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I don't recall exactly how the custom began, but I always name all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Glitch alternates between male and female avatars, with dark and violet hair. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the long-running franchise (and among the more style-conscious entries). At other moments they're limited to the various school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokémon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved across installments, with certain superficial, some significant. But at their core, they remain identical; they're always Pokemon through and through. The developers uncovered an almost flawless gameplay formula approximately three decades back, and has only truly attempted to innovate upon it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout all iteration, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for almost as long as I've been alive.

Shaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several deviations into that framework. It takes place completely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous titles. Pokémon are meant to live together with humans, battlers and civilians, in manners we've only glimpsed previously.

Far more radical than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the series' near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its most significant transformation yet, replacing deliberate sequential fights with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, even as I feel eager for a new turn-based entry. Though these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly recruited by Taunie (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join her team of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression of past games. But here, you fight several trainers to gain the chance to participate in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Battles: A New Approach

Trainer battles occur at night, while navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm constantly attempting to get a jump on an opponent and unleash an unopposed move, since all actions occur instantaneously. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning both combatants can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Positioning also plays a significant part in battles since your creatures will follow you around or move to designated spots to execute moves (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 repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, even when this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and plenty of chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on feedback post-move execution, and that information is still present on the display within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Sometimes, you can't even read it because diverting attention from your opponent will spell certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and elevated areas to visit. It's also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach like the real-life pigeons getting in my way when walking in New York City. The monkey trio gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling on branches.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a positive change. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon an alley you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to Paris, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, surprisingly, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights in Sword & Shield take place in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with few spectators watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing as they dine. An elite combat club will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality missing in the larger city as a whole.

The Comfort of Repetition

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