Pokemon Legends Z-A is the latest in the long-running Pocket Monsters-collecting series that brings its own twist to the familiar formula. Chief among those key changes is the addition of a more active combat system, where players can move around the area, reposition their Pokemon, and make move selections on the fly. It’s a change that, for some, is seen as controversial, while others believe it’s a refreshing change of pace.
But while the combat system has been a little divisive, one element has gained a ton of fervor from fans. The lack of voice acting in Pokemon Legends Z-A has been a major point of contention for the new game, and the hope is that the recent criticisms will encourage developer Game Freak to consider modernizing its approach moving forward.
Lack Of Voice Acting In Pokemon Legends Z-A Is A Major Disappointment For Fans
Almost instantaneously, the lack of voice acting in Pokemon Legends Z-A sticks out. As a PSA comes over the massive screen in Lumiose City, players read text and imagine that a voice is booming through the Paris-inspired city streets. As players are taking in the improved graphics on Nintendo Switch 2 and experiencing a solid frame rate – two areas that fans had been hoping to see an uplift with this game – the areas where Z-A is lacking are more apparent.
There are also strange moments in the game, like watching a bland play and having to read the lyrics. Or talking to a Pokemon trainer, having them “say” nothing but when the attention turns to their Pokemon, they actually make a sound.
The lack of voice acting in games typically comes down to a budgetary concern. Indie games don’t include voice acting because their funds are limited and would be better served applied elsewhere. RPGs and visual novel-esque games fare better without voice acting because the player is immersed in the dialogue in the same way as a good book.
For me, personally, the lack of voice acting is also apparent when experiencing Pokemon Legends Z-A in a family setting. Playing the game with my son means having to either read out loud and ensure we are experiencing the dialogue at the same pace, give him the controller and wait for him to move onto the next bit of text, or make an educated guess as to when he’s done reading.
It’s not a dealbreaker, and there are plenty of Nintendo Switch games that we’ve experienced in this way, but there is a lot of dialogue in Pokemon Legends Z-A, especially early on. Dalton Cooper even noted this in his post about Pokemon Legends Z-A; it has a lot of tutorializing upfront, which can make it hard to build momentum at the outset.
Pokemon Legends Z-A is definitely a great game, but the voice acting could have made the experience even better.
I imagine I’m not alone in wishing Pokemon Legends Z-A had voice acting for this specific reason, but it’s also one of a dozen reasons that others are disappointed. As mentioned, plenty of games, including some stellar Nintendo Switch 2 releases, have minimal/no voice acting, and that isn’t to say Pokemon Legends Z-A is not a great game. I think it’s a fantastic evolution of the formula, and the combat system breathes a lot of new life into the series. It’s just this one area that sticks out like a sore thumb.
Next year is the Pokemon series’ 30th anniversary, and the expectation is that Game Freak, The Pokemon Company, and Nintendo have big things planned for the brand as a whole. It may not release next year, but the hope is that Pokemon Gen 10 will at least be revealed in 2026. And if that pair of titles is to be the next big leap for the franchise, then voice acting is practically a must. There are rumors about the new innovations and gameplay mechanics that are coming to Pokemon Gen 10, but now, after playing Pokemon Legends Z-A, the need for voice acting is even higher.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- October 16, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
