Ranking Every Sonic Forces Level

you know I've never used drill on this part never today it seems with Frontiers on the horizon and clearly reusing some assets I thought why not return to the most recent Mainline Sonic game and rank all the stages it's been nearly five years since forces came out Dear God and I hadn't played through it fully in about four now I've spent a collective 15 hours playing nothing but forces levels to compare and I'm about to lose it while I would certainly articulate my review a little different nowadays the final verdict in my old video still Rings true I'm right in the middle on this game and I've optimized how to squeeze every ounce of Joy possible from it so pull up a chair you're probably already in one this is every stage from Sonic forces ranked from least to greatest was it fun am I compelled to come back to it did it leave any lasting impact on me will I ever truly recover from this these are the questions I asked myself repeatedly and I want to sleep number 39 Spaceport that's right we're kicking off with an avatar stage there are two ways that you'll see me play as this character one is with the flamethrower and a game-changing perk that gives me a boost up to Max Speed when I stomp in a direction and the drill so I can do this this keeps the pace moving when you know where to time it and sweet Mary it makes a difference unfortunately Spaceport is still a tutorial level at the end of the day so there isn't much you can do in the way of casual speed running this drill skip is about as fun as it gets the rest is extremely automated there's a quick time event that I've seen far too many times to get excited for even the rail grinding at the end is taken from tropical resort and is over in a flash of course if you look up an actual Speed Run it's crazy but I'm not going to use that as a metric for us commoners there is a certain degree of casual speed running that's expected from this franchise but anything more is going to have to be off limits I gotta draw the line somewhere number 38 reverse block one gotta love these titles our first of 13 bonus stages you can unlock which are all completely 2D 30 seconds to a minute and may or may not not revolve around some gimmick we saw in colors both of them to include bite-sized stages in a game made of bite-sized stages but I actually like some of these as you'll soon find out this one not so much you're on to the right stop a couple times use the birds double jump to take a minor shortcut flame a bunch of robots in a big Square room and then it plays itself out before half a minute can even pass they really like throwing a bunch of rings at you at the end of these like a last-ditch effort to get you excited here I have some rings you like Rings don't you tell me you're having fun yeah needless to say there isn't much going on here the yellow reappearing cubes do have an oddly satisfying sound effect but the reappearing nature of them doesn't really come into play your ability use is restricted you can't torch the place and stop everywhere that's about the extent of it but now I'm just hopping on blocks for not even half a minute number 37 surprise surprise reverse block two this one is a bit better the intro is kind of bland but the disappearing act does come into play more this time you got to be quick before the enemy shoots or use it to your advantage there's some danger with the pits and I like boosting over this group but it's still very short and boxed in number 36 vanish panel one this is about as simple as it gets ladies and gentlemen the platforms vanish so jump there you go that's the level Sonic doesn't have his boost so there's nothing in the way of shortcuts you can take it's just a matter of how fast you can press the jump button after landing and not falling short it does have a nice flow to it though there's a consistency here that the previous stage is lacked without any automation until the end either but you know what it's missing something the Rings thank you number 35 bomb block one still no boost and another timed element in the form of bombs that detonate when you touch them igniting the adjacent chain so you got to be quick you've seen this before it's not hard but there is some mild tension and payoff for making it through couple shortcuts for breaking these greats an attempt at a mini challenge was made just don't stomp right here number 34. final judgment a final stage so anti-climactic I forgot to even include it in my review when talking about all the stages the Quick Step section in the beginning is tight and by far the Highlight instant kill spike wheels terminal velocity laser Bots hard to grab Collectibles there are some Stakes here although your inputs sometimes don't get red and you have to double tap or succumb to the reaper I don't know how that got in there then there's a brief moment where you dodge electricity on the rails only time of the game has ever happens but then we fight a mini boss so to speak that doesn't really fight back and then double boost our way out which is basically a qte that sucks away more time than it deserves number 33 bomb block two since we're playing as the Avatar this time around we get to make use of that lovely stomp boost and it gets a surprising amount of play it slows down when you're waiting for the bombs to detonate it tries to get all puzzly on you but the freedom to move around is a nice improvement from its first iteration number 32. Casino Forest there he is the man of the hour I had to think for a long time what my least favorite Classic Sonic stage was and it made sense to go with the most physics-based one to its credit the pinball physics are better than the slope ones but like a real Casino how happy I am can be left up to chance sometimes I get a lucky break and others a sick joke it usually behaves itself it's not a frustrating level but it is kinda Bland there isn't much application for the drop or spin dash compared to the others and the lack of pinball accurate