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I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, but I consistently call every one of my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Whether it's a core franchise game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction switches from male to female characters, with black and purple locks. Sometimes their fashion is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the long-running franchise (and among the more fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're confined to the assorted school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Similar to my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed across releases, with certain superficial, others substantial. But at their heart, they stay the same; they're always Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to innovate on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Across all iteration, the core gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has stayed steady for almost as long as my lifetime.

Shaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple deviations to that framework. It takes place completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive adventures of previous titles. Pokemon are meant to live together alongside people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Even more radical than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the franchise's almost ideal gameplay loop experiences its most significant transformation yet, replacing deliberate sequential fights for more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for a new turn-based entry. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokémon formula seem like they create a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to join their squad of battlers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you battle a handful of opponents to gain the chance to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Battles: A New Frontier

Character fights occur at night, and sneaking around the assigned combat areas is quite entertaining. I'm always attempting to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, because everything happens instantaneously. Moves operate on recharge periods, meaning both combatants can sometimes attack each other concurrently (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that complement each other. Placement also plays a significant part during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to specific locations to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, while others must be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, even when this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on feedback post-move execution, and that data is still present on screen within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away when you get near similar to actual city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You might discover an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited Paris, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks differs, and all are alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

In which the city truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and importance. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in restaurants with patrons watching as they dine. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Comfort of Repetition

During the Royale, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I