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I don't recall exactly how the tradition began, however I consistently call every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Be it a core franchise game or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Glitch alternates between male and female avatars, with black and purple hair. Sometimes their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this long-running franchise (and among the most fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokemon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokémon games have evolved across releases, some superficial, others substantial. But at their heart, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some three decades back, and has only truly attempted to innovate on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Across every iteration, the core gameplay loop of catching and fighting alongside charming creatures has remained consistent for almost as long as my lifetime.

Breaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several deviations into that framework. It takes place completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of previous titles. Pokémon are meant to live together alongside people, battlers and civilians, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Far more drastic is Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the franchise's almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its biggest transformation yet, swapping deliberate sequential bouts with more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, despite I find myself ready for a new traditional release. Though these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor are discarded; you're immediately recruited by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to join her team of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your starter and you're dispatched into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. However here, you battle a handful of opponents to earn the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Approach

Character fights occur at night, and navigating stealthily the assigned combat areas is very enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on a rival and unleash an unopposed move, because all actions occur instantaneously. Moves function with recharge periods, meaning both combatants can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's much to adjust to initially. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a major role in battles as your Pokémon will follow you around or move to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, even when this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on response after using an attack, and that information is still present on screen within Z-A, but whips by quickly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your adversary will spell certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, although tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find unseen stores and elevated areas to visit. It's also rich with character, and perfectly captures the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach like the real-life city birds obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on city living is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Nonetheless, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You might discover an alley you haven't been to, 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 Paris, the inspiration for the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place on a court with two random people observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You will fight in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I