My thoughts on SRB2 so far. (SPOILERS)

[NeonSonik15]

(Spoilers if you haven't beaten the game yet)
This may be the best update of SRB2 yet. All the levels feel so fresh, and look beautiful. I also like some new gimmicks zones have with Red Volcano's new ball sections, and Arid Canyon's minecarts. Also the addition of new characters such as Metal Sonic and Fang (Nack the Weasel). It's also cool that Fang's a new boss. It was hilarious when he slammed into a sign when defeated.
I like the prehistoric-like theme of Red Volcano zone, but I despise the Pterodactyl enemies. I wonder why Egg Rock levels didn't get remade...
The addition of extra lives when you get too many game overs is great for people who have a hard time beating levels, makes for good practice.
I also love the new art assets and the game's music as well, although I also like the old soundtrack (for nostalgic reasons).
Overall, 10/10. Would play again. Can't wait for the brand new modifications coming soon!

 

[glaber]

They ran out of time on Egg Rock

 

[Knuckles MetalMind]

Totally agree!!


I hated minecarts the first tries though, they are a life consuming gimmick for sure. I expected some run VS Eggman as the boss, like it was planned on the first ACZ previews, but I really loved getting Fang as a boss, the entire fight was awesome and the ending was even better :)


I liked too that Egg Rock wasn't changed this time... I lost too many lives on CEZ, ACZ and RVZ until I learnt new gimmicks, enemies and layouts, so having ERZ the same has actually been better for me. All the small changes to that zone were awesome too, and separating the final bosses was really needed!


I've played as Knuckles though... I will try Sonic next time for the real deal!

 

[JEV3]

They ran out of time on Egg Rock

Oh, and here I thought it was because Egg Rock was actually good enough to still hold up without being remade. I mean the lack of slopes in the part I played was noticeable but otherwise ERZ and THZ felt like they were head and shoulders above everything else in the previous version. Now it feels like everything else caught up.

 

[clairebun]

Even though Egg Rock lacks slopes, it actually manages to feel a bit different in the new engine due to momentum being inherited on conveyors and moving platforms. I'd definitely argue it's the weakest zone out of the bunch right now, but it at least has enough going on to make it not feel completely dated.

 

[Magictub]

--TL;DR at bottom--

After completing the game with every character. I'm saving the S&T play-through to play w/my friend. :P I am now going for the emblems... of course, trying to find all the emblems is a confusing mess. I haven't even gotten past Deep Sea Zone (DSZ) yet, in terms of the hidden emblems. I was able to get the time and rings challenges done for that zone, as well as previous ones, but I am only taking a moment after my triumph over DSZ Act 2's time trial to beat the rising and lowering platforms from going on the interval that effectively makes my run moot. I am going to try and 100% it... might have to think twice with Black Hole Zone (BHZ), if it is still in this game, cause that A rank is a trick and a half. And, of course, with the emblem places being mixed up and in new, yet sorta conventional places, which is honestly a godsend, since they aren't quite stupid locations, and they involve using multiple characters other than Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles! Still loving the game, though it is upsetting they didn't do too much with Egg Rock Zone (ERZ)... Hope that is fixed with a new section or two, or maybe receiving the same treatment as Arid Canyon Zone (ACZ)/Castle Eggman Zone (CEZ)!

Spoiler: aaAaa amy spoiler

As for the characters: Sonic feels relatively the same, same with tails and knuckles--though it is cool that I can look side to side as I climb :o--and the addition of amy, fang, and metal sonic as official characters was refreshing! Amy feels like a hard mode for the game, which gives the player a weirdly satisfying fourth play-through as a heavily restricted character. She does have her benefits, but she feels like I'm driving a vintage Toyota on the roads of mute city, sure she is useful in situations, but she ain't catching up to anyone any time soon! With her piko-piko Hammer, she must time her hammer swings after jumping from enemy to enemy remembering to hit jump/spin again before landing, which makes it satisfying when you get a chain link of enemies as her, as compared to all the other characters (with the slight exception of fang). It's also really fun to hammer springs to give myself a bigger boost into the air. however... one little thing is that I wish she could press spin, then jump to do that cool hammer flip move she could do in sonic advance. Other than that, she was a lot of fun to play as, and I'd love to play through it again as any other restrictive character that hinders me... if anything, to feed my masochistic behaviors.

