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I don't recall precisely when the custom began, but I always name all my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Be it a core franchise title or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, with black and purple hair. Occasionally their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in this long-running franchise (and one of the more fashion-focused releases). Other times they're limited to the various school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokémon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed across installments, with certain superficial, others significant. But at their heart, they remain the same; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. The developers uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system some three decades back, and has only truly attempted to innovate on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Throughout all version, the core mechanics cycle of catching and fighting with adorable monsters has stayed consistent for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Shaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several changes to that framework. It takes place completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of earlier games. Pokemon are intended to coexist alongside humans, battlers and civilians, in manners we've only glimpsed previously.

Even more drastic is Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. It's here the series' near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest transformation to date, swapping methodical turn-based bouts with something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, even as I find myself eager for another traditional release. Although these alterations to the classic Pokémon formula sound like they form an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to join her team of trainers. You receive a creature from them as your first partner and you're dispatched into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression of past games. But here, you fight a handful of trainers to earn the opportunity to participate in a promotion match. Win and you'll be promoted to the next rank, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Approach

Character fights occur during nighttime, and sneaking around the designated combat areas is quite enjoyable. I'm always attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch a free attack, because everything happens instantaneously. Moves operate on recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Positioning also plays a major role in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to designated spots to execute moves (certain ones are distant, while others must be up close and personal).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous opportunities to become swamped. Creature fights rely on response post-move execution, and that information is still present on the display within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since taking your eyes off your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, flying away when you get near like the real-life pigeons getting in my way when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You might discover an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. Although I never visited Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and all are alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights within Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with few spectators 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. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (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 that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Championship, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and completing the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I