Pokémon Legends: Z-A - An Innovative Evolution Yet Remaining True to Its Origins

I don't recall exactly how the tradition started, however I always name every one of my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Whether it's a main series game or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Glitch alternates between male and female characters, featuring black and purple locks. Occasionally their fashion is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest installment in this long-running series (and one of the more style-conscious entries). At other moments they're limited to the various academic attire designs from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed between releases, with certain cosmetic, others substantial. However at their core, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokémon to the core. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately three decades back, and has only truly attempted to evolve on it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Across all iteration, the core mechanics cycle of catching and battling alongside adorable monsters has remained consistent for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Shaking the Mold in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus previously, featuring lack of arenas and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces multiple deviations to that formula. It takes place entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the region-spanning adventures of previous games. Pokémon are meant to coexist with humans, trainers and non-trainers alike, in manners we've only glimpsed previously.

Even more drastic than that Z-A's real-time battle system. This is where the franchise's almost ideal core cycle undergoes its most significant transformation yet, swapping methodical sequential bouts for something more chaotic. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, even as I find myself eager for a new turn-based release. Though these changes to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they form an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, any intentions your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; the male guide if female) to join their squad of battlers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon 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 "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement of past games. However here, you battle several opponents to earn the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Real-Time Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, and sneaking around the assigned combat areas is very entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to surprise an opponent and launch an unopposed move, because everything happens instantaneously. Attacks function with recharge periods, indicating you and your opponent can sometimes attack each other at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's much to get used to at first. Even after playing for nearly thirty hours, I continue to feel that there is much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Placement also plays a significant part during combat as your Pokémon will trail behind you or move to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others must be in close proximity).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I often sometimes cycling through moves in the same order, even when this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights rely on response post-move execution, and that data is still present on screen within Z-A, but whips by quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since taking your eyes off your opponent will spell immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It is also full of charm, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people coexisting. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach similar to actual pigeons getting in my way when walking in New York City. The monkey trio gleefully hang from lampposts, and insect creatures such as Kakuna cling to trees.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You might discover a passage you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and many elevated areas and sewer paths offer little variety. Although I never visited Paris, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

Where the city really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance 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 will fight in restaurants with diners observing while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct battle locales brim with character that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Championship, along with subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I