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I don't recall exactly how the tradition began, but I consistently call every one of my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Be it a core franchise title or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Glitch alternates between male and female characters, featuring black and purple locks. Sometimes their style is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the enduring franchise (and one of the more style-conscious releases). Other times they're limited to the various academic attire styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokémon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed between releases, with certain cosmetic, others significant. However at their core, they stay identical; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. The developers uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system some 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character faces peril). Across every iteration, the core gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside charming creatures has remained steady for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring absence of gyms and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple deviations to that framework. It takes place entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of previous games. Pokemon are intended to coexist with humans, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of previously.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the series' near-perfect core cycle undergoes its biggest transformation yet, swapping methodical turn-based bouts with something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I feel ready for another traditional release. Though these alterations to the classic Pokémon formula sound like they form a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar planned as a visitor are discarded; you're promptly recruited by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement of past games. However here, you fight several trainers to earn the chance to participate in a promotion match. Win and you will be promoted to the next rank, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Approach

Trainer battles take place at night, and navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is very entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to surprise an opponent and launch a free attack, since everything happens instantaneously. Moves operate on recharge periods, meaning 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 playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in ways that complement each other. Positioning also plays a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, while others need to be in close proximity).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences through moves in the same order, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Creature fights rely on response after using an attack, and that information remains visible on the display within Z-A, but whips by quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your opponent will spell certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, although tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to visit. It is also rich with character, and fully realizes the concept of Pokémon and people coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on city living is a new direction for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You might discover an alley you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and most rooftops and underground routes offer little variety. While I never visited Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks differs, and all are vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where the city really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights within Sword & Shield take place in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet happen in a field with few spectators watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You will fight in restaurants 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 under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct battle locales overflow with personality missing in the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Royale, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I