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I don't recall exactly how the tradition started, however I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Be it a main series title or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction alternates from male to female characters, featuring dark and violet locks. Sometimes their fashion is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in this long-running franchise (and one of the most fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokémon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed across releases, some cosmetic, others substantial. But at their heart, they stay identical; they're always Pokémon through and through. The developers discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and just recently truly attempted to innovate on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character is now in danger). Throughout all iteration, the core gameplay loop of catching and battling alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for nearly the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold with 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 to that framework. It takes place entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of previous games. Pokemon are meant to coexist alongside humans, battlers and non-trainers alike, in manners we have merely glimpsed before.

Even more drastic is Z-A's real-time battle system. It's here the series' almost ideal core cycle undergoes its biggest evolution to date, swapping methodical sequential fights with more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, even as I feel ready for a new turn-based release. Though these alterations to the traditional Pokémon formula seem like they form a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

When initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you fight a handful of opponents to earn the chance to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, and navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on an opponent and unleash a free attack, since everything happens instantaneously. Attacks function with recharge periods, meaning both combatants may occasionally attack each other at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's much to get used to initially. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I continue to feel like there's much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in ways that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a major role during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or move to designated spots to execute moves (some are long-range, while others must be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Creature fights rely on feedback post-move execution, and that information is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since taking your eyes off your adversary will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, although tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to visit. It is also full of charm, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach like the real-life city birds getting in my way while strolling in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to the French capital, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where every district differs, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, surprisingly, is indoors. I loved the way creature fights in Sword & Shield take place in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You will fight in eateries with diners observing while they eat. An elite combat club will invite you to a competition, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Royale, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I