Pokemon ROM Hack Review #1: Pokemon Brown
NuMetalManiak Well, what do you guys know, I'm actually reviewing more ROM hacks, this time for a game you all know and love (or hate). Now, whether or not I get to reviewing Pokemon Red/Blue, that will probably be for the RPG review but it's not on my itinerary at the moment, nor do I plan to have it there for awhile. But in the meantime, I have played Pokemon Brown, a ROM hack of Pokemon Red which does quite a lot of stuff. So I'll just go ahead and outline some things that Pokemon Brown has.-First and foremost, the region in this game is Rijon, and it is not any of the regions that are in any of the main games. However, a snippet of Johto is accessible which is Azalea Town, and you can even battle in the gym there, although in this case since it's not the Rijon region you don't get a badge, just one of two Pokemon you can catch later.
-And speaking of, this game has quite a lot of Gen-2's added into the mix to differentiate it from a Gen-1 game. Expect to find Gligar, Marill, Natu, Swinub, and a few other Gen-2 Pokemon, including some legendaries. But not every single one is here. Also no Hoenn or Sinnoh Pokemon or anything from future generations apart from all the Eeveelutions, certain other evolutions like Electivire and Magmortar, and one particular fossil line.
-A few TMs are changed, like Water Gun has become Octazooka for example. One HM, Flash, isn't used.
-Most of the Gym leaders' preferred types are changed too. Brock now uses Water types and is called Karpman while Misty uses Ice types. Some haven't changed though, like Lt. Surge and Erika who still use their own Electric and Grass types.
-There's some sort of algorithm determining which legendaries show up. I'm not sure what it is but you could catch either Mewtwo or Mew, or can catch Raikou or Zapdos. But NOT both.
-NEW TYPES, yep this game has new types. They are Sound (weak to Normal of all things but invulnerable to itself, includes Pokemon like Jigglypuff), Gas (both weak and strong to Fire, includes Pokemon like Koffing), Abnormal (things that aren't Ghost and aren't normal, obviously, also weak to Normal and Flying, includes Pokemon like Ditto), Wood (Also weak to Fire, includes Pokemon like Exeggcutor), and Wind (strong to Fire and Rock, I don't know any Pokemon with this type though).
-New items for evolution, including the Trade Stone since this game is a ROM hack and therefore tough to utilize trade evolutions, instead the Trade Stone helps get that Alakazam or Gengar or what not.
-A special trainer named Pallet Patroller appears in the eighth Gym and then later as the ultimate challenge in the final dungeon with Level 100 Pokemon, namedropping the sequel which I'm playing after this!
So how did I play?
Well, I used to be the kind of Pokemon player who overpowers their starter while having some other marginally useful Pokemon with HMs. This time, I had a diverse team working with multiple move types. I still kept an offensive team lineup really and truly, but this time with most of them being at the same base level with workable power moves. I released most of the Pokemon I was never gonna use (because it's a hassle having to save multiple times to change boxes) and went with what I got. If you must know, my heavy hitters for this game were all the Eeveelutions (yes, all of them including Sylveon), Charizard (my starter), the three Johto starters (purchasable from the Game Corner), Alakazam, Houndoom, Xatu, Crobat, Electivire, Tyranitar, Magnezone, Mamoswine, Weavile, and Tangrowth. I switch each of them to fit which battle I take on and as a result things worked out better. This ROM hack does provide proper challenge, and it helps to get everything. Overall though, very good.