How would you rate the official levels? - Part TWO!
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Fyrus
Member
I'll rate the coop.
GFZ1 - 7/10. The style is very nice, and shows some of what SRB2 has to offer. I especially like how the textures are very pleasant on the eyes. The main thing that keeps me from rating it higher, however, is simply the lack of difficulty, even if it is only the first level.
GFZ2 - 8/10. I really love what they did with the water, and the atmosphere is highly pleasing. The difficulty is still rather easy, but you can overlook that small fact because the level itself is just so large and fun to explore.
I'll do the rest when i have more time.
GFZ1 - 7/10. The style is very nice, and shows some of what SRB2 has to offer. I especially like how the textures are very pleasant on the eyes. The main thing that keeps me from rating it higher, however, is simply the lack of difficulty, even if it is only the first level.
GFZ2 - 8/10. I really love what they did with the water, and the atmosphere is highly pleasing. The difficulty is still rather easy, but you can overlook that small fact because the level itself is just so large and fun to explore.
I'll do the rest when i have more time.
Ratings Post:
GFZ1 ME: A slight improvement over the previous version, bu enough of one to justify me including 1.09.4's version of GFZ1. 7/10
GFZ2 ME: Almost no difference except for the emblems. 7/10
GFZ3 ME: Just the base boss fight 6/10
THZ1 ME: Little Differance. 7/10
THZ2 ME: Put that missing Crawlla Commander back! I like how you can't get "Red Volcaino'ed" any more. 7/10
THZ3 : Only change here was the radius of the NiGHTS axis. 7/10
Castle Eggman:
Eggrock 1: Nice, Really Earns the title of Final Zone much better than SS7 earns the title of final Special Stage. 9/10
Eggrock Zone 2: I was wondering where the badniks were. But I got to wonder if any of the concept badniks that are yet to show up will appear here as well. I also have to wonder about the cut content too, but I guess I'll never be able to see that. 8/10
Nimbus Ruins Zone: It was good for it's time and I'm even pretty good at getting the flag back to my teams base on this map, but it's time to move away from the cheapness. Even Silver Cascade was updated to be less cheep.
SS1: Good for a first 8/10
SS2:
SS3:
SS4:
SS5:
SS6: Formerly SS7 of the previous version, 7/10
SS7: This stage is not worth the frusteration it caused 4/10 Either Kill it with fire, or Remove the Ceiling Crush Gimmick That is being replicated in "The Special Stage From Hell".
GFZ1 ME: A slight improvement over the previous version, bu enough of one to justify me including 1.09.4's version of GFZ1. 7/10
GFZ2 ME: Almost no difference except for the emblems. 7/10
GFZ3 ME: Just the base boss fight 6/10
THZ1 ME: Little Differance. 7/10
THZ2 ME: Put that missing Crawlla Commander back! I like how you can't get "Red Volcaino'ed" any more. 7/10
THZ3 : Only change here was the radius of the NiGHTS axis. 7/10
Castle Eggman:
Eggrock 1: Nice, Really Earns the title of Final Zone much better than SS7 earns the title of final Special Stage. 9/10
Eggrock Zone 2: I was wondering where the badniks were. But I got to wonder if any of the concept badniks that are yet to show up will appear here as well. I also have to wonder about the cut content too, but I guess I'll never be able to see that. 8/10
Nimbus Ruins Zone: It was good for it's time and I'm even pretty good at getting the flag back to my teams base on this map, but it's time to move away from the cheapness. Even Silver Cascade was updated to be less cheep.
SS1: Good for a first 8/10
SS2:
SS3:
SS4:
SS5:
SS6: Formerly SS7 of the previous version, 7/10
SS7: This stage is not worth the frusteration it caused 4/10 Either Kill it with fire, or Remove the Ceiling Crush Gimmick That is being replicated in "The Special Stage From Hell".
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DSZ1: The gargoyle puzzles while slowing down the gameplay was a great idea including the fact that going on that path is the only way to get the Emerald Token as Sonic. Also the level looks beautiful. I give it a 8/10
DSZ2: The breakable block maze was a great idea but it can lag a bit. Also there is a part where if you drown in it you will be stuck in a cave with no way out. I also loved the waterfall with the falling platforms. I give this level a 8/10 like act 1.
DSZ3: The boss was unique and intresting fighting against. It was annoying that if you fell you took damage no matter what. Also at times if you hit him you will bounce back into the missiles he fires. I give it a 7/10
DSZ2: The breakable block maze was a great idea but it can lag a bit. Also there is a part where if you drown in it you will be stuck in a cave with no way out. I also loved the waterfall with the falling platforms. I give this level a 8/10 like act 1.
DSZ3: The boss was unique and intresting fighting against. It was annoying that if you fell you took damage no matter what. Also at times if you hit him you will bounce back into the missiles he fires. I give it a 7/10
JEV3
There and back again~
Capture the Flag:
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LIME FOREST ZONE
The layout is classic and was one of the few that aged well enough to guarantee it a spot in the new rotation. The path from base to base is very simplistic and the alternate path is a simple underwater route for those who want to go with the stealth tactic.
The ramparts on either side provide a good tactical advantage for support players, while flagrunners will either go straight across the water or sneak through it. The many pinch points and small bases make defense a huge factor. Overall, the stage is very well adapted to the new system, and the team rings only improve the defensive capabilities.
The new textures also offer a visual update on what would otherwise be ANOTHER standard level using the dated GFZ motiff. In addition to this, they make navigating the bases a bit more straightforward due to the specific textures rather than the one wood texture being used for everything.
Score: 9.7
Highlight: Defense
CLOUD PALACE ZONE
The old design was given a much stronger emphasis on a nonsymmetrical layout, which reflects on the three levels of gameplay. The complexity of the central structure offers plenty of interesting situations, and caters especially to the diverse abilities of the three characters.
The base defense, however, is unique in that the towers are reached by a spring which makes it very difficult for defenders to protect their flag. This does add focus to the center area, but the base itself feels removed from the rest of the level, with the team rings rendered fairly irrelevant. To be fair though, they aren't exactly as necessary in this stage.
Score: 8.3
Highlights: Variety by Character
SILVER CASCADE ZONE
The two biggest changes are the atmosphere of the level which changes the blindingly bright textures into a dark and moody setting. Not only does this make the bases themselves more clearly defined but it lends itself to a more methodical mentality with which the level is to be approached.
The second change is that the central pit has been bridged over, allowing players to focus on the battle rather than clearing the gap. The rest of the layout remains the same, with a base which puts an awful lot of pressure on the defenders, and a layout which challenges the player to fight his way upward.
Overall the gameplay is fairly basic, though still improved. The water is much less intimidating with the tweaked center, making stealth attacks via the water tunnels more viable. There is not an awful lot of added play for Tails or Knuckles, but they generally are able to make it across the gap more easily while Tails still has a perch at the top of the stage all to himself.
Score: 8.7
Highlight: Standard
ICICLE FALLS ZONE
The only one of two levels exclusive to SRB2 v2.0, and it uses a brand new texture set making it bright and colorful. The layout is fairly basic, but brings it all together in a tight design, making this the shortest map in the entire rotation. A rush becomes a much more viable tactic in this level, especially with the large bases.
In order to counter the rushes, there are a goodly assortment of rings nearby the titular falls though a spill will send you onto the ice floes. The chief tactic of this map is getting enough weapons to assault your enemy and securing your victory fast. Tails and Knuckles don't have a huge advantage in getting from one base to the other, but Knuckles' weapon buffs give him the upper hand in a fire height.
The current version has an unintuitive slope into the middle cliffside, making it impractical to scale the full length. This should be fixed in the near future, but it does get in the way and tends to make the rings in the upper path less useful.
Score: 8.2
Highlight: Rush
TWISTED TURMOIL ZONE
Once upon a time, there was a sad little boy who always dreamed of being famous. Everybody laughed at him when he told them he would make a map that would be in a game as widely known as SRB2. Miraculously, with his fairy godmother to fix the bugs and a deadline to gloss over the nitpicks, his dreams came true.
