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I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Be it a main series title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction alternates between male and female characters, featuring dark and violet hair. Sometimes their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this long-running series (and among the most style-conscious releases). Other times they're confined to the assorted academic attire styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Games

Similar to my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed across releases, with certain superficial, some substantial. But at their heart, they remain identical; they're always Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some three decades back, and just recently truly attempted to innovate on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Across all iteration, the fundamental mechanics cycle of capturing and battling with charming creatures has stayed consistent for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and focus on compiling a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple deviations into that framework. It takes place completely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous games. Pokemon are intended to live together alongside people, battlers and civilians, in ways we've only glimpsed before.

Even more drastic is Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the series' near-perfect gameplay loop experiences its most significant transformation yet, swapping methodical turn-based bouts with something more chaotic. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel eager for another turn-based entry. Though these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) to join her team of trainers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" progression of past games. But here, you fight several opponents to gain the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Combat: A New Frontier

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the designated combat areas is very enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to surprise a rival and unleash an unopposed move, since everything happens in real time. Attacks function with cooldown timers, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to initially. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that complement each other. Positioning also plays a significant part during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or move to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others need to be up close and personal).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, even when this results in a less effective approach. There's no time to pause 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 screen within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your adversary will spell certain doom.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, although densely packed. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It is also rich with character, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach like the real-life city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna cling to trees.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for the city, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Really Excels

In which the city really shines, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them real weight and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing as they dine. An elite combat club will invite you to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed headquarters of a certain faction with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Royale, along with subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the creature index, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I