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

Whether it's a core franchise game or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Glitch alternates from male to female characters, featuring dark and violet locks. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in the enduring franchise (and among the more fashion-focused entries). Other times they're limited to the assorted academic attire designs of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokémon Titles

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have evolved between installments, with certain superficial, others substantial. However at their heart, they stay identical; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. Game Freak discovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately three decades back, and just recently truly attempted to evolve on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across every iteration, the core mechanics cycle of catching and fighting alongside charming creatures has stayed steady for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, with its absence of gyms and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several changes into that formula. It takes place completely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning adventures of previous titles. Pokemon are meant to coexist alongside people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in ways we've only glimpsed before.

Even more radical than that Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. It's here the franchise's near-perfect core cycle undergoes its most significant evolution to date, swapping deliberate turn-based fights for more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, even as I find myself eager for another traditional entry. Though these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe sound like they create a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Royale

When initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist are discarded; you're immediately recruited by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain if female) to join her team of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you fight several trainers to earn the chance to compete in a promotion match. Win and you will be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: A New Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, and sneaking around the assigned combat areas is quite enjoyable. I'm always attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch a free attack, since everything happens in real time. Attacks function with cooldown timers, indicating both combatants may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's much to get used to initially. Despite playing for nearly thirty hours, I continue to feel like there's much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in ways that complement each other. Placement also factors as a major role in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or go to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on response post-move execution, and that information is still present on screen within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I continue to find new shops and rooftops to visit. It is also full of charm, and fully realizes the concept of Pokémon and people coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach similar to actual pigeons getting in my way while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You might discover a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops 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 nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I loved how Pokémon battles within Sword & Shield occur in football-like stadiums, giving them real weight and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet happen in a field with two random people observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of a certain faction with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Several distinct battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Repetition

Throughout the Royale, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and filling the creature index, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I