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I'm not sure precisely when the tradition began, however I always name every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Glitch alternates between male and female avatars, featuring black and purple hair. Sometimes their style is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the enduring franchise (and one of the most fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed between installments, with certain superficial, some substantial. But at their heart, they remain identical; they're always Pokemon through and through. The developers discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately three decades back, and has only truly attempted to innovate upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across all version, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside charming creatures has stayed consistent for nearly the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its absence of gyms and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple changes into that framework. It's set entirely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning adventures of previous titles. Pokémon are intended to live together alongside humans, battlers and non-trainers alike, in ways we've only glimpsed previously.

Far more drastic is Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. It's here the franchise's almost ideal core cycle undergoes its biggest transformation yet, swapping deliberate sequential fights for more frenetic action. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel ready for a new turn-based release. Though these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they create a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) 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 Championship is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression of past games. But here, you battle several opponents to earn the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Win and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of achieving rank A.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Approach

Character fights occur during nighttime, while sneaking around the assigned combat areas is quite entertaining. I'm always attempting to surprise a rival and launch an unopposed move, since all actions occur instantaneously. Moves operate on recharge periods, meaning both combatants can sometimes strike simultaneously at the same time (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a major role during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, whereas others must be in close proximity).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I often repeating sequences through moves in identical patterns, despite this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to breathe during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Creature fights depend on feedback post-move execution, and that information is still present on screen in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I continue to find new shops and elevated areas to explore. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, flying away as you approach similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path while strolling in New York City. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, 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 Paris, the model behind Lumiose, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where every district are the same, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield take place in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct battle locales brim with character that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Royale, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and completing the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I