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I'm not sure precisely when the tradition began, however I consistently call all my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Be it a core franchise title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction switches between male and female characters, with dark and violet locks. Sometimes their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this long-running franchise (and among the most fashion-focused releases). Other times they're limited to the various school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed across releases, some superficial, others significant. But at their core, they remain identical; they're always Pokémon to the core. The developers discovered an almost flawless gameplay formula approximately 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to innovate on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character faces peril). Across every iteration, the core gameplay loop of catching and fighting with adorable monsters has remained steady for nearly as long as I've been alive.

Shaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring absence of gyms and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations to that formula. It's set completely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of previous games. Pokémon are meant to live together alongside humans, battlers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Even more drastic than that Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the franchise's almost ideal gameplay loop experiences its biggest evolution to date, replacing deliberate sequential fights with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, even as I feel eager for another turn-based release. Though these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist are discarded; you're immediately enlisted by Taunie (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to join their squad of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. However here, you battle a handful of trainers to earn the chance to compete in a promotion match. Win and you will be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Approach

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, while navigating stealthily the designated combat areas is very enjoyable. I'm constantly attempting to get a jump on a rival and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur instantaneously. Moves operate on recharge periods, meaning both combatants can sometimes strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's much to get used to initially. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is plenty to learn in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Positioning also plays a major role during combat since your creatures will trail behind you or move to designated spots to execute moves (certain ones are distant, while others must be in close proximity).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, even when this amounts to a less effective approach. There's no time to breathe during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on feedback post-move execution, and that data is still present on screen in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling on branches.

An emphasis on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive eventually. You might discover a passage you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It features tan buildings with blue or red roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place on a court with few spectators observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You will fight in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales brim with character that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Championship, as well as subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I