🔗 Share this article

I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I always name all my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Be it a core franchise game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Glitch alternates between male and female avatars, with dark and violet locks. Sometimes their style is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this enduring franchise (and among the most style-conscious entries). Other times they're limited to the various academic attire styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have evolved across installments, with certain superficial, some significant. But at their core, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. The developers discovered an almost flawless mechanics system some three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to evolve on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Throughout all iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and fighting with adorable monsters has stayed consistent for nearly as long as I've been alive.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, featuring absence of gyms and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several deviations to that framework. It's set completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning adventures of earlier games. Pokémon are meant to live together with humans, battlers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of previously.

Far more drastic than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the franchise's near-perfect core cycle experiences its most significant transformation yet, swapping deliberate turn-based bouts with something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, despite I find myself eager for another turn-based entry. Although these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe seem like they create a completely new experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as any other Pokémon title.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join her team of battlers. You're gifted a creature from them as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Royale.

The Championship is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" progression of past games. But here, you fight several opponents to gain the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles occur during nighttime, while sneaking around the designated battle zones is quite enjoyable. I'm constantly attempting to get a jump on an opponent and launch an unopposed move, because all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks function with recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's much to adjust to at first. Even after playing for nearly thirty 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 during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to specific locations to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, while others must be in close proximity).

The real-time action makes battles go so fast that I often repeating sequences through moves in the same order, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to breathe in Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Creature fights rely on feedback after using an attack, and that information is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it since diverting attention from your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's relatively small, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I continue to find unseen stores and elevated areas to visit. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey populate its sidewalks, flying away when you get near similar to actual city birds obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on urban life is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Nonetheless, exploring Lumiose becomes rote eventually. You might discover a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I haven't been to the French capital, the model behind Lumiose, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where no two blocks differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features beige structures topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which the city truly stands out, oddly enough, is indoors. I loved how Pokémon battles within Sword and Shield take place in arena-like venues, providing them genuine significance and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place on a court with two random people watching. It's a total letdown. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with patrons watching while they eat. A fancy battle society will invite you to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Routine

During the Championship, along with subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the creature index, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I