[review deleted and reformatted — sorry for any confusion!]
After having played this character for… (checks release date) about two months now, I think I can finally leave a fair review.
Honey is absolutely one of my favorite SRB2 add-ons to date. She's not too simple, but not too complicated — using Jump, Spin, Custom 1, and nothing more — so the learning curve isn't as steep. Her mobility feels absolutely wonderful and the sprites have so much personality to them, and I can honestly say I've come to appreciate the character itself more due to this addon alone.
Particular things I like about the mod:
Using Cat Pounce in the air for that forward thrust feels so nice when correctly applied. It's almost like a more natural-feeling thok. The ability to use it twice is also very fun for traversing gaps and the like.
I also enjoy the auto-attack she has when close to other enemies. Though this isn't the first instance of this gimmick, it works well with her kit and maintaining momentum.
The Wings system overall is also great. She may only have two wings, but they're somehow just enough to both remain airborne for large amounts of time and still be back to the ground to recharge without breaking the flow.
Iffier things:
The Moon Kick is about what's you'd expect. It's definitely not a bad thing — goes well with her kit, as does everything else — but it's not something I particularly loved or hated. She wouldn't be the same character without it, though, with it being the main starter to a chain.
Hyper Mode is a fun little thing as well, but there aren't many places in simpler levels where you can find a good use for it. It can lead to crazy skips in the right places, but I also feel like the character would feel relatively the same and possibly closer to vanilla SRB2 without it. Might have preferred it to somehow be locked behind a wall of some sort (other than the 25 rings requirement), like a gauge or maybe 1-2 emeralds?
Butt Bop also feels somewhat limited in application, but I don't often engage in combat while playing levels, so I don't have much complaint there. With rows of single-hit enemies it feels super fun, but when faced with more ranged enemies like Robo-Hoods or Jetty-Syns, or dealing with multiple Sir Lance-a-bots, it feels kinda obsolete compared to other options.
Things I DIDN'T like:
None! The secondcolor support, the Candy mode, the custom idle animation that really gives off the fighting game vibe, and the super clutch Ukemi — it's all there, and it's all great. While some characters get a little tired after repeated plays or just feel a little too far from SRB2's style, this one never loses its charm and I continue to enjoy it. Great work on this and your other characters, light dasher!