>>42779727Route is pretty kino with one issue: free healing. Why even have the rival fight right there when you're fully healed? The entire thing would have been so much better if you couldn't heal anywhere. That would mean going to a Pokemon Center would involve walking aaaaaaaaaaaaaall the way back to Mauville. The Pokemon games are so afraid to actually put the player outside of their comfort zone. Forcing players to either admit defeat and run away or drain through their stockpiled items to keep going would be kino. It's already there to some extent, but they completely dull the blade right at the end, when it should be providing you with a real challenge for once.
Still one of the most memorable and involved routes in any Pokemon game.
