Pokemon Chronicles: Z-A - A Fresh Transformation Yet Remaining True to Its Roots

I'm not sure precisely when the custom started, but I consistently call all my Pokemon characters Malfunction.

Whether it's a main series game or a side project such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name always stays the same. Malfunction switches from male to female characters, featuring black and purple locks. Sometimes their style is impeccable, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest addition in the long-running franchise (and among the more fashion-focused releases). Other times they're limited to the various school uniform styles of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they remain Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving Realm of Pokémon Titles

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have transformed between releases, some superficial, some significant. However at their heart, they stay the same; they're always Pokemon through and through. The developers uncovered a nearly perfect gameplay formula some three decades back, and just recently seriously tried to evolve upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character is now in danger). Across every iteration, the fundamental gameplay loop of capturing and fighting with charming creatures has remained consistent for almost as long as I've been alive.

Shaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring lack of arenas and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations into that formula. It takes place completely in one place, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis from Pokémon X and Y, abandoning the region-spanning journeys of previous titles. Pokemon are meant to coexist with people, battlers and civilians, in ways we've only glimpsed previously.

Far more drastic is Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. This is where the franchise's almost ideal core cycle experiences its most significant transformation to date, swapping deliberate sequential fights for more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, despite I find myself eager for a new traditional release. Although 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 Pokemon game.

The Core of the Adventure: The Z-A Championship

Upon initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your created character had as a tourist are discarded; you're immediately enlisted by the female guide (if playing as a male character; Urbain for female characters) to become part of her team of trainers. You're gifted one of her Pokémon as your first partner and are sent to participate in the Z-A Championship.

The Championship is the epicenter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's similar to the classic "gym badges to Elite Four" advancement from earlier titles. But here, you battle several opponents to gain the chance to compete in a promotion match. Succeed and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: An Innovative Frontier

Trainer battles take place during nighttime, and sneaking around the assigned battle zones is quite entertaining. I'm constantly attempting to get a jump on an opponent and unleash an unopposed move, because all actions occur instantaneously. Moves operate on cooldown timers, indicating both combatants can sometimes attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's much to adjust to initially. Even after playing for nearly 30 hours, I continue to feel like there's much to master in terms of using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Positioning also factors as a significant part during combat as your Pokémon will follow you around or move to designated spots to perform attacks (some are long-range, while others must be in close proximity).

The live combat causes fights go so fast that I find myself sometimes cycling through moves in identical patterns, even when this results in a less effective approach. There isn't moment to pause in Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles rely on feedback post-move execution, and that data is still present on screen within Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you cannot process it since taking your eyes off your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's relatively small, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering new shops and elevated areas to explore. It's also rich with character, and fully realizes the concept of creatures and humans coexisting. Common bird Pokemon populate its sidewalks, taking flight as you approach similar to actual pigeons obstructing my path when walking through NYC. The Pan Trio monkeys gleefully hang on streetlights, and insect creatures like Kakuna attach themselves to trees.

An emphasis on urban life represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a positive change. Nonetheless, navigating the city grows repetitive eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you haven't been to, but you wouldn't know it. The architecture is devoid of personality, and most rooftops and underground routes offer little variety. Although I haven't been to the French capital, the inspiration for the city, 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 give them soul. Lumiose City lacks that quality. It features beige structures topped with colored roofs and simply designed balconies.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

In which Lumiose City really shines, oddly enough, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword and Shield occur in arena-like venues, providing them genuine significance and importance. On the flipside, battles in Scarlet and Violet take place in a field with few spectators observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You will fight in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you'll battle on its penthouse court under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) hanging above. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and magenta walls. Several distinct battle locales overflow with personality missing in the overall metropolis in general.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Championship, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the creature index, there's an inescapable feeling of, {"I