When I think about Pokémon games, I think about names like FireRed and ShiningPearl. When it comes to ROM hacks, I think of names like Unbound and Infinite Fusion. Then again, I did write an article about Pokémon Banana Version the other day, so maybe my point is already invalid. But Hodgepodge isn't the typical name I'd think to find linked to a game; it makes me think of a confused mess of things, and that's one thing this ROM hack is not.
Hodgepodge Platoon comes from the Pebbler Platoon hacking group, with everyone pitching in to make their own Fakemon. That's where the 'hodgepodge' element comes in, as it's essentially a melting pot of loads of different ideas. There are two abandoned regions, Mystevara and Tennidon, for you to play through too, which is a great idea. It's like an eerier version of the mainline Pokémon games.
This is a ROM hack that you need to think smartly about when playing. The devs say that it's a game where you'll need to make 'educated decisions', and that you'll need to read more about a mon and the moves they use to beat the game rather than just picking your favourite looking critter.
There's also a new battle area called the Battle Factory, a place where you get into random battles to train your skills, described by the devs as 'a gauntlet'. I don't know why that word causes me so much stress, probably from all of the trials I did in the Zelda games where dying would send me back to the beginning!
2.0 brings a whole new second gen of Pokémon to find, a story mode where you can pick up over 250+ fakemon, and lots more battle elements to discover. Head to the Pebbler Platoon Hacks Database for more info!
