Pokémon Korosu (GBA) – Dark Revenge Story in a Corrupted Pokémon World
Game Information
Original Game (ROM Base): Pokémon FireRed (GBA)
Hack Status: Completed, Final, 7/23/16
Language: English
Content Type: Story-driven hack with darker themes and gameplay tweaks
Related Hacks: Spiritual sequel to Pokémon Outlaw
Table Of Contents
About This ROM Hack
Korosu is a lot darker than anything in the mainline series. Violence, crime, dark humor, and profanity show up regularly throughout the game — it earns at least a Teen rating, probably Mature depending on your threshold. If that's not your thing, worth knowing before you go in.
Pokémon Korosu is made by Crizzle (Chris Rose), and it marks a clear shift from his earlier work. His previous hacks leaned into comedy and absurdity — Korosu doesn't. It's a serious, narrative-driven experience that uses the Pokémon setting to tell a story about revenge, crime, and corruption. The tone is grounded and intentional, not edgy for the sake of it.
It shares a universe with Pokémon Outlaw, so there's some connective tissue between the two if you've played that. But Korosu works completely on its own — no prior knowledge needed, and the story doesn't require any outside context to follow.
On the gameplay side, it's been modernized. Battle mechanics are updated, and there are quality-of-life improvements that make it feel smoother than the base game it's built on. Visually, it still looks like the era it comes from, which actually works in its favor — there's something about the contrast between the familiar art style and the darker subject matter that adds to the atmosphere.
Story Overview
The protagonist is a young woman whose family has been murdered and who has been kidnapped by a mafia-like criminal group. She escapes and embarks on a journey of revenge against those who ruined her life.The story unfolds in two parts:
- Sevii Islands: Controlled by criminal factions; early-game story focuses on survival and revenge.
- Kanto: A post-Outlaw region in chaos; the sequel storyline continues with new challenges and darker events.
Key Features
- Physical/Special/Status split for modernized battle mechanics.
- BW2-style repel system – prompts to use another repel when one expires.
-
Gen IV–VI Pokémon included (small selection; some are given to player, most as opponents):
- Shinx and evolutions, Leafeon, Glaceon, Roserade, Weavile, Gallade, Lucario, and others.
- Pokémon Tournament replaces Elite Four/League – 64-trainer bracket inspired by NCAA March Madness.
- New story, events, and characters – a unique Pokémon journey beyond the standard 8 badges + evil team formula.
- High player agency and combat freedom – main character kills enemies frequently (story-based).
- Running from the start – no need for special shoes, indoors or outdoors.
- Trainer facing fixed – trainers now face the player properly during battles.
- Trade evolutions via Moon Stone or Water Stone.
- No fishing – intentionally omitted.
- High difficulty – especially early-game; players are put in challenging situations.
- Starter Pokémon – hidden for plot/impact; discoverable through gameplay.
Known Bugs & Issues
Major bugs fixed after release:
- Old man in Salone House disappearing after certain flag events (fixed 7/12/16).
- Lance dialogue confusion and missing Dragon Claw TM after Fortune Island quest (fixed 7/21/16).
Minor/known bugs:
- Rare (<0.1%) chance of losing against Admin Sergi in opening sequence.
- Minor movement issues in first room.
- Access restrictions to certain islands if previously defeated.
- Gen IV–VI Pokémon size/footprint data inaccurate in Pokédex.
- Thunder Fang/Ice Fang moves don’t behave exactly like official games.
- Birth Island may glitch music.
- Ember Spa can only be used once per visit per area.
Screenshots
Download Links
Developer Information
Developer / Team: Crizzle
Credits:
- Glasikino – main character sprite
- Diegoisawesome – guides/tools
- FBI & Joexv – ASM routine assistance
- Spherical Ice & Mr. DollStreak – overworld sprites and inspiration
- Doesn’tknowhowtoplay, Jambo51, Darthatron – PSS patch and icons
- Kyledove, El Diabeetus, Rodriguezjames55, Danny317, Dionen, Vendily – opponent sprites
- Supersoursky – resized DS trainer sprites
- Romancandle, Dream Engine, Chaos Rush – move animations
- Community feedback and testers
Source & References
Official Thread / Website: Pokecommunity
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to play Pokémon Outlaw first?A: No, Pokémon Korosu is standalone, though it references events from Outlaw.
Q: Who is this hack for?
A: Players looking for a dark, story-heavy Pokémon experience with mature themes.
Q: How dark is the game?
A: Very—violence, crime, dark humor, and strong language.
Q: Are there gyms and an Elite Four?
A: No, replaced by a 64-trainer tournament.
Q: Is it difficult?
A: Yes, especially in the early stages.
Q: Are there multiple regions?
A: Yes, Sevii Islands and Kanto, both reimagined with darker themes.
){kind=link}