Review
This would really be good for a first zone in a pack. The zone has that feel of simplicity that many first zones should have.
Some comments on Acts 1 and 2.
1. A small texture problem here (Act 1):
2. I'll have to agree with SpiritCrusher for this issue. Many places were open and wide, which is a good thing generally for Sonic levels. However, I thought that went overboard, particularly in Act 1. Perhaps you can add some more scenery in these places to provide more interest:
3. For the streams that flow from waterfalls, I thought those areas would look better if the water had some current flowing. There does have to be real current if you don't want there to be, but at least make the water texture scroll in a reasonable direction. This is in regards to both Acts 1 and 2. Make the zone, especially Act 1, more alive! You mainly used jumping fish to accomplish this, but it can get boring.
4. I also have to agree with FuriousFox about the staircase in Act 1. The jumping from one stair to the next more than about 5 times was really repetitious. Though, the main thing in Act 1 was jumping from a step to another. I just thought it could be more interesting, or it was probably the blandness that was bugging me. Find other ways to allow Sonic to scale that wall.
5. The fencing in Act 2 was not consistent. One had the invisible FOF, others didn't.
(starting area)
(right above the starting area: the FOF can be of greater height just so that you can stand over the entire fence)
(route where you fall into the water)
6. In Act 2, I thought you went overboard with the falling rocks. It was hard the first time to try to get through those narrow canyons without getting hit by one of them.
7. Also in Act 2, the first time I went down the water pool that contained a multitude of air bubbles and fishes, and a few Minuses, I wasn't able to find a way out and restarted the level. You can: 1) add some springs where you fall into the pool so you can easily get out if you don't want to take this path, and 2) do something, like add an arrow sign, play around with the rings, or even changing the textures, just so that the way out is more obvious, especially if you've taken the left fork in the path.
8. For the zone in general, I liked how there were many routes a player can take to get to the end of each act. However, there could've been routes that would take a player to a secret area. Many of your secret areas were basic: fall down a hole to find some useful, or not useful, monitors. This zone would go very well with some bustable walls, since this is a canyon. So I suggest you to add some.
9. There were some very nice places I would like to point out that I admire a lot:
I really liked the tunnel entrance. I kind of done that in
Oceanic Cove Zone 1 (obsolete, very ancient beta few will remember), but not so well. But it really looked great in your level.
This was very beautiful, but where are the waterfalls? I feel there could be waterfalls, or at least, like in Arid Canyon, make the walls look as if they're "dried out" from the lack of a waterfall where there should be one.
When I first arrived here, I was able to hear the choir sing. Looks very pretty for me. Finally I found some of the interesting rocks I could've used in my recent
Oceanic Cove Zone 1. Thanks for recalling me that sort of scenery.
This was beautiful. I loved how you used those tall, jungle grass textures up there on the walls, and this was used throughout the entire zone, which relieved the "blandness" a simple, high wall can provide.
Act 3
I won't comment as much on the boss only because it was generic. But it was interesting how you used the end area of Act 2 as the playing field for Act 3. Though, it may be a waste of memory space to have the entire rest of the Act, where you can't even return to due to the invisible FOF, in the boss act.
Ratings
Act 1: 6/10
Act 2: 7/10
Act 3: 5/10
It's hard to give a first zone, or something that seems like one, a high score, only because such a zone merely introduces the designer's skills and tactics for making a level. Refer to Greenflower Zone. It doesn't receive high ratings only because it is simple, but it's simple enough to be the first zone. However, it's the scenery and gimmicks that can add or subtract numbers in a rating. There could've been better scenery for this zone or less boring gimmicks, like climbing stairs or running at full speed through open areas, but if those were greatly improved upon, then this zone could turn out to be too "complex" for a first zone. Though, this could be argued.
That's all from me! Great work with this, but many aspects could've been better.
(starting area)
(right above the starting area: the FOF can be of greater height just so that you can stand over the entire fence)
(route where you fall into the water)
