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

Be it a core franchise title or a side project like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction switches between male and female characters, with black and purple hair. Sometimes their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in the long-running franchise (and among the more fashion-focused entries). Other times they're confined to the assorted academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed between releases, some cosmetic, others substantial. But at their core, they remain identical; they're always Pokémon through and through. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect mechanics system approximately 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to evolve on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Throughout all version, the fundamental mechanics cycle of catching and battling alongside adorable monsters has stayed steady for almost as long as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring absence of gyms and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several changes to that formula. It takes place entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the region-spanning journeys of previous games. Pokémon are meant to coexist with humans, battlers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of previously.

Even more radical than that Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the franchise's near-perfect gameplay loop experiences its most significant evolution yet, replacing deliberate sequential bouts with something more chaotic. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel ready for a new traditional release. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

When first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character planned as a visitor are discarded; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to join her team of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. However here, you fight several trainers to earn the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be elevated to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Approach

Character fights take place during nighttime, while sneaking around the assigned combat areas is quite entertaining. I'm always attempting to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, since everything happens instantaneously. Moves function with cooldown timers, indicating both combatants can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's much to get used to at first. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I still feel like there's much to master in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also plays a major role during combat since your creatures will follow you around or move to specific locations to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, whereas others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling of attacks in identical patterns, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights rely on response after using an attack, and that information is still present on screen within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your adversary will spell immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It is also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, flying away as you approach similar to actual city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon like 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 eventually. You might discover an alley you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I haven't been to Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and all are alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

In which Lumiose City truly stands out, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights within Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with two random people observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Several distinct combat settings brim with character that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Royale, along with subduing wild powered-up creatures and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I