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I'm not sure exactly how the custom began, but I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a core franchise game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, featuring dark and violet hair. Sometimes their style is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the enduring franchise (and one of the most style-conscious releases). At other moments they're confined to the assorted school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed across releases, with certain cosmetic, others substantial. However at their heart, they remain the same; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. The developers discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to evolve on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across all version, the fundamental mechanics cycle of catching and battling alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Breaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring absence of gyms and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that formula. It takes place entirely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of earlier titles. Pokemon are intended to coexist alongside people, trainers and civilians, in ways we've only glimpsed before.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. It's here the franchise's near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest transformation yet, swapping methodical turn-based bouts for more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, despite I find myself ready for another traditional release. Though these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your created character planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to become part of her team of trainers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" progression of past games. But here, you battle several trainers to gain the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: A New Frontier

Character fights take place during nighttime, while navigating stealthily the designated combat areas is very entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to surprise a rival and unleash an unopposed move, because everything happens instantaneously. Attacks function with recharge periods, indicating both combatants may occasionally attack each other at the same time (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to initially. Even after gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Positioning also plays a significant part during combat since your creatures will follow you around or move to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles go so fast that I often sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, even when this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to breathe during Z-A, and numerous opportunities to become swamped. Creature fights rely on feedback after using an attack, and that data is still present on screen in Z-A, but whips by quickly. Sometimes, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and elevated areas to explore. It's also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people living together. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach similar to actual pigeons getting in my way while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling on branches.

An emphasis on urban life represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive over time. You might discover an alley you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited the French capital, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a city where every district are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which the city really shines, oddly enough, is indoors. I loved the way creature fights within Sword and 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 watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings brim with character that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Championship, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I