Pokemon Scorched Silver review

I just finished the Latest version of Pokemon Scorched Silver by Sloo (version 1.3) and I think it may be amongst the best ROM hacks ever made. I wanna bring a little more attention to it since it seems to have been overshadowed by some other hacks that came out this year like Emerald Seaglass. Put plainly, I think it offers a familiar pokemon experience ( 8 gyms, elite four, evil team to defeat) but acts as a homage to the Johto games that makes excellent call backs to the originals while maintaining its own identity. I know that a lot of people had issues with the level curve and the lack of some QOL features but I’m happy to say that the developer has answered all those concerns by adding a nurse joy in the pokecenters to grind against for fast EXP and a npc that changes nature in the first major city. I often feel that a lot of rom hacks try to add too much or be so unique to its own detriment and are difficult just for difficulty sakes, I was always challenged in this game but I never felt underprepared or as though the odds were stacked against me, Scorched silver really feels like an actual sequel that could have been officially released. It may be my favorite rom hack that I’ve played and is the only one that I immediately started a second play through of after the final battle (against a familiar face that is also a throwback to the classic games) 10/10 experience. And I hope this helps to encourage some of those who were turned off by the initial release and those who haven’t heard of it to give this Rom Hack a chance. My pick for best ROM Hack of 2024.