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I don't recall exactly how the tradition started, however I always name all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Be it a core franchise game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction alternates between male and female characters, featuring dark and violet locks. Sometimes their fashion is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this enduring series (and one of the most style-conscious entries). At other moments they're limited to the assorted academic attire designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Games

Similar to my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved across releases, some superficial, others substantial. But at their core, they remain the same; they're consistently Pokemon through and through. The developers discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to innovate upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character faces peril). Across all iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and battling with adorable monsters has stayed steady for almost as long as I've been alive.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple deviations into that formula. It takes place completely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of previous titles. Pokémon are meant to coexist alongside humans, trainers and non-trainers alike, in manners we've only glimpsed previously.

Even more radical is Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. This is where the series' almost ideal core cycle undergoes its most significant evolution yet, swapping methodical sequential bouts with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, despite I feel ready for a new traditional release. Though these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they create a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your created character planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to become part of their squad of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and you're dispatched into the Z-A Royale.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you battle several trainers to gain the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be promoted to the next rank, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Real-Time Combat: A New Approach

Character fights occur during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on a rival and launch an unopposed move, because all actions occur in real time. Attacks operate on cooldown timers, indicating both combatants may occasionally strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to at first. Even after gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a major role during combat as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, while others must be up close and personal).

The real-time action causes fights go so fast that I often repeating sequences through moves in the same order, even when this results in a less effective approach. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles depend on response post-move execution, and that information remains visible on the display within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it since taking your eyes off your opponent will spell immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering unseen stores and elevated areas to explore. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach similar to actual pigeons getting in my way while strolling in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited the French capital, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where every district are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where the city really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights in Sword & Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them real weight and importance. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with few spectators watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Various individual battle locales brim with character that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

Throughout the Championship, as well as quelling rogue powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I