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I don't recall precisely when the custom started, however I always name all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a main series game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Malfunction alternates between male and female avatars, with dark and violet locks. Occasionally their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the long-running franchise (and among the most style-conscious entries). At other moments they're confined to the various academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokemon Games

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed across releases, with certain cosmetic, some significant. But at their heart, they remain the same; they're always Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system some 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Across every iteration, the core gameplay loop of capturing and battling with adorable monsters has stayed steady for almost the same duration as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that framework. It's set completely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive journeys of previous games. Pokémon are meant to live together alongside people, trainers and civilians, in manners we have merely glimpsed before.

Even more drastic is Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. It's here the series' almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its most significant evolution to date, swapping deliberate turn-based fights for more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, despite I find myself ready for a new traditional release. Though these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula seem like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

When first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character planned as a visitor are discarded; you're immediately enlisted by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to become part of her team of battlers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and you're dispatched into 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" progression from earlier titles. However here, you fight a handful of trainers to gain the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you will be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Battles: A New Approach

Trainer battles occur at night, while sneaking around the designated battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm always attempting to surprise a rival and unleash an unopposed move, because everything happens instantaneously. Moves operate on recharge periods, meaning both combatants can sometimes attack each other concurrently (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's much to adjust to at first. Despite playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Placement also factors as a major role during combat since your creatures will follow you around or go to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in the same order, even when this results in a less effective approach. There's no time to breathe during Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on feedback after using an attack, and that information remains visible on the display in Z-A, but whips by quickly. Sometimes, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to visit. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, flying away when you get near like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures such as Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive eventually. You may stumble upon an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. While I never visited the French capital, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

Where Lumiose City truly stands out, surprisingly, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield take place in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen in a field with few spectators watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You'll battle in restaurants with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a competition, and you will combat on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct battle locales brim with character missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Routine

Throughout the Championship, as well as subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I