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I'm not sure precisely when the custom began, however I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Be it a core franchise game or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Glitch switches between male and female avatars, featuring black and purple hair. Sometimes their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in this long-running series (and among the more fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're limited to the various school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokémon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed across releases, with certain superficial, others significant. However at their heart, they remain identical; they're always Pokemon through and through. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character is now in danger). Across all iteration, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and battling alongside charming creatures has stayed steady for nearly the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, featuring absence of gyms and emphasis on compiling a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple deviations to that formula. It takes place completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous games. Pokemon are meant to coexist alongside humans, battlers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Even more radical is Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. It's here the series' near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest transformation to date, replacing deliberate turn-based fights for something more chaotic. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, even as I find myself ready for a new traditional release. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokémon formula seem like they create a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

When first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your created character planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to join their squad of trainers. You receive a creature from them as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you battle a handful of trainers to gain the chance to compete in an advancement bout. Succeed and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of achieving rank A.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Approach

Character fights occur at night, while navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm always attempting to surprise an opponent and launch an unopposed move, since all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks operate on recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel that there is plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a major role during combat as your Pokémon will trail behind you or move to specific locations to execute moves (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 of attacks in identical patterns, despite this results in a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles depend on feedback after using an attack, and that data is still present on screen within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your adversary will spell immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach similar to actual pigeons getting in my way when walking in New York City. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, navigating the city becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon an alley you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I never visited Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and simply designed terraces.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which the city really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I loved the way creature fights in Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed headquarters of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Various individual combat settings brim with character missing in the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Repetition

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