At first one might wish the reverse gravity was played up more, but experiments with such a design proved that there was no simple way to integrate it into the full level. The central area features some most interesting gameplay, where running the flag across the ceiling has an amazing tactical advantage because those on the floor will not be able to return the flag unless they are capable of flight.
Unfortunately, the base itself is very dull. A large area over a largely unused underground area and a basic and large base seem to be the low points of the rotation in general. Nevertheless, the gravity does function as a saving grace, despite the bland and stale base areas. Additionally, the base is difficult to look at with a texture that was clearly not designed to be used over such a large area. An improvement of aesthetics might make it more interesting but an revision of the base layout is necessary to bring it up to par with the other levels in the rotation.
Score: 6.5
Highlight: Gravity-based Centerpiece
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Match reviews to come!
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LIME FOREST ZONE
The layout is classic and was one of the few that aged well enough to guarantee it a spot in the new rotation. The path from base to base is very simplistic and the alternate path is a simple underwater route for those who want to go with the stealth tactic.
The ramparts on either side provide a good tactical advantage for support players, while flagrunners will either go straight across the water or sneak through it. The many pinch points and small bases make defense a huge factor. Overall, the stage is very well adapted to the new system, and the team rings only improve the defensive capabilities.
The new textures also offer a visual update on what would otherwise be ANOTHER standard level using the dated GFZ motiff. In addition to this, they make navigating the bases a bit more straightforward due to the specific textures rather than the one wood texture being used for everything.
Score: 9.7
Highlight: Defense
CLOUD PALACE ZONE
The old design was given a much stronger emphasis on a nonsymmetrical layout, which reflects on the three levels of gameplay. The complexity of the central structure offers plenty of interesting situations, and caters especially to the diverse abilities of the three characters.
The base defense, however, is unique in that the towers are reached by a spring which makes it very difficult for defenders to protect their flag. This does add focus to the center area, but the base itself feels removed from the rest of the level, with the team rings rendered fairly irrelevant. To be fair though, they aren't exactly as necessary in this stage.
Score: 8.3
Highlights: Variety by Character
SILVER CASCADE ZONE
The two biggest changes are the atmosphere of the level which changes the blindingly bright textures into a dark and moody setting. Not only does this make the bases themselves more clearly defined but it lends itself to a more methodical mentality with which the level is to be approached.
The second change is that the central pit has been bridged over, allowing players to focus on the battle rather than clearing the gap. The rest of the layout remains the same, with a base which puts an awful lot of pressure on the defenders, and a layout which challenges the player to fight his way upward.
Overall the gameplay is fairly basic, though still improved. The water is much less intimidating with the tweaked center, making stealth attacks via the water tunnels more viable. There is not an awful lot of added play for Tails or Knuckles, but they generally are able to make it across the gap more easily while Tails still has a perch at the top of the stage all to himself.
Score: 8.7
Highlight: Standard
ICICLE FALLS ZONE
The only one of two levels exclusive to SRB2 v2.0, and it uses a brand new texture set making it bright and colorful. The layout is fairly basic, but brings it all together in a tight design, making this the shortest map in the entire rotation. A rush becomes a much more viable tactic in this level, especially with the large bases.
In order to counter the rushes, there are a goodly assortment of rings nearby the titular falls though a spill will send you onto the ice floes. The chief tactic of this map is getting enough weapons to assault your enemy and securing your victory fast. Tails and Knuckles don't have a huge advantage in getting from one base to the other, but Knuckles' weapon buffs give him the upper hand in a fire height.
The current version has an unintuitive slope into the middle cliffside, making it impractical to scale the full length. This should be fixed in the near future, but it does get in the way and tends to make the rings in the upper path less useful.
Score: 8.2
Highlight: Rush
TWISTED TURMOIL ZONE
Once upon a time, there was a sad little boy who always dreamed of being famous. Everybody laughed at him when he told them he would make a map that would be in a game as widely known as SRB2. Miraculously, with his fairy godmother to fix the bugs and a deadline to gloss over the nitpicks, his dreams came true.
At first one might wish the reverse gravity was played up more, but experiments with such a design proved that there was no simple way to integrate it into the full level. The central area features some most interesting gameplay, where running the flag across the ceiling has an amazing tactical advantage because those on the floor will not be able to return the flag unless they are capable of flight.
Unfortunately, the base itself is very dull. A large area over a largely unused underground area and a basic and large base seem to be the low points of the rotation in general. Nevertheless, the gravity does function as a saving grace, despite the bland and stale base areas. Additionally, the base is difficult to look at with a texture that was clearly not designed to be used over such a large area. An improvement of aesthetics might make it more interesting but an revision of the base layout is necessary to bring it up to par with the other levels in the rotation.
Score: 6.5
Highlight: Gravity-based Centerpiece
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Match reviews to come!
Sa-x
Member
Greenflower 1: The level has got a lot of decorations, but there isn't a lot of places to explorate.
What i like of the levels is not easy or hard, i like the dimensions, the places and all what is to explorate 7/10
Greenflower 2: The design is really different from GF1, no much decorations, good places to see, but not particulars points... 8/10
Greenflower 3: This is too simmetric, i don't like the area, need to be natural
6/10
Techno Hill 1: Uhm, the decorations are not much, but it is ok, 7/10
Techno Hill 2: This is a level with multiple ways but it is easy, 8/10
Techno Hill 3: A ripetitve boss, at the lasts 2 times is so easy... 7/10
Deep Sea 1: Good level, i like puzzles and water caves, 8/10
Deep Sea 2: Nice, but it assomily too much at the first act, not for some decorations, but the level design is the same, need to be different from the firts act 7/10
Deep Sea 3: This boss is easy, but his style to fight is ridicule, but i like it
7/10
Castle Eggman 1: For me 1.09.4 castle eggman is the best, and this place don't remember a castle (at the end begin) it looks like a forest
6/10
Castle Eggman 2: This has multiple places and secrets, way too, this is a level, but the design give an idea of ruins of a castle, not a castle 8/10
Castle Eggman 3: ?????
Arid Canyon 1: Wow, i need time to explorate it, this is the paradise, the level design is not perfect 9/10
Arid Canyon 2: ??????
Arid Canyon 3: ??????
Red Volcano 1: This is a PERFECT level, the decorations is a very good progress for the level, the best!!! 10/10
Red Volcano 2: ??????
Red Volcano 3: ??????
Dark City 1: ??????
Dark City 2: ??????
Dark City 3: ??????
Egg Rock 1: Is a very good level, but a little short
Egg Rock 2: For who plays for the first time is so hard, but not for me! Ok, return at the comments: This is a PERFECT level, the decorations is a very good progress for the level, the best!!! 10/10
Egg Rock 3: Looks good, but is so easy...
For me the multiplayer levels are good, but i very very very very very very very very very very very like it if ALL 1.09.4 LEVELS ARE INCLUDED!!!!!!! all, iron turret too.
Match, this is very bad, new weapons are good, and the emeralds are not a very good idea, two tpes of a weapon are a very bad idea, and i like it if ALL 1.09.4 WEAPONS ARE IN THE GAME for a big battle.
I haven't other to say.
What i like of the levels is not easy or hard, i like the dimensions, the places and all what is to explorate 7/10
Greenflower 2: The design is really different from GF1, no much decorations, good places to see, but not particulars points... 8/10
Greenflower 3: This is too simmetric, i don't like the area, need to be natural
6/10
Techno Hill 1: Uhm, the decorations are not much, but it is ok, 7/10
Techno Hill 2: This is a level with multiple ways but it is easy, 8/10
Techno Hill 3: A ripetitve boss, at the lasts 2 times is so easy... 7/10
Deep Sea 1: Good level, i like puzzles and water caves, 8/10
Deep Sea 2: Nice, but it assomily too much at the first act, not for some decorations, but the level design is the same, need to be different from the firts act 7/10
Deep Sea 3: This boss is easy, but his style to fight is ridicule, but i like it
7/10
Castle Eggman 1: For me 1.09.4 castle eggman is the best, and this place don't remember a castle (at the end begin) it looks like a forest
6/10
Castle Eggman 2: This has multiple places and secrets, way too, this is a level, but the design give an idea of ruins of a castle, not a castle 8/10
Castle Eggman 3: ?????
