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I don't recall exactly how the custom started, however I always name all my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise game or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Glitch alternates from male to female characters, with black and purple locks. Sometimes their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in the long-running franchise (and among the most style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed across installments, with certain superficial, others substantial. But at their core, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some 30 years ago, and has only seriously tried to innovate upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character faces peril). Throughout every iteration, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and battling with charming creatures has stayed consistent for nearly the same duration as I've been alive.

Shaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes to that formula. It takes place entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of earlier titles. Pokémon are intended to live together alongside humans, battlers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Far more radical than that Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the series' almost ideal gameplay loop experiences its most significant evolution yet, swapping methodical sequential fights with more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, even as I feel ready for a new traditional release. Although these alterations to the classic Pokémon formula seem like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly recruited by Taunie (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join their squad of battlers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. However here, you battle several opponents to earn the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Character fights take place during nighttime, and sneaking around the assigned battle zones is quite enjoyable. I'm always attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch an unopposed move, because all actions occur instantaneously. Moves operate on recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Positioning also plays a major role in battles as your Pokémon will follow you around or move to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in the same order, even when this results in a less effective approach. There's no time to breathe in Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on response post-move execution, and that data remains visible on the display within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your adversary will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away as you approach similar to actual city birds obstructing my path while strolling in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on city living is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote eventually. You might discover a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to Paris, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

In which the city truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights within Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with few spectators watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed headquarters of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

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