Pokemon Chronicles: Z-A - An Innovative Evolution While Remaining True to Its Roots

I'm not sure exactly how the tradition began, however I always name every one of my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Be it a main series title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX and Pokémon Go — the moniker never changes. Malfunction alternates between male and female characters, featuring black and purple hair. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the newest addition in this enduring series (and among the more fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're limited to the various school uniform styles from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing Realm of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have evolved across installments, with certain superficial, others substantial. However at their core, they remain the same; they're always Pokémon through and through. Game Freak uncovered a nearly perfect mechanics system some three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to innovate upon it with games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus (different timeline, your character is now in danger). Throughout every version, the fundamental gameplay loop of catching and fighting with charming creatures has stayed consistent for nearly as long as my lifetime.

Shaking Conventions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like Arceus before it, featuring absence of gyms and focus on compiling a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple changes into that framework. It takes place entirely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X & Y, ditching the expansive journeys of previous games. Pokémon are intended to live together alongside people, trainers and civilians, in ways we have merely glimpsed previously.

Far more drastic is Z-A's real-time combat mechanics. It's here the series' near-perfect core cycle experiences its most significant evolution yet, swapping deliberate turn-based fights for more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, even as I find myself ready for a new traditional entry. Although these alterations to the classic Pokémon formula sound like they create an entirely fresh adventure, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokémon title.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

When initially reaching in Lumiose City, whatever plans your created character planned as a visitor are discarded; you're promptly enlisted by Taunie (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) to join their squad of trainers. You receive one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Royale is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you fight a handful of trainers to gain the chance to participate in an advancement bout. Win and you'll be promoted to the next rank, with the final objective of reaching the top rank.

Real-Time Battles: A New Approach

Character fights occur at night, and sneaking around the designated battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm constantly trying to surprise an opponent and unleash a free attack, because all actions occur instantaneously. Moves function with recharge periods, meaning both combatants may occasionally strike simultaneously at the same time (and defeat each other at once). It's a lot to get used to initially. Even after gaming for almost thirty hours, I still feel that there is much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in methods that complement each other. Placement also plays a major role during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or go to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others need to be up close and personal).

The live combat causes fights progress so quickly that I often sometimes cycling of attacks in the same order, despite this amounts to a less effective approach. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous chances to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on feedback post-move execution, and that data remains visible on the display within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it since taking your eyes off your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Exploring Lumiose City

Away from combat, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's relatively small, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering unseen stores and elevated areas to visit. It's also full of charm, and fully realizes the vision of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, taking flight when you get near similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path when walking in New York City. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and bug-Pokémon such as Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

A focus on city living is a new direction for the franchise, and a positive change. Even so, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You might discover a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The building design is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited Paris, the model behind Lumiose, I've lived in NYC for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where every district are the same, and all are vibrant with differences that provide character. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

The Areas Where Lumiose City Really Excels

In which the city really shines, oddly enough, is indoors. I adored the way creature fights in Sword and Shield take place in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and meaning. Conversely, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place in a field with two random people watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between the two. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. My favorite location is the elegantly decorated headquarters of the Rust Syndicate with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Comfort of Routine

Throughout the Royale, along with quelling rogue powered-up creatures and completing the creature index, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I