Edit: This game is a must buy!! You should add a sound test menu for the awesome soundtrack that lets the music play while the graphic display of the city and seas show. Kind of like how the space shuttle on the Saturn cd audio menu displays.
Great intro as well, Happy holidays!!
I played this on the grey Japanese Saturn console with the Satiator ode with firmware FW163 MNU71 and through the Satiator Psuedo Menu Kai V6.545 app. In the menu kai app, I went to "Loader settings", highlight "BRAM mode" and select "Autodump" to keep saved data between the SD card and internal memory. Because even with a new battery installed into my Saturn, I randomly lost my saved data of completing the game with Paolo (Although I have already beat the game with him 3 times thus far). Loading times are what they are because like you've mentioned, this game contains a lot of assets and the technical marvel that you've achieved with this project is worth the patience on loading times.
Had barely any problems with playing as Paolo 1st (aside from a few freezes after completing a stage) but playing as Vince, I noticed a glitch on the sniper scene whenever I killed an enemy before he found his position to start shooting back and the game wouldn't proceed to the next scenario. His magnum gun also doesn't seem to damage the enemy as well as Paolo's pistol does. The only other problem that I've noticed with both characters is receiving random damage while hiding behind walls (mainly in the rescue missions, the bookstore scene on level 1, and the beginning of stage 3 with trying to run and hid behind the brick pillar wall to dodge the guys shooting their shotguns at me). Still having a great time with the game regardless and am glad to see this project getting the love that it (and you) deserves!