Collision really kills the vibe number 31 Laser cannon one another timed obstacle a running Theme by now gotta wait for the laser to clear out and get through fast enough before the next one catches up it's a similar tension as escaping the bombs but this is the kind of cycle based gameplay where if you leave at the right time you'll never have to wait because everything will be perfectly in rhythm with you so long as you don't mess up there's a weird automated part halfway through as if it needed to remind us that we're playing Sonic and it's obviously very short still but this feels like a game it's a solid idea with a good flow to it I could see this being used again number 30. fire Cannon 2. very similar to the previous one only now we have fire pillars that turn on and off so leaning more towards the red light green light effect they don't Telegraph which is kind of awkward it can be a nightmare at first I won't lie but like the lasers there's minimal waiting when you catch it on a good cycle the stage is a bit longer and the sense of direction is more varied you're not just going to the right you're going all over the place it does get padded out with more automation as a result but it's a decent challenge that feels good to narrowly escape number 29 chemical plant The Legend Continues to give credit where it's due all of classic Sonic's levels have pretty decent design when it comes to multiple Pathways Red Ring hiding spots and moderately high speed platforming the drop Dash is a Saving Grace for his gameplay because you aren't gonna go fast without it chemical plant in particular is notorious for showing off how unaccommodating the Force's control is for typical Sonic antics you can die on this hill if you want but Lord knows you won't gain speed running down it there are a lot of loops and roadways that lack the sensation necessary to justify their existence but like I said it is fun trying to find the fastest route and there are some good drop Dash opportunities when you're not underwater the pace is acceptable number 28. fire Cannon one once again controlling the Avatar gives us that glorious stomp boost allowing for a seamless gameplay experience I really enjoy the flow here the vertical climbs are still quite basic and the whole thing is gimmicky and short as expected but this is one I don't mind replaying number 27. flying pod no number for this guy I guess one was enough this is essentially a better reverse block too there is less automated fluff in the beginning and some pretty tight platforming that's easy to mess up it's still very short and the spike ball in the beginning has RNG that can mess up your run over and over and over my God but I felt something when mastering this level I found value in using momentum to reach this platform retaining enough boost to take this shortcut risking it all so I can't believe I made that number 26 luminous Forest Legend has it if you look up what a straight line is in the dictionary you just get a picture of this perhaps the most popular example when demonstrating the Absurd boost to win quality forces adopted and it's not hard to see why the opening is 18 straight seconds of waiting for the level to start the ending I kid you not is a full minute of boosting and a snake QT honestly I just let Sonic die here it's more entertaining this is a 90-second stage where 78 of those seconds are automatic this would be at the very bottom if it wasn't for a single redeeming 2D section the top is fine but I love Soaring Over the Bottomless Pits down low getting a perfect run here was one of the most fulfilling things I've done in this game look how clean these movements are nailing every jump maintaining that forward momentum the endorphins are pulsating I fear nothing else will ever satisfy me again alas an eight second clip can't save an ultimately Broken Foundation farewell Sonic number 25 Lost Valley a real toss-up between which of these two holds your hand more but I decided that Lost Valley offended me less because I actually have to jump in the beginning there's no QuickTime event and as the intro stage it at least makes more sense for it to be simple doesn't excuse another 18 seconds of holding forward in the beginning and 30 more at the end but I kind of have to take what I can get here once again the 2D section Saves the Day although not as buttery smooth I do like quickly nabbing all the red rings in stylish efficiency number 24 Arsenal pyramid right off the bat I will praise it for being fully 3D a rarity to say the least sadly that's a bit of a monkey's paw in this game the beginning and ending are straight lines with a double boost however the middle has you platforming across gears now the normal way is nothing special it's when you use the quick acceleration to skip that filler when it gets fun this is classic Sonic Speed running at its finest we've had spin dash jumping to take a shortcut boost jumping and now stop jumping it's pretty fun it's only three short sections but it's a start number 23 vanish panel two much more involved than the first we've got stomping platforms disappearing beneath us and a decent run time at 40 seconds it's got all the charm and speed of fire Cannon 1 but with next to no automation to speak of it's a miracle the only thing slowing it down are some basic platforming waiting for panels to vanish so you can go down and the obligatory short run time but I think it does a good job at maximizing the highs and minimizing the lows of what I've shown you so far number 22 prison Hall somehow they managed to invert the quality for this stage where the beginning and end are the best and the 2D section is where it goes on autopilot and gives in to generic waiting on elevators and hitting Springs while a shame that drifting is automatic feeling the weight of the character as I steer onto the ramp has always had a good payoff and the quick stepping at the end is typical modern Sonic Bliss number 21 Aqua Road this was an area that I really liked