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I'm not sure exactly how the tradition began, but I always name all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Glitch alternates from male to female characters, featuring black and purple locks. Sometimes their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the long-running series (and among the more fashion-focused releases). Other times they're confined to the various academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Games

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed across releases, some superficial, some substantial. However at their core, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some 30 years ago, and has only seriously tried to evolve upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character is now in danger). Across all version, the core gameplay loop of catching and battling with charming creatures has remained steady for almost the same duration as my lifetime.

Shaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, with its absence of gyms and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes into that framework. It's set entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of previous titles. Pokémon are intended to live together alongside people, battlers and civilians, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Even more drastic is Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the series' near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its most significant transformation to date, swapping deliberate turn-based bouts for more frenetic action. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel eager for another turn-based entry. Although these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they create a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character planned as a visitor are discarded; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your starter and you're dispatched into the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. But here, you fight a handful of opponents to earn the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Real-Time Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles take place at night, and sneaking around the assigned battle zones is quite enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, since everything happens in real time. Moves function with cooldown timers, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes attack each other concurrently (and knock each other out at once). It's much to adjust to at first. Even after gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in ways that complement each other. Placement also factors as a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or move to specific locations to execute moves (certain ones are distant, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Creature fights depend on feedback after using an attack, and that information is still present on the display in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, taking flight when you get near like the real-life pigeons getting in my way while strolling in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling on branches.

An emphasis on city living is a new direction for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and most rooftops and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to the French capital, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks are the same, and they're all vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights in Sword & Shield occur in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with two random people observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena 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. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality missing in the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Championship, along with subduing wild powered-up creatures and completing the creature index, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I