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I don't recall exactly how the custom started, however I always name every one of my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Be it a core franchise title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction switches from male to female characters, with black and purple locks. Sometimes their style is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the long-running series (and among the most fashion-focused entries). Other times they're confined to the assorted school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed between installments, with certain cosmetic, some substantial. However at their heart, they stay identical; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to evolve on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout every version, the core gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has stayed consistent for nearly as long as I've been alive.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple deviations to that framework. It takes place entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the expansive adventures of previous titles. Pokemon are intended to live together alongside humans, battlers and civilians, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of previously.

Far more radical is Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the series' almost ideal core cycle experiences its biggest evolution yet, replacing deliberate turn-based bouts with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, despite I find myself ready for another turn-based entry. Though these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly recruited by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to become part of her team of battlers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and you're dispatched into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. However here, you battle a handful of opponents to earn the chance to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving rank A.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Approach

Character fights take place at night, and sneaking around the designated battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm constantly attempting to surprise an opponent and launch a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning both combatants can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to at first. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I continue to feel like there's much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a major role during combat since your creatures will follow you around or move to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, despite this results in a less effective approach. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on response after using an attack, and that information is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by quickly. Sometimes, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and elevated areas to visit. It is also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, flying away when you get near similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling to trees.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You might discover a passage you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and they're all vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I loved how Pokémon battles within Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct battle locales brim with character missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Championship, along with subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I