Pokémon Legends: Z-A - A Fresh Transformation Yet Remaining Faithful to Its Roots

I'm not sure exactly how the custom began, however I consistently call all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Whether it's a core franchise game or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction switches between male and female characters, featuring dark and violet locks. Sometimes their style is impeccable, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in this enduring franchise (and one of the most style-conscious releases). Other times they're confined to the various academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokemon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokemon titles have evolved across releases, with certain cosmetic, some substantial. But at their heart, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula approximately three decades back, and has only truly attempted to evolve on it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Across all iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and battling alongside adorable monsters has remained steady for almost as long as I've been alive.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring absence of gyms and focus on compiling a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes into that framework. It's set entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X and Y, ditching the expansive adventures of previous titles. Pokémon are meant to coexist alongside humans, battlers and non-trainers alike, in manners we've only seen glimpses of before.

Even more drastic is Z-A's live-action battle system. It's here the franchise's near-perfect gameplay loop experiences its biggest evolution to date, replacing deliberate turn-based bouts with something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for another traditional release. Although these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Journey: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your created character planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly recruited by Taunie (for male avatars; the male guide for female characters) to become part of their squad of trainers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and you're dispatched to participate in the Z-A Royale.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. However here, you fight several opponents to gain the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you'll be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving rank A.

Live-Action Battles: A New Frontier

Character fights take place at night, and navigating stealthily the assigned combat areas is quite entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch an unopposed move, since all actions occur in real time. Attacks function with cooldown timers, meaning both combatants can sometimes strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to initially. Even after gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a significant part during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to designated spots to execute moves (certain ones are distant, whereas others need to be in close proximity).

The live combat causes fights go so fast that I find myself repeating sequences of attacks in the same order, despite this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to pause during Z-A, and plenty of chances to become swamped. Pokémon battles depend on response after using an attack, and that information remains visible on the display in Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it since diverting attention from your adversary will spell certain doom.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I continue to find unseen stores and rooftops to visit. It's 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 similar to actual city birds getting in my way while strolling through NYC. The monkey trio joyfully cling on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on urban life is a new direction for Pokémon, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The building design lacks character, and many elevated areas and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I never visited Paris, the inspiration for the city, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which the city really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I loved how Pokémon battles within Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen in a field with two random people observing. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in restaurants 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 the Pokemon) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Several distinct battle locales brim with character missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Royale, as well as quelling rogue powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I