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

Whether it's a core franchise title or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Glitch switches between male and female avatars, with black and purple locks. Occasionally their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the enduring series (and one of the more style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the various school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokémon Games

Similar to my trainers, the Pokemon titles have transformed between installments, with certain cosmetic, others substantial. But at their heart, they stay identical; they're always Pokemon through and through. Game Freak discovered an almost flawless gameplay formula some three decades back, and has only seriously tried to evolve upon it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and battling alongside adorable monsters has stayed consistent for almost the same duration as I've been alive.

Breaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several 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 earlier games. Pokémon are meant to coexist with people, trainers and civilians, in manners we've only seen glimpses of before.

Even more drastic than that Z-A's real-time battle system. It's here the series' almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its most significant evolution to date, replacing methodical turn-based bouts with something more chaotic. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel ready for another traditional release. Although these changes to the classic Pokémon formula sound like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide for female characters) to join her team of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and you're dispatched into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you fight a handful of trainers to gain the chance to participate in a promotion match. Succeed and you will be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving rank A.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Character fights take place during nighttime, and navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is very entertaining. I'm always trying to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Attacks operate on cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's much to adjust to initially. Even after playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in ways that complement each other. Positioning also plays a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others must be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I often repeating sequences through moves in identical patterns, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles rely on feedback post-move execution, and that data is still present on screen in Z-A, but whips by quickly. Sometimes, you can't even read it since taking your eyes off your opponent will spell certain doom.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find unseen stores and elevated areas to explore. It is also full of charm, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, taking flight when you get near like the real-life city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a positive change. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote over time. You might discover an alley you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The architecture is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths offer little variety. While I never visited the French capital, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and they're all vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features tan buildings topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

Where Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights in Sword & Shield take place in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and importance. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You will fight in restaurants with diners observing as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Royale, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I