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I'm not sure exactly how the tradition began, however I always name all my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Whether it's a main series game or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction alternates from male to female avatars, featuring black and purple hair. Sometimes their style is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in this long-running franchise (and among the more style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the assorted academic attire designs of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokémon Titles

Similar to my characters, the Pokémon games have evolved between installments, some cosmetic, others significant. However at their core, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. The developers uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula approximately three decades back, and just recently truly attempted to innovate on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character faces peril). Throughout every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and battling alongside charming creatures has stayed consistent for almost as long as I've been alive.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring absence of gyms and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple changes into that framework. It's set completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of previous titles. Pokémon are intended to live together with humans, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Far more radical than that Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. This is where the series' almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its most significant evolution to date, replacing methodical sequential fights with something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for another traditional release. Though these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly recruited by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide if female) to become part of her team of battlers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. But here, you battle a handful of opponents to earn the opportunity to participate in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the final objective of achieving rank A.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Approach

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, while navigating stealthily the assigned combat areas is quite entertaining. I'm always trying to get a jump on a rival and unleash a free attack, since everything happens in real time. Moves operate on recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Even after gaming for almost thirty hours, I continue to feel that there is much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a significant part during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles go so fast that I find myself repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to pause during Z-A, and plenty of chances to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on feedback after using an attack, and that data is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your adversary will spell immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find unseen stores and rooftops to visit. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, flying away as you approach similar to actual pigeons getting in my way while strolling through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling on branches.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You might discover a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The architecture is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and underground routes offer little variety. While I never visited the French capital, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It features beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I loved the way creature fights within Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place on a court with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings brim with character missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

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