So, yes, like many fans of SOM, I played it in my starry-eyed youth, and it’s always been a very special game to me. Like any work of art or just something we love from our past, I’m bit a bit guarded about it being messed with too much. We’ve seen plenty of great vanilla games hacked for better and for worse. However, knowing that this revision of SOM was in the capable hands of Tomm, I decided to give it a go and I am soooo glad I did!

While his previous incredible hack, SOM plus, added fresh, world expanding material, Climate Crisis, is ultimately someplace between being a super fun new “quest” with a bunch of great QOL and aesthetic improvements and a radically different vision of the game. Yet, unlike many romhacks I’ve played that employ a bit too much creative freedom with the source material, this excellent hack never feels like it’s straying too far from the spirit of the original game. Even when some of the new scenarios are pretty wild at times LOL. But, let me just touch on a few things that I loved so much specifically.

While the switched climate areas were arguably more beautiful than the original SOM areas, the game really shines for me in just all the little fun surprise changes. Indeed, this is not at all just a temple order switch/graphics hack. While the basic plot is still intact, this is almost a completely new game in many respects! The dialogue, layouts of the dungeons, caves, etc. are mostly completely new experiences. This team really seems to understand what made this game so appealing in terms of the actual feel of it and turned that up to the max. Not only are certain areas that appear in the original SOM given more depth and lore, a lot of the time there are actual additional steps added to complete a particular part of the game. A lot of which felt missing from the original incarnation of the game. What was so remarkable to me was that they were able to keep me guessing for the entire game! It was honestly playing out as too good to be true and from the second I fell from the frozen waterfall to the final end screen, I was being wowed with new material, laughing at loud at the fun little homages of sorts, and just having a blast.

The only semi critical things I have to say are just more of a matter of taste. While super fun, some of the new material verges briefly on parody if not fully embracing that approach during a couple of scenes. My only other slight gripe is that maybe just one plot twist seems silly in light of the character that it involves and seems somewhat out of place in the mana fortress, but maybe that’s just my own bias haha. You’ll see what I mean and you can be the judge. However, the overall revision of the plot creates richer connections between the mana world and characters. Indeed, I love how some one shot characters in the original are given mutiple cameos and more development too.

But what can I say, I’m of the ilk of romhack gamer that loves to think, “wow. it’s just as if Square-Enix decided to remix an old classic” or “wowzers, it’s just as if we’re getting a lost alternate version of the game discovered in from company x’s 1994 archives”. In short, something that feels like an authentic throwback to the era. I could totally see how that might not be appealing to other people who want to spice things up a bit and not be limited to trying and emulate a bygone era. Sure, maybe getting to monkey around a bit more is the beauty of doing a romhack version and not just trying to 100% replicate the tone of the OG vanilla.

That being said, Climate Crisis, when it leans into I guess the more poignant and philosophical side of SOM, it stands toe to toe with the OG. Actually, I even enjoyed the farcical stuff and thought it was genuinely funny even if it undermines the old school feel just a little. More people will actually probably enjoy the occasional bit of wackiness too. But, I don’t want to ignore the fact the overall vibe to Climate Crisis and resolution is anything but too jokey and, in IMO, it couldn’t be a more heartfelt nod to this beloved classic.

Oh, BTW, I experienced one little glitch after (don’t want to spoil the identity) the boss before the absolute final boss. Upon defeating it, I guess nothing flagged for the next chain of events to happen. I was intially horrified because I didn’t think I could finish the game. But, as there was a save right before, I was able to repeat without any real hassle and this didn’t occur after 2 more little trials. So, if anyone experiences that, maybe just reset and enter from the actual game save instead of a save state? That seemed to work.

Ok, thanks to the creators of CLIMATE CRISIS, what a talented group of Rom Hackers. I couldn’t believe how fun, detailed, and inventive this game was! Feel free to make more excellent games!