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I'm not sure precisely when the tradition started, however I consistently call all my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Be it a core franchise title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Glitch switches between male and female characters, featuring black and purple hair. Sometimes their fashion is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in this long-running franchise (and one of the most style-conscious entries). At other moments they're limited to the various school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed between installments, with certain cosmetic, others substantial. But at their heart, they remain the same; they're consistently Pokemon through and through. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some three decades back, and has only seriously tried to innovate on it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Throughout every iteration, the fundamental mechanics cycle of capturing and battling with charming creatures has stayed consistent for nearly as long as I've been alive.

Shaking Conventions 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 multiple deviations to that formula. It takes place completely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive adventures of earlier titles. Pokemon are intended to live together alongside people, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Far more drastic is Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the franchise's near-perfect gameplay loop experiences its most significant evolution yet, replacing methodical sequential fights with something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I feel ready for a new traditional entry. Though these alterations to the classic Pokémon formula seem like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (for male avatars; Urbain if female) to join her team of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Royale.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. But here, you fight several trainers to gain the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Win and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Approach

Character fights take place during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very entertaining. I'm always trying to get a jump on an opponent and launch a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Moves operate on cooldown timers, indicating you and your opponent may occasionally attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Despite playing for nearly 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 in battles since your creatures 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 live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to breathe during Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on response post-move execution, and that information remains visible on the display in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to visit. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach similar to actual city birds getting in my way while strolling in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on city living is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You might discover a passage 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 haven't been to the French capital, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which the city truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights within Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and meaning. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen in a field with two random people observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with subduing wild powered-up creatures and completing the creature index, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I