Tuesday 11 September 2012

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Progress Report IV

Oil Ocean Zone


So, welcome to Oil Ocean Zone. It is literally an oil rig in the middle of an actual ocean of oil. The oil doesn't act exactly like water though, instead you will slowly sink into it unless you jump out. This will be useful later on. 

One of the gimmicks of the level are these cannons. Just head into one and it will automatically shoot you in a direction (usually into another cannon). For reasons that are unclear to me...I like them. Much like the pipes in Chemical Plant, they don't add any challenge to the level, but they're a nice set piece. I think I like this level. The reason I'm maybe indecisive is that it hasn't really stuck in my head all that well.


Robotnik this time tries to kill us in a submarine. He'll pop out occasionally and that's your chance for a couple of hits, a skilled player (i.e. not me) could probably finish him by the second time he pops out. He does have a couple of attacks when he's under da sea. The first is a laser that will follow you. An easy way to dodge it is top simply keep jumping over it to the other platform. The laser can hit the platform itself and if you're standing on it you will get hurt. The second is a claw thing that will jump out of the sea. But, after dying the first two times, I discovered a way to cheese this boss. Basically, I stayed in the oil, kept jumping and well...you know the rest...


We have saved the enviroment! Let's move on!


Metropolis Zone


I like the level. I like the song. Hell, I even like the boss. BUT...the enemies...CAN GO CHOKE ON A "carrot" AND "dye their hair". There are three enemies, and they're all annoying as hell. We're looking for all three, on charges of conspiring the murder of my sanity.

Asteron-sprite.png - Suspect Name: Asteron. Known Aliases: "That spiky star guy". He's known for hiding where you cannot harm him, but as soon as he see's you he shoots his spikes out to attack. This kills him, but not before causing ultimate mayhem.

Shellcracker-sprite.png - Suspect Name: Shellcracker. Known Aliases: "The Heavyweight Robot-Boxing Champion of Mobius". Many have suspected him of using steroids in his left hand only. He, undoubtedly, has the best range in Robot-Boxing history, being able to extend his arm to attack. Motives for joining the criminal underworld are unknown.

Slicer sprite.png - Suspect Name: Slicer. Known Aliases: "WHO THE HELL PUT HIM THERE?". Slicer lulls you into a false sense of security. You'll think he's weak, since he's defenceless after he shoots his claws at you. But he will get you. He will always get you. He KNOWS where to get you and you will find him in the most unavoidable positions available.

I hate them all. I took pleasure in killing each one I saw. Of course, it cost me rings, and in a couple of occasions, lives, but it was worth it.

Metropolis is the only Zone in the game with three Acts. There are plenty of moving platforms, as well as this: 

Screws. While enemies send my screw loose, you have to run in place in one direction in order to go up or down. SEGA loved putting Asterons here, and if you get hit you will fall off the screw. If that happens, you'll have to run away far enough for it to reset. 

I actually got two extra lives in the first Act (one for 100 rings, one for another 50,000 points) but I lost them (plus another) by the time I got to the boss. After a fairly difficult zone...surely the boss would be hard too?



Nope. It's a rather easy boss...though I did keep on getting hit 'cause I'm dumb. The idea is that those eggpods will spin quickly to protect Robotnik from harm. If you do successfully hit him, a pod will pop and a little Eggman replica will bounce about. You have to get your timing down to attack him when the pods aren't spinning or aren't protecting a certain area. The boss gets much easier as it goes on, as he loses all of his pods. As soon as you finish the last one, it just takes one more hit and, for the final time, the Egg-O-Matic goes BOOM.


That concludes the last of the Zones that have more than one Acts. Next time, we'll be finishing the game. See you then!

Add another Continue!



Next time: We take down Eggman. For the last time. Until the next time.

Music

Oil Ocean Zone
Metropolis Zone (so good...)

No comments:

Post a Comment