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I don't recall precisely when the custom started, but I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Be it a main series game or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Glitch switches from male to female characters, with dark and violet locks. Sometimes their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the enduring series (and among the more fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Titles

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed between installments, some cosmetic, some substantial. But at their heart, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokemon through and through. The developers discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some 30 years ago, and has only seriously tried to innovate on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Throughout every version, the core gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has stayed steady for almost the same duration as my lifetime.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes into that framework. It takes place completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the expansive adventures of previous titles. Pokémon are meant to live together with people, trainers and civilians, in manners we've only seen glimpses of before.

Far more radical than that Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the series' near-perfect gameplay loop undergoes its biggest transformation to date, swapping methodical sequential fights for something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for another traditional entry. Although these changes to the classic Pokémon formula seem like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor are discarded; you're promptly recruited by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) to join her team of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression of past games. However here, you battle a handful of opponents to gain the opportunity to participate in a promotion match. Win and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: A New Frontier

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to surprise an opponent and launch a free attack, because everything happens in real time. Moves operate on cooldown timers, indicating both combatants may occasionally attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's much to get used to at first. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel that there is plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to specific locations to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, whereas others must be up close and personal).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and plenty of chances to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on feedback after using an attack, and that information is still present on screen in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your opponent will spell certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to visit. It's also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path while strolling in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on city living is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose grows repetitive over time. You may stumble upon a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I never visited Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, 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 give them soul. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

Where Lumiose City truly stands out, surprisingly, is indoors. I adored how Pokémon battles within Sword & Shield occur in football-like stadiums, giving them real weight and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen in a field 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 while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a competition, and you'll battle on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings brim with character that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Royale, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and filling the creature index, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I