http://www.srb2.orgI stumbled into this game a couple days ago, and as soon as I started playing, I thought three things:
1) "How did I get such a good game for free?"
2) "I wonder if I can get 19 seconds on the first level..."
3) "How did I get such a good game for free WITHOUT BREAKING THE LAW?"
It's a fully functioning 3D game, with a game engine that you might recognize from Doom. Some of the more useful features:
-A package including 25 levels (only 9 actually come as installed; you need one of the Addons to get the rest). Each of the act 3s is a boss fight like from Sonic 3D Blast (i.e. the boss is the entire level; you don't have to go through anything to get there), and most of those bosees are the same machine with the same attacks, but the different surroundings provide interesting twists on the battle each time. All in all, even those default levels are a great set to have.
-3
distinct characters. Unlike in other games where there are multiple characters as nothing more than skins of each other, in this game Tails actually flies, Knuckles glides and climbs, and they function exactly like you'd expect them to. Furthermore, each one has its own set of values for things like Speed, Acceleration, and Jump Height.
New Special Stages. You're in a 3D all-range world of mountains, valleys, and ledges, and the object is to hunt down the specified number of rings in the given time (usually 100-200 seconds). Resembles the Advance 2 specials more than anything, but much easier both to access and to beat. For one, there's no crazy robot following you.
-Hidden stuff! In addition to the standard rings and 1-ups hidden behind secret, narrow, and just plain hard-to-get-to areas, each level has 3 hidden emblems (1 each for Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to find). Supposedly you get a bonus for finding them all--I won't tell (as a matter of fact, I don't know what happens yet, so meh.)
-Four separate difficulty levels. At harder difficulties, you start with fewer lives/continues, see more enemies, and sometimes objects like springs are taken away. But hey, this game
was developed from Doom...isn't this a fairly obvious feature?
And the biggies:
-Custom characters. There's a tool out there which will allow you to design your own character, give it an appearance from each angle and at different parts of the animation, and a rating in each of the aforementioned stat categories...and then you can have that character to play in the game! After that's done, you can develop extra tricks for that character (e.g. one of the addons doesn't create a new character, but it provides Sonic with a functional light-dash and homing attack. I would recommend this addon to everyone except for the fact that it messes with the camera angle as a side-effect, you you won't always know what you're doing.)
-Custom levels. After you've done enough with the basic 25 stages, or if you want something to test your new character, you can make your own level to romp in! Granted, this is tedious, but even if you don't have an image of the perfect level in mind, some other players of the game do. That's why you can download a bunch of levels from the Addons section, and there's something for everyone (as a matter of fact, one of those extra levels exhibits the game's ability to create levels that act like Knuckles' stages from Sonic Adventure!) You can decorate your stage however you wish and even throw in fancy stuff like Low Gravity (for example, an arena in space) Between the work of everyone, the game is as expansive as people can keep stretching it.
-And the greatest one of all:
ONLINE MULTIPLAYER MODE. Games like Quake and Halo have had direct realtime competition available for a long time, and now it's finally the Sonic fans' turn to do the same thing without switching loyalties. In fact, this feature gives the site its first chance to do online game tournaments, and if a bunch of site members take up the game regularly then we could become a defining force on the growing multiplayer scene. Games can span 2, 6, up to 32 players at once! Here's the online modes:
Co-Op: All players play together to try and complete the level. Perhaps useful if you're trying to get through Super Hard.
Deathmatch: Just like any basic shooter, except with the Sonic mechanics thrown in. The difference is that instead of using guns with bullets, your rings ARE the bullets. So now in addition to serving as your means of survival against attack, rings are also your only way to attack at all. Some powerups provide you with additional shooting features, like rapid-fire or exploding rings. Just hit the opponents with the most rings to win!
Capture the Flag: The team-oriented variation of the basic deathmatch that everyone loves. The flag scores 20 times as many points as a standard hit, so much of the game will be fought by rivals each carrying the opponent's flag.
Tag: It uses the features of a deathmatch, but obviously the emphasis is on not being "IT". So don't be "IT". And remember, you can either collide with a player or hit them with a ring in order to transfer a tag.
Chaos: Many players, all of whom are opponents, but you can't throw rings here (and therefore can't destroy each other). What you CAN destroy is the neverending supply of enemies that reappear all over the field. Not only destroy the most enemies, but also make sure you get big chains of them (by lining up multiples in a single jump or spindash). Of course the enemies can also get you, and with each death you also lose half your points.
Race: The original Sonic multiplayer, now in 3D! Go through the standard levels, trying to outdo your opponent in each of five categories: this five happen to be the very same parameters from S2 multiplayer mode. Alternatively, you can select a Time-Only mode in which the other four objectives don't count.
Anyway, everyone here should get SRB2. If there's anything you'd expect in an online game, this one has it, or else it shouldn't be too hard to create for yourself. You can discuss the game by joining #srb2 (it's on the same IRC server as TSC Chat), or arrange online games at #srb2fun and #srb2netgame. I leave you with this:
