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I don't recall exactly how the tradition started, however I consistently call every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's 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 from male to female avatars, featuring black and purple hair. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the long-running series (and among the more style-conscious releases). Other times they're confined to the various academic attire designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved across installments, with certain cosmetic, others significant. However at their core, they stay the same; they're always Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and just recently truly attempted to evolve on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across all iteration, the core gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that formula. It's set entirely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of previous games. Pokemon are meant to coexist alongside people, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the series' near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest transformation to date, replacing deliberate turn-based bouts with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, even as I feel ready for a new turn-based entry. Though these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they create a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly recruited by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to become part of her team of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. However here, you fight a handful of opponents to earn the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Win and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: A New Frontier

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, and sneaking around the assigned battle zones is quite enjoyable. I'm always trying to get a jump on a rival and unleash a free attack, since all actions occur in real time. Moves operate on cooldown timers, meaning both combatants may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's much to adjust to at first. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in ways that complement each other. Placement also plays a significant part during combat since your creatures will follow you around or go to specific locations to execute moves (certain ones are distant, while others must be in close proximity).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling of attacks in identical patterns, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles depend on feedback post-move execution, and that data is still present on screen within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach like the real-life city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang from lampposts, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon an alley you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and most rooftops and underground routes offer little variety. Although I never visited the French capital, the model behind Lumiose, 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 provide character. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where Lumiose City truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I loved the way creature fights within Sword and Shield take place in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and meaning. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with few spectators watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a competition, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I