Narrative-driven gameplay is always what piques my interest. I see a lot of fan games that just add a few extra features or make things more difficult, but coming up with a new concept for a new adventure is what I find the most impressive.
That's exactly what Teon has done with this fully-playable short story ROM hack of Pokémon Emerald, a 1 to 2 hour adventure that sees players going back to a time before trainers, Poké Balls, and the gym battle system. You'll battle bosses, meet new Pokémon forms, and explore the overworld with your partner Pokémon wandering along behind you.
You and your partner Pokémon must team up to discover why rampaging Pokémon have been causing havoc in your quiet mountain home. The whole thing feels very relaxed and story-driven, with Pokémon healing as you walk around and reusable TMs that you can teach to multiple Pokémon. It's the kind of thing you can play while relaxing back with a cup of coffee as opposed to needing 10 cans of Red Bull to get through.
That being said, Teon has made sure that the game provides a balanced challenge without the need to do heavy EXP grinding - taking part in wild battles as you go through the game is enough to get you levelled up sufficiently. You can also teach old moves to Pokémon right from the summary screen, as well as take advantage of quality-of-life adjustments and updated graphics.
Graphically, it kind of reminds me of Dragonyhm, which is a game you should purchase immediately if you've never played it. It doesn't have the same need to grind against enemies, however, so it's much more accessible for novice players. Fire of Sky has touches of Zelda in it too, just with a ton of Pokémon that you know and love. If you like story-based games that you can really immerse yourself in, the kind of game that you think about for weeks after you've finished it like a good book, then give Fire of Sky a try.
Fire of Sky can be patched onto your legally acquired version of Pokémon Emerald and played on your chosen GBA emulator. Check out the official game page for more information!