Arid Canyon 1: Wow, i need time to explorate it, this is the paradise, the level design is not perfect 9/10
Arid Canyon 2: ??????
Arid Canyon 3: ??????
Red Volcano 1: This is a PERFECT level, the decorations is a very good progress for the level, the best!!! 10/10
Red Volcano 2: ??????
Red Volcano 3: ??????
Dark City 1: ??????
Dark City 2: ??????
Dark City 3: ??????
Egg Rock 1: Is a very good level, but a little short
Egg Rock 2: For who plays for the first time is so hard, but not for me! Ok, return at the comments: This is a PERFECT level, the decorations is a very good progress for the level, the best!!! 10/10
Egg Rock 3: Looks good, but is so easy...
For me the multiplayer levels are good, but i very very very very very very very very very very very like it if ALL 1.09.4 LEVELS ARE INCLUDED!!!!!!! all, iron turret too.
Match, this is very bad, new weapons are good, and the emeralds are not a very good idea, two tpes of a weapon are a very bad idea, and i like it if ALL 1.09.4 WEAPONS ARE IN THE GAME for a big battle.
I haven't other to say.
Sa-x said:
I'm sorry but that's just not true about Deep Sea Zone act 2 at all, in act 2 every gimmick was different then in act 1, it didn't feel like I was repeating the first act at all, the environment looked the same, obviously, its meant too, but act 1 didn't have tons of water slides that spiraled downwards, sent you up into the air, didn't have the block maze, the water current tunnels forcing you towards walls of spikes you had to dodge around and then jump over a set of them, the massive crushers where you had to rush into the small holes inside them to not get crushed ect. act 1 had none of those, so how was act 2 anything like act 1?
Also, how can you prefer CEZ from 1.09.4? The point of each zone in a sonic game, more specifically, the megadrive sonic games is to have different gimmicks for each zone which point out that its a new zone you've never done before, GFZ is just normal platforming and springs, DSZ is water slides, CEZ has spikeballs and swinging chains, ACZ has falling rocks & pully levelers ect. That's the point of every new zone, to include new things.
CEZ in 1.09.4 was just a beta, and had no new gimmicks, just normal old platforming, it was a retexture of GFZ where you went around finding buttons, how fun. Yes, you go finding buttons in the new CEZ, but that's only at the end of the stage and its a lot more fun doing it then in the old version.
Also when playing CEZ with people online you only had to jump over a few ledges and run and wait at the bridge, and in act 2 you didn't even have to press the jump button to finish if someone else found the switches, the level design in the old CEZ was flawed.
Also the point of act 1 was to take place around the castle walls trying to get into the castle at the end, and act 2 felt like it was inside a castle to me, but it also had parts where you could go to outside areas, like the alternate ending to act 2.
You can have your opinion, continue to think that way about DSZ and CEZ if you want, but I see major holes in what you said.
ZeldaGamer00
That guy who does things
Hey JEV3, it's "Twisted Terminal", not Turmoil, and you forgot about Nimbus Runes Zone. :P
That isn't going to happen anytime soon. The old levels were very unbalanced, even with the new weapons system and team rings.Sa-x said:
Yeah, no. That isn't ever going to be put back into the game, because the old weapons system was very unbalanced and became overpowered if you had over 100 seconds on the weapon timers. While I do admit that losing all your weapon panels can become a little frustrating, its a lot better than losing all your Weapon rings to someone who has a lot of time left on their rings. As for the emeralds being in Match/CTF, you can just turn them off if you don't want to deal with them, or ignore them entirely.
Super mystic sonic
The Golden Blur
GFZ1: 8/10
The ol' classic, with an awesome peacefull atmoshphere with some easy robots to bop. The difficulty really fits the "tutorial stage" feel. It's just WAY too short, even for a beginning stage.
GFZ2: 9/10
Epic stuff...so many roads, mountains, choice of path. Ya can simply deroute from your path by jumping off anywhere from the mountains, and use all the springs to get anywhere. Being able to skip the main path and run over the mountains is a great thing. Only bad thing is that the brown textured path gets kinda dull at some parts of the mountains.
GFZ3: 5/10
Great that the boss flies away and all, makes him less dull than he still is quite a bit, just do something with the area, honestly. At LEAST make some scenery. You could do it SA2B boss style, where there's a square BARRIER around the field with a bunch of scenery around, just for eye candy. But the square area is just so boring.
THZ1: 7/10
The entire lab with all the pipes at the end is genius, as well as the entire poisonous lake. Much pace, and basic eye candy that makes all the advanced new 2.0 stuff seem overdone. Just mostly a few mistakes
-The beginning is just a bunch of too long not-so-wide paths. Kinda boring.
-The moving platforms...there should be an alternate way to get up there. NOBODY likes to wait for a slow-ass platform to come down just to go up.
THZ2: 8/10
What to say? Bunch of features, still quite a lot of pace in the level, choice of path. Decent level overall. The lowered acid just seems out of place so low, and once again in netgames the closing door after the path with all the detons disallows anyone from coming in or going out. Dunno the reason for that.
THZ3: 8/10
Here the scenery has been just fine, and the boss is pretty cool too. Those with skill can rapidly kick his ass as soon as he starts flinching. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I can't say. I like and dislike it at the same time. For a boss, at least, pretty awesome.
DSZ: 410
DSZ in general makes me wanna skip it. There's no pace whatsoever, and it feels like a bunch of soul-less platforming. Having to wait for the water to go up to do certain things like using springs to their full potential is one of the worst things ever. You shouldn't have to wait for something to happen in order to get somewhere. Not something that you can't control. Most of the obstacles seem way too basic, although the mines are a pretty cool little addon. You also can get usually quickly lost. Don't have a clue where to go, so we just go try and find our way up, later finding out we've going in circles. The entire maze feel oughta be changed. And at end of the level is quite horrible at itself too. The typical soul-less platforming with random platforms. And finally...never...put pushing stuff into actual gameplay. It's just so slow and boring, it'd make anyone fall asleep.
The good things are the use of mines and those big rocks that float on the water crushing you when the water goes down. The palace(place ya run along with runshoes) looks pretty sweet too.
DSZ2: 5/10
The slides are a cool addon, although slightly uncontrollable. The beginning has some pace in it, and that's where the bad begins. A hell bunch of breakable blocks.(I won't review the other path now, one word for it, "YOU'RE TOO SLOW"! ..that's three) The concept isn't so great, but the execution is worse. The engine doesn't fit at all with it. Go slightly diagonal against a block, or slightly against the edge, and it won't break, killing your entire movement. Annoying frustating factor right there. As soon as ya get out, the area seems fast again. With some luck, it will be...if the waterfall platforms are at the right spot. If not you have to wait, and waiting for something to happen that ya don't control is always bad. Especially considering the sense of control in the game is so important. Then we meet up with some rising platforms. Kinda fun gimmick, the rising platforming, actually, just sucks for race. And the room is kinda bland and boring. Next up a pretty cool underwater slide. If you know the path this part is allright. But half of the roads lead you back in a superlong-and-boring zoomtube back to do all over again. And well, that sucks, considering you can't have a clue which path leads you back to your doom.
