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I'm not sure precisely when the tradition started, however I always name all my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Be it a core franchise game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Glitch alternates from male to female characters, with dark and violet hair. Sometimes their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in this long-running franchise (and one of the most fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're limited to the various academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Much like my trainers, the Pokémon games have evolved between releases, with certain superficial, others significant. But at their heart, they stay identical; they're always Pokemon through and through. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula approximately 30 years ago, and just recently truly attempted to evolve on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Throughout every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has remained steady for nearly as long as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and emphasis on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several deviations into that formula. It takes place entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning adventures of earlier titles. Pokemon are intended to live together alongside people, trainers and civilians, in manners we've only seen glimpses of previously.

Far more radical is Z-A's real-time battle system. This is where the franchise's almost ideal core cycle experiences its biggest evolution yet, swapping deliberate turn-based fights for something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I find myself eager for a new traditional release. Although these changes to the classic Pokémon formula sound like they create a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character planned as a visitor are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide if female) to join their squad of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your first partner and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" progression from earlier titles. But here, you battle several opponents to gain the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, while sneaking around the assigned battle zones is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch an unopposed move, since all actions occur in real time. Moves function with recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to get used to at first. Even after gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Placement also factors as a major role during combat as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to specific locations to execute moves (certain ones are distant, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles go so fast that I find myself repeating sequences through moves in identical patterns, despite this results in a less effective approach. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and plenty of chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles rely on feedback after using an attack, and that information is still present on screen within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your opponent will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, although densely packed. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes 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 while strolling in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures 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 over time. You might discover a passage you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The building design is devoid of personality, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to the French capital, the inspiration for the city, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where every district differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights within Sword & Shield take place in arena-like venues, providing them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with few spectators observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground 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'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Various individual combat settings brim with character that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I