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I don't recall exactly how the custom began, but I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Be it a core franchise title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Glitch alternates from male to female avatars, with black and purple hair. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this long-running franchise (and one of the more style-conscious releases). At other moments they're confined to the various school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokemon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved between installments, some cosmetic, some significant. However at their heart, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. Game Freak discovered an almost flawless gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and has only seriously tried to innovate on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Across every iteration, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and battling alongside charming creatures has remained steady for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Breaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations to that formula. It's set entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning adventures of earlier games. Pokemon are meant to coexist alongside people, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely glimpsed previously.

Even more drastic is Z-A's real-time battle system. This is where the series' near-perfect core cycle undergoes its most significant transformation yet, replacing deliberate sequential bouts with more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel eager for another turn-based entry. Although these changes to the classic Pokémon formula seem like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) to become part of their squad of battlers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression of past games. But here, you battle several trainers to gain the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you will be promoted to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, while navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very entertaining. I'm always trying to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks operate on cooldown timers, indicating you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel like there's much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in ways that complement each other. Placement also factors as a significant part in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or move to designated spots to execute moves (certain ones are distant, while others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to breathe in Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on response post-move execution, and that data remains visible on the display in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your opponent will spell certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's relatively small, although tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to visit. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near like the real-life city birds getting in my way when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive eventually. You might discover an alley you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to the French capital, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks differs, and all are alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It features tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where Lumiose City truly stands out, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I adored how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield take place in football-like stadiums, giving them real weight and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Comfort of Routine

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