If ya get through however, there's the next part. Rising water while platforming. An allright basic thing, ya'd think, untill you figure you have to wait ages at the last platform before ya can move on. Horrible annoying part of the stage. Next up ya jump into more water, and your fall gets interrupted by a random big bubble. Better to remove those things. Ya see a bunch of platforms...and by now, everyone is be sick of all the boring DSZ platforming and just spindash jump across. So did I. The crusher part is a basic nearly overdone thing. All I can say is, make it either a bit shorter, or place bubbles on every square. DSZ is harder than Castle Eggman because of these kinda things. Finally it ends with some more slides, afterwards you either just falling into the finish or going through a cave with some pretty water drops falling from the ceiling, and THEN falling into the exit. By now you're relieved you can beat the boss up already and go to a fun zone.
DSZ3: 8/10
Better than GZ1's boss for sure. The electrifying thing works just fine, and the boss keeps ya on your toes constantly, especially since his bullet fire makes you need to use timing. The scenery perfectly fits DSZ. Light brownish square boring room. Of course, that's a bad thing. Decent boss, boring room. If there was some more to see in the room besides the tunnels Eggman goes through, that'd be great. Otherwise, pretty cool boss.
ECZ1: 8/10
Cool zone overall! Platforming with actually really cool gimmicks such as the sinking platform(as soon as ya jump on it with force) with the spring, and the chains are awesome addons too. The only thing I can say, make it more obvious that ya need to fall down into the water in order to proceed, and an alternate path there would be great.
By the way, can't it be possible to make the chains hang down if nobody hangs in them? Waiting for them to be where you want them to be can be such a pain, especially when speedrunning, where the spinning thing is totally at a randomized position.
EGZ2: 9/10
Awesome map, really too bad it's so short. Many alternate paths and extra things to go for, a hell load of new gimmicks to be in, and Emerald shortcut, all that stuff. The cannonballs really make the place feel like a war. And so do the other obstacled make the place feel like they should be. Squashing the turret was an awesome tactic, and stepping on one of the switches actually FORCES you to battle the enemies, which makes it less of a joke. Only 2 complaints about the stage:
-Tails and Knux have a HUGE advantage over Sonic at the water point. They can just fly/climb all the way there to the top, and Sonic has to do all the obstacles. An idea might be that their's horizontal doors that only opens as soon you press the water switch. This'll force Tails and Knuckles to press all switches one by one, because then the doors would prevent them from flying all the way to the highest switch at once.
-The stage lags like freaking MAD in netgames
AGZ1: 9/10
Epic stuff. Seriously. Awesome music, awesome textures, awesome feel, awesome gimmicks, awesome feel of freedom. Everything is overwhelming. You can run over the mountains once more, there's many paths to take, everything is a hell shizzle fun, there's a great pace in the level, and those carrying belts don't take too much time except for the very last part. There are a bunch of pointless paths, some even leading ya in a circle, but they're all big fun to take nontheless. This is the kind of level you'd expect from SRB2. Just the end with all the carry belts kinda sucks, considering Tails and Knux can just fly past by. Maybe make an alternative harder but faster path for Sonic?(Unless I missed it)
By the way, you know those rocks only breakable by Knuckles? Super Sonic oughta be able to break 'em too, considering Super Sonic is by far more powerfull than Knuckles.
RVZ1: 8/10
Amazing new textures. Graphics looking sweet on this one. There can be hell load pace if wanted too, and it's slightly different from the old RVZ itself as well, with some fun new stuff to try out. The lava waves impressed me to shit, that was amazing, never expected anything like that. It's really too bad the level is so dratted short, it's awesome otherwise. Most bad thing I can say is that the level STILL ain't so great in coop, considering all the falling platforms, and the new lava engine doesn't feel good at all. Suddenly standing on it. It disables the use of springs too, making falling in the lava insta-kill usually at some parts. Unless of course that was the intention.
ERZ1: 8/10
I'll start off with: The elevator lightning looks EPIC. Anyhow...it seems ERZ has a crush for crushers. *shot*
Quite challenging, and suprisingly playable in netgames. The gravity changing stuff is pretty cool, and as soon as ya figure the puzzles out, it all can be done quite fast too. The gravity can sometimes even be a little mean, though. ERZ makes big advantage of the games' physics, which is cool. Ya really gotta be an experienced player to make it through in 1 shot with 3 lives first time ya play this. Either how, I can't say much. The sense of freedom ain't really there, but for a level like this, it might be better off like that. All in all, great level, my only complaint is that there's tons-a lives, but barely any rings.
ERZ2: 8/10
Longest SRB2 level...ever. SO many challenges to take, so much stuff to do. It's all totally epic, like STjr took every single thing into big consideration. This is one final stage, allright. Awesome stuff like power activation, cannon firing suprised me big time, wind gliding along the mines was totally evil, and I never figured I became mini Sonic untill I saw the enemies around me. Great stuff, just too bad it's so dratted buggy and Tails can once again skip nearly all gravity stuff. One little hint...place rings in front of the miniboss, seriously. There's no way to get rings by going back since the boxes block your way. Also, try fixing the miniboss' sound. He fires just while he's ending the charging sound, which is horrible to time for players.
ERZ3: 8/10
At first thought, I swore to god it was a model. This guy's got some great moves, and I didn't figure I could jump on the guy's head. Probably me being stupid. Either how, all I can say is that this boss fight felt like a real final battle to me. Makes me urging for the final Super Sonic battle. Only 1 complaint...it's as good as impossible to figure out ya have to jump into the guy's missiles and hang on to them. No excuse around it, it's like saying ya would've eventually tried jumping into the death pit to beat the guy because ya were so desperate. But as soon as ya figure, it all works just fine. Great boss right here, just him jumping into the death pit now and then and the strategy is a complaint.
The ol' classic, with an awesome peacefull atmoshphere with some easy robots to bop. The difficulty really fits the "tutorial stage" feel. It's just WAY too short, even for a beginning stage.
GFZ2: 9/10
Epic stuff...so many roads, mountains, choice of path. Ya can simply deroute from your path by jumping off anywhere from the mountains, and use all the springs to get anywhere. Being able to skip the main path and run over the mountains is a great thing. Only bad thing is that the brown textured path gets kinda dull at some parts of the mountains.
GFZ3: 5/10
Great that the boss flies away and all, makes him less dull than he still is quite a bit, just do something with the area, honestly. At LEAST make some scenery. You could do it SA2B boss style, where there's a square BARRIER around the field with a bunch of scenery around, just for eye candy. But the square area is just so boring.
THZ1: 7/10
The entire lab with all the pipes at the end is genius, as well as the entire poisonous lake. Much pace, and basic eye candy that makes all the advanced new 2.0 stuff seem overdone. Just mostly a few mistakes
-The beginning is just a bunch of too long not-so-wide paths. Kinda boring.
-The moving platforms...there should be an alternate way to get up there. NOBODY likes to wait for a slow-ass platform to come down just to go up.
THZ2: 8/10
What to say? Bunch of features, still quite a lot of pace in the level, choice of path. Decent level overall. The lowered acid just seems out of place so low, and once again in netgames the closing door after the path with all the detons disallows anyone from coming in or going out. Dunno the reason for that.
THZ3: 8/10
Here the scenery has been just fine, and the boss is pretty cool too. Those with skill can rapidly kick his ass as soon as he starts flinching. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I can't say. I like and dislike it at the same time. For a boss, at least, pretty awesome.
DSZ: 410
DSZ in general makes me wanna skip it. There's no pace whatsoever, and it feels like a bunch of soul-less platforming. Having to wait for the water to go up to do certain things like using springs to their full potential is one of the worst things ever. You shouldn't have to wait for something to happen in order to get somewhere. Not something that you can't control. Most of the obstacles seem way too basic, although the mines are a pretty cool little addon. You also can get usually quickly lost. Don't have a clue where to go, so we just go try and find our way up, later finding out we've going in circles. The entire maze feel oughta be changed. And at end of the level is quite horrible at itself too. The typical soul-less platforming with random platforms. And finally...never...put pushing stuff into actual gameplay. It's just so slow and boring, it'd make anyone fall asleep.
The good things are the use of mines and those big rocks that float on the water crushing you when the water goes down. The palace(place ya run along with runshoes) looks pretty sweet too.
