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I'm not sure exactly how the tradition began, however I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Be it 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 avatars, with black and purple hair. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in this enduring franchise (and among the more style-conscious entries). At other moments they're limited to the various school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed across releases, some cosmetic, others substantial. But at their heart, they stay identical; they're always Pokemon through and through. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula approximately 30 years ago, and just recently truly attempted to evolve on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout every version, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and battling alongside charming creatures has stayed steady for almost as long as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes to that framework. It's set completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the expansive journeys of previous titles. Pokemon are intended to live together alongside people, trainers and civilians, in manners we have merely glimpsed previously.

Even more radical is Z-A's real-time battle system. It's here the series' near-perfect core cycle experiences its most significant evolution yet, replacing deliberate sequential fights with something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, despite I find myself eager for a new traditional release. Though these changes to the classic Pokémon formula sound like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to become part of their squad of battlers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your starter and you're dispatched into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression of past games. But here, you fight several trainers to gain the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you will be promoted to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving rank A.

Real-Time Battles: An Innovative Approach

Trainer battles occur at night, and navigating stealthily the assigned combat areas is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to get a jump on a rival and launch a free attack, because everything happens instantaneously. Attacks function with recharge periods, indicating both combatants may occasionally attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to adjust to at first. Even after gaming for almost 30 hours, I continue to feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Positioning also factors as a major role during combat since your creatures will follow you around or move to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, despite this results in a less effective approach. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on response after using an attack, and that data remains visible on screen within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people coexisting. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, flying away as you approach similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You might discover an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where every district differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where the city really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield take place in arena-like venues, providing them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Royale, as well as subduing wild powered-up creatures and completing the creature index, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I