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

Be it a main series game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction alternates from male to female characters, featuring black and purple locks. Occasionally their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the long-running series (and among the more style-conscious releases). At other moments they're confined to the various academic attire designs of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed between releases, some superficial, others significant. But at their heart, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. The developers uncovered an almost flawless gameplay formula approximately three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to innovate on it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout all version, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and fighting alongside charming creatures has stayed steady for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes into that framework. It takes place entirely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous titles. Pokémon are meant to coexist alongside humans, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of previously.

Even more radical than that Z-A's real-time battle system. It's here the series' almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its biggest evolution to date, swapping methodical turn-based bouts for something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for another turn-based entry. Although these alterations to the classic Pokémon formula sound like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to join their squad of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. However 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 the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: A New Approach

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, while sneaking around the designated combat areas is very entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur instantaneously. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning both combatants may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to at first. Even after gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a major role in battles since your creatures will trail behind you 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 go so fast that I find myself repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles depend on response post-move execution, and that information is still present on screen within Z-A, but whips by quickly. Sometimes, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Far into the adventure, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to explore. It is also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, taking flight when you get near similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and underground routes offer little variety. Although I never visited Paris, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks differs, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

In which the city really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in restaurants with patrons watching while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

During the Royale, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the creature index, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I