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I'm not sure exactly how the custom began, but I consistently call all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a core franchise game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, with dark and violet locks. Occasionally their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in this enduring franchise (and among the most fashion-focused releases). Other times they're confined to the assorted school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokemon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved across installments, some cosmetic, others significant. But at their core, they remain identical; they're always Pokemon through and through. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some 30 years ago, and has only seriously tried to evolve on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Across every version, the fundamental mechanics cycle of capturing and battling alongside charming creatures has remained steady for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, with its absence of gyms and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple changes to that formula. It's set completely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the expansive adventures of earlier games. Pokemon are intended to coexist with people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in ways we've only glimpsed previously.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. It's here the series' almost ideal gameplay loop experiences its biggest transformation yet, replacing deliberate sequential fights with something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for another traditional entry. Though these changes to the classic Pokémon formula seem like they form an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're immediately recruited by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to become part of her team of battlers. You're gifted a creature from them 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 traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. But here, you fight a handful of trainers to gain the chance to compete in a promotion match. Win and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of achieving rank A.

Real-Time Combat: A New Approach

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, while navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm constantly trying to surprise an opponent and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Attacks function with recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent may occasionally attack each other at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's much to adjust to at first. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I continue to feel like there's plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that complement each other. Placement also plays a major role in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or move to specific locations to execute moves (certain ones are distant, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to breathe during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Creature fights rely on feedback post-move execution, and that data is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since taking your eyes off your adversary will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to explore. It is also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach like the real-life pigeons getting in my way when walking through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon an alley you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. Although I never visited the French capital, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where no two blocks are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights within Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet happen in a field with two random people watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a competition, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of a certain faction with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct battle locales brim with character missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Royale, as well as subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I