- 47
- Posts
- 4
- Years
- Seen Jan 26, 2020
Gotta admit that this hack is -at least- interesting. It's the first and propably the last hack that in my eyes was worth the effort of playing. I won't take much time, dissecting this game to pieces has no point either way. Just left some impressions (both good and bad) and that's all.
The very start of it... Black screen; dates and such. Without changing details like that, there is no starting point. Player won't feel any difference if those details were non-existent or unchanged. Here, they were modified. It really tells a lot. It's keeping things in perspective, gives hope for something fresh. A big plus.
The main characters - especially the boy. Like usual they're brats with really bad taste. It's something i must point out. Why would a boy (in pretty much every game) look so... flashy? Why putting any symbols on him? Especially pokeballs... Those are already everywhere. Let's look at mr. Redwood. Now he looks not only normal but also stylish, dignified. So it is possible. The more colorful the brat is, the more annoying his sprite will be. In this case he looks like a kindergartener. In the original game, Red is just like that. And there is also Blue and he looks cool - or at least not like a pre-schooler. Simple and better. It's about the target - for whom the game mainly is? For children only?
Gadgets. Pokedex for instance. Who really needs that trash nowdays? The very worst part of any pokemon game is this "catch'em all" gibberish. It was created solely to make money. "Catch'em all" means "buy more stuff with our logo" - or simply - "go get more". And pokedex is just like that. It's about numbers, about having them all. Who would waste time on that again?... Mr. Redwood (more of an archeologist than Oak-like invetor) is seeking for apprentices - not pokemon collectors. It's good that he dumped the damn thing into packages rather than making a big halo out of it, but i still think that this particular device is pointless. A map and a radio (pokenav/gear) with a few important contacts are all that player really needs. If it comes to numbers, then keeping ev/iv in check is enough already.
It is absolutely great that the hack is telling us about starter's nature upfront and later about IV and with such obvious detail. These letters are really helpful and are saving A LOT of time - although they're also turning the game into grinder on top of a grinder. Now it's not only about getting levels, but also about catching the right pokemon and preparing. It is an option but not so hidden anymore.
Locations are looking great - especially victory road, desert and snowy mountains. The only minus is how small the map really is. This deserve to be a lot bigger. With this amount of pokemons it just has to be. It was the biggest issue for me after starting; I've checked the map and was discouraged immediately because of how small the region is. Although i have grinded (it was a pleasure) to the limits, i surely felt disappointment at the end. Mostly because i've reached the end of the map.
Storyline is very simple but it's quite edible. Something's going on and somebody must check it out since law enforcement is -per usual- wasting it's funds by doing nothing.
The "bad guys" were interesting. Grunts were mostly fillers (human-like) but the admins and especially their leader were worth remembering. It's propably the first time (after Madam Boss) that the main antagonist is really well made and makes some sense. This lady has character and she's not entirely wrong. What championship? What pokemon league? That's really a trivial matter. A race towards nothingness. And pokeballs? It's only one-sided convenience to reinforce "catch'em all" slogan. She wanted to change something very fundamental. Such adversary is worth respecting - unlike morons like "Magma" or "Aqua" or other "Laser"-phaser nonsense.
Next there is a rival. And he's a... disappointment. There is no conviction in him. He's not trying enough and simply concedes. If he's not trying, if he's not catching up, then why should we grind?...
Finally the ending. I know it is still under development. It's a good news, because this hack NEEDS something big after beating the champion. If not, then all those heavily trained pokemons won't matter. All effort won't matter. All will be lost just like that. This hack deserve a well made end. Something to think about, something nice to let it go.
ps. sorry for "english". I'm still learning and it's still not enough. Without total immersion it's impossible for me to learn anymore.
The very start of it... Black screen; dates and such. Without changing details like that, there is no starting point. Player won't feel any difference if those details were non-existent or unchanged. Here, they were modified. It really tells a lot. It's keeping things in perspective, gives hope for something fresh. A big plus.
The main characters - especially the boy. Like usual they're brats with really bad taste. It's something i must point out. Why would a boy (in pretty much every game) look so... flashy? Why putting any symbols on him? Especially pokeballs... Those are already everywhere. Let's look at mr. Redwood. Now he looks not only normal but also stylish, dignified. So it is possible. The more colorful the brat is, the more annoying his sprite will be. In this case he looks like a kindergartener. In the original game, Red is just like that. And there is also Blue and he looks cool - or at least not like a pre-schooler. Simple and better. It's about the target - for whom the game mainly is? For children only?
Gadgets. Pokedex for instance. Who really needs that trash nowdays? The very worst part of any pokemon game is this "catch'em all" gibberish. It was created solely to make money. "Catch'em all" means "buy more stuff with our logo" - or simply - "go get more". And pokedex is just like that. It's about numbers, about having them all. Who would waste time on that again?... Mr. Redwood (more of an archeologist than Oak-like invetor) is seeking for apprentices - not pokemon collectors. It's good that he dumped the damn thing into packages rather than making a big halo out of it, but i still think that this particular device is pointless. A map and a radio (pokenav/gear) with a few important contacts are all that player really needs. If it comes to numbers, then keeping ev/iv in check is enough already.
It is absolutely great that the hack is telling us about starter's nature upfront and later about IV and with such obvious detail. These letters are really helpful and are saving A LOT of time - although they're also turning the game into grinder on top of a grinder. Now it's not only about getting levels, but also about catching the right pokemon and preparing. It is an option but not so hidden anymore.
Locations are looking great - especially victory road, desert and snowy mountains. The only minus is how small the map really is. This deserve to be a lot bigger. With this amount of pokemons it just has to be. It was the biggest issue for me after starting; I've checked the map and was discouraged immediately because of how small the region is. Although i have grinded (it was a pleasure) to the limits, i surely felt disappointment at the end. Mostly because i've reached the end of the map.
Storyline is very simple but it's quite edible. Something's going on and somebody must check it out since law enforcement is -per usual- wasting it's funds by doing nothing.
The "bad guys" were interesting. Grunts were mostly fillers (human-like) but the admins and especially their leader were worth remembering. It's propably the first time (after Madam Boss) that the main antagonist is really well made and makes some sense. This lady has character and she's not entirely wrong. What championship? What pokemon league? That's really a trivial matter. A race towards nothingness. And pokeballs? It's only one-sided convenience to reinforce "catch'em all" slogan. She wanted to change something very fundamental. Such adversary is worth respecting - unlike morons like "Magma" or "Aqua" or other "Laser"-phaser nonsense.
Next there is a rival. And he's a... disappointment. There is no conviction in him. He's not trying enough and simply concedes. If he's not trying, if he's not catching up, then why should we grind?...
Finally the ending. I know it is still under development. It's a good news, because this hack NEEDS something big after beating the champion. If not, then all those heavily trained pokemons won't matter. All effort won't matter. All will be lost just like that. This hack deserve a well made end. Something to think about, something nice to let it go.
ps. sorry for "english". I'm still learning and it's still not enough. Without total immersion it's impossible for me to learn anymore.