for the variety alone it was refreshing to have a fully 3D stage that wasn't just running you ride a water slide for most of it steering to keep from going off course and grab any Collectibles it throws a lot of twists and turns at the very end that have you struggling against the current and to be honest I'm always hoping that I get flung off so I can make a stylish recovery but unfortunately that's the extent of it what could have been an intricate Water Park of Pathways and shortcuts is once again a straight shot before the song can even finish one Loop Number 20. eggman's facility in other words a better Aqua Road more hazards on the main path a golden beetle that you can hit three times to make a 10 Ring appear with a replacement Beetle coming in creating a slight skill curve where you have some control over how many rings you get the ending segment isn't completely automated and flying off the side is a thrill as always but the problems with the original still ring true number 19. Death Egg I've gone back and forth on this stage a lot I used to think it was okay then I hated it then it was okay again then I kind of liked it and now I think it's just okay again so I'm right back where I started overthinking is a very real curse let's get this out of the way there are some parts here that royally suck like the auto scroller where you can stay in the middle and never have to jump the time-consuming loops and general lack of satisfying movement however the way the various Pathways interconnect and are accessed is pretty cool there are three substantially different routes you can take to clear it with a lot of shortcuts and red rings tucked away in clever spots it has that Classic Sonic theming where I am discovering new ways to beat it all these years later and it is possible to avoid most of the auto scrolling so I think it fits comfortably at the midpoint of my list number 18 plasma Canon 2. yeah bonus stages aren't done yet people this is where they start to get really technical thanks to a hidden boost capsule down below the whole dynamic changes from a static running speed to maintaining your Boost and using the one new ability forces has to its name the upwards air boost the plasma cannons create a similar stop and go timing challenge as the lasers and fire pillars but I like this one the most because you can technically go in between the projectiles meaning there is a legitimate bullet hell aspect at moments and there is an escalation of difficulty where you face one cannon at a time then one over a pit two at a time but over Solid Ground Three over Solid Ground and then two over a much more dangerous Gap this is a good one even if still kind of short and gimmicky number 17. aggregate I used to love this stage a lot I remember it being a highlight for me and always replaying it but really it was just that one part over the moon with that final Rush looking three-way fork in the rail that won me over the level teases you with options that you know you can try on a second attempt which is very exciting for us Sonic players it's just a shame that it doesn't last for more than a handful of seconds and the only other 3D section is completely on Rails you can skip it with a fun trick to be fair and that is fun but there's another quick time event at the end in the 2D sections in between are all right decent speed running techs like how the blocks pop up when you touch them so it's more optimal to boost over but overall it evens out to be a moderately Pleasant Excursion number 16. mortar Canyon I may have loved egg gate back in the day but I adored mortar Canyon it was a glimpse of what I wanted the entire game to be like fully 3D multiple Pathways effective use of the air boost phenomenal music one of the best final level themes in the franchise and the environment is daunting my favorite aesthetic in the game and I love how the dominant color palette of off-white green and purple just so happens to be the same as the three main enemy types sadly the astronomical caveat in this bustling finale is that it may be the most boost to win stage of them all it's a straight shot of tearing through Enemy Lines with no 2D section to slow it down an air boost trick that nullifies what little content remained and the shortest run time for a main stage you can beat it in under a minute the only reason why it's as high as it is on here is because the impact that it left on me can still be felt to this day and I think that means something I do like hopping around and taking in the atmosphere it's the only level I care to do it in and it's the only way to hear the best part of the song The downwards Canyons slope is a style we haven't seen since City Escape final rush and egg Fleet it's an awe-inspiring structure that carries the stage because if I was judging it on level design alone I would not have been as nice to it number 15. Laser cannon 2 on the opposite side of the spectrum we have another bonus stage evolving the laser mechanics further the Avatar stomp boost sees a lot of play and the cycle based Flow State gameplay is back in Action teeny bit of unnecessary automation towards the end but followed by my favorite trick in the Run stop jumping off a tiny platform to skip a major time stall is the greatest feeling ever of course we're back to half minute completions again forces really is a pick your poison between longer stages that hold your hand too much and really short stages that can challenge you but only in 2D speaking of which number 14. plasma cannon one our final bonus stage and one that I've taken a strong personal interest in Don't Blink though because you will miss it I've gotten this thing down to 21 seconds and while that is not much content man if it wasn't the most exhilarating speed run to pull off trust me it wouldn't be here you're going down for a lot of it so stomping gets used most of the time there's no automation besides a few Springs and a grapple point the plasma cannons create that same cyclical gameplay