The foreground is partly blue-ish rounded rock, similar to the brown ones in Act 1, and partly sparkling crystals that glow from one colour to another. Towards the end, the perched Death Egg appears much bigger, peering in through the rocky ceiling. The background of Act 2, in the few areas that actually break away from the internal tunnels, is almost exactly the same as Act 1, though with a purple glow to the mighty pillars as opposed to a green one. It's unfortunate that the reasons and stories behind so many of these old levels are never officially clarified, but I like to think in this case that it's the Master Emerald that keeps these hot and cold environments in such close co-existence.
Lava Reef is a level of opposite extremes, and when you enter Act 2 you'll see exactly why, as the environment magically changes from violent and active to a calmer, blue world of ice and crystals. The many internal tunnels have a dark, dull green crystalised pattern to them that fades gently in colour. Though pits of lava and tumbling "lava-falls" are obvious hazards, some lava also falls harmlessly in vast, wide streams just behind the character. Short thin bronze poles flank either side of some pathways with little red and yellow decorative flashing patterns on their tops.
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Steep slopes are tamed by a series of square wooden block steps, and narrow tunnels are supported by wooden beams reaching horizontally and vertically.
Though thoroughly integrated into the rock, their purpose and origