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I don't recall exactly how the custom began, however I always name all my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Be it a main series title or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Glitch switches between male and female characters, featuring black and purple hair. Sometimes their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the long-running series (and among the more style-conscious releases). Other times they're limited to the assorted school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokemon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed between releases, with certain cosmetic, others substantial. However at their heart, they remain the same; they're always Pokémon through and through. The developers uncovered an almost flawless gameplay formula approximately 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to innovate on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Across every iteration, the core mechanics cycle of catching and battling alongside charming creatures has stayed steady for almost as long as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its absence of gyms and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several deviations into that formula. It's set entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive journeys of previous games. Pokemon are meant to live together with people, battlers and civilians, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Far more radical is Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the franchise's almost ideal core cycle undergoes its biggest transformation yet, swapping deliberate turn-based bouts for more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, even as I feel eager for another turn-based entry. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

When initially reaching in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to become part of her team of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

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. But here, you fight several opponents to gain the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Approach

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the designated combat areas is very enjoyable. I'm always attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch an unopposed move, since everything happens instantaneously. Moves function with recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a major role in battles as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others need to be up close and personal).

The real-time action causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, despite this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and plenty of chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles rely on response post-move execution, and that information remains visible on the display in Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it because taking your eyes off your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to visit. It is also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near like the real-life pigeons getting in my way while strolling through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on urban life represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote over time. You might discover a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to Paris, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks are the same, and all are alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which the city really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights within Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them real weight and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet happen in a field with two random people watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in eateries with diners observing while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Various individual combat settings brim with character missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Comfort of Repetition

During the Championship, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I