What worries me is that it's looking like one level only for each stage, when there really ought to be multiple acts... I can understand that we do TECHNICALLY get two levels on each stage but that just wont sate me if I dont get to see a little "Act 2" sign pop up...

Oh, hey, look. Managed to grab some time before I have to leave for Europe and download the demo, which contained the first classic level from Green Hill Zone. Guess I'll sum this up.

-Graphics are eye pleasing (already been shown over and over again).
-Controls are responsive.
-Music was... exactly like Green Hill, except less 16-bit-y.
-Sonic's jump is, thankfully, not "floaty" as you could say it was from Sonic 4 or Colors, but now it feels much heavier and he barely has any hang time. Makes precision platforming somewhat of a pain at times.
-Speaking of jumping, Sonic Team seems to have fallen in love with the "jump on an enemy to get to a higher platform" technique. More of an annoyance than actual challenge of skill.
-Spindash is set to a specific button. Can actually pull it off the classic way with down+A, but is tough to get it right with a control stick.
-Spindash button is literally Sonic Team's way of integrating a boost into the classic levels. Seriously, you shoot off like a #&*$ing cannon.
-Physics are okay, but there are many points where they almost seemed... forced. I've already seen the term "scripted physics" used in other places, and I would say that's pretty accurate statement for what they are. There's a point in the lower portion of the level where there is the typical slope that leads to a straight up launch if you have the proper momentum, and back in the Genesis era, you could have controlled which way in the air you traveled easily. Instead, this part will not let you move to the left, and, in fact, while you're in the air, you're forced gently to the right to land on a specific platform, instead of allowing you to go to the left and hit a very easily seen spring. I tried that section multiple times, and it would never let me move in the direction I wanted to go.
-There are many point-of-no-return running areas where if you don't hit the jump button early enough in order to land on a higher platform that obviously leads to a quicker route, sorry brah, you're forced down that path until the game decides you could probably jump again.
-Random note: Did eventually find a speed-up-shoes power up. Music changed to a much faster tempo (like it should) and added some drumming. Enjoyed that bit.
-No bottomless pits in sight. Don't know if I completely approve of this, although it IS only the first level.

Overall, the level was enjoyable to play, and I easily memorized the fastest route within only a few run-throughs... but all the set-in-stone sequences are really unneeded. It's like the developers think you're not capable of figuring out how to move forward. Hopefully, they'll actually make some proper changes thanks to feedback, but knowing them... that's doubtful.

Don't take me wrong, it was actually fun to play, but right now, all this really is is one giant homage to the Genesis era, not an exact reincarnation.

Thanks for the impressions.

I'm glad to hear they went back to the heavy Genesis-style jump, and away from that horrible space jump, though the physics thing sounds like a real downer. Oh, but I do want to mention that bottomless pits have been the bane of the series for years, and that the original Green Hill Zone had none of them. I think this could only be a good thing--they've used pits as a lazy way out for stage "boundaries" (and to prevent them from needing to have alternate paths) for ages now.

One still has to wonder why they honestly can't just make the physics and controls of the classic stages be a carbon copy of S3&K, though. I mean, seriously, I've never heard anyone complain about the way S3&K felt in regards to movement. And if it's supposed to be "classic" Sonic, why not? As long as the visuals are polished and the stages are fresh, it seems like it'd be perfectly fine to do that. Oh well.

I do appreciate the heavier jump, but it feels like he doesn't get enough air time at the peak of it. Oh well, better than the other type we've seen lately.

One thing I forgot to mention is that there ARE quite a number of paths you can take. It branches off into at least three from what I could remember around mid-stage. The level is relatively short though, so I'm hoping there is more than one act per area.

Some food-for-thought analysis on stages:

Absolutely confirmed stages:
- Green Hill
- City Escape
- Rooftop Run

Now, one of the three following stages--and probably only one--must be included, judging by the red and white springboard ramps reused in City Escape:
- Chemical Plant
- Aquatic Ruin
- Mystic Cave

(My guess is Chemical Plant, because the stage is infamous for its drowning sequence, and is an early enough stage that most players reached it and remember it.)

Now, allegedly, a model of Knuckles with two mouths is floating around out there, indicating its use in a 2D environment. Unless they're inserting him somewhere he wasn't before, that means we will most likely see him in one of the following:
- Angel Island
- Hidden Sanctuary

(My hope is Hidden Sanctuary, or, more ideally, Lava Reef finishing with Hidden Sanctuary, to cap things off with a Knuckles boss fight.)

