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I'm not sure exactly how the custom started, but I always name every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Glitch alternates between male and female avatars, with black and purple locks. Occasionally their fashion is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this enduring series (and among the more style-conscious releases). Other times they're limited to the various school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokémon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokémon games have evolved between installments, with certain cosmetic, others substantial. However at their core, they remain the same; they're consistently Pokémon through and through. The developers discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some three decades back, and has only truly attempted to evolve upon it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across all version, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and battling with charming creatures has remained consistent for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Shaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes to that formula. It's set entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous games. Pokémon are intended to live together with humans, trainers and civilians, in manners we've only glimpsed previously.

Even more drastic is Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the franchise's near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest evolution yet, replacing methodical turn-based bouts for something more chaotic. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, even as I feel eager for another turn-based release. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they form a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide if female) to become part of her team of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. However here, you battle several trainers to earn the chance to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Real-Time Battles: A New Approach

Character fights take place during nighttime, while sneaking around the designated combat areas is quite enjoyable. I'm always attempting to surprise an opponent and unleash an unopposed move, since all actions occur instantaneously. Moves function with cooldown timers, indicating both combatants can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's much to adjust to at first. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Positioning also plays a major role in battles since your creatures will follow you around or go to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, while others must be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, despite this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to breathe in Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on response after using an attack, and that information is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, although densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to visit. It is also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach similar to actual city birds getting in my way while strolling in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on city living is a new direction for the franchise, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You might discover a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and sewer paths offer little variety. While I never visited Paris, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where every district are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and simply designed terraces.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Really Excels

Where the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance and importance. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with few spectators watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing while they eat. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a competition, and you will combat on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Various individual battle locales brim with character that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Repetition

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