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I don't recall exactly how the tradition started, however I consistently call every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction switches from male to female characters, featuring black and purple hair. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in the enduring series (and among the more style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokemon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have evolved between installments, with certain superficial, others substantial. However at their heart, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokemon through and through. The developers discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character faces peril). Throughout every iteration, the fundamental mechanics cycle of catching and fighting with charming creatures has remained consistent for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, featuring absence of gyms and emphasis on compiling a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several changes into that framework. It takes place completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning journeys of earlier games. Pokemon are intended to coexist with people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in manners we have merely glimpsed previously.

Far more radical than that Z-A's real-time battle system. This is where the series' near-perfect core cycle undergoes its biggest evolution yet, swapping deliberate sequential fights with something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, despite I feel eager for a new turn-based entry. Though these alterations to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they form a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly recruited by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide if female) to join her team of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your first partner and you're dispatched to participate in 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 opponents 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 the top rank.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Approach

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, while navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm always trying to get a jump on a rival and launch a free attack, because everything happens in real time. Attacks function with recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I continue to feel like there's much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Positioning also plays a significant part in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or go to designated spots to execute moves (some are long-range, while others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, despite this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on feedback post-move execution, and that data is still present on screen in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your adversary will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, although densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to visit. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna cling on branches.

An emphasis on city living is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive over time. You might discover a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and most rooftops and underground routes provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to Paris, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and all are vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city really shines, oddly enough, is indoors. I loved the way creature fights within Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place on a court with few spectators watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Championship, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and filling the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I