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I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Be it a main series game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Glitch switches between male and female avatars, with black and purple locks. Sometimes their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the long-running franchise (and among the most fashion-focused entries). Other times they're limited to the assorted academic attire styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokémon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have evolved between releases, with certain cosmetic, some significant. But at their core, they stay the same; they're always Pokemon through and through. Game Freak discovered an almost flawless gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and has only seriously tried to innovate upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Throughout every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and battling alongside adorable monsters has stayed steady for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that formula. It's set entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of earlier games. Pokémon are meant to live together alongside people, battlers and civilians, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Far more radical than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the series' near-perfect gameplay loop experiences its most significant transformation yet, swapping deliberate sequential bouts for more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, even as I find myself ready for a new traditional release. Though these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe sound like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly recruited by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. But here, you battle several opponents to gain the chance to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Approach

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, while sneaking around the designated combat areas is quite enjoyable. I'm always trying to get a jump on an opponent and launch a free attack, because everything happens instantaneously. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out at once). It's much to get used to initially. Even after gaming for almost thirty hours, I continue to feel like there's plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a major role in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself repeating sequences through moves in the same order, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and plenty of chances to become swamped. Creature fights rely on response post-move execution, and that data remains visible on screen within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, although tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and rooftops 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, taking flight when you get near like the real-life city birds obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling to trees.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I never visited the French capital, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I adored how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and importance. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with two random people observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with patrons watching while they eat. An elite combat club will invite you to a competition, and you'll battle on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual combat settings brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Championship, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I