I've played this game through to the end, and I will say, I did have a good time. Despite this, there are many, MANY things about this game that really struck me funny. However, before we get to the bad, let's get to the good. The new sprites are cool, but some of the Pokémon are underwhelming. (I personally caught the Bunny Pokémon and was distinctly underwhelmed, even though it's a great defensive tank). Trainer rosters have been changed, but not every single one of them, although seeing some of the new Pokémon was cool. It brought me back to the days of Emerald when I didn't have a strategy guide and knew nothing about anything. However, let's get to the flaws. For one instance, the story's quite...weird, with much focus on Angelleon (or whatever it is). I can tell the game hacker really likes this thing, since it's been mentioned in all 3 of his hacks. It's alright, but it doesn't do it for me (mainly because it's been ages since I've played the other two). Depth wise, the game has a lot going for it, but my main issue is TOO MUCH BACKTRACKING. Seriously, backtracking takes up a good THIRD of the game. It gets VERY ANNOYING and it gets annoying quickly. However, when you get the HM for fly, it becomes more tolerable. The map is also confusing and I found myself getting lost very easily. Difficulty wise, the Trainer levels are very inconsistent, but they do provide SOME challenge. The rematchable Gym Leaders are in their 80's and it's satisfying to see some powerful new Pokémon and new moves. Overall, the game is...decidedly OK. The overabundance of backtracking and meshing difficulty are what turns the game off for me. But don't let that deter you from playing this game; try it and play for yourself!
I've played this game through to the end, and I will say, I did have a good time. Despite this, there are many, MANY things about this game that really struck me funny. However, before we get to the bad, let's get to the good. The new sprites are cool, but some of the Pokémon are underwhelming. (I personally caught the Bunny Pokémon and was distinctly underwhelmed, even though it's a great defensive tank). Trainer rosters have been changed, but not every single one of them, although seeing some of the new Pokémon was cool. It brought me back to the days of Emerald when I didn't have a strategy guide and knew nothing about anything. However, let's get to the flaws. For one instance, the story's quite...weird, with much focus on Angelleon (or whatever it is). I can tell the game hacker really likes this thing, since it's been mentioned in all 3 of his hacks. It's alright, but it doesn't do it for me (mainly because it's been ages since I've played the other two). Depth wise, the game has a lot going for it, but my main issue is TOO MUCH BACKTRACKING. Seriously, backtracking takes up a good THIRD of the game. It gets VERY ANNOYING and it gets annoying quickly. However, when you get the HM for fly, it becomes more tolerable. The map is also confusing and I found myself getting lost very easily. Difficulty wise, the Trainer levels are very inconsistent, but they do provide SOME challenge. The rematchable Gym Leaders are in their 80's and it's satisfying to see some powerful new Pokémon and new moves. Overall, the game is...decidedly OK. The overabundance of backtracking and meshing difficulty are what turns the game off for me. But don't let that deter you from playing this game; try it and play for yourself!