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I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I consistently call every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Glitch switches from male to female characters, featuring black and purple locks. Occasionally their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the long-running series (and among the most style-conscious releases). At other moments they're confined to the assorted school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokemon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed across installments, some superficial, others substantial. However at their core, they stay identical; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some three decades back, and has only truly attempted to evolve upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Throughout every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and fighting alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for almost as long as I've been alive.

Shaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations to that framework. It's set entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of earlier games. Pokemon are meant to live together alongside humans, trainers and non-trainers alike, in ways we've only seen glimpses of before.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the franchise's almost ideal gameplay loop experiences its biggest evolution yet, replacing methodical turn-based fights with more frenetic action. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, despite I find myself ready for another traditional release. Although these changes to the traditional Pokemon recipe sound like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your starter 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 "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you battle several trainers to gain the opportunity 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 Battles: A New Approach

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, while sneaking around the assigned battle zones is quite enjoyable. I'm constantly attempting to get a jump on a rival and launch a free attack, since everything happens in real time. Moves function with recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's much to adjust to initially. Despite playing for nearly thirty hours, I continue to feel like there's much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a major role in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or move to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on feedback after using an attack, and that data is still present on screen in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your opponent will spell immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to visit. It's also full of charm, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, taking flight when you get near like the real-life city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You might discover a passage you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and many elevated areas and underground routes offer little variety. While I haven't been to the French capital, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with two random people observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You will fight in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings brim with character that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Royale, as well as subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I