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

Whether it's a core franchise title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction alternates from male to female avatars, featuring dark and violet hair. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the enduring series (and one of the more style-conscious entries). At other moments they're confined to the various school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved across releases, some cosmetic, some significant. But at their core, they remain the same; they're consistently Pokémon through and through. Game Freak discovered an almost flawless mechanics system some 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to evolve upon it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Across every iteration, the core gameplay loop of capturing and battling alongside charming creatures has stayed consistent for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, with its absence of gyms and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple deviations into that framework. It takes place completely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous titles. Pokémon are intended to live together alongside people, trainers and civilians, in ways we've only seen glimpses of previously.

Even more radical than that Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the series' almost ideal core cycle experiences its most significant transformation yet, replacing deliberate sequential bouts for something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for another turn-based release. Though these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

When initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character planned as a visitor are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide for female characters) to become part of their squad of battlers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. However here, you fight a handful of trainers to gain the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Win and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving rank A.

Live-Action Battles: A New Approach

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is very entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch an unopposed move, because all actions occur instantaneously. Moves function with recharge periods, indicating both combatants can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel like there's much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in ways that complement each other. Positioning also plays a major role during combat as your Pokémon will trail behind you or move to specific locations to execute moves (certain ones are distant, whereas others must be up close and personal).

The real-time action causes fights go so fast that I often sometimes cycling through moves in the same order, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to breathe in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to become swamped. Creature fights rely on feedback post-move execution, and that data is still present on the display in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to explore. It is also full of charm, and perfectly captures the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near similar to actual city birds obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Nonetheless, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited the French capital, the inspiration for Lumiose, I've lived in NYC 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 City doesn't have that. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where Lumiose City really shines, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, giving them real weight and meaning. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet happen in a field with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings brim with character that's absent from the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Repetition

Throughout the Championship, as well as subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I