Spoiler: OoOoh nooOo fang spoylur

Fang is a weird case... he is incredibly useful in boss fights, or fighting enemies in general, being given some weird pop gun to use as a semi-kind-of-sniper. he is way more restrictive than amy, given that he doesn't even have a mobile attack, other than his springy tail. He is definitely a different character. Once again, having no spin jump, or spin dash, having it be replaced by his bouncy tail and his gun... he is very useful in boss fights, and I may use him as a way to get those boss fights out of the way in the Record Attacks. I wouldn't recommend him for new players, at all... then again, I guess that's why he's an unlockable.

Spoiler: METAL

While metal sonic did feel like an easy baby sonic mode with the added boost mechanic, only activating after a slightly lengthy, but reasonable amount of time. it makes him a great reward for beating the game, unlocking the kind of reward like when you'd get the infinite ammo rocket launcher in Resident Evil 4. That play-through was a breeze, but not boring, thankfully. it was fun to be able to turn into super metal sonic, somehow, and it's funny that a robot can run out of air in SPACE... though it does raise questions about the possibility of an animal being inside of metal like all the other badniks... Idk, I thought he was run off of some of sonic's dna or chaos emerald bs... also, it is slightly funny to see him rebel against his creator and foil his plan.

TL;DR: this game is awesome, the new characters are awesome, and you are awesome, Sonic Team Jr, for being so fucking dedicated to a fan game. You guys are the real MVPs.

 

[Augus]

Even though Egg Rock lacks slopes, it actually manages to feel a bit different in the new engine due to momentum being inherited on conveyors and moving platforms. I'd definitely argue it's the weakest zone out of the bunch right now, but it at least has enough going on to make it not feel completely dated.

Aerial Garden Zone and Azure Temple are largely unchanged as well (except for nice little symbols marking the switches in AGZ so their purpose is clearer) but some of the jumps on moving platforms are definitely more forgiving thanks to the presence of vertical momentum, which is much-appreciated!

 

[Unknownlight]

Even though Egg Rock lacks slopes, it actually manages to feel a bit different in the new engine due to momentum being inherited on conveyors and moving platforms. I'd definitely argue it's the weakest zone out of the bunch right now, but it at least has enough going on to make it not feel completely dated.

I think the biggest thing that makes ERZ feel incredibly dated now are the zoom tubes. Mechanically and visually they stand out as being very, very unpolished compared to the rest of the game.

 

[Magictub]

Aerial Garden Zone and Azure Temple are largely unchanged as well (except for nice little symbols marking the switches in AGZ so their purpose is clearer) but some of the jumps on moving platforms are definitely more forgiving thanks to the presence of vertical momentum, which is much-appreciated!

Are you kidding me? platforming in AGZ was never more terrifying. I'm guessing this is because of the assisted braking that helps with it? I digress, it was almost impossible to do so as any character that didnt have some aerial ability, since the moving platforms are, for one reason or another, the most slippery platforms in all of existence. And just the room before the skyscraper emblem, my GOD, if you barely played as fang, that room was terrifying... at first, until you figure out that you have to just spring jump across a few platforms, but imagine having to ADJUST yourself mid spring.

 

[Mario A. Roach]

All I can complain about is that some levels are disgusting to speed run, and Nights mode is what made me notice it more... Whatever, for some reason I managed to get 124 emblems with all this problems.
If someone finds a way to speed-run toxic plateau, tell me ;D hahaha (Hides pain with laughs).