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I'm not sure exactly how the tradition started, but I consistently call every one of my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Be it a main series game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Glitch alternates between male and female characters, with black and purple hair. Occasionally their style is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the long-running series (and one of the most style-conscious entries). Other times they're limited to the various school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokémon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed between releases, some cosmetic, some substantial. However at their core, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. The developers discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some three decades back, and just recently truly attempted to innovate on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout all iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and battling alongside charming creatures has stayed steady for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its absence of gyms and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that framework. It takes place completely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive adventures of earlier titles. Pokémon are intended to live together with people, trainers and civilians, in manners we've only glimpsed previously.

Far more radical than that Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. This is where the series' almost ideal gameplay loop experiences its biggest transformation yet, replacing methodical sequential bouts for something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, even as I feel eager for a new traditional entry. Although these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they form a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're immediately recruited by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to become part of her team of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you fight several trainers to gain the chance to participate in a promotion match. Win and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Approach

Character fights take place during nighttime, while sneaking around the designated combat areas is quite entertaining. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on a rival and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks function with cooldown timers, indicating both combatants may occasionally strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out at once). It's much to adjust to initially. Even after playing for nearly 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also plays a major role in battles since your creatures will follow you around or go to specific locations to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences through moves in the same order, despite this results in a less effective approach. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights rely on feedback after using an attack, and that data is still present on screen within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it because diverting attention from your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to visit. It is also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight when you get near like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang from lampposts, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive eventually. 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. Although I never visited Paris, the model behind Lumiose, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where no two blocks are the same, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features tan buildings with blue or red roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Really Excels

In which Lumiose City truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them real weight and importance. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet happen in a field with few spectators watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will invite you to a competition, and you'll battle on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of a certain faction with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Several distinct combat settings brim with character missing in the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

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