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I'm not sure precisely when the custom began, but I consistently call every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Glitch alternates between male and female characters, featuring dark and violet locks. Sometimes their fashion is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in this long-running series (and one of the most fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're confined to the assorted academic attire designs of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed between installments, with certain superficial, others significant. But at their heart, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokemon through and through. The developers discovered 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 character faces peril). Across every iteration, the core mechanics cycle of catching and fighting with adorable monsters has remained steady for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes into that framework. It's set completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of previous games. Pokémon are meant to live together with humans, trainers and non-trainers alike, in manners we've only glimpsed previously.

Even more drastic is Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. It's here the series' near-perfect core cycle undergoes its most significant evolution yet, replacing deliberate sequential fights with more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, despite I find myself ready for a new turn-based entry. Although these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly recruited by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain if female) to join their squad of trainers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. But here, you battle a handful of trainers to gain the chance to participate in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Character fights occur during nighttime, and sneaking around the assigned combat areas is very enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on a rival and unleash a free attack, because everything happens in real time. Attacks function with cooldown timers, indicating both combatants may occasionally strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel that there is plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that complement each other. Placement also plays a major role during combat since your creatures will follow you around or go to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights go so fast that I often repeating sequences through moves in identical patterns, despite this results in a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Creature fights depend on response after using an attack, and that data is still present on the display in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, although tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and elevated areas to explore. It's also rich with character, and perfectly captures the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, flying away when you get near like the real-life city birds getting in my way when walking through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You might discover an alley you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and sewer paths offer little variety. Although I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for the city, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and all are alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

In which the city really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I adored how Pokémon battles within Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen in a field with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing as they dine. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual combat settings brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

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