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I don't recall precisely when the custom began, but I consistently call every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Be it a main series title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Glitch switches between male and female avatars, with black and purple locks. Sometimes their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the long-running series (and among the more style-conscious entries). At other moments they're confined to the assorted school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Titles

Similar to my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed between installments, some superficial, others significant. However at their heart, they stay identical; they're consistently Pokemon through and through. The developers uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some three decades back, and has only seriously tried to evolve on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character faces peril). Throughout every iteration, the core gameplay loop of catching and battling alongside charming creatures has stayed consistent for almost as long as I've been alive.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that framework. It takes place completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of previous games. Pokémon are intended to live together with people, battlers and civilians, in manners we've only seen glimpses of before.

Far more drastic is Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. It's here the series' almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its biggest transformation to date, swapping methodical sequential fights with something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, even as I find myself eager for another traditional entry. Though these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to join her team of battlers. 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 of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression of past games. But here, you fight a handful of trainers to earn the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be promoted to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: A New Frontier

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, while sneaking around the designated combat areas is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to surprise an opponent and unleash an unopposed move, because everything happens instantaneously. Moves operate on recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to initially. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Placement also plays a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to specific locations to execute moves (certain ones are distant, whereas others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and plenty of chances to become swamped. Creature fights rely on response post-move execution, and that data is still present on the display in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your opponent will spell certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and elevated areas to visit. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away when you get near similar to actual city birds getting in my way when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on urban life represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive over time. You might discover an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. Although I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, 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 give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

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 genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with few spectators watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in restaurants with diners observing as they dine. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Royale, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I