I like so much and perfecting the tiny Hops at the end brings me nothing but joy number 13 Capital City here's a stage that radically improves when you choose the drill whispin lots of boring combat moments get turned into spectacular displays of Destruction and saving you a lot of time in the process a surprising amount of 3D as well there's only one brief 2D segment of course they could only achieve that via straight lines automatic drifting quick stepping and rail grinding but it's an improvement the concurrent theme of infinite messing with you throughout the whole stage is a great idea too giant nightmare infinite creatures breaking terrain running on building things this is fun this feels like they wanted to make a video game number 12. Guardian Rock unlike half the Avatar stages this one is actually pretty fun the normal way you can use burst for some red ring grabs sticking to the upper path which thankfully doesn't go on autopilot too much and being a fully 2D stage Until the End lets you use the stop to great effect again drill is still the way to go in my opinion there are some crazy skips in here but both methods yield a good time either way you'll have to endure this quick step section at the end followed by a 20 second qte that plays itself out to the goal so unfortunately it ends on a weaker note otherwise I enjoyed it number 11. Ghost Town believe me I'm just as surprised as you the classic Sonic has made it this high up and he's not even done yet what can I say I guess I've softened up on the guy or I've just gotten harder on everything else I can't tell being Foley 2D does help with the automation problem but it's also not Green Hill or chemical plant again it's an original City level the sunset still looks great and the giant robots in the background causing wreckage add to the atmosphere it's pretty dense too being on the top or the bottom is a very different experience from the other with countless opportunities to mix and match Pathways sticking to the top is optimal of course and I love how Snappy it is knowing where to hop where to dash which Loops to avoid it's a tight sequence of inputs that makes it a joy to memorize and execute number 10. Green Hill let's forget that whole thing about Ghost Town not being Green Hill again all right because this isn't just Green Hill this is Green Hill Green Hill they're not messing around now casually I admit it's not that impressive pretty basic all around but it has by far the most drop Dash application of any Classic Stage and that saves it for me look at this high energy opening perfectly jumping into the speed shoes not on but in so my flow doesn't get disrupted Soaring Over what could be a slower platforming section and while yes the middle does drag a bit with waiting for Springs and falling platforms it ends with another speed shoe Sprint and again the drop Dash makes it all work it changes everything number nine Sunset Heights back when we all thought this was going to be the first stage and that's why it looked so simple turns out it was the most honest marketing the game could have had as what we saw was literally what we got in the end I still find a considerable amount of enjoyment here even if it's not a complex stage the 3D is mainly a bunch of homing attack chains and the platforming is exactly what it looks like but it's a reasonably chill romp through a pleasing environment we're back in the city the music sets a good tone and I like grabbing all five red rings in a single run sometimes a good Pace can go a long way number eight Network terminal while the rail grinding in the beginning is kind of hollow I've always appreciated the outdoor appearance it almost doesn't even look like chemical plant anymore the frost bit towers and faint snowing create an atmosphere I could have stood to see more of inside is where it gets good though there are a lot of hidden shortcuts under these grates that take you to different parts of the stage the platforming is very timely and considered you can't just boost through honestly it feels like one of the bonus stages got incorporated into a main one waiting for chemical spills to pass can get tedious when nothing else is happening but I get the impression that they really tried here it just got cut short like everything else number seven Park Avenue when it comes to levels that get drastically Changed by an ability it doesn't get more 180 than this the standard play here kind of sucks I gotta be real not as bad as Spaceport there's no qte but it embodies a lot of problems with the Avatar minimal generic 3D disposable enemies spamming the same wisp power and the stop Dash doesn't offer much Advantage with drill in your hands however this transforms into something infinitely greater there is not a moment where I'm not charging my next move taking a massive shortcut in the process first of all blowing away robots with a high-speed drill burst is so much more entertaining than holding the flamethrower button I'd rather be boosting at that point in fact drill functions a lot like a boost just way more powerful you can do it in midair and off a slope you will become God that brief moment of charge time creates the slightest skill ceiling because if you can't mash it in time you could start losing altitude and miss your window to take that shortcut it's so much fun I wish more levels were built around it instead of it feeling like a cheat code number six Imperial Tower this was my favorite Avatar stage back in 2017 and that has remained unchanged funnily enough I think I prefer playing it without drill because the platforming is competent feels great to run over at high speed stomping comes into play you're out running an instant kill laser by the end this is a fairly complete stage the structure is admittedly copy and pasted a lot and the wall jumping feels a bit tacked on like its main use is to transition you to a high point on the tower but it does get combined with the impending laser for some tense mashing and the