DSZ2: 5/10
The slides are a cool addon, although slightly uncontrollable. The beginning has some pace in it, and that's where the bad begins. A hell bunch of breakable blocks.(I won't review the other path now, one word for it, "YOU'RE TOO SLOW"! ..that's three) The concept isn't so great, but the execution is worse. The engine doesn't fit at all with it. Go slightly diagonal against a block, or slightly against the edge, and it won't break, killing your entire movement. Annoying frustating factor right there. As soon as ya get out, the area seems fast again. With some luck, it will be...if the waterfall platforms are at the right spot. If not you have to wait, and waiting for something to happen that ya don't control is always bad. Especially considering the sense of control in the game is so important. Then we meet up with some rising platforms. Kinda fun gimmick, the rising platforming, actually, just sucks for race. And the room is kinda bland and boring. Next up a pretty cool underwater slide. If you know the path this part is allright. But half of the roads lead you back in a superlong-and-boring zoomtube back to do all over again. And well, that sucks, considering you can't have a clue which path leads you back to your doom.
If ya get through however, there's the next part. Rising water while platforming. An allright basic thing, ya'd think, untill you figure you have to wait ages at the last platform before ya can move on. Horrible annoying part of the stage. Next up ya jump into more water, and your fall gets interrupted by a random big bubble. Better to remove those things. Ya see a bunch of platforms...and by now, everyone is be sick of all the boring DSZ platforming and just spindash jump across. So did I. The crusher part is a basic nearly overdone thing. All I can say is, make it either a bit shorter, or place bubbles on every square. DSZ is harder than Castle Eggman because of these kinda things. Finally it ends with some more slides, afterwards you either just falling into the finish or going through a cave with some pretty water drops falling from the ceiling, and THEN falling into the exit. By now you're relieved you can beat the boss up already and go to a fun zone.
DSZ3: 8/10
Better than GZ1's boss for sure. The electrifying thing works just fine, and the boss keeps ya on your toes constantly, especially since his bullet fire makes you need to use timing. The scenery perfectly fits DSZ. Light brownish square boring room. Of course, that's a bad thing. Decent boss, boring room. If there was some more to see in the room besides the tunnels Eggman goes through, that'd be great. Otherwise, pretty cool boss.
ECZ1: 8/10
Cool zone overall! Platforming with actually really cool gimmicks such as the sinking platform(as soon as ya jump on it with force) with the spring, and the chains are awesome addons too. The only thing I can say, make it more obvious that ya need to fall down into the water in order to proceed, and an alternate path there would be great.
By the way, can't it be possible to make the chains hang down if nobody hangs in them? Waiting for them to be where you want them to be can be such a pain, especially when speedrunning, where the spinning thing is totally at a randomized position.
EGZ2: 9/10
Awesome map, really too bad it's so short. Many alternate paths and extra things to go for, a hell load of new gimmicks to be in, and Emerald shortcut, all that stuff. The cannonballs really make the place feel like a war. And so do the other obstacled make the place feel like they should be. Squashing the turret was an awesome tactic, and stepping on one of the switches actually FORCES you to battle the enemies, which makes it less of a joke. Only 2 complaints about the stage:
-Tails and Knux have a HUGE advantage over Sonic at the water point. They can just fly/climb all the way there to the top, and Sonic has to do all the obstacles. An idea might be that their's horizontal doors that only opens as soon you press the water switch. This'll force Tails and Knuckles to press all switches one by one, because then the doors would prevent them from flying all the way to the highest switch at once.
-The stage lags like freaking MAD in netgames
AGZ1: 9/10
Epic stuff. Seriously. Awesome music, awesome textures, awesome feel, awesome gimmicks, awesome feel of freedom. Everything is overwhelming. You can run over the mountains once more, there's many paths to take, everything is a hell shizzle fun, there's a great pace in the level, and those carrying belts don't take too much time except for the very last part. There are a bunch of pointless paths, some even leading ya in a circle, but they're all big fun to take nontheless. This is the kind of level you'd expect from SRB2. Just the end with all the carry belts kinda sucks, considering Tails and Knux can just fly past by. Maybe make an alternative harder but faster path for Sonic?(Unless I missed it)
By the way, you know those rocks only breakable by Knuckles? Super Sonic oughta be able to break 'em too, considering Super Sonic is by far more powerfull than Knuckles.
RVZ1: 8/10
Amazing new textures. Graphics looking sweet on this one. There can be hell load pace if wanted too, and it's slightly different from the old RVZ itself as well, with some fun new stuff to try out. The lava waves impressed me to shit, that was amazing, never expected anything like that. It's really too bad the level is so dratted short, it's awesome otherwise. Most bad thing I can say is that the level STILL ain't so great in coop, considering all the falling platforms, and the new lava engine doesn't feel good at all. Suddenly standing on it. It disables the use of springs too, making falling in the lava insta-kill usually at some parts. Unless of course that was the intention.
ERZ1: 8/10
I'll start off with: The elevator lightning looks EPIC. Anyhow...it seems ERZ has a crush for crushers. *shot*
Quite challenging, and suprisingly playable in netgames. The gravity changing stuff is pretty cool, and as soon as ya figure the puzzles out, it all can be done quite fast too. The gravity can sometimes even be a little mean, though. ERZ makes big advantage of the games' physics, which is cool. Ya really gotta be an experienced player to make it through in 1 shot with 3 lives first time ya play this. Either how, I can't say much. The sense of freedom ain't really there, but for a level like this, it might be better off like that. All in all, great level, my only complaint is that there's tons-a lives, but barely any rings.
ERZ2: 8/10
Longest SRB2 level...ever. SO many challenges to take, so much stuff to do. It's all totally epic, like STjr took every single thing into big consideration. This is one final stage, allright. Awesome stuff like power activation, cannon firing suprised me big time, wind gliding along the mines was totally evil, and I never figured I became mini Sonic untill I saw the enemies around me. Great stuff, just too bad it's so dratted buggy and Tails can once again skip nearly all gravity stuff. One little hint...place rings in front of the miniboss, seriously. There's no way to get rings by going back since the boxes block your way. Also, try fixing the miniboss' sound. He fires just while he's ending the charging sound, which is horrible to time for players.
ERZ3: 8/10
At first thought, I swore to god it was a model. This guy's got some great moves, and I didn't figure I could jump on the guy's head. Probably me being stupid. Either how, all I can say is that this boss fight felt like a real final battle to me. Makes me urging for the final Super Sonic battle. Only 1 complaint...it's as good as impossible to figure out ya have to jump into the guy's missiles and hang on to them. No excuse around it, it's like saying ya would've eventually tried jumping into the death pit to beat the guy because ya were so desperate. But as soon as ya figure, it all works just fine. Great boss right here, just him jumping into the death pit now and then and the strategy is a complaint.
filio
Member
Ok, this game is a success, not a complete success, but a great game.
They all have great level design.
Green Flower Zone, Act 1 : 9/10
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A peaceful stage that is perfectly the resemblance of the 1st level of a game. Good secrets and Emblem locations. A worthy level for this game.
Green Flower Zone, Act 2 : 9.5/10
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Peaceful stage with some action in it, a fun level to play. Death here is carelessness or drowning, but easy for being one of the first levels.
Green Flower Zone, Act 3 : 10/10
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An awesome areana with a perfect starter boss. Worthy of the perfect rank.
Techno Hill Zone, Act 1 : 9/10
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Really same as GFZ act 1.
Techno Hill Zone, Act 2 : 9.5/10
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A fun level, the part where the difficulty gets a little harder.
Techno Hill Zone, Act 3 : 10/10
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Great boss and idea. No flaws found.
I'll do the rest later.
They all have great level design.
Green Flower Zone, Act 1 : 9/10
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A peaceful stage that is perfectly the resemblance of the 1st level of a game. Good secrets and Emblem locations. A worthy level for this game.
