🔗 Share this article

I'm not sure precisely when the tradition started, however I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Whether it's a main series game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction alternates between male and female avatars, featuring black and purple locks. Sometimes their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in the enduring franchise (and one of the most style-conscious entries). Other times they're limited to the assorted academic attire styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokémon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have evolved between releases, some superficial, others substantial. But at their core, they stay the same; they're always Pokémon to the core. The developers discovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and has only seriously tried to innovate upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar faces peril). Throughout all iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and fighting with adorable monsters has remained consistent for almost as long as I've been alive.

Breaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces several changes to that framework. It's set completely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the region-spanning adventures of previous titles. Pokémon are meant to live together alongside people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in manners we've only seen glimpses of before.

Far more radical is Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. This is where the series' almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its biggest transformation to date, replacing deliberate sequential bouts for something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I find myself ready for a new traditional entry. Though these alterations to the traditional Pokemon recipe sound like they form 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

Upon first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) to become part of their squad of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Championship is the epicenter of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you battle a handful of trainers to earn the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Win and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of achieving rank A.

Real-Time Battles: A New Frontier

Character fights take place at night, and navigating stealthily the designated battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on a rival and launch a free attack, since all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks function with recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I still feel like there's plenty to learn in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also factors as a significant part during combat since your creatures will trail behind you or go to designated spots to execute moves (some are long-range, whereas others must be up close and personal).

The real-time action makes battles progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, even when this results in a less effective approach. There's no time to breathe in Z-A, and numerous chances to become swamped. Creature fights rely on response post-move execution, and that information remains visible on the display within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because taking your eyes off your opponent will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, although densely packed. Far into the adventure, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It is also rich with character, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people living together. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away when you get near like the real-life city birds obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling from lampposts, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling on branches.

An emphasis on urban life represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a positive change. Nonetheless, navigating the city becomes rote eventually. You might discover an alley you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths 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 metropolis where no two blocks differs, and they're all vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

In which Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I loved how Pokémon battles within Sword & Shield take place in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with few spectators observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You'll battle in restaurants with diners observing as they dine. A fancy battle society will invite you to a competition, and you will combat on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis as a whole.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Championship, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I