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I'm not sure exactly how the custom began, however I consistently call every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Be it a main series game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Malfunction alternates between male and female characters, featuring black and purple locks. Sometimes their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this enduring series (and among the more fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're confined to the assorted academic attire designs of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed between installments, some cosmetic, some substantial. But at their heart, they stay the same; they're always Pokemon to the core. The developers discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to evolve upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character faces peril). Across every version, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and fighting with charming creatures has remained steady for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring absence of gyms and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations into that formula. It takes place entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive journeys of previous games. Pokémon are meant to live together alongside humans, battlers and civilians, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Far more radical is Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. It's here the franchise's almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its biggest evolution yet, swapping methodical turn-based fights for more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, despite I find myself ready for a new traditional entry. Although these changes to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they create a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly recruited by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join her team of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you fight several opponents to gain the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, while sneaking around the designated battle zones is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to surprise a rival and launch a free attack, since all actions occur instantaneously. Moves function with recharge periods, meaning both combatants can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's much to get used to at first. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I continue to feel like there's much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a major role in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to specific locations to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, while others must be in close proximity).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences through moves in the same order, despite this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on response post-move execution, and that data remains visible on the display in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your adversary will spell immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to visit. It is also full of charm, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, flying away as you approach like the real-life pigeons getting in my way when walking through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling to trees.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I never visited the French capital, the inspiration for 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 vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield occur in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet happen in a field with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You will fight in restaurants with diners observing while they eat. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, as well as subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I