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I don't recall exactly how the custom began, however I consistently call all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Be it a main series game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Malfunction alternates between male and female characters, with dark and violet locks. Occasionally their style is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the long-running franchise (and one of the more fashion-focused entries). Other times they're limited to the assorted school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed across installments, with certain cosmetic, some substantial. However at their heart, they remain the same; they're always Pokemon to the core. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to evolve on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across all iteration, the core gameplay loop of capturing and battling alongside adorable monsters has remained steady for almost the same duration as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, featuring absence of gyms and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes into that formula. It's set completely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous titles. Pokemon are meant to coexist alongside people, battlers and civilians, in ways we've only glimpsed previously.

Even more drastic than that Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. It's here the franchise's almost ideal gameplay loop experiences its most significant evolution yet, replacing methodical sequential bouts for more frenetic action. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, even as I find myself ready for another traditional release. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain if female) to join her team of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your first partner and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. However here, you battle a handful of opponents to earn the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Win and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the final objective of achieving rank A.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, and sneaking around the assigned battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm constantly trying to surprise a rival and launch a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to initially. Even after gaming for almost 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is plenty to learn in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in methods that complement each other. Positioning also plays a significant part during combat since your creatures will follow you around or go to designated spots to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, while others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles go so fast that I find myself repeating sequences through moves in the same order, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights rely on response post-move execution, and that information is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it since taking your eyes off your adversary will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to visit. It is also full of charm, and perfectly captures the vision of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away as you approach like the real-life city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Nonetheless, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and sewer paths offer little variety. While I never visited Paris, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where every district are the same, and they're all vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

Where Lumiose City truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights within Sword & Shield take place in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet happen in a field with two random people observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a competition, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales brim with character missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Championship, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I