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I don't recall exactly how the tradition began, however I consistently call every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Be it a main series game or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction switches between male and female avatars, with black and purple locks. Sometimes their fashion is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the long-running series (and one of the more style-conscious releases). Other times they're limited to the assorted academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokemon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved across releases, with certain superficial, others substantial. But at their heart, they remain the same; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and has only seriously tried to innovate on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character faces peril). Across every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has stayed steady for nearly as long as I've been alive.

Shaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several deviations into that framework. It's set entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of earlier games. Pokémon are intended to live together with people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Far more radical is Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. It's here the series' almost ideal gameplay loop experiences its most significant evolution yet, swapping methodical turn-based fights for something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for another turn-based entry. Although these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they create a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist are discarded; you're immediately recruited by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide for female characters) to become part of their squad of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. However here, you battle a handful of trainers to gain the chance to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Real-Time Combat: A New Frontier

Character fights take place at night, and navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is very entertaining. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on a rival and unleash an unopposed move, because all actions occur in real time. Moves function with recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to initially. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Positioning also factors as a major role in battles since your creatures will follow you around or go to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling through moves in the same order, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to breathe during Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles rely on response post-move execution, and that information is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your adversary will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, flying away as you approach similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive eventually. You might discover an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to the French capital, the model behind 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 provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

Where the city really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and importance. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet take place on a court with two random people observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You will fight in eateries with diners observing as they dine. An elite combat club will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

During the Championship, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I