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I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I consistently call all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Be it a main series title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction switches between male and female characters, with dark and violet locks. Occasionally their fashion is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the long-running franchise (and among the most style-conscious entries). At other moments they're confined to the various school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have evolved across releases, some superficial, others substantial. However at their core, they remain identical; they're always Pokemon through and through. The developers uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system some three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to innovate upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Across every version, the fundamental mechanics cycle of capturing and battling with charming creatures has stayed consistent for almost the same duration as my lifetime.

Breaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several deviations into that formula. It takes place completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning adventures of previous games. Pokémon are meant to live together with humans, battlers and civilians, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Even more radical is Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the series' near-perfect core cycle experiences its biggest transformation to date, replacing methodical turn-based bouts with something more chaotic. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, even as I find myself ready for a new traditional entry. Though these changes to the classic Pokémon formula sound like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by Taunie (for male avatars; Urbain if female) to become part of her team of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" progression of past games. However here, you battle several trainers to gain the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Succeed and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles take place at night, and sneaking around the designated battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm always trying to get a jump on an opponent and unleash an unopposed move, since all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks function with cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's much to adjust to initially. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's much to master in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in methods that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a significant part in battles since your creatures will follow you around or move to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others must be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to breathe during Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on response after using an attack, and that data is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to visit. It is also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away as you approach similar to actual city birds getting in my way while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You may stumble upon an alley you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I never visited Paris, the inspiration for the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where every district differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It features beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield take place in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with few spectators watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You will fight in restaurants with patrons watching as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena 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 overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Royale, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and filling the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I