Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is a ROM hack of Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, developed by MrGreen3319. It features an original story set in a new continent, with new characters, classes, skills, items, weapons, maps, music, graphics, and gameplay mechanics. It is one of the most popular and well-made hacks in the Fire Emblem community, but is it worth playing? In this article, we will review the hack's gameplay, story, and presentation, as well as its pros and cons.
Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is a ROM hack that modifies Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, a tactical role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance. The hack was released in 2019, after several years of development. It has two versions: a normal version that follows the original game's engine and mechanics, and a gaiden version that introduces new features inspired by Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem. The hack also has several difficulty modes, including a reverse mode that makes enemies attack first on both phases.
The hack's main features and changes include:
The pros of the hack are:
The cons of the hack are:
The gameplay of Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is similar to the original game, but with some notable differences and additions. The hack follows the turn-based tactical combat system, where the player controls a group of units and moves them on a grid-based map to fight enemies, complete objectives, and advance the story. The units have various stats, classes, weapons, items, skills, and supports that affect their performance and interactions. The hack also has a permadeath feature, where units that die in battle are gone forever, unless the player resets the game.
One of the most significant changes in the hack is the trading system. Unlike the original game, where units can only trade one item at a time with one adjacent ally, the hack allows units to trade multiple items with multiple allies within their movement range. This makes inventory management easier and more flexible, as units can swap items without wasting their turn or relying on a specific unit. The hack also allows units to access the convoy from anywhere on the map, as long as they have an empty inventory slot. This means that units can store or retrieve items without needing a supply unit or a base.
Another new feature in the hack is the relics. Relics are special items that grant temporary stat boosts to units when equipped. They can be found in chests, shops, villages, or dropped by enemies. There are different types of relics that affect different stats, such as strength, speed, defense, resistance, etc. Relics can be very useful for enhancing a unit's performance or overcoming a difficult situation. However, relics have limited durability and can break after a certain number of uses. They also take up an inventory slot and cannot be traded or stored in the convoy.
A unique feature in the hack is the reverse mode. Reverse mode is an optional difficulty mode that makes enemies attack first on both phases. This means that the player has to deal with enemy attacks before they can move their units or counterattack. This adds a new layer of challenge and strategy to the gameplay, as the player has to plan ahead and anticipate enemy actions. Reverse mode also affects some gameplay mechanics, such as weapon triangle, critical hits, skills, etc. Reverse mode can be toggled on or off at any time from the options menu.
The map design of Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is one of its strengths. The hack features new maps with different layouts, terrains, objectives, enemies, and events. The maps are designed to be challenging and varied, requiring the player to adapt to different situations and use different strategies. Some maps have environmental hazards such as fog of war, traps, weather effects, etc. Some maps have branching paths or multiple objectives that affect the outcome of the story. Some maps have hidden secrets or optional sidequests that reward the player with extra items or units.
The story of Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is original and independent from the original game. It is set in a new continent called Elibeia, where two rival kingdoms are at war: Valmira and Zephyr. The hack follows the journey of two protagonists: Leonidas and Liana, who are siblings and heirs of Valmira. They are forced to flee their homeland after it is invaded by Zephyr's army, led by a mysterious man named Zane. Along the way, they meet new allies and enemies, uncover secrets and conspiracies, and face their own personal struggles.
The plot summary of Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is as follows:
The presentation of Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is impressive and appealing. The hack showcases a high level of artistic skill and creativity, as well as technical proficiency and polish. The hack features new graphics, music, and writing that enhance the overall experience of the game.
The graphics of Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride are stunning and beautiful. The hack uses custom sprites, animations, portraits, backgrounds, icons, menus, etc. that are made by the author or borrowed from other sources. The hack also uses some graphical effects such as weather, lighting, shadows, etc. that add more realism and atmosphere to the game. The hack's graphics are faithful to the original game's style, but also add some originality and flair.
The music of Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is catchy and memorable. The hack uses custom tracks, sound effects, voice clips, etc. that are composed by the author or taken from other sources. The hack's music covers a wide range of genres, moods, themes, etc. that suit the different situations and scenes of the game. The hack's music is fitting to the original game's tone, but also adds some diversity and charm.
The writing of Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is well-written and engaging. The hack uses custom dialogue, narration, descriptions, etc. that are written by the author or inspired by other sources. The hack's writing conveys the personality, emotions, motivations, etc. of the characters, as well as the plot, setting, themes, etc. of the story. The hack's writing is consistent with the original game's voice, but also adds some humor and flair.
Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride is a ROM hack that deserves praise and recognition. It is a remarkable work of art that showcases the talent and passion of its creator and the Fire Emblem community. It offers a gameplay experience that is challenging and fun, a story experience that is compelling and original, and a presentation experience that is impressive and appealing. It is a hack that can appeal to both fans and newcomers of the Fire Emblem series, as well as anyone who enjoys tactical role-playing games.
If you are looking for a ROM hack that will test your skills, immerse you in a new world, and entertain you with its quality and creativity, then you should definitely try Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride. You can download it from the link below and play it on an emulator or a flashcart. You will not regret it.
Download link: [Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride]
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about Fire Emblem: Justice and Pride: