I don't recall exactly how the tradition began, but I consistently call all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.
Whether it's a main series title or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, with black and purple locks. Sometimes their style is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the enduring series (and one of the most fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're limited to the various school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they're always Malfunction.
Much like my characters, the Pokémon games have transformed between releases, some superficial, some significant. However at their heart, they stay the same; they're always Pokémon through and through. Game Freak discovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to innovate on it with entries like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar faces peril). Across all iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and fighting alongside charming creatures has remained steady for almost the same duration as I've been alive.
Like Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that formula. It takes place entirely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose City of Pokémon X & Y, abandoning the region-spanning journeys of previous titles. Pokemon are intended to live together alongside people, trainers and non-trainers alike, in ways we have merely glimpsed previously.
Even more radical than that Z-A's real-time battle system. This is where the series' almost ideal gameplay loop undergoes its most significant transformation to date, swapping deliberate turn-based fights with more frenetic action. And it is immensely fun, even as I feel eager for a new turn-based entry. Though these alterations to the traditional Pokémon formula sound like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as every other Pokémon title.
When initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist are discarded; you're immediately enlisted by Taunie (if playing as a male character; the male guide if female) to join their squad of battlers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your first partner and you're dispatched to participate in 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" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you fight several trainers to earn the opportunity to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving rank A.
Trainer battles take place at night, and navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very enjoyable. I'm constantly trying to get a jump on a rival and launch an unopposed move, because everything happens instantaneously. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning both combatants may occasionally attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to adjust to initially. Even after gaming for almost thirty hours, I still 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 major role during combat since your creatures will follow you around or move to specific locations to perform attacks (some are long-range, whereas others must be up close and personal).
The live combat makes battles progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, even when this amounts to a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to breathe during Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles rely on response post-move execution, and that information is still present on the display in Z-A, but flashes past rapidly. Sometimes, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your adversary will result in certain doom.
Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and elevated areas to visit. It is also full of charm, and perfectly captures the vision of Pokémon and people living together. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach similar to actual city birds obstructing my path while strolling through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna cling on branches.
A focus on urban life represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but you wouldn't know it. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and underground routes offer little variety. While I never visited Paris, the inspiration for Lumiose, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis lacks that quality. It features beige structures with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered terraces.
In which Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved the way creature fights within Sword & Shield occur in football-like stadiums, giving them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, fights within Scarlet and Violet take place on a court with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching while they eat. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not Chandelure) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct combat settings overflow with personality missing in the larger city in general.
During the Championship, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I
A certified nutritionist and wellness coach passionate about helping others achieve their health goals through evidence-based practices.
