Attention - this is not a ROM or a mod. I repeat, this is not a ROM or a mod. What you're looking at is a project made by solo developer UndreamedPanic that took them around two years of continuous work to complete. Welcome to the world of Gamma Emerald, an alternative look at the first third of Hoenn, which is currently available in early access for Windows gamers to check out!
This is a mammoth achievement, with UndreamedPanic spending up to 12 hours a day on some days putting everything together. Built in Unreal Engine 5, this game looks like it has the character sprites of the GBA era mixed with levels that look like they've come straight out of Link's Awakening or Echoes of Wisdom on the Switch. It's an amazing game to look at, that juxtaposition of different styles, and if you've been looking at the voxel mod by DramaticShape on the gen1recomp of late, then you'll appreciate how much work has gone into making this game, and the fact that you don't need to download or add a mod to make everything look 3D!
This is a completely fan-made game, and it's available for free on Itch.io. As I said, the game is in early access, which means that UndreamedPanic has released what they have currently completed. That means you'll be able to play around 3-6 hours of gameplay and go up to the third gym. That's not to say that there isn't more that's half finished behind the scenes, but this is currently what has been released. And if you feel like you've got through it all a little too fast, then you can rematch any trainer from the Pokémon Center so long as you've got the first three badges, essentially the only badges currently available.
There are some quality-of-life features that have been added by UndreamedPanic too, including real-time lighting, day/night cycles, egg breeding, a berry system that works with your real clock (8 hours to grow a berry), and peer-to-peer trading, allowing you and your friends to hunt shinys together! You can even play it in VR too!
Pokemon Gamma Emerald by @UndreamedPanic is now playable in VR! pic.twitter.com/bEjLIpnY6g
— LunchAndVR (@LunchAndVR) August 16, 2026
The first Pokémon in your team can follow you around outside of its Pokéball, HMs are automatic, and you have access to your PC and Pokémon boxes at all times - hallelujah!
UndreamedPanic recommends that you'll need Windows 10/11 and 16GB RAM, or 8GB at the very least. They'll be releasing the next chunk of the game past Mauville City when they're ready, but for now, UndreamedPanic is taking a well-earned rest. Building a game like this by hand in Unreal Engine 5 is no easy task, and I can imagine they've got quite a headache now! Congratulations on getting this far, and we can't wait to see where the game heads next!
Head to Itch.io to download it and find out more! (Let's get a version for Mac next, yeah?)
