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I don't recall exactly how the tradition began, but I consistently call every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Glitch switches from male to female avatars, with black and purple locks. Occasionally their fashion is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this enduring franchise (and one of the most style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed across releases, some cosmetic, some substantial. However at their core, they stay the same; they're always Pokemon through and through. The developers uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula approximately 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to innovate on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout all iteration, the fundamental mechanics cycle of capturing and fighting alongside charming creatures has remained steady for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Shaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, with its absence of gyms and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several deviations to that formula. It's set completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of earlier games. Pokemon are intended to coexist with people, battlers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Far more drastic is Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. It's here the series' almost ideal core cycle undergoes its biggest evolution to date, replacing methodical turn-based fights with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, despite I find myself ready for a new turn-based release. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they form a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

When first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to join her team of battlers. You're gifted a creature from them as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you battle a handful of opponents to gain the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you will be promoted to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles take place at night, while sneaking around the assigned combat areas is quite entertaining. I'm always trying to get a jump on a rival and unleash a free attack, because everything happens in real time. Moves operate on recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to initially. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel like there's much to master in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Positioning also plays a major role during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or move to specific locations to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, whereas others must be up close and personal).

The real-time action causes fights go so fast that I find myself repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous opportunities to become swamped. Creature fights rely on response post-move execution, and that data remains visible on the display within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Sometimes, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your adversary will spell certain doom.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and elevated areas to visit. It's also full of charm, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach similar to actual city birds getting in my way when walking in New York City. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive eventually. You might discover an alley you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. While I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where every district are the same, and all are alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them genuine significance and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You will fight in restaurants with patrons watching as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a competition, and you will combat on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Championship, as well as subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I