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

Be it a main series game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Glitch switches between male and female characters, featuring black and purple hair. Occasionally their style is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this enduring series (and among the more style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the various academic attire styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokemon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed across installments, with certain superficial, others significant. However at their core, they stay identical; they're always Pokemon through and through. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character faces peril). Across every version, the core gameplay loop of capturing and battling with adorable monsters has remained consistent for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several deviations to that formula. It takes place entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous titles. Pokémon are intended to live together alongside humans, trainers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely glimpsed previously.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. It's here the series' near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest transformation to date, swapping deliberate turn-based bouts with something more chaotic. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, even as I feel ready for a new traditional release. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character planned as a visitor get abandoned; 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 one of her Pokémon as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. However here, you battle a handful of trainers to gain the chance to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Character fights occur during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm always attempting to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, since all actions occur instantaneously. Moves function with recharge periods, meaning both combatants can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out at once). It's much to get used to at first. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in ways that complement each other. Placement also factors as a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will follow you around or move to specific locations to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, while others need to be in close proximity).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I find myself repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, even when this amounts to a less effective approach. There's no time to breathe in Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on response post-move execution, and that data is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your adversary will spell certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's relatively small, although densely packed. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It is also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path while strolling in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna cling to trees.

An emphasis on urban life represents a fresh approach for the franchise, 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 is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. Although I never visited the French capital, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where no two blocks are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

Where the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place on a court with two random people watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. An elite combat club will invite you to a competition, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed headquarters of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the creature index, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I