I've just finished playing through the current version and in case someone is still debating whether or not to play this ROM hack, here's my review of it.
Gameplay:
The game at first seems like any other game with the GSC engine. There are, however, small changes that really spice things up, such as the introduction of Pokemon from generations beyond the 2nd, as well as Alolan forms of Pokemon. One feature I really appreciated while playing was the increased surfing speed; it's a small change most wouldn't bother with, bu has a huge quality of life effect as you'll be surfing most of the time while travelling from place to place. Gameplay, overall, was really enjoyable. 5/5
Difficulty:
The levels of trainer's Pokemon ramp up noticeably quicker than in the official games. However, you're getting levels faster as well. Game is actually really balanced and one usually follows the level curve, with the exception of boss battles that are usually higher level than you. Speaking of which, this game's bosses may offer a challenge even to more experienced players. It took me a couple of tries to defeat some of them, but each time I just quickly reset and tried again, as victory seemed perfectly achievable, I just needed to plan my moves a bit better and have a little bit of luck. I'd rate this game's diffculty as 4/5; it's a bit challenging but never feels unfair to the player.
Map design:
I couldn't wait to praise this one. Because you're constantly surfing over large bodies of water, finding a bunch of small islands on the way, it gives the map a very open-world feel. Despite have very little to go off of, each islands feels unique and has its own charm. The map has a very unique shape so you'll sometimes need to backtrack - which is fine as it breaks the linearity. It's one of the best maps I've ever seen in a ROM hack! 5/5
Visuals:
So much can go wrong when making sprites of newer Pokemon for Gen 2. And I gotta say, most of the sprites look really nice; that being said, there are a couple of less nice ones, a consequence of Pokemon designs getting more complex over the years, thus making them harder to adapt for GBC. Same goes for the NPC sprites, from custom ones for the Orange crew to subtle changes to add a bit of charm like Brock wearing his anime clothes. Tileset has been changed a bit to give the whole thing a tropical look and while it's nothing mind-blowing, it does its job just fine. Overall, this hack is visually pleasant and distinct. 4/5
Sound:
This hack bothered to change most of the original soundtrack and replaced it with GBC remixes of newer soundtracks. And, it might be just me, but hearing the Gen 3 music in a GBC game made me feel fuzzy inside. The remixes themselves are very good and there has clearly been an effort to make the game not only look good, but also sound good. 5/5
Closing words/Miscellaneous thoughts:
As someone who has played many hacks over the years, I have to say, this is some top tier stuff. While it might not be my favorite hack of all time, I'd definitely put it among my top 5. This hack decided to rid itself of its Pokemon anime shackles in favor of being the game first and anime adaptation second which allowed it to become unique and more creative than most Orange Islands hacks. Also, you've mentioned that Pokemon Naranja inspired you to start hacking and, as someone who played through that classic years ago, I prefer this over Naranja - no thinking. Overall, this hack deserves a 5/5, if you like Pokemon ROM hacks, you must not miss out on this one.
Thank you for giving me a very enjoyable experience over the last couple of days. I can't wait for the full release! Keep up the good work!