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I'm not sure precisely when the custom began, but I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Glitch alternates from male to female avatars, with black and purple locks. Occasionally their style is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in the long-running series (and one of the most style-conscious releases). Other times they're limited to the assorted school uniform designs from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they're always Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed across releases, some cosmetic, some significant. However at their core, they stay identical; they're always Pokemon to the core. The developers uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately 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). Throughout every iteration, the core mechanics cycle of capturing and battling with charming creatures has stayed steady for almost as long as I've been alive.

Shaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring 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 Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of previous games. Pokémon are meant to live together alongside humans, trainers and civilians, in ways we've only glimpsed before.

Even more radical than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the series' near-perfect gameplay loop experiences its biggest transformation yet, swapping deliberate sequential bouts for something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, despite I feel eager for a new traditional entry. Although these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they form an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character planned as a visitor are discarded; you're immediately recruited by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to become part of her team of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. But here, you fight a handful of opponents to gain the chance to participate in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Real-Time Battles: An Innovative Approach

Character fights take place at night, while sneaking around the designated battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm constantly attempting to get a jump on a rival and unleash an unopposed move, since all actions occur instantaneously. Moves operate on cooldown timers, indicating you and your opponent may occasionally attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Even after gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in ways that work together synergistically. Positioning also factors as a major role during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to specific locations to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, while others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, despite this results in a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Creature fights rely on response post-move execution, and that information is still present on screen in Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and elevated areas to visit. It is also rich with character, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near like the real-life city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on city living is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, navigating the city grows repetitive eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and underground routes offer little variety. Although I never visited Paris, the inspiration for the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I adored how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them real weight and importance. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with few spectators observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct combat settings brim with character missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Comfort of Routine

Throughout the Royale, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the creature index, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I