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I don't recall exactly how the custom started, however I consistently call every one of my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's 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 characters, with black and purple hair. Sometimes their fashion is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this enduring franchise (and one of the more fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're confined to the various academic attire styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved between releases, some superficial, others significant. However at their core, they remain the same; they're consistently Pokémon through and through. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and just recently truly attempted to innovate upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character faces peril). Across every version, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and battling alongside charming creatures has stayed consistent for almost the same duration as my lifetime.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes to that formula. It's set entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of previous titles. Pokemon are intended to live together with people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in ways we've only glimpsed previously.

Even more radical than that Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the series' near-perfect core cycle experiences its most significant evolution yet, swapping deliberate turn-based fights for more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, even as I find myself eager for another turn-based entry. Although these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're immediately recruited by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide for female characters) to become part of her team of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you fight a handful of 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 achieving rank A.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Character fights take place during nighttime, while sneaking around the designated combat areas is very entertaining. I'm constantly trying to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur instantaneously. Moves function with cooldown timers, indicating both combatants may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to initially. Even after gaming for almost 30 hours, I continue to feel like there's plenty to learn regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a major role in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or go to designated spots to execute moves (some are long-range, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I often repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles rely on feedback after using an attack, and that information remains visible on the display within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Sometimes, you can't even read it because taking your eyes off your adversary will result in certain doom.

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 elevated areas to visit. It is also rich with character, and perfectly captures the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path while strolling in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on city living is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon an alley you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and underground routes offer little variety. While I never visited the French capital, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It features beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which Lumiose City really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights in Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with few spectators watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing as they dine. An elite combat club will invite you to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Championship, as well as subduing wild powered-up creatures and completing the creature index, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I