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I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I always name every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's a main series game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction switches between male and female avatars, featuring black and purple hair. Sometimes their fashion is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the long-running series (and one of the most fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're confined to the assorted school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokémon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have evolved across installments, with certain cosmetic, some significant. However at their core, they remain identical; they're always Pokémon through and through. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to evolve upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Throughout every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and battling alongside charming creatures has remained steady for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes to that formula. It takes place completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive adventures of previous games. Pokemon are meant to live together alongside people, trainers and civilians, in manners we have merely glimpsed previously.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's live-action battle system. This is where the series' near-perfect core cycle experiences its most significant evolution yet, swapping deliberate turn-based bouts for something more chaotic. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, despite I find myself eager for another traditional entry. Although these changes to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you fight several trainers to earn the chance to participate in an advancement bout. Win and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Combat: A New Frontier

Character fights take place during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is quite enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to surprise an opponent and launch an unopposed move, because all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks operate on recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's much to adjust to initially. Even after gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that complement each other. Positioning also plays a significant part in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or move to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, while others must be in close proximity).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I often repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on feedback post-move execution, and that information is still present on screen within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to visit. It is also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight when you get near similar to actual city birds getting in my way while strolling in New York City. The monkey trio gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on city living is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote eventually. You might discover an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to Paris, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features tan buildings with blue or red roofs and simply designed balconies.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights within Sword & Shield take place in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and importance. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place on a court with few spectators watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight 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 the Pokemon) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings brim with character that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Routine

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