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I'm not sure precisely when the tradition began, however I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Be it a main series title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Glitch alternates between male and female characters, with dark and violet locks. Occasionally their style is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in this long-running franchise (and among the more style-conscious entries). Other times they're confined to the assorted academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Games

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have evolved between installments, with certain superficial, others significant. However at their core, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. The developers uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system some 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout every version, the core gameplay loop of catching and fighting with charming creatures has stayed steady for almost as long as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several changes to that framework. It's set completely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning journeys of earlier games. Pokemon are intended to live together with people, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely glimpsed previously.

Far more drastic is Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the franchise's near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest evolution yet, swapping methodical sequential fights with something more chaotic. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, despite I find myself eager for another turn-based release. Although these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they create a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join her team of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your starter and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" progression of past games. However here, you fight a handful of trainers to earn the chance to participate in a promotion match. Succeed and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Real-Time Combat: A New Frontier

Character fights occur during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to get a jump on a rival and unleash an unopposed move, since all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks function with cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's much to adjust to at first. Despite playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel like there's much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Positioning also factors as a significant part during combat as your Pokémon will trail behind you or move to specific locations to execute moves (certain ones are distant, whereas others must be up close and personal).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in identical patterns, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles depend on feedback post-move execution, and that information is still present on screen in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your adversary will spell immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, although tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering unseen stores and elevated areas to visit. It is also full of charm, and perfectly captures the vision of Pokémon and people coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach similar to actual city birds obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a positive change. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote eventually. You might discover a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. Although I haven't been to the French capital, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and all are vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and simply designed terraces.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which the city really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You will fight in restaurants with diners observing while they eat. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed headquarters of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct battle locales brim with character that's absent from the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I