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I don't recall precisely when the custom began, but I consistently call every one of my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Be it a main series game or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Malfunction alternates from male to female avatars, with dark and violet locks. Occasionally their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in this enduring franchise (and one of the most style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the assorted academic attire designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokemon Games

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed across releases, with certain cosmetic, others substantial. However at their heart, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. The developers uncovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately three decades back, and has only seriously tried to evolve upon it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar is now in danger). Across all iteration, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and battling with adorable monsters has remained steady for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, with its absence of gyms and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several deviations to that framework. It's set entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of earlier games. Pokémon are meant to coexist alongside people, trainers and civilians, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Even more radical is Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the franchise's near-perfect core cycle experiences its biggest evolution to date, swapping methodical turn-based bouts with more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, despite I find myself eager for another traditional release. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they create a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to join her team of trainers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. However here, you fight a handful of trainers to gain the chance to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Character fights take place at night, and navigating stealthily the designated combat areas is quite enjoyable. I'm always trying to get a jump on a rival and launch an unopposed move, since all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks function with recharge periods, indicating both combatants can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in ways that complement each other. Positioning also plays a major role in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or move to designated spots to execute moves (some are long-range, while others must be up close and personal).

The real-time action causes fights progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling through moves in the same order, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous opportunities to become swamped. Creature fights rely on feedback post-move execution, and that information remains visible on screen within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your adversary will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, although densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering unseen stores and elevated areas to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the concept of Pokémon and people coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, flying away as you approach like the real-life city birds getting in my way while strolling in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on city living is a new direction for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon an alley you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks differs, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Really Excels

Where Lumiose City truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place on a court with two random people observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in restaurants with patrons watching while they eat. An elite combat club will invite you to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed headquarters of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct battle locales overflow with personality missing in the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Royale, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I