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

Be it a core franchise title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction alternates from male to female avatars, with black and purple locks. Occasionally their fashion is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in this enduring series (and among the more fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're confined to the various academic attire designs of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have evolved between installments, some superficial, some significant. However at their core, they remain identical; they're always Pokémon through and through. The developers uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to innovate on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout every iteration, the core gameplay loop of catching and battling with charming creatures has remained consistent for almost the same duration as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations into that framework. It takes place entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning journeys of previous games. Pokemon are intended to coexist alongside humans, trainers and civilians, in manners we've only seen glimpses of previously.

Far more radical is Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the franchise's near-perfect core cycle undergoes its most significant evolution yet, swapping methodical turn-based bouts for something more chaotic. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, despite I find myself eager for a new turn-based entry. Although these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

When first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to become part of their squad of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you battle several trainers to earn the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: A New Approach

Character fights take place during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very entertaining. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on a rival and unleash an unopposed move, because everything happens in real time. Attacks operate on cooldown timers, indicating both combatants can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's much to adjust to at first. Despite playing for nearly thirty hours, I continue to feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in ways that work together synergistically. Placement also plays a significant part in battles since your creatures will follow you around or move to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others need to be up close and personal).

The real-time action causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to breathe during Z-A, and plenty of chances to become swamped. Creature fights rely on response post-move execution, and that information is still present on screen within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it because taking your eyes off your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, although tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find unseen stores and elevated areas to explore. It's also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people coexisting. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, flying away when you get near similar to actual city birds obstructing my path while strolling in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a positive change. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which the city really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place on a court with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

During the Royale, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I