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I don't recall precisely when the custom started, but I always name all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Be it a core franchise title or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Glitch alternates between male and female characters, with dark and violet locks. Occasionally their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this long-running franchise (and among the more fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're confined to the various academic attire styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed across releases, with certain superficial, others significant. But at their heart, they remain identical; they're always Pokemon to the core. The developers discovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to innovate upon it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Throughout every iteration, the core gameplay loop of catching and fighting with charming creatures has stayed consistent for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Shaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations to that framework. It takes place entirely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the region-spanning journeys of previous games. Pokemon are intended to live together with humans, trainers and civilians, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Even more drastic than that Z-A's real-time battle system. This is where the franchise's near-perfect core cycle experiences its most significant transformation yet, swapping methodical turn-based fights for more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, even as I find myself eager for another traditional release. Though these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to join her team of battlers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement of past games. But here, you fight a handful of trainers to earn the chance to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving rank A.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Approach

Character fights take place at night, while sneaking around the assigned combat areas is very entertaining. I'm always trying to get a jump on an opponent and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Attacks function with recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent may occasionally attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's much to get used to initially. Even after playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Positioning also factors as a significant part during combat since your creatures will follow you around or move to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself repeating sequences through moves in the same order, despite this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to pause during Z-A, and plenty of chances to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on response post-move execution, and that information is still present on screen in Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your opponent will spell immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to visit. It's also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, flying away as you approach like the real-life city birds getting in my way when walking in New York City. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive eventually. You might discover a passage you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to the French capital, the inspiration for the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks differs, and they're all vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where the city really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights in Sword and Shield take place in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and importance. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a competition, and you will combat in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Championship, as well as quelling rogue powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I