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I don't recall precisely when the tradition started, but I always name every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Be it a core franchise game or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Glitch alternates from male to female avatars, with black and purple hair. Sometimes their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this enduring series (and among the most fashion-focused releases). Other times they're confined to the various school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved across installments, some superficial, some substantial. But at their core, they stay the same; they're always Pokémon through and through. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system some 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to innovate upon it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character faces peril). Throughout all version, the core gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside charming creatures has stayed consistent for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, with its absence of gyms and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several changes to that framework. It's set entirely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of earlier titles. Pokémon are intended to live together with humans, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of previously.

Even more drastic is Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the series' near-perfect core cycle experiences its biggest evolution yet, swapping deliberate turn-based fights for something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I feel ready for another traditional entry. Although these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they form an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to join their squad of battlers. You're gifted a creature from them as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you battle a handful of trainers to gain the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Win and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Real-Time Combat: A New Frontier

Character fights occur during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the designated combat areas is quite enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on an opponent and launch an unopposed move, since everything happens in real time. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Even after gaming for almost thirty hours, I continue to feel that there is much to master in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Positioning also factors as a significant part during combat since your creatures will trail behind you or move to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, whereas others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in the same order, even when this results in a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and plenty of chances to become swamped. Creature fights depend on response after using an attack, and that information remains visible on screen in Z-A, but whips by quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it because diverting attention from your opponent will spell immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and elevated areas to visit. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach like the real-life city birds obstructing my path while strolling in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive over time. You might discover an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to the French capital, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

In which the city really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I adored how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with two random people observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You will fight in restaurants with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will invite you to a competition, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Championship, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I