Alpha One review

Graphics 5/5:

All the graphics appear custom made, and darn good at that. All the characters have multiple expressions (instead of just sitting there, staring.) Honestly, the graphics are a style, and it's good enough to be in a non-free game. Also, the main menu looks very nice and has a great first impression.

Sound 4/5:

The music is good in its own right. It's pretty much rock music, like in many games now. But am I really the only person that misses the classic music, such as Green hill zone? Regardless, music was pretty good.

The sounds were all, also, homemade, and sound pretty good. However, it eventually gets obnoxious to hear your enemy's make the same grunt for dieing every time. Variety is the spice of life, and I'd wager the spice of death. ;)

Gameplay 5/5:

First off... amazing improvement from the original. Slopes and slants actually work correctly. Very minor bugs. Overall a very solid engine.

Stages are fun to go past, but unfortunately you may not be going as fast as you'd like. Speed seems to give you a certain death in this game, and it's much safer to go slow and steady.

There's a section called "turbo boosts" where you go extremely fast. I ALWAYS skip them because it's always pretty much an instant death. By the time you see a bottomless pit you're in it. You need to either put safeguards in or make it slower. Maybe turn turbo boosts into a sort of microgame like the plane fighting when you were going to eggman in the original Techno. Be creative. ;)

But overall very fun gameplay that's worth a try.

Story 5/5:

Funny, intriguing, and makes me want more. As we only get a bit of the game right now, I can't really say more then this.

Interface 3/5:

When I originally started up the game I didn't know how to proceed through the menu, I used space instead of Z. You should check if this is the first time the person started up the game and offer to show them the help file, or tutorial.

The menu did look awesome though. Nobody can deny that. :P

Overall 5/5:

I just can't wait for the next alpha (and eventually the full game!) I would recommend everybody to try it at least once, and don't give up even if the game is difficult.