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I don't recall exactly how the custom started, but I consistently call every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Be it a main series title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction alternates from male to female avatars, featuring dark and violet hair. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this long-running series (and among the most fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're confined to the assorted school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have evolved across releases, with certain superficial, others substantial. However at their heart, they remain identical; they're always Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and just recently truly attempted to innovate on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Across every version, the core gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for nearly the same duration as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several deviations into that formula. It takes place entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of previous games. Pokemon are intended to coexist with people, trainers and civilians, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of previously.

Far more radical than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the franchise's almost ideal core cycle undergoes its most significant evolution to date, swapping deliberate sequential bouts for more frenetic action. And it's immensely fun, even as I feel ready for a new turn-based entry. Though these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula seem like they form a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

When first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain if female) to join their squad of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your starter and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. However here, you fight several opponents to earn the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Win and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Battles: A New Frontier

Character fights occur at night, while navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is quite enjoyable. I'm always trying to get a jump on a rival and launch an unopposed move, since all actions occur instantaneously. Moves operate on recharge periods, indicating both combatants may occasionally attack each other at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to get used to initially. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I continue to feel that there is much to master in terms of employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Positioning also factors as a significant part during combat since your creatures will trail behind you or go to specific locations to execute moves (some are long-range, whereas others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, even when this results in a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and plenty of chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles rely on feedback post-move execution, and that information remains visible on the display in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it because diverting attention from your adversary will spell immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and elevated areas to visit. It is also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, flying away when you get near like the real-life city birds getting in my way when walking through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote eventually. You may stumble upon an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to Paris, the model behind the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks differs, and all are alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where Lumiose City really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights within Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them real weight and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet & Violet take place on a court with few spectators observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with patrons watching as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Familiarity of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I