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I'm not sure exactly how the tradition started, however I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a main series game or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, featuring black and purple locks. Occasionally their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this enduring series (and one of the more fashion-focused entries). Other times they're confined to the assorted school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed across installments, with certain cosmetic, some significant. But at their heart, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. The developers discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula approximately 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to innovate upon it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout all iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for nearly the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, featuring absence of gyms and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes to that framework. It takes place entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of previous games. Pokemon are intended to coexist alongside people, trainers and civilians, in ways we've only seen glimpses of previously.

Even more drastic is Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. This is where the series' near-perfect gameplay loop experiences its biggest transformation to date, swapping methodical sequential fights with something more chaotic. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel eager for another traditional release. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they form a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to become part of her team of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. But here, you battle a handful of opponents to earn the chance to participate in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, while sneaking around the assigned battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to get a jump on a rival and launch a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Moves function with recharge periods, meaning both combatants may occasionally strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's much to get used to at first. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Positioning also plays a major role during combat since your creatures will trail behind you or go to designated spots to execute moves (certain ones are distant, while others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in identical patterns, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and plenty of chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on feedback post-move execution, and that information is still present on the display within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it because taking your eyes off your adversary will spell certain doom.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also rich with character, and perfectly captures the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach like the real-life city birds getting in my way when walking through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. While I never visited the French capital, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features tan buildings with blue or red roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which Lumiose City truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with few spectators watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct battle locales brim with character missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I