So, here’s my impression of the levels…
GFZ1 - 7/10 – Very basic, not much happening, but that’s to be expected of the first stage in Sonic games.
GFZ2 - 10/10 - Friggin’ epic. I love how there’s a million nooks and crannies in this act for all three characters to explore, and yet it’s also great for time-attack runs. The huge landmasses and the music (especially the music) lend the level a sort of majestic feel.
GFZ3 - 5/10 - A serviceable but incredibly boring boss fight. The decision to make Eggman flee after each hit does add difficulty and length to this act, but at the same time it feels slightly tedious.
THZ1 - 8/10 - Less complicated than GFZ2, but still fun to explore. The factory entrance and secret route to the goal earn this act some bonus points.
THZ2 - 6/10 - The enclosed setting makes this act a little less conductive towards open-ended exploration, and the multiple paths tend to reunite a little too quickly. Additionally, pressing the switch to open the goal becomes a minor chore after multiple play-throughs. Nice music, though.
THZ3 - 8/10 - A basic boss that has some fun behaviors nevertheless. It’s neat once you notice that the arena is constantly moving through a tunnel.
DSZ1 - 7/10 - The underwater segments are challenging, but not unfair. The overall level design is a little too labyrinthine for my personal tastes. There’s some neat architecture going on here.
DSZ2 - 8/10 - Largely the same as DSZ1, although the level design feels a tad more coherent. The waterslide parts are a blast and operate very well. The gargoyle puzzles are cleaver, though I thought there would be more of them.
DSZ3 - 8/10 - An unsuspectingly difficult boss! Perhaps the thing I like about this boss most is that it’s extremely hard when playing as Tails, which is a good change from the status quo. Very creative.
CEZ1 - 9/10 - A forest/castle act with broad, sweeping paths, innovative enemies, creative obstacles, and the great chain gimmick. The only downside is that exploration suddenly dies about half-way through.
CEZ2 - 6/10 - Hit and miss. The first half feels as if you merely navigate through one obstacle-course of a room after another. The final part of the lower path (the big water level-changing room) is tedious and feels structurally like it should be something from Super Mario 64, not SRB2. However, the cannonball field was a great challenge, and the wedding chapel was a nice easter egg.
NAGZ - 9/10 - Hyper level, indeed. I confess that I’ve only played through this act as Tails, and I skipped over a large part of the challenging platforming. I can only imagine that this is the ultimate test of a player’s skills in SRB2. Cutting down on the number of Jetty-Syns to focus on platforming was a smart move. The only complaint I have is that the general layout is a tad confusing. But, on the other hand, it certainly adds to the challenge! As usual, the music is great.
ACZ - 8/10 - The structure of this zone feels like a real naturally-forming canyon, which is a nice contrast from the more abstract GFZ2. The new badniks are all well thought-out and the music and graphics go wonderfully together. Two bits of criticism: The moving platforms in this act have transparent tops and bottoms, which I thought would result in the player falling through. That needs to be fixed. Also, the final part is unfair, not due to the difficulty of traversing cable wires, but due to the fact that if you screw up, you’re dead. I hope some sort of safety net is added for the final.
RVZ - 10/10 - Much shorter than the original, but still jam-packed with a lot of fun gimmicks. The lava tide near the end was a stroke of genius. In fact, I rather like that this zone is completely devoid of badniks, as it highlights the environmental dangers. The music and the new level textures go well together.
ERZ1 - 8/10 - Another short act, but still filled with things to do. I rather like that the gimmicks here are segmented rather than mixed, so that the player is introduced to them at a learnable rate.
ERZ2 - 10/10 - There are so many things about this act which I adore… First, it doesn’t feel like the “generic space-station level” that seems to be so obligatory in Sonic games. With air-lock chambers, excavation sites, storage rooms, biospheres and other distinct places, this act feels as if it’s actually a real place. Second, the gimmicks introduced in ERZ1 are mixed in cleaver ways and force the player to keep moving at a steady, exciting pace. Third, the sheer length of this act makes navigating through it a hard-fought challenge, but it’s not so bad as to make the whole thing tedious. Finally, the Disco Room and its music are awesome easter eggs. The only complaint I have here is that Pointy’s appearance seems a bit awkward.
ERZ3 - 10/10 - Surpasses every expectation one could have of a final boss. Is it big and intimidating? Check. Does it keep you on your toes at all times? Check. Do you bring it down in creative ways? Check! I especially loved how you could fly on and guide its own missiles. First class!
Special Stages - 9/10 Overall - Besides being aesthetically pretty, the concept behind the special stages is one that’s never been done in any of the official Sonic games. The difficulty is actually quite easy, and makes for a nice, relaxing break from the main game… Until Special Stage 7, which, as appropriate of all final special stages, makes you work hard for your full set of emeralds.
Sonic Robo Blast Remake - 8/10 - A really nice tribute to the original game. Gets repetitive after a while, but in the spirit of Sonic Robo Blast. Nice use of original enemy graphics and MIDIs. Hope to see all the levels and bosses in the final!
And now, the stuff I haven’t unlocked yet but have had the fortune of playing in version 1.094. I assume not much has changed, but if I am incorrect, then please excuse me, gentlemen.
SHZ - 9/10 - Ah… The NiGHTS into Dreams tribute… And what a damn fine tribute it is! While flying about as Super Sonic is a major (if all-too-brief) blast, exploring the surreal landscape as low-grav Sonic is serious fun too. My only complaint here is that the graphics on this level are sometimes buggy.
Mario Koopa Blast - 8/10 Overall - Another solid tribute to another solid game. The first act is a fine SRB2 level in its own regard, and the Mushroom Kingdom graphics and jaunty Overground theme only add to the joviality. The second act is a nice tribute to World 1-2, but is otherwise really bland. I know not many people like the third act due to its difficulty, but it's really appropriate, seeing as it keeps in the spirit of Mario’s 2D gameplay. Also, the 8-bit Bowser cameo is a nice conclusion.
So, there’s my ratings. Great job to everyone responsible. One more thing, though: I really hope that somewhere in the final game is a tribute to Christmas Hunt Zone and/or the SBR2 Christmas versions. Perhaps this could be in a secret room in Blue Mountain Zone?