Hard to see the light now; just don't let it go. Things will come out right now. We can make it so.
Three young hopefuls arrive at the Guildleague, a land of promise for adventurers seeking riches, glory, and the chance to change the world. Unprepared as they are to, they will change the world, and the world in turn will change around them.
It is the beginning of the end. How shall they face it?
Hello, FEU! It’s Retina again. I’m proud to introduce a project I’ve been working on for around a year and a half now, Fourthhack (working title). More than my other two projects, I believe this is my unbridled creative vision, and I truly hope you enjoy what I’ve created.
DISCLAIMER: More than any of my other projects were at time of posting, this is a work-in-progress. Many graphical assets especially are either not in yet, or subject to change. There is also a great deal of custom code that may behave in unexpected ways. If you see anything that seems incorrect mechanically, please let me know!
NOTICE: It is extremely strongly recommended that you play on Normal mode for a first run. Some tutorials will not play on Expert and Heroic, and those difficulties are in general designed for those who know how to take full advantage of the game’s unique systems. Also, this hack has been primarily tested on mGBA.
UPS Patch (Apply to a US FE8 rom to start playing! Updated: 8/18/2026): Fourthhack.ups!
Discord (Chat with like-minded fans and give feedback!): Retina Does a Thing!
Github (Dig into the game’s code, and perhaps find hints towards upcoming content!): fourthFiles!
Features:
- A lengthy campaign, with a mix of regular chapters and exciting dungeons to explore, alongside a lategame routesplit!
- Current progress:
- Act 1: 8/8 maps, 2/2 dungeons
- Act 2: 0/8 maps, 0/2 dungeons
- Act 3A: 0/6 maps, 0/1 dungeons
- Act 3B: 0/6 maps, 0/1 dungeons
- Act 3C: 0/3 maps, 0/2 dungeons
- Current progress:
- A massive new skillsystem inspired by Etrian Odyssey!
- Earn SP by leveling up, and spend it to build your units in any way you wish!
- Unlock powerful passives and mighty combat arts to mow down enemies or support your allies!
- Improved status ailments, buffs, and debuffs will be key to victory!
- Earn SP by leveling up, and spend it to build your units in any way you wish!
- Large dungeons to explore!
- Freely navigate within dungeons, stopping to fight bite-sized encounters!
- Discover secrets and deadly enemies, and risk your life for treasure and glory!
- Freely navigate within dungeons, stopping to fight bite-sized encounters!
- A sprawling hub city, Hirschring!
- Talk to your allies, take on quests, and resupply for the journey ahead!
- As the story unfolds, unlock more things to do and ways to prepare!
- Talk to your allies, take on quests, and resupply for the journey ahead!
- A massive roster of units!
- Aside from a small handful of plot-important units, your cast is extremely freeform!
- Build your party from the Guildleague’s massive cast of characters!
- Do you want a well-balanced team of hardened adventurers, a cavalcade of oddballs, or a party of nothing but curates? You have the freedom to teambuild however you wish!
- Aside from a small handful of plot-important units, your cast is extremely freeform!
- An engaging story about finding yourself and holding onto hope in a dying world!
- Far more intricately-evented cutscenes than any prior Retina hack!
- Major moments will be underlined by incredible CGs, drawn by @cordatumcape!
- Far more intricately-evented cutscenes than any prior Retina hack!
- Much more!
- Really, there’s a ton I haven’t even scratched the surface of in this thread!
- Really, there’s a ton I haven’t even scratched the surface of in this thread!
All credits are/will be included in the in-game guide, and will be compiled on this page at a later date.
Special thanks to everyone in Retina Does a Thing for their support and encouragement, and to @ditto for helping me with way too much C code.
Sometimes people leave you, halfway through the wood. Do not let it grieve you; no one leaves for good.
