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I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Be it a main series title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction alternates from male to female avatars, with black and purple locks. Sometimes their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this enduring series (and among the more style-conscious entries). At other moments they're confined to the assorted academic attire styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokémon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed across releases, with certain superficial, some substantial. However at their core, they stay the same; they're always Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately 30 years ago, and just recently truly attempted to innovate upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Across all iteration, the core gameplay loop of catching and fighting with charming creatures has stayed consistent for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that formula. It takes place entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive journeys of previous games. Pokémon are meant to coexist alongside people, battlers and civilians, in manners we have merely glimpsed before.

Far more drastic is Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the franchise's almost ideal core cycle experiences its most significant transformation yet, swapping methodical turn-based bouts with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, despite I feel eager for a new turn-based entry. Though these alterations to the classic Pokémon formula seem like they form an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor are discarded; you're immediately recruited by Taunie (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your starter and you're dispatched into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression of past games. However here, you fight a handful of trainers to earn the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Win and you will be elevated to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of achieving rank A.

Live-Action Combat: A New Frontier

Character fights occur during nighttime, while sneaking around the assigned combat areas is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch an unopposed move, because all actions occur in real time. Moves function with cooldown timers, indicating both combatants can sometimes strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to get used to at first. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel like there's much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a significant part in battles since your creatures will follow you around or go to specific locations 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 find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on feedback post-move execution, and that information remains visible on the display in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, flying away as you approach similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and underground routes provide minimal diversity. While I never visited Paris, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a city where every district differs, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It features tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city really shines, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You will fight in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a competition, and you will combat on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Various individual battle locales brim with character missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Royale, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I