🔗 Share this article

I'm not sure exactly how the tradition began, but I always name every one of my Pokemon characters Glitch.

Be it a core franchise title or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction switches from male to female avatars, with dark and violet hair. Sometimes their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in the enduring series (and one of the most style-conscious releases). At other moments they're limited to the assorted school uniform designs of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Yet they remain Glitch.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokémon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have evolved across installments, with certain cosmetic, others significant. However at their heart, they remain identical; they're always Pokémon to the core. The developers discovered an almost flawless mechanics system some three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to innovate upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character faces peril). Throughout all version, the core mechanics cycle of catching and battling with adorable monsters has remained consistent for almost as long as I've been alive.

Shaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes into that formula. It's set entirely in a single location, the French capital-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of previous titles. Pokemon are meant to coexist with people, battlers and civilians, in manners we have merely seen glimpses of before.

Even more drastic than that Z-A's real-time battle system. It's here the series' almost ideal gameplay loop experiences its most significant transformation to date, swapping deliberate turn-based fights for something more chaotic. And it's immensely fun, even as I feel ready for another turn-based entry. Although these alterations to the classic Pokemon recipe seem like they create a completely new adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is as familiar as every other Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon first arriving in Lumiose City, whatever plans your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're promptly recruited by Taunie (if playing as a male character; the male guide for female characters) to join their squad of battlers. You receive a creature from them as your starter and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. However here, you fight a handful of opponents to gain the opportunity to compete in an advancement bout. Succeed and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of achieving the top rank.

Live-Action Battles: A New Frontier

Trainer battles occur at night, while sneaking around the designated combat areas is very entertaining. I'm constantly trying to surprise a rival and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur in real time. Moves operate on cooldown timers, meaning you and your opponent can sometimes strike simultaneously concurrently (and knock each other out simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to initially. Despite gaming for almost 30 hours, I still feel that there is much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in ways that work together synergistically. Placement also plays a significant part during combat as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to designated spots to execute moves (certain ones are distant, whereas others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There isn't moment to breathe during Z-A, and plenty of chances to become swamped. Creature fights depend on feedback after using an attack, and that data remains visible on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose Metropolis

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose Metropolis. It's fairly compact, although tightly filled. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans living together. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, flying away when you get near similar to actual city birds obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys joyfully cling on streetlights, and insect creatures such as Kakuna cling on branches.

A focus on urban life represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Even so, exploring Lumiose becomes rote over time. You might discover an alley you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and sewer paths provide minimal diversity. While I never visited the French capital, the model behind the city, I've lived in NYC for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks are the same, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has tan buildings topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which Lumiose City really shines, surprisingly, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights within Sword & Shield occur in arena-like venues, giving them real weight and importance. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place on a court with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in eateries with diners observing as they dine. An elite combat club will invite you to a tournament, and you will combat on its penthouse court with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales brim with character that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Familiarity of Repetition

During the Royale, as well as subduing wild powered-up creatures and filling the Pokédex, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I