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I'm not sure precisely when the tradition started, but I always name every one of my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Whether it's a main series game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Malfunction alternates from male to female characters, with black and purple hair. Occasionally their style is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in this enduring franchise (and one of the more style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the various academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokémon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed across releases, some superficial, some significant. But at their heart, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokémon through and through. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately three decades back, and has only seriously tried to evolve on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across every iteration, the core gameplay loop of catching and fighting alongside charming creatures has remained steady for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several deviations into that formula. It's set entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous games. Pokémon are meant to coexist with people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Far more radical is Z-A's real-time battle system. This is where the franchise's near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest evolution yet, swapping methodical sequential bouts with more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for a new turn-based entry. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to become part of their squad of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you fight several opponents to gain the chance to participate in a promotion match. Win and you'll be promoted to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Battles: A New Approach

Character fights take place at night, and sneaking around the assigned battle zones is very entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to surprise an opponent and unleash an unopposed move, since everything happens in real time. Moves function with recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to initially. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a major role during combat as your Pokémon will trail behind you or move to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, while others must be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on feedback after using an attack, and that data is still present on the display within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Occasionally, you can't even read it because diverting attention from your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I continue to find new shops and elevated areas to visit. It is also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away as you approach like the real-life pigeons getting in my way when walking through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon an alley you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited Paris, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where every district are the same, and all are alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which the city truly stands out, surprisingly, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights within Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with two random people observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You will fight in restaurants with patrons watching as they dine. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct combat settings brim with character missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I