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I'm not sure exactly how the custom began, however I consistently call every one of my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Whether it's a main series title or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction alternates between male and female characters, featuring dark and violet locks. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the long-running franchise (and one of the more fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're confined to the assorted school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokémon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed between installments, some cosmetic, others substantial. But at their core, they stay the same; they're always Pokémon to the core. The developers uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system some 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to innovate upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Across every iteration, the core gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has stayed steady for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring absence of gyms and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several deviations to that framework. It takes place completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous games. Pokemon are intended to live together alongside people, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely glimpsed previously.

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 to date, replacing deliberate sequential fights with something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, despite I find myself eager for a new traditional release. Although these changes to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement from earlier titles. However here, you fight a handful of trainers to gain the chance to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, while navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm always attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch a free attack, because everything happens instantaneously. Moves 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 adjust to at first. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a major role in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or move to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself repeating sequences through moves in the same order, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles rely on feedback post-move execution, and that information remains visible on screen in Z-A, but whips by quickly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring 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 unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, flying away when you get near like the real-life pigeons getting in my way while strolling in New York City. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on city living is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive over time. You might discover an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and underground routes offer little variety. While I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where every district are the same, and all are alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where the city really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights in Sword and Shield take place in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with few spectators observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You will fight in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of a certain faction with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Royale, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and filling the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I