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I'm not sure precisely when the tradition began, but I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, featuring dark and violet hair. Sometimes their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the long-running franchise (and one of the more fashion-focused entries). Other times they're limited to the assorted academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed between releases, with certain superficial, others significant. However at their core, they remain identical; they're always Pokémon through and through. The developers discovered an almost flawless mechanics system some three decades back, and has only seriously tried to innovate on it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout every iteration, the core gameplay loop of capturing and battling with charming creatures has stayed steady for nearly as long as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, with its absence of gyms and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple changes into that formula. It takes place entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the expansive journeys of earlier games. Pokemon are intended to live together alongside people, battlers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely glimpsed before.

Far more radical than that Z-A's real-time battle system. It's here the series' almost ideal core cycle experiences its biggest transformation to date, replacing deliberate turn-based fights with more frenetic action. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, even as I feel eager for a new traditional release. Although these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they create a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your custom avatar planned as a visitor are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to become part of her team of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. However here, you battle 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 ultimate goal of achieving the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: A New Approach

Trainer battles take place at night, while navigating stealthily the assigned combat areas is very entertaining. I'm always trying to get a jump on an opponent and launch an unopposed move, because all actions occur in real time. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent can sometimes attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's much to adjust to initially. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Placement also plays a major role during combat since your creatures will follow you around or move to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, even when this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles depend on feedback post-move execution, and that data remains visible on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your adversary will spell immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, taking flight when you get near like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You might discover an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I never visited the French capital, the inspiration for the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and all are alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where the city really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place on a court 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. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed headquarters of a certain faction with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual combat settings brim with character missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Royale, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I