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

Be it a core franchise game or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction switches from male to female characters, featuring dark and violet locks. Occasionally their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this long-running series (and among the most style-conscious entries). Other times they're limited to the assorted school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have evolved across releases, some cosmetic, others significant. But at their heart, they stay the same; they're always Pokemon through and through. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to evolve upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Across all iteration, the fundamental mechanics cycle of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Breaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes to that framework. It takes place entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of earlier games. Pokémon are meant to coexist with humans, trainers and civilians, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of previously.

Even more radical is Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the franchise's almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its most significant evolution to date, replacing deliberate turn-based bouts for more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, even as I feel ready for another turn-based entry. Though these alterations to the classic Pokémon formula sound like they form a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) to become part of her team of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" progression of past games. But here, you fight several opponents to earn the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Win and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, while sneaking around the assigned combat areas is very entertaining. I'm always trying to surprise an opponent and unleash a free attack, since all actions occur in real time. Attacks function with recharge periods, indicating both combatants may occasionally attack each other concurrently (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to adjust to at first. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel that there is plenty to learn in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Positioning also factors as a significant part during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or move to designated spots to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, whereas others must be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I find myself repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, despite this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to breathe in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on response post-move execution, and that data is still present on the display in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, although densely packed. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and perfectly captures the vision of Pokémon and people coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near like the real-life city birds obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on urban life represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. While I never visited the French capital, 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 provide character. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

In which the city really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and importance. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with few spectators observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings overflow with personality missing in the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Championship, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I