Pokémon Legends: Z-A - A Fresh Transformation Yet Staying Faithful to Its Origins

I don't recall exactly how the tradition began, but I always name all my Pokémon trainers Glitch.

Be it a main series game or a spinoff like Pokkén Tournament DX along with Pokémon Go — the name never changes. Malfunction switches between male and female characters, featuring dark and violet locks. Sometimes their style is flawless, as seen in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest installment in this long-running franchise (and among the most fashion-focused entries). At other moments they're confined to the assorted academic attire designs of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. But they're always Malfunction.

The Constantly Changing World of Pokemon Titles

Similar to my characters, the Pokemon titles have transformed across installments, with certain superficial, some substantial. However at their core, they remain identical; they're consistently Pokemon through and through. Game Freak uncovered an almost flawless mechanics system approximately 30 years ago, and just recently seriously tried to innovate upon it with games such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus (new era, your character faces peril). Across all iteration, the fundamental mechanics cycle of capturing and fighting alongside adorable monsters has stayed consistent for nearly as long as I've been alive.

Shaking Conventions with Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Similar to Arceus before it, with its lack of arenas and focus on creating a Pokédex, Pokémon Legends: Z-A brings several changes to that framework. It takes place entirely in a single location, the Paris-inspired Lumiose Metropolis of Pokémon X and Y, ditching the region-spanning journeys of earlier games. Pokemon are intended to live together alongside humans, battlers and civilians, in manners we have merely glimpsed before.

Even more drastic than that Z-A's live-action combat mechanics. It's here the franchise's near-perfect core cycle experiences its most significant evolution yet, swapping deliberate sequential bouts for more frenetic action. And it's thoroughly enjoyable, even as I feel eager for another turn-based release. Although these changes to the traditional Pokemon recipe sound like they form an entirely fresh experience, Pokémon Legends: Z-A feels as recognizable as any other Pokemon game.

The Heart of the Adventure: The Z-A Royale

Upon initially reaching at Lumiose Metropolis, whatever plans your custom avatar planned as a visitor get abandoned; you're promptly enlisted by the female guide (for male avatars; Urbain for female characters) to become part of their squad of trainers. You receive a creature from them 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 comparable to the traditional "arena symbols to final challenge" advancement of past games. But here, you battle several opponents to gain the chance to compete in an advancement bout. Succeed and you'll be elevated to a higher tier, with the final objective of reaching rank A.

Live-Action Combat: A New Frontier

Trainer battles take place at night, while navigating stealthily the assigned combat areas is quite enjoyable. I'm always trying to surprise a rival and launch an unopposed move, since everything happens instantaneously. Moves function with cooldown timers, meaning both combatants can sometimes attack each other concurrently (and defeat each other simultaneously). It's a lot to get used to at first. Despite playing for nearly 30 hours, I continue to feel like there's much to master regarding employing my creatures' attacks in ways that work together synergistically. Placement also plays a significant part in battles since your creatures will trail behind you or move to designated spots to perform attacks (certain ones are distant, while others need to be up close and personal).

The real-time action 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's no time to breathe in Z-A, and plenty of chances to get overwhelmed. Pokémon battles depend on feedback after using an attack, and that information is still present on screen in Z-A, but flashes past quickly. Occasionally, you can't even read it because diverting attention from your adversary will result in immediate defeat.

Navigating Lumiose Metropolis

Away from combat, you'll explore Lumiose City. It's fairly compact, though tightly filled. Deep into the game, I'm still discovering unseen stores and rooftops to explore. It's also full of charm, and perfectly captures the concept of creatures and humans living together. Common bird Pokemon inhabit its pathways, flying away 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 insect creatures such as Kakuna cling to trees.

An emphasis on urban life represents a fresh approach for the franchise, and a welcome one. Nonetheless, navigating the city grows repetitive over time. You might discover a passage you haven't been to, but it feels identical. The building design lacks character, and most rooftops and underground routes offer little variety. Although I never visited the French capital, the model behind Lumiose, I reside in New York for almost ten years. It's a city where no two blocks differs, and all are alive with uniqueness that give them soul. Lumiose City doesn't have that. It has tan buildings with blue or red roofs and simply designed terraces.

Where Lumiose City Truly Shines

Where the city truly stands out, surprisingly, is inside buildings. I loved how Pokémon battles in Sword & Shield take place in arena-like venues, giving them genuine significance and meaning. On the flipside, fights within Scarlet & Violet take place on a court with few spectators watching. It's very disappointing. Z-A finds a balance between both extremes. You'll battle in eateries with patrons watching as they dine. An elite combat club will extend an invitation to a tournament, and you'll battle in its rooftop arena under a lighting fixture (not the Pokemon) suspended overhead. The most memorable spot is the elegantly decorated base of the Rust Syndicate with its moody lighting and purple partitions. Various individual battle locales overflow with personality that's absent from the larger city as a whole.

The Familiarity of Routine

Throughout the Royale, as well as quelling rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon and completing the Pokédex, there is an unavoidable feeling of, {"I