Poll: Is It About Time Game Freak Added Voice Acting To Pokémon?

Pokémon titles have never, at least to our understanding, included voice acting. At least not in the principal games or direct spin-offs.

For numerous fans, particularly those who have journeyed with the franchise since its inception, this hasn’t been a significant concern. After all, it was only when Pokémon truly made the leap into the 3D universe with X and Y that characters began to express movements while conversing, and even then it was extremely constrained.

With Pokémon Legends: Z-A, though, things appear somewhat different. Yes, the graphics remain a little underwhelming throughout this latest installment, but the character animation, especially during cutscenes, is quite impressive. They behave like real individuals should, and their mouths are synchronized with the spoken lines.

The issue..? There’s no spoken audio accompanying the dialogue. It’s still entirely mute.

This is quite evident in the clip circulating on social media, with many observers pointing out that supporting character Taunie animates effectively, yet the absence of any voice acting renders it somewhat, well… peculiar:

Indeed, our final judgment on Legends: Z-A even emphasized the absence of any voice work, with reviewer Alana Hagues noting the following:

“I recognize this is contentious, too, but voices would add character to this game. I’m not even requesting complete voice acting — even though monologues and pre-rendered cutscenes appear utterly strange as mere text on a screen — but I’d appreciate a voice clip or two, reminiscent of contemporary Zelda titles. It would also lend the narrative a bit more impact, which it requires while conveying themes of friendship, healing, and reconciliation. Even with a dramatic climax (which I encourage you to avoid spoiling), I felt… nothing.”

So now we’d like to pose the question to you wonderful individuals. Is Legends: Z-A at a disadvantage without any voice work? Should Game Freak strive to incorporate this in future releases? Share your thoughts by participating in the polls below and leaving a comment in the usual spot.