pace remains consistently High could have really used a 3D section to tie it all together but that's not a very unique request is it number five null space unlike mortar Canyon the stage has some substance to back up its hype the double boost is a drag but at least you get it over with right away with a rock and guitar solo to greet you the abundance of rail grinding may look worrying at a glance but you're given enough boost capsules to make it go quick and rail switching is both necessary and constant it gets broken up by a lot of small Arenas with enemies to fight or you can just hop around it's 95 3D so there's a lot to do some pretty pivotal shortcuts you can take or even minor ones strewn about everything connects in some way offering a lot of variance in how you get to the end still too short and leaves me wanting more but I have a good time every time here number four enemy territory Shadow really got the good end of the deal here all of his stages are better versions of pre-existing ones hard mode in a sense this being a follow-up to Sunset Heights and a direct upgrade in nearly every way the balloons that keep your momentum spike balls that you've got to tread caution around strings of enemies that you can zip across almost like a light speed Dash used to access higher routes and red rings often required for getting the s-rank I really wish he got to play through all of Sunset Heights his 2D section is completely original which is good but for some reason uses the bonus stage crates everywhere sucking out the originality in the art Direction Still The pace is incredible and far more balanced than most modern stages there's a good blend of stomping boosting air boosting and homing attacks without one dominating your play style number three oh boy I know I've said I like this level but even I'm surprised how high it made it and I'm the only one who likes it so buckle up because I'm about to redeem forces Rage Quit Zone iron Fortress the final stage for classic Sonic and the most difficult in the game unlike a lot of past finales though this never blindsides you unless you take an enormous leap of faith the challenge is always fair and easily understood well except for the end where if you missed the dash panel without enough speed the Rockets will catch up to you could you believe three people worked on this the regular Rockets are just the right amount of tricky though they fly out unable to hurt you lock on and then go electricity hazards all around Bottomless Pits the only true way to kill Sonic and plenty of speed this is the one level where I think the physics work leaping off a slope in the beginning curling on the gears to reach new heights this isn't like chemical plan to casino Forest where I'm constantly reminded how much better it could be and I like the danger of it all keeps me on my toes and makes for a fun no damage attempt of course I can't talk about this stage without mentioning the auto scroller this seems to be the breaking point for most people it is kind of boring I admit and it goes on for a full minute but it does have a few Collectibles and big jumps along the way to keep me from totally falling asleep then again it's also thanks to this Auto scroller that iron Fortress is the longest stage in the game and feels the most complete as a result it's not perfect but man I actually feel like I did something when I beat it number two Metropolitan Highway my favorite Sonic stage for a number of reasons the graphics are breathtaking Metropolis is one of my new favorite locations in all of Sonic I want to run around this giant futuristic city in the sky also a lot of automation can be skipped jumping over the rails at the intro for a mini shortcut that bridge in the main 3D section is crucial in trimming some excess filler the air boost is used constantly skipping these platforms that normally take a second to transport you but unlike mortar Canyon you're not bypassing a majority of content it's a lot of quick time saves that happen frequently and in general I love how these platforms operate snapping you into place sometimes into danger requiring you to bail out early this is another mechanic that feels like it has a place here it wasn't tacked on or overused it's part of the stage the music is Jolly and energetic it just feels good to play number one we're finally here my favorite stage in Sonic forces virtual reality this is Shadow's final stage and by far the most difficult to S rank it has all the enhancements that came with enemy territory but is clearly based on Guardian Rock which was a level Sonic didn't have so while some platforming is recycled from the Avatar most is original even if they're still using those generic boxes the timing element is the tightest it's been because now infinite's Trails of debris are floating around the stage employing that cycle based gameplay I gave praise to the bonus stages for there are times where you might get stuck and have to wait but find that you can beat it by being fast the balloons and quick homing chains are put to good use again you might actually have to jump some of the time without an enemy on the other side to home in on and save you a bummer it's completely 2D but that's probably why there isn't as much automation here and as I said getting the S rank is tough you need to know where all the goodies are and do it fast preferably without taking damage and when you do it's a seamless run of calculated inputs that yield stylish results you could only achieve through mastery on that note that is my personal ranking of every Sonic Forces stage from least to greatest by all means if you have any top picks or want to see me rank in other game stages let me know until then thank you guys so much for watching and as always don't forget to check out the next episode whenever I post it which will probably be soon alright see ya

Channel: bickuribox12

Views: 175,176

Keywords:

Id: mPEALTUcBl0

Length: 26min 15sec (1575 seconds)

Published: Sun Oct 02 2022