Green Flower Zone, Act 2 : 9.5/10
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Peaceful stage with some action in it, a fun level to play. Death here is carelessness or drowning, but easy for being one of the first levels.
Green Flower Zone, Act 3 : 10/10
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An awesome areana with a perfect starter boss. Worthy of the perfect rank.
Techno Hill Zone, Act 1 : 9/10
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Really same as GFZ act 1.
Techno Hill Zone, Act 2 : 9.5/10
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A fun level, the part where the difficulty gets a little harder.
Techno Hill Zone, Act 3 : 10/10
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Great boss and idea. No flaws found.
I'll do the rest later.
It is NOT impossible. It's pretty easy after a couple of times. No big deal.
What are you gonna give to each of the other zones?
I've noticed a trend that people find the first two zones better than various other stages, which confuses me. How can you rate the introducting zones which consist almost purely of jumping platforms higher than Egg Rock Zone?
Anyways, off to rating:
GFZ1: It's your generic introducting stages with almost no gameplay to speak. Of course that is understandable and it serves its purpose well, but with not-so-interesting textures and crampedness, this comes out as sub-par on its own. 4/10
GFZ2: Textures are obviously the same, but layout is epic (secrets paths, the big room at the end etc.), so the place looks somewhat beautiful now. Still not much to do here. 6/10
GFZ3: Great improvement over the one in 1.09.4, the boss looks pretty strange IMO, but it plays well. Arena is very simplistic, but that's okay. 7/10
THZ1: There's really not much going on here except for the slime and the fans. The rest is very similar to GFZ, only uglier. Secret path adds some nice flavour, but it's not THAT interesting either. 5/10
THZ2: Finally, an interesting stage. This is a winner because it has tons of gimmicks to seperate it from THZ2. Lasers, conveyor belts, turrets, detons etc. The secrets are also very clever here. A little short, unfortunately. 8/10
THZ3: A nice one. Not much more to say. 8/10
DSZ1: Absolutely great. Despite the textures and the gimmicks from the preview video being overused, this is certainly not what everyone expected. The scenery is so incredibly detailed that it looked awkward on the first playthrough. But the gameplay, especially the gargoyle pushing part, was great from the first time on. That combined with the paths per character and the utter beauty makes this awesome, even if it's a bit tedious at times. 9/10
DSZ2: One word: waterslides. Another thing that has been faked in mutiple levels since the preview video, but the fact that you can use them underwater as well as control them allows a millions different gameplay situations. The secret paths for Sonic and Knux which involved gargoyles and crushers was really fun. One thing that bugs me is that the left path with the waterslides is just much more fun than the right path with its slow, flow-breaking gimmicks. 8/10
DSZ3: Just the fact that this is different from the two bosses we've had for years makes it at least decent. Luckily, it plays well too, so it's great. But you really shouldn't be hurt when falling into the water. If you get hurt and fall down, you die without a real chance. 8/10
CEZ1: I'm not a fan of its wide, empty spaces, but this is because it's unfinished. I'm also not a fan of the dark, rainy feel which is uncomfortable. But I'm definitely a fan of the swinging chains and most of the gameplay in general. 6/10
CEZ2: Looks better than the first act, probably because it's inside a building, and the gameplay is also more varied in my opinion. Still very empty in many places. 7/10
ACZ1: Awesome in every single aspect. Great music, great textures, great layout, great gimmicks and great enemies. This will give a whole new aspect to the previously bland desert levels. The only problem is that it's easy to go in a circle at the end, but I heard it's getting fixed. 10/10
RVZ1: Best level of 1.09.4, and even better now. The way the lava is set up makes this much more forgiving, the new ending is great and the visuals make this level look almost new. 9/10
ERZ1: Win. Plain win. Millions of gimmicks, all of which are awesome (even a second path with COMPLETELY different ones). Visuals really enhance the experience. Also different paths for each character. This would definitely be the best level if ERZ2 wasn't longer, harder and better. 10/10
ERZ2: What can I say? More awesome gameplay, uber-hard (but fair once you figured it out) and LONG. 7-8 minutes and no gimmick is repeated. Best level in the game. 10/10
ERZ3: Yes, it's hard to figure out in its current state. And yes, it looks ugly as a model. But it plays downright awesome. 9/10
Kopper
Does not use Sonic.
I'll rate the CTF levels, with a Tails user's perspective, for a change of pace.
Lime Forest Zone: This level isn't changed too much in structure (if at all) from the 1.09.4 version, but the inclusion of team rings, the new weapons system, and emeralds were handled brilliantly. The design of the bases enable easy defence, especially if you pick up the explosion weapon panel from the water tunnels along the sides.
But those tunnels can also be used to flank a flag-focused defensive formation, and then blow the rings out of them, running off with a shiny piece of cloth. Although the main entrance followed by going to the side can work just as well. 8/10
Cloud Palace Zone: Contrary to popular belief, the tower bases don't really hamper defence, sure, they make team rings near-useless, but get an explosion ring and some cover, and with good timing and quick reactions, you can make short work of any foolhardy flag runners, even though you can be railed into oblivion if you're not careful. The monitor outside the base, next to the scatter panel, can be used to bounce halfway across the level, although you may need a spindash start.
There is, however, currently a level design bug here, that can prevent anyone going super. But this doesn't hamper the level too much, but due to that and other things, it only gets a 7/10 rating from me.
Silver Cascade Zone: This level also has the emerald bug, but the simple design of it makes you forget about that, until you find an emerald at least. Even though I somewhat preferred some aspects of the 1.09.4 design of this level (two underwater passages per base coughcough) the reduced pit in this level helps you focus on the action. Even though I'm not a huge fan of making the floating box with a monitor on it a full blown pillar, I'm sure there are good design reasons behind that decision.
The ability of Tails and Knuckles to take the top area and attack from there isn't exploited very often, and ashamedly, I'm yet to use it myself.
The base structure also lends itself to defence, but also enables attackers to fire a bomb ring or two to hurt the defending parties. Defending outside the base is less effective, because there are several ways to the base in the first place. I give it a 7/10 rating, which is my way of saying it's good.
Icicle Falls Zone: There are several routes to base, and offence and defence are balanced pretty well here, but the map is a bit plain IMHO. The map is a good official ice themed map, and the zombie bug checker tends to tell you who's on the water slide, but it's a little too straightforward. Strength of numbers can make a huge difference here at times. Even though this map can be a bunch of fun, and balances the weapons pretty well, it just doesn't play as well as all the other official maps... except for Nimbus Ruins, ugh. I give this map 6/10.
Twisted Terminal Zone: OMG TEH EPICNESSSSSS *shot into an electric floor, and flag and 5 emeralds stolen*
Ow. This level takes the proverbial lie *ahem* I mean cake. With a reverse gravity gimmick that can get you killed easily under a hail of ring shaped bullets if you're not really careful, this level is even good for tag mode. Not taking the gravity zoom tube is easily the quickest flag run, but if you get it right, the reverse gravity can net you a great advantage.
There are many tricks I know for this level, but I won't give them away here, as they'll lose much of their effectiveness. Defence is pretty balanced in this map, as you can take an angle with which you can see all entrances to the base, but you're pretty damn exposed to pre-emptive attacks. With an abundance of team rings, and scatter/grenade in the base, you're quickly well-equipped for the job. I rate this level 9/10, because nothing's perfect.
Nimbus Ruins Zone: Overuse of platforming. Not fun, especially if you're under c-lag, or any other lag forthwith. The ability to spindashfly over the whole level with ease, and then take the middle path with a spindash jump is pretty cool, however. The level still suffers from overuse of death pits. And what is with that little spring in the pillar in the middle? Looks like it was designed for hide and seek, not CTF. But it was there since 1.09.4! Everyone on my server usually calls skip on this level, even though I'll admit it's an OK Tag map. But it's supposed to be a CTF map! I give it a rating of 4/10.
