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I'm not sure exactly how the custom started, however I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Be it a core franchise title or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, with black and purple hair. Sometimes their fashion is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the long-running franchise (and one of the more fashion-focused entries). Other times they're confined to the assorted academic attire styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have evolved between installments, some superficial, some significant. But at their heart, they remain the same; they're always Pokémon to the core. The developers discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some three decades back, and has only seriously tried to evolve on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout all version, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and battling with adorable monsters has stayed steady for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Shaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that framework. It takes place completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive journeys of earlier titles. Pokémon are meant to coexist with people, battlers and non-trainers alike, in manners we've only glimpsed previously.

Even more drastic than that Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. This is where the franchise's near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its most significant evolution yet, replacing methodical turn-based bouts with more frenetic action. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel ready for another traditional release. Though these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by Taunie (for male avatars; Urbain if female) to become part of her team of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your first partner and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" progression of past games. However here, you battle a handful of trainers to earn the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Win and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, and sneaking around the assigned battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm always attempting to get a jump on a rival and launch an unopposed move, because everything happens instantaneously. Attacks function with recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I continue to feel like there's plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a significant part during combat since your creatures will follow you around or move to designated spots to execute moves (certain ones are distant, while others must be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in the same order, even when this results in a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause during Z-A, and numerous opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles depend on response post-move execution, and that data remains visible on screen in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your opponent will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, although tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the concept of Pokémon and people living together. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away when you get near like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon an alley you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and underground routes offer little variety. Although I haven't been to Paris, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where every district are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights within Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and importance. 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 both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings brim with character that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Championship, as well as subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I