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I'm not sure precisely when the custom began, however I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a main series title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Malfunction alternates from male to female avatars, with dark and violet locks. Occasionally their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the long-running series (and among the more style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokemon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed between installments, some superficial, some significant. However at their heart, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. The developers uncovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Across every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and fighting with charming creatures has remained consistent for almost as long as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several changes to that framework. It takes place entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of earlier games. Pokemon are intended to coexist alongside people, battlers and non-trainers alike, in manners we have merely glimpsed previously.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the franchise's near-perfect core cycle experiences its biggest evolution to date, replacing methodical turn-based fights with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, even as I feel eager for another traditional entry. Though these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

When initially reaching in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly recruited by Taunie (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 into the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. However here, you battle several opponents to gain the chance to compete in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the final objective of achieving the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: A New Frontier

Character fights occur at night, and sneaking around the designated battle zones is very entertaining. I'm constantly trying to surprise a rival and unleash an unopposed move, because everything happens in real time. Moves operate on recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to get used to initially. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel that there is plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also plays a major role in battles as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to designated spots to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, whereas others must be in close proximity).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to breathe during Z-A, and plenty of chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on feedback post-move execution, and that information remains visible on the display within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it because diverting attention from your opponent will spell immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, flying away when you get near similar to actual city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose 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 underground routes provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to Paris, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and importance. On the flipside, 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'll battle in eateries with diners observing as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Routine

Throughout the Championship, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the creature index, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I