We’re all looking forward to Pokémon Legends: Z-A, as it’s going to be the first 3D entry in this series to run at 60 FPS at a 4K resolution. Although it’s not the most visually impressive game out there, fans can’t wait to see a smooth 3D entry in this popular franchise.
Now that Legends: Z-A is bringing the series into 4K, we think the next game should add another shakeup to the mainline series. After decades of these stories being told through text, it would be great if the next Switch 2 game added voice acting.
In an era where voice acting is the norm in most JRPGs, seeing Pokémon skip that to no criticism has caught us off guard. Fans used to defend the move since gameplay is what counts, but the rise of cinematics in this series justifies the need for voice acting.
click to enlargeThere were scenes in Scarlet and Violet were the characters’ mouths would move and players couldn’t continue the text bubble. Fans had to wait for the scene to progress by itself, forcing everyone to see how odd these moments are without voice acting. While there was great music that elevated these parts, the lack of people speaking was still odd.
Pokémon doesn’t have to go the same route as Final Fantasy and have voice acting in every scene. While that effort is appreciated, it’s a lot of resources that can be used elsewhere. The series should probably take a cue from Breath of the Wild, only saving voice acting for big cinematic cutscenes.
Considering how other Pokémon media has had voice acting for the longest time, like the popular anime, it’s pretty surprising that voice acting wasn’t in more recent games. Admittedly, there are mobile games like Pokémon Champions that added voice acting, though they were only in small bursts. That’s still a major upgrade when compared to the Switch games, none of which have that feature.
Gamers can’t even use the Nintendo excuse of not having actors, since most of the company’s first-party RPGs have them. Fire Emblem and Xenoblade are the biggest examples of this, as they’re filled with voice acting and are better for it. Even if the stories aren’t the best, these actors give it their all during these performances, making each of these scenes feel bigger and funnier than they are.
If Pokémon wants to be taken seriously as a modern game, voice acting would help change that perception. Dazzling graphics and unique gameplay can help with that too, but let’s take this one step at a time.