Pokémon Coda is a plot and world-building-focused game around three hours long, with two main chapters and eight side quests so far. The story revolves around Ray, a veteran trainer who has already challenged the league and is now settled down in his hometown. After a mysterious Mimikyu leaves a note for Ray, he searches for Eli, the current champion of the Prima League who has been missing for two years. Join Ray as he explores the bustling Prima City and its diverse districts while experiencing a personal and emotional story!
I am planning on having five main chapters in total but the game is currently on 2.0 with the first two chapters released. Each chapter will showcase a new area of Prima City.
The game is made with online and fanmade assets, with some graphics created by me. Full credits can be found in the link to the game!
I started this project in my spare time based on a single story idea: what happens to the kids that become Champions? How do they deal with fame, pride, and relationships? The Pokémon universe is perfect to explore these questions as we see young kids reaching incredible heights and inspiring others, but not much of the negative side of a world bent on sending children to compete with each other.
I also wanted to feature queer characters prominently in the story, with the two main characters in a relationship and many other side characters being queer as well. As a queer kid who played a lot of Pokémon, I wanted to create a game where I could see myself represented in a world that I spent so much time imagining about!
As fan games are made for veterans of the series who are looking for something different, the battles are often tough and the player is encouraged to explore and find secrets. However, mechanically, this game does not expand upon the basic battling systems, instead focusing more on narrative, quests, and world-building.
I think the story centered more around personal relationships and growth makes the game unique compared to games that deal with serious evil teams or world-shattering powers. This is game that is built around its stories and less so its mechanics, and the gameplay and world act to serve a larger narrative.
In addition, the world is built to be very explorable and dense with things to do. Through the side quests and map design focused on interaction (eg. NPC lore, hidden and optional vendors, event encounters, and challenges), the player gets to see different facets of Prima City and the Pokemon world, from the stress of a Pokemon berry researcher to immigrants from Johto establishing a new home in a foreign city. The battles, encounters, and teams are also curated to tell these stories. The game is short and the maps are small, but there is a lot to be discovered!
The game is not very long so far (and will not be that long when it is completed), so the experience is meant to be more short and focused. The player will get a snapshot of this world and its characters, seeing the Pokemon world in a different light!
