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

I don't recall precisely when the tradition began, however I always name all my Pokémon trainers Malfunction.

Whether it's a main series title or a spinoff such as Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the moniker always stays the same. Malfunction alternates from male to female characters, with black and purple locks. Occasionally their fashion is flawless, like in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in the long-running series (and one of the more fashion-focused entries). Other times they're limited to the various academic attire designs from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pokémon Games

Similar to my trainers, the Pokémon games have evolved across installments, with certain superficial, others significant. However at their heart, they stay the same; they're consistently Pokemon to the core. Game Freak discovered an almost flawless mechanics system some three decades back, and just recently truly attempted to innovate upon it with entries such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your avatar is now in danger). Throughout every iteration, the core mechanics cycle of catching and fighting with charming creatures has remained steady for almost as long as my lifetime.

Breaking the Mold with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, featuring absence of gyms and emphasis on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings multiple deviations into that framework. It takes place completely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the expansive adventures of earlier titles. Pokémon are meant to live together with people, battlers and civilians, in ways we've only seen glimpses of before.

Far more drastic is Z-A's real-time battle system. It's here the franchise's almost ideal core cycle experiences its most significant evolution to date, swapping methodical sequential bouts with something more chaotic. And it is immensely fun, even as I feel 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 Journey: The Z-A Championship

When first arriving at Lumiose Metropolis, any intentions your custom avatar had as a tourist get abandoned; you're immediately recruited by the female guide (for male avatars; the male guide for female characters) to join her team of trainers. You receive a creature from them as your first partner and are sent into the Z-A Championship.

The Championship serves as the centerpiece in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It's comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" progression from earlier titles. However here, you battle a handful of opponents to gain the opportunity to participate in an advancement bout. Succeed and you will be promoted to a higher tier, with the ultimate goal of reaching the top rank.

Live-Action Combat: A New Frontier

Character fights take place at night, while navigating stealthily the assigned battle zones is very entertaining. I'm always trying to surprise an opponent and unleash an unopposed move, because all actions occur instantaneously. Attacks operate on cooldown timers, meaning both combatants can sometimes attack each other concurrently (and knock each other out at once). It's much to get used to initially. Despite gaming for almost thirty hours, I continue to feel like there's plenty to learn regarding using my Pokémon's moves in methods that complement each other. Placement also factors as a significant part in battles as your Pokémon will trail behind you or go to designated spots to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, whereas others must be in close proximity).

The live combat makes battles go so fast that I often repeating sequences through moves in the same order, even when this results in a suboptimal strategy. There's no time to pause during Z-A, and numerous opportunities to get overwhelmed. Creature fights depend on response post-move execution, and that data is still present on the display within Z-A, but whips by rapidly. Sometimes, you can't even read it because taking your eyes off your opponent will spell certain doom.

Exploring Lumiose City

Outside of battle, you will traverse Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though densely packed. Far into the adventure, I continue to find unseen stores and elevated areas to visit. It's also full of charm, and perfectly captures the concept of Pokémon and people living together. Pidgey inhabit its pathways, taking flight as you approach similar to actual city birds obstructing my path while strolling in New York City. The monkey trio joyfully cling from lampposts, 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, exploring Lumiose becomes rote eventually. You may stumble upon a passage you never visited, but it feels identical. The architecture lacks character, and many elevated areas and underground routes provide minimal diversity. Although I never visited the French capital, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for nearly a decade. It's a metropolis where every district differs, and they're all alive with uniqueness that provide character. Lumiose Metropolis doesn't have that. It has beige structures topped with colored roofs and flatly rendered balconies.

Where The Metropolis Really Excels

In which Lumiose City truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I adored the way creature fights within Sword and Shield occur in football-like stadiums, providing them genuine significance and importance. Conversely, battles in Scarlet and Violet happen on a court with few spectators observing. It's very disappointing. Z-A strikes a middle ground between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with diners observing as they dine. A fancy battle society will extend an invitation to a competition, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena with a chandelier (not Chandelure) hanging above. My favorite location is the beautifully designed base of a certain faction with atmospheric illumination and purple partitions. Several distinct battle locales brim with character that's absent from the larger city in general.

The Comfort of Routine

During the Royale, along with quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there's an inescapable sense that, {"I