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I don't recall exactly how the custom started, however I always name all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a main series title or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Glitch alternates from male to female avatars, with dark and violet hair. Sometimes their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this enduring series (and among the most style-conscious entries). At other moments they're limited to the assorted academic attire designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they're always Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Games

Similar to my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed between installments, some cosmetic, others substantial. However at their heart, they stay identical; they're always Pokémon to the core. The developers uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to evolve upon it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across all iteration, the fundamental mechanics cycle of capturing and fighting with adorable monsters has stayed consistent for nearly as long as I've been alive.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple changes to that framework. It's set entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous titles. Pokémon are meant to coexist alongside humans, battlers and non-trainers alike, in manners we've only seen glimpses of previously.

Far more drastic is Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. It's here the series' near-perfect core cycle experiences its most significant transformation to date, replacing methodical sequential bouts with more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel eager for a new turn-based release. Although these changes to the traditional Pokemon recipe sound like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

When initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain if female) to become part of their squad of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you fight several opponents to gain the chance to participate in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Real-Time Combat: A New Frontier

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to surprise a rival and unleash an unopposed move, because everything happens in real time. Attacks operate on cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's much to get used to at first. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's much to master in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in ways that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to designated spots to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, while others must be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in identical patterns, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to breathe during Z-A, and numerous opportunities to become swamped. Pokémon battles depend on feedback post-move execution, and that information is still present on the display in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since taking your eyes off your opponent will spell certain doom.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to visit. It is also full of charm, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, flying away as you approach like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Even so, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The architecture is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and underground routes offer little variety. Although I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

In which Lumiose City really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield take place in football-like stadiums, providing them real weight and meaning. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet and Violet take place in a field 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 while they eat. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual combat settings overflow with personality that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Championship, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I