Pokémon Chronicles: Z-A - An Innovative Transformation While Remaining Faithful to Its Roots

I don't recall precisely when the custom started, but I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Whether it's a core franchise title or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Malfunction alternates from male to female avatars, with black and purple locks. Occasionally their style is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the enduring franchise (and among the more fashion-focused releases). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokemon Games

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have evolved across installments, some cosmetic, some substantial. But at their heart, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokémon through and through. The developers discovered an almost flawless gameplay formula some 30 years ago, and has only truly attempted to innovate on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout all version, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and battling with charming creatures has stayed consistent for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Shaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus previously, with its lack of arenas and focus on creating a creature catalog, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations into that framework. It's set entirely in one place, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the region-spanning adventures of previous games. Pokemon are meant to live together with people, battlers and civilians, in ways we have merely seen glimpses of previously.

Far more radical than that Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. This is where the series' near-perfect core cycle undergoes its biggest transformation yet, replacing deliberate sequential bouts for something more chaotic. And it is thoroughly enjoyable, despite I feel eager for a new traditional entry. Though these changes to the classic Pokemon recipe sound like they form a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by Taunie (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to become part of their squad of trainers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and you're dispatched into the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. However here, you fight several trainers to gain the chance to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be elevated to the next rank, with the ultimate goal of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Battles: A New Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, while sneaking around the designated battle zones is very entertaining. I'm always attempting to surprise a rival and launch a free attack, since everything happens instantaneously. Attacks function with recharge periods, meaning you and your opponent may occasionally attack each other concurrently (and knock each other out at once). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Even after gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that work together synergistically. Placement also plays a major role during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around 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 go so fast that I often repeating sequences of attacks in identical patterns, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause during Z-A, and plenty of chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on response post-move execution, and that data remains visible on screen within Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it because diverting attention from your adversary will result in certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Deep into the game, I continue to find unseen stores and elevated areas to explore. It is also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight when you get near similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The monkey trio gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures such as Kakuna attach themselves on branches.

A focus on city living represents a fresh approach for Pokémon, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited 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 are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that give them soul. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features beige structures topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered terraces.

Where The Metropolis Truly Shines

In which Lumiose City truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights in Sword and Shield take place in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and importance. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet & Violet happen on a court with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between the two. You will fight in eateries with diners observing as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you will combat in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and magenta walls. Various individual combat settings brim with character missing in the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Championship, as well as subduing wild Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there is an unavoidable sense that, {"I