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

Whether it's a core franchise game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, with black and purple hair. Sometimes their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the enduring series (and one of the most style-conscious releases). At other moments they're confined to the assorted academic attire designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokemon Games

Similar to my characters, the Pokémon games have evolved across releases, with certain superficial, others substantial. However at their core, they stay identical; they're always Pokémon through and through. The developers discovered an almost flawless gameplay formula approximately 30 years ago, and just recently truly attempted to evolve upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Across every version, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and fighting alongside adorable monsters has stayed consistent for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes into that framework. It takes place completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive journeys of earlier games. Pokémon are meant to coexist with people, battlers and civilians, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Far more radical is Z-A's real-time battle system. This is where the franchise's near-perfect core cycle undergoes its biggest evolution yet, swapping deliberate sequential fights with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, even as I feel eager for another turn-based entry. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokémon formula seem like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

When first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) to join her team of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. However here, you fight a handful of opponents to earn the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Real-Time Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm constantly attempting to surprise an opponent and launch a free attack, because everything happens instantaneously. Attacks operate on recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's much to adjust to at first. Even after gaming for almost 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in ways that work together synergistically. Positioning also plays a significant part during combat since your creatures will follow you around or move to designated spots to execute moves (certain ones are distant, while others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself repeating sequences through moves in the same order, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on feedback after using an attack, and that data remains visible on screen within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It is also full of charm, and perfectly captures the vision of Pokémon and people coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach like the real-life city birds obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

An emphasis on city living is a new direction for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive eventually. You may stumble upon an alley you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and underground routes offer little variety. Although I never visited the French capital, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a city where every district are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with two random people observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. An elite combat club will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Comfort of Repetition

During the Royale, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I