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I don't recall exactly how the tradition started, but I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Glitch alternates between male and female characters, with dark and violet locks. Sometimes their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in this enduring series (and one of the most fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're confined to the various school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved between releases, with certain cosmetic, some significant. But at their heart, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokémon through and through. Game Freak discovered an almost flawless mechanics system some three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to innovate upon it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character faces peril). Across every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and battling alongside charming creatures has remained consistent for almost as long as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, with its absence of gyms and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that framework. It's set entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive adventures of previous titles. Pokémon are meant to coexist alongside humans, battlers and civilians, in manners we've only seen glimpses of before.

Even more drastic than that Z-A's real-time battle system. It's here the series' near-perfect core cycle undergoes its biggest transformation to date, swapping methodical sequential bouts with something more chaotic. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, even as I feel ready for a new turn-based release. Although these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they create a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your created character planned as a visitor are discarded; you're promptly recruited by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide if female) to become part of their squad of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression of past games. But here, you battle several trainers to gain the chance to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving rank A.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Character fights occur at night, while sneaking around the assigned battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm constantly attempting to surprise a rival and launch an unopposed move, since all actions occur in real time. Moves operate on recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to adjust to at first. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel that there is plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Positioning also plays a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to designated spots to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, while others must be up close and personal).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling of attacks in identical patterns, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on response post-move execution, and that data remains visible on screen in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you can't even read it because taking your eyes off your opponent will spell immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and elevated areas to visit. It is also full of charm, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near similar to actual city birds getting in my way when walking through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Even so, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. Although I haven't been to the French capital, the model behind Lumiose, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which Lumiose City truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and importance. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with few spectators observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings overflow with personality missing in the larger city as a whole.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I