He appears in other S3&K stages, but mostly at the end of the stage to spring a trap. It might be odd to have Knuckles pop into a stage at the end and then not be seen again, so I'm guessing one of the above.

Sonic Boom has been confirmed as a song in the game. Sonic Boom is obviously not a song from any stage, but instead the intro and closing credits. What would this fit? One can hope it would fit a race against Metal Sonic (as this is featured in the ending credits, with Sonic Boom playing). Thus, in a very hopeful guess, I'm assuming we'll see...

Stardust Speedway

May edit this post later as I attempt to divine more stage stuff.

Now he can yell twice as loud!


Also, found another image that may spoil a portion of the game for you.

That model doesn't look like a "Classic Knuckles" at all... It'd look bizarre going up against Classic Sonic. I may be jumping the gun with my assumptions.

Might want to keep the mindset that there's a Modern and Classic version of everything in this game. May or may not be two different Knuckles encounters depending on which type of Sonic you're playing as. That is, if you do encounter him like you hope.

Yeah. I just wonder if we would only encounter Knuckles in 2D in the modern version of a stage. It seems odd, but I guess plausible.

Modern mix of Escape From the City: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtD7hMTc ... r_embedded

I find it quite nice that they went through the trouble of re-recording the whole track, even if this is only a minute snippet of the thing. They seem to stay true to the original track of it, but I like the small tidbits they've added for it. Catchy as always.

Another trailer just got released.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN2ODzSb ... r_embedded

Looks like we can add on Seaside Hill and Spagonia to the list of revisited locales. That now puts us at 3 "city" stages (if you count Chemical Plant) and 2 "green" stages. I think Seaside Hill differentiates enough from Green Hill in its look to be able to make the game, but dang, I really wanted Egg Fleet from Sonic Heroes instead.

Oh, and I guess a new boss is shown at the end. Not too much surprise on what it is.

Demo number two just got released today, and this guy was happy that the Modern version of Green Hill was included this time around. The Classic level was also included in the download, but seeing how I already gave an analysis of that, I'll just focus on the newer addition.

-We're back to Unleashed speeds here folks. Blazing fast yet again, and quick reaction times sometimes needed.
-"Press boost to win" is an idea now worked against. You're going to miss a lot of potential alternate paths if you just glue your finger to the X button (Xbox wise, that is). Unless if you're somewhat like me and are experienced with jumping during boost at precise times.
-Speaking of paths, there are quite a few of them. I maybe played the demo level for a solid 45 minutes at my friend's house, trying to see how fast I could "perfect" it, so to say. I kept discovering new routes throughout the whole time, especially a major one that I managed to completely miss multiple times. And this is only the starting level of the game. Hopefully they expand on this later on.
-Controls overall are much more smooth to use. The homing attack is now designated to the A button, unlike in Unleashed, so now you won't go boosting forward at insane speeds in mid air if you believe an enemy is in range, but truly isn't. Get a forward dash more akin to earlier 3D titles. Jumping is, thankfully, way more controllable. Otherwise, control layout is mostly the same.
-Physics feel a little bit more improved from Unleashed as well. (Mostly comparing this to Unleashed seeing how Colors was on a completely different system.)
-Wasn't any actual drifting sections in this level, but I did attempt it on a straightaway just to see how it worked now. The animation is changed so Sonic curls up into a mid-spindash ball when turning. Thought that was a neat detail.
-The Modern stage, in my opinion, outright beats any visuals in the Classic one. More of an already cemented assumption anyway, seeing how the high-speed 3D perspective can add much more to a level. Also was much, much longer than the Classic stage.
-Animations of Sonic himself seem a bit more smoother and improved as well. Just another detail.

Aaaand that's really it. Just a combination of the high speed of Unleashed and the higher chance of actual platforming from Colors. It's fun to play, and is a nice taste of what could be the final product.

I'm pretty much with Sheff on this one. I really like how 'boosting to win' is being discouraged in lieu of the chance to find alternate pathways, something that I spent a lot of time just replaying the stage to try out whenever I noticed a new route in my sights. I think this is going to be the big one, guys.

Casino Night remix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8bmRcO9bow

This thread is old, and Im assuming people have already played the game. But I just wana say, Its actually really fun. :O