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I don't recall exactly how the custom began, but I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, with black and purple hair. Sometimes their fashion is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the enduring franchise (and among the more fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're confined to the various school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed between releases, some cosmetic, others substantial. But at their core, they remain identical; they're always Pokemon to the core. The developers uncovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Throughout every version, the core gameplay loop of capturing and fighting with adorable monsters has stayed steady for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Shaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and focus on compiling a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that framework. It takes place entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of earlier games. Pokémon are intended to coexist with people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in ways we've only seen glimpses of before.

Far more radical than that Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the series' near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest evolution to date, swapping deliberate sequential fights with more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, despite I feel eager for a new turn-based release. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe sound like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide for female characters) to become part of their squad of trainers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression of past games. However here, you fight a handful of trainers to earn the chance to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Approach

Character fights occur during nighttime, while navigating stealthily the designated combat areas is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to get a jump on a rival and launch a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Attacks function with cooldown timers, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's much to get used to initially. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in ways that complement each other. Placement also factors as a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, while others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling of attacks in identical patterns, despite this results in a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on response post-move execution, and that information remains visible on screen within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Sometimes, you can't even read it because diverting attention from your adversary will result in certain doom.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to explore. It is also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away as you approach like the real-life pigeons getting in my way when walking through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna cling to trees.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive eventually. You might discover an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to the French capital, the inspiration for the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where every district are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and simply designed terraces.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, providing them real weight and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and 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 diners observing as they dine. 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. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Various individual battle locales brim with character that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Royale, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I