’s a shame that some aspects, like NPC interactions, haven’t evolved to the same degree and there can be some repetition in traversing the Z-A world. Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels like a well-earned holiday for the series, where there's opportunity to try something new and explore. The adorable critters truly do thrive in Lumiose City and that's ultimately the heart of what drives a Pokémon adventure.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a bold step forward for the franchise, turning the traditional formula into a fast-paced action RPG. Its combat system is thrilling, strategic, and refreshingly different, while its return to Kalos brings nostalgic charm. However, its single-city setting, underwhelming visuals, and lack of voice acting keep it from true greatness. Still, Legends: Z-A captures the wonder and heart of Pokémon better than any recent entry. A strong evolution, even if not the final form.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“This second generation of Pokemon games on the Switch - Scarlet, Violet, and Legends: Z-A - has repeatedly gone back and forth between “we are so cooked” and “we are so back”. Pokemon Legends: Z-A has basically distilled that down to one game, because it feels like everything that annoyed me about the game was countered almost immediately by the game doing something I enjoyed or impressed me. Of the two Legends, I still prefer Arceus though, and I do hope a third Legends game is more focused on catching than combat.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Pokémon Legends: Z-A tweaks the standard formula to deliver more active monster catching and battling, but it takes place in a disappointingly boring city with little else to do.”
read full review ↗ - 79
“Mega Evolution! By embracing a real-time combat system that fits the series perfectly, the new title raised its pure fun factor to modern standards. While improved graphics and optimization shine, the small-scale maps, repetitive content, and lack of the forward-looking vision fans expected from the Legends series hold it back.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a follow-up to Arceus that feels both similar and different due to its focus on living alongside Pokemon in a modern city. The two themes are Mega Evolution and embracing life alongside Pokemon, and Game Freak and Nintendo are constantly showing and telling how that works. Admittedly, I miss the more varied biomes and locations from Arceus. But I do appreciate the story, the ambiance, the attention paid to characters, and how much it feels like a real city. After over 35 hours with it, I’m quite pleased.”
read full review ↗
Gamepressure
The Jimquisition
Pure Nintendo
Nintendo Life
Gfinity
Cubed3
LevelUp
NintendoWorldReport
PCMag
INVEN
Siliconera…and 88 more tracked reviews.