blue skies ahead!

💙 Drums of War (Unfinished) - After playing the delight that was Dream of Five, I thought I might play another of Parrhesia's projects! DOW features a unique capture system where players can hire selected enemies they have defeated. The writing is top-notch, as usual, and the assets are just as gorgeous as DOF, even though this one's a bit older! However, I haven't been able to gain much ground in my playthrough. I think it's something to do with the map sizes in the game. Don't let this stop you from finishing a campaign because I still think the story is intriguing! Hopefully, I'll find my muse and eventually continue mine!

💙 Sacred Stones Reforged - A redux of our all-time favorite FEGBA game. Not much to say about this, except that I do love some of the improvements implemented, as well as the new characters introduced here.

💙 The Morrow's Golden Country - A gut-punch I played a few days before my wedding. I was warned that this hack would be a rollercoaster of emotions, and BOY I was still NOT ready for it. The three parties you accompany each have their own motives, and their stories are compelling until all three converge... TMGC is a worthwhile hack to play, and by far one of the best in this new age of romhacking.

💙 Dark Lord and the Maiden of Light - A straightforward hack that deploys your tactician character in battle! This follows the archaic formula of a typical canon Fire Emblem game, where lords come together to defeat a foe, who is then revealed as a great evil seeking to destroy the world. It's so vanilla with carefully placed details that keen players will appreciate discovering.

💙 The Dark Amulet + The Shadow of Dawn - These hacks have me in a chokehold. Vorgus is a masterclass in storytelling, and I cannot stress how gripping the entire saga has been for me... I particularly love the support conversations and how each ending is canon, according to Vorgus... Yet there really are specific pairings to follow so we can see his vision for the story. I'm now anxiously and excitedly awaiting the third and final entry to the trilogy, Tyranny of Light!

💙 Eligor's Spear (Unfinished) - This hack lauds itself as having one of the longest campaigns... I initially expected myself to be gripped by the initial lore revealed in the first few chapters (because oooh we stole a creepy cursed lance, we sure hope this doesn't have any repercussions), but if I am honest, I found very little reason to continue playing after the first eight chapters or so. I find the lead trio a bit uninteresting. It's probably not the game's fault, but rather a personal preference. I know some would say I'm missing out on a good chunk of the story, but who knows? I might find the right motivation to finish this one, too.

💙 The Phantom King + Crowns and Thrones (+ Crowns, Thrones and Rebellions) + Cursed Soul - I am a sucker for lore-heavy stories and those involving a lot of political intrigue! I also enjoyed browsing through the different family genealogies provided by the creator. Cursed Soul is still under ongoing development, but it's been a promising experience so far! (Except for the whole shifting parties aspect, which can get pretty confusing.)

💙 Justice and Pride (Unfinished) - From my understanding, this is one of the more popular hacks, but like Eligor's Spear, I was overcome with a lack of excitement and motivation to finish this hack. I found Aderyn, the main lord, a bit too one-dimensional, but this is an opinion based on the fact that I did not play the game as a whole. If I do find the time and passion once more, I'd like to revisit my playthrough and eventually come to like the protagonist, as I do with all the other hacks I've played.

💙 Life of Seiros - A 3H prequel hack going back hundreds of years before the main story, this focuses on Rhea's path of vengeance against Nemesis, as well as her ascent as Saint Seiros, and most importantly, her bond with Wilhelm, the first Emperor of Adrestia. This is a lovely fan retelling of Rhea's lore that doesn't paint her as a victim of circumstances, but as an active participant in the rewriting of Fodlan's history.

💙 Code of the Black Knights - Another of the more gripping stories, COTBK ranks high in my list of most memorable narratives. This has a split route, a timeskip, and different endings depending on the decisions you make on behalf of the protagonists, Noir and Schwarze. I particularly love the timeskip portraits for every character, and I can tell they were all painstakingly made and designed for the story.

💙 Four Kings - This was such a fun experience, especially since I, too, am the second of three sisters (and one little brother). Because of that, I deeply empathize with Lionel's perception of himself as "insignificant". There's a great emphasis on fraternal love and bonds, the longing for a home, as well as overcoming each other's differences and coming to terms with one's own weaknesses.

The sequel, Dream Spirit, is still currently under development, but is already playable! I've yet to give this a try, even though I know I should, since Lionel plays the lead role here!

💙 The Drowned King - A simple border patrol mission turns into an escape of a lifetime. The protagonist, Randall, embarks on an escape that preludes something greater than himself and his beloved home, as well as a discovery of who he truly is. Like the rest of the handful, this hack also ranks among the most memorable narratives, and the support conversations are just as delectable as TDA and TSOD.

💙 Three Legacies [WIP] (+ The Fall of Shambhala) - I'll be honest: I love 3H stuff as much as the next guy, and it doesn't matter if the story is too far-fetched as long as it's packaged as neatly as these games. I say far-fetched because the story of Three Legacies is that — it's too fantastical in a sense that you'll never see it happening in canon. However, it's also gripping and entertaining because it is so far-fetched!

💙 Bells of Byelen - This hack is considered a love letter to the older Fire Emblem games, including features prominent in FE4 and FE5, but it also plays well as a modern, typical GBA game like FE678. This is the first time I played something that featured a Fatigue System, which meant your units experience a form of exhaustion every time they are deployed in battle. The feature makes for fun unit rotations! And no one gets benched (if not everyone, then some).

💙 Illuminated - Foster brothers Jay and Finch are roped into a cataclysmic conflict spanning worlds and lifetimes. This was another gut-punch I played... I only have a handful of hacks that leave an impression, and this one also ranks among the most memorable narratives.

💙 Milieu [Lex Talionis] - What can I say about this hack that hasn't already been said? A lot of people praised Milieu as a sudden yet welcome shift in gameplay, a far cry from the typical canon Fire Emblem game, especially since it was developed by and for the LT engine. I personally think the story is strange and a bit pretentious... I think it has a reputation for being edgy and all that, but I was more confused than impressed at what I just played. It's probably not for everyone, but if you're looking for a unique experience, this is a good place to start.

💙 Time Marches On (1 Chapter entry for LEAF) [Lex Talionis] - This was my first ever rodeo with the LT engine. For a one-chapter hack, I thought the story was pretty interesting and thought-provoking! I also thought the concept of a year-long battle prep was neat! (Kinda reminded me of FE3H's White Clouds Phase.) I had a blast swapping around the protagonists' skills and stats, and also testing my luck with the base activities! This one I am looking forward to playing more if the creator considers making it a full hack with a fleshed-out story.

💙 Guard of Avelon + Storge - You know games are good when you're looking for more chapters. Guard of Avelon and Storge are two hacks on the shorter side, both having only five chapters each, but packed with lovely narrative and gameplay.

🌸 My previous mini-reviews!