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I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I always name every one of my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Whether it's a main series game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Glitch switches from male to female avatars, with dark and violet hair. Sometimes their style is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in the long-running franchise (and one of the most fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're limited to the various academic attire designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokémon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved between installments, some cosmetic, some significant. But at their heart, they remain the same; they're consistently Pokémon through and through. The developers discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to evolve on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across every iteration, the fundamental mechanics cycle of catching and fighting with charming creatures has remained consistent for almost as long as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several changes into that framework. It takes place entirely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of earlier titles. Pokémon are intended to coexist with people, trainers and civilians, in ways we've only glimpsed before.

Far more radical than that Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the series' almost ideal core cycle experiences its most significant evolution to date, swapping deliberate sequential fights for more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, even as I find myself ready for a new turn-based entry. Although these alterations to the classic Pokémon formula seem like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

When initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar planned as a visitor are discarded; you're promptly recruited by Taunie (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression of past games. However here, you battle a handful of trainers to earn the chance to compete in a promotion match. Win and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Character fights take place at night, and sneaking around the assigned combat areas is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch a free attack, since all actions occur in real time. Attacks function with cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to adjust to at first. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in ways that complement each other. Placement also factors as a major role in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or go to specific locations to execute moves (certain ones are distant, while others need to be up close and personal).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to breathe during Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on feedback after using an attack, and that information is still present on screen within Z-A, but whips by quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and elevated areas to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. While I never visited Paris, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where every district are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I adored how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with few spectators watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Several distinct battle locales brim with character missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Royale, along with subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I