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I don't recall exactly how the custom began, however I always name all my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Whether it's a main series game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Malfunction switches between male and female characters, featuring black and purple hair. Occasionally their style is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in the long-running franchise (and among the more fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're confined to the various academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokemon Games

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed across installments, with certain cosmetic, others significant. But at their core, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately three decades back, and has only seriously tried to evolve upon it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Across every iteration, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and battling alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for almost as long as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, featuring absence of gyms and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several deviations into that framework. It's set entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of earlier titles. Pokémon are intended to coexist alongside people, trainers and civilians, in manners we've only glimpsed before.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's real-time battle system. It's here the series' near-perfect core cycle experiences its biggest transformation yet, swapping deliberate sequential fights with more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, despite I feel ready for a new turn-based release. Though these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula seem like they create 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

When first arriving in Lumiose City, 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 their squad of battlers. You're gifted a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. However here, you battle several opponents to gain the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving rank A.

Real-Time Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Character fights occur during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to surprise an opponent and unleash an unopposed move, because everything happens in real time. Moves operate on cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally attack each other concurrently (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to adjust to at first. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is plenty to learn regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Placement also factors as a major role in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or go to designated spots to execute moves (certain ones are distant, whereas others must be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself repeating sequences through moves in the same order, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to pause during Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Creature fights depend on feedback after using an attack, and that data remains visible on the display within Z-A, but whips by quickly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your adversary will spell certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and elevated areas to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path while strolling in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and sewer paths offer little variety. Although I never visited the French capital, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where every district differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet take place on a court with two random people observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed headquarters of a certain faction with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality missing in the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Royale, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I