A personal note: I still miss Iron Turret Zone, that could have been all right with some more complexities in the middle of the map, rather than just a plain grass field with pickups. But I suppose flagflying over all the action will have to wait for another map.
Lime Forest Zone: This level isn't changed too much in structure (if at all) from the 1.09.4 version, but the inclusion of team rings, the new weapons system, and emeralds were handled brilliantly. The design of the bases enable easy defence, especially if you pick up the explosion weapon panel from the water tunnels along the sides.
But those tunnels can also be used to flank a flag-focused defensive formation, and then blow the rings out of them, running off with a shiny piece of cloth. Although the main entrance followed by going to the side can work just as well. 8/10
Cloud Palace Zone: Contrary to popular belief, the tower bases don't really hamper defence, sure, they make team rings near-useless, but get an explosion ring and some cover, and with good timing and quick reactions, you can make short work of any foolhardy flag runners, even though you can be railed into oblivion if you're not careful. The monitor outside the base, next to the scatter panel, can be used to bounce halfway across the level, although you may need a spindash start.
There is, however, currently a level design bug here, that can prevent anyone going super. But this doesn't hamper the level too much, but due to that and other things, it only gets a 7/10 rating from me.
Silver Cascade Zone: This level also has the emerald bug, but the simple design of it makes you forget about that, until you find an emerald at least. Even though I somewhat preferred some aspects of the 1.09.4 design of this level (two underwater passages per base coughcough) the reduced pit in this level helps you focus on the action. Even though I'm not a huge fan of making the floating box with a monitor on it a full blown pillar, I'm sure there are good design reasons behind that decision.
The ability of Tails and Knuckles to take the top area and attack from there isn't exploited very often, and ashamedly, I'm yet to use it myself.
The base structure also lends itself to defence, but also enables attackers to fire a bomb ring or two to hurt the defending parties. Defending outside the base is less effective, because there are several ways to the base in the first place. I give it a 7/10 rating, which is my way of saying it's good.
Icicle Falls Zone: There are several routes to base, and offence and defence are balanced pretty well here, but the map is a bit plain IMHO. The map is a good official ice themed map, and the zombie bug checker tends to tell you who's on the water slide, but it's a little too straightforward. Strength of numbers can make a huge difference here at times. Even though this map can be a bunch of fun, and balances the weapons pretty well, it just doesn't play as well as all the other official maps... except for Nimbus Ruins, ugh. I give this map 6/10.
Twisted Terminal Zone: OMG TEH EPICNESSSSSS *shot into an electric floor, and flag and 5 emeralds stolen*
Ow. This level takes the proverbial lie *ahem* I mean cake. With a reverse gravity gimmick that can get you killed easily under a hail of ring shaped bullets if you're not really careful, this level is even good for tag mode. Not taking the gravity zoom tube is easily the quickest flag run, but if you get it right, the reverse gravity can net you a great advantage.
There are many tricks I know for this level, but I won't give them away here, as they'll lose much of their effectiveness. Defence is pretty balanced in this map, as you can take an angle with which you can see all entrances to the base, but you're pretty damn exposed to pre-emptive attacks. With an abundance of team rings, and scatter/grenade in the base, you're quickly well-equipped for the job. I rate this level 9/10, because nothing's perfect.
Nimbus Ruins Zone: Overuse of platforming. Not fun, especially if you're under c-lag, or any other lag forthwith. The ability to spindashfly over the whole level with ease, and then take the middle path with a spindash jump is pretty cool, however. The level still suffers from overuse of death pits. And what is with that little spring in the pillar in the middle? Looks like it was designed for hide and seek, not CTF. But it was there since 1.09.4! Everyone on my server usually calls skip on this level, even though I'll admit it's an OK Tag map. But it's supposed to be a CTF map! I give it a rating of 4/10.
A personal note: I still miss Iron Turret Zone, that could have been all right with some more complexities in the middle of the map, rather than just a plain grass field with pickups. But I suppose flagflying over all the action will have to wait for another map.
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Knuckles MetalMind
Member
Don´t take me much seriously, because I´ve been playing for far too long and I will probably rate old levels worse, when I would probably rate them higher if it was my first time at the game:
GHZ1: 6/10. Cool level for beginners, while having some secrets.
GHZ2: 7/10. Harder than the previous one, many hidden paths, some more gimmicks.
GHZ3: 7.5/10. The boss is really better with the retreat movement. It was stupidly easy back in the day, but it´s better right now.
THZ1: 7/10. This is nearly as GHZ2, minus poison, the great tube part (that gimmick should be used more!), and flying badniks (they should do something more, they are nearly useless right now).
THZ2: 8/10. This is a great zone, specially the first two rooms on each path. It´s more generic after that. I think it should have some more detail to be better.
THZ3: 8/10. Good boss afterall. It would be cool if there was somehow noticed that you are in a train. Maybe change THZ2 ending, or add somehow a beginning of THZ3. It would be more epic.
DSZ1: 8/10. It´s a great zone. I love gargoyles puzzles. There are other cool gimmicks, but big rooms should have something more than just being big.
DSZ2: 8.5/10. I think it´s better than DSZ1, specially in parts like the cascade with the platforms. Rock maze should be different, though. It should be more a labyrinth and less a rock breaker.
DSZ3: 8/10. Great boss, like the two previous ones.
CEZ1: 7.5/10. Wood zones aren´t that good, but it has really cool gimmicks with the chains. Spinner badniks are good too. Anyway, it feels a little unfinished still.
CEZ2: 8.5/10. Even being really unfinished, I really love this stage, minus the alternative path of the cannons. Turret´s room is great. Last room in the normal path is great too.
ACZ1: 9/10. Great design, great badniks, great gimmicks. Improve the platforms with rails, and there´s little more to do in this good stage to be better.
RVZ1: 9/10. As the previous one, it´s really great, better than I thought it could be from the previous version of the zone. It should have badniks though, it´s literally empty of them right now...
ERZ1: 8.5/10. This zone is good too. I think it should be longer in the left path, though. It´s somehow stupid to have a shot path and a really longer and harder path. The last room needs to be fixed IMO. I lost more lives in that room than in all the previous zones. Air gimmick should be done earlier on an easier room.
ERZ2: 9.5/10. Wow, just wow. Even looking at some cheap moment and some things that needs to be improved, this zone is amazing and truly epic. I love how there´s enemies from all stages (are snails suppossed to be in DCZ??). Again, the air gimmick zones need some improving.
ERZ3: 8.5/10. Great boss, bad stage. I would really like to see a better scenery for this boss.
SS 1-7: 7.5/10. Just good. I like them, although they are somehow boring after I while.
Secret Zones: 9/10. I love the secrets in this game, you keep adding things worth looking for. I wish you finish the remake too.
I think there should be more breakable walls too, like in Mystic Realm. There should be some more easier lives for Sonic, it´s just stupid how many easy lives you can get with Tails or Knuckles, but not with Sonic.
And just some other random thing: Super Sonic isn´t as fun as it should be, because there aren´t many rings in stages. I could beat many of the levels without even getting 50 rings. Put more rings in the levels, it´s useless to have SSonic if you need to explore for two minutes just to transform. In fact, I don´t care about SSonic at all while playing Sonic.
GHZ1: 6/10. Cool level for beginners, while having some secrets.
GHZ2: 7/10. Harder than the previous one, many hidden paths, some more gimmicks.
GHZ3: 7.5/10. The boss is really better with the retreat movement. It was stupidly easy back in the day, but it´s better right now.
THZ1: 7/10. This is nearly as GHZ2, minus poison, the great tube part (that gimmick should be used more!), and flying badniks (they should do something more, they are nearly useless right now).
THZ2: 8/10. This is a great zone, specially the first two rooms on each path. It´s more generic after that. I think it should have some more detail to be better.
THZ3: 8/10. Good boss afterall. It would be cool if there was somehow noticed that you are in a train. Maybe change THZ2 ending, or add somehow a beginning of THZ3. It would be more epic.
DSZ1: 8/10. It´s a great zone. I love gargoyles puzzles. There are other cool gimmicks, but big rooms should have something more than just being big.
DSZ2: 8.5/10. I think it´s better than DSZ1, specially in parts like the cascade with the platforms. Rock maze should be different, though. It should be more a labyrinth and less a rock breaker.
DSZ3: 8/10. Great boss, like the two previous ones.
CEZ1: 7.5/10. Wood zones aren´t that good, but it has really cool gimmicks with the chains. Spinner badniks are good too. Anyway, it feels a little unfinished still.
CEZ2: 8.5/10. Even being really unfinished, I really love this stage, minus the alternative path of the cannons. Turret´s room is great. Last room in the normal path is great too.
ACZ1: 9/10. Great design, great badniks, great gimmicks. Improve the platforms with rails, and there´s little more to do in this good stage to be better.
RVZ1: 9/10. As the previous one, it´s really great, better than I thought it could be from the previous version of the zone. It should have badniks though, it´s literally empty of them right now...
ERZ1: 8.5/10. This zone is good too. I think it should be longer in the left path, though. It´s somehow stupid to have a shot path and a really longer and harder path. The last room needs to be fixed IMO. I lost more lives in that room than in all the previous zones. Air gimmick should be done earlier on an easier room.
ERZ2: 9.5/10. Wow, just wow. Even looking at some cheap moment and some things that needs to be improved, this zone is amazing and truly epic. I love how there´s enemies from all stages (are snails suppossed to be in DCZ??). Again, the air gimmick zones need some improving.
ERZ3: 8.5/10. Great boss, bad stage. I would really like to see a better scenery for this boss.
SS 1-7: 7.5/10. Just good. I like them, although they are somehow boring after I while.
Secret Zones: 9/10. I love the secrets in this game, you keep adding things worth looking for. I wish you finish the remake too.
I think there should be more breakable walls too, like in Mystic Realm. There should be some more easier lives for Sonic, it´s just stupid how many easy lives you can get with Tails or Knuckles, but not with Sonic.
And just some other random thing: Super Sonic isn´t as fun as it should be, because there aren´t many rings in stages. I could beat many of the levels without even getting 50 rings. Put more rings in the levels, it´s useless to have SSonic if you need to explore for two minutes just to transform. In fact, I don´t care about SSonic at all while playing Sonic.
A Knuckles User's perspective on the CTF maps, to top it off:
Lime Forest Zone:
A fairly straightforward map with the basic green theme (thankfully no GFZ or GHZ theme, I'm sick of these), and relatively well defendable bases. There is a normal path that everyone takes and the stealth water path, the random monitor in the middle, a wall to snipe from etc, this map is quite fun overall. 8/10 points here
Cloud Palace Zone:
This map is for the offense, and p'haps the single best map for rail ring usage, provided the lower path is busy. This straight line setup allows for fast-paced, offense-focused CTF matches. A gripe here would be that the other paths are rarely used and that the zone is one-dimensional thanks to that. There's also a damn pit that can catch you offguard sometimes. All in all, 7/10
Silver Cascade Zone:
Yeah, a lot more grimy and dark than the 1.09.4 iteration. It provides for a nice and balanced game (between offense and defense), and all of the routes are used pretty often. The difficulty level has been lowered, thankfully, but it often feels a bit empty. 8/10 overall.
Icicle Falls Zone:
Both small and sporting multiple pathes, Icicle Falls is an good level. It's not necessarily linear, has some defense possibilities etc. I give this map a 9/10.
Twisted Terminal Zone:
Oh yeah. Twisted Terminal. A straight 10/10 in terms of mood set, certainly, thanks to some kickass music (ERZ2, heh), it feels slightly linear as most of the time only one path will be used, even though the reverse gravity path is a very, very good gimmick. The basement is a nice spot, though rarely used, and the base is large, with good possibilities for defense, and certainly a large ammo stock. Overall, 9/10, as this map brings a smile on my face every time.
Nimbus Ruins Zone:
...don't mention it. Living proof that platforming is not that nice in a CTF map, perhaps it could be improved, but still. I also have the nagging suspicion that STjr will keep this map in no matter what. 3/10
Lime Forest Zone:
A fairly straightforward map with the basic green theme (thankfully no GFZ or GHZ theme, I'm sick of these), and relatively well defendable bases. There is a normal path that everyone takes and the stealth water path, the random monitor in the middle, a wall to snipe from etc, this map is quite fun overall. 8/10 points here
Cloud Palace Zone:
This map is for the offense, and p'haps the single best map for rail ring usage, provided the lower path is busy. This straight line setup allows for fast-paced, offense-focused CTF matches. A gripe here would be that the other paths are rarely used and that the zone is one-dimensional thanks to that. There's also a damn pit that can catch you offguard sometimes. All in all, 7/10
Silver Cascade Zone:
Yeah, a lot more grimy and dark than the 1.09.4 iteration. It provides for a nice and balanced game (between offense and defense), and all of the routes are used pretty often. The difficulty level has been lowered, thankfully, but it often feels a bit empty. 8/10 overall.
Icicle Falls Zone:
Both small and sporting multiple pathes, Icicle Falls is an good level. It's not necessarily linear, has some defense possibilities etc. I give this map a 9/10.
Twisted Terminal Zone:
Oh yeah. Twisted Terminal. A straight 10/10 in terms of mood set, certainly, thanks to some kickass music (ERZ2, heh), it feels slightly linear as most of the time only one path will be used, even though the reverse gravity path is a very, very good gimmick. The basement is a nice spot, though rarely used, and the base is large, with good possibilities for defense, and certainly a large ammo stock. Overall, 9/10, as this map brings a smile on my face every time.
Nimbus Ruins Zone:
...don't mention it. Living proof that platforming is not that nice in a CTF map, perhaps it could be improved, but still. I also have the nagging suspicion that STjr will keep this map in no matter what. 3/10
getoutgetoutgetoutgetoutgetout
Anyways:
(Can't give a fair rating on DSZ1/2 because I'm rather biased against water levels, so I'm skipping them, and I'm only rating the completely new levels so GFZ, THZ, and RVZ aren't here)
CEZ1: 8/10 - Fun to play, and Tails sees a lot of use here. In addition, it has a lot of interesting shortcuts, without actually making an alternate route. For example, you can monitor hop off the speed shoes at the beginning of the path on the right for a huge shortcut, and you get speed shoes to boot. And then, when the speed shoes are going to wear off, you'll be at a long open area if you were moving fast enough, which means you can start flying before they wear off to keep your speed for some extra time.
CEZ2: 6/10 - It's not particularly interesting, other than the secret areas.
ACZ1: 8/10 - Only slope physics and loops could make this better. Other than that, it's a fast-paced level with a lot of alternate routes and shortcuts, and fun gimmicks.
ERZ1: 6/10 - This feels like a tutorial level to lead up to ERZ2. But that's fine. I'm sure if ERZ2 was the first act we'd have a lot more complaints. Oh, and by the way, I'd think it would be interesting if the two paths intersected at the middle of the level and you could go onto the other path if you wanted to - right now it feels to linear, as does ERZ2. Also, I've found that the characters are rather balanced for speedrunning here - I get nearly the same speed as Sonic and Tails, though Sonic's still faster.
ERZ2: 9/10 - YES
only problem is that isn't hard enough :3
No. It could make it worse.
How so?
I've found that ACZ is the closest the classic games so far, and slope physics would allow for interesting tricks with the vertical variation. Loops are just to look cool.
I get your point with slopes (even though I don't like them personally), but it would look really wierd having a two-dimensional object like a loop out in the 3D field. Not to mention that it wouldn't be interesting gameplay-wise.
http://kaysakado.googlepages.com/mrtf_contest-janfeb07.wad
I only bothered to convert the map in question, and it still has some minor bugs anyways, but...
Sparkle Pop Zone, MAP19, by CZ64. It has a loop, and it looks fine.
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