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I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I always name all my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Be it a core franchise game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Glitch switches from male to female characters, featuring black and purple hair. Sometimes their fashion is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the long-running franchise (and one of the most fashion-focused entries). Other times they're confined to the assorted academic attire designs of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokémon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokemon titles have evolved across installments, some cosmetic, others substantial. But at their core, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless gameplay formula some three decades back, and just recently truly attempted to innovate on it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Across every version, the fundamental mechanics cycle of catching and fighting alongside adorable monsters has stayed steady for almost as long as I've been alive.

Shaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations into that framework. It takes place completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of earlier titles. Pokemon are meant to coexist alongside people, battlers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. This is where the series' near-perfect gameplay loop experiences its biggest transformation yet, swapping methodical turn-based bouts for more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, despite I feel ready for another traditional release. Although these changes to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they create an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join their squad of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your starter and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you fight several opponents to earn the chance to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Real-Time Combat: A New Approach

Trainer battles occur at night, and sneaking around the designated combat areas is quite enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, since everything happens in real time. Moves function with recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's much to adjust to initially. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is plenty to learn regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also plays a major role during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or move to designated spots to execute moves (some are long-range, while others must be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I often repeating sequences through moves in the same order, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and plenty of opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on feedback post-move execution, and that data remains visible on the display in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering new shops and rooftops to visit. It's also full of charm, and perfectly captures the vision of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach like the real-life pigeons obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna cling to trees.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You might discover an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited Paris, the inspiration for the city, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It features tan buildings with blue or red roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Really Excels

In which the city really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights in Sword & Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen in a field with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You will fight in restaurants with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual battle locales brim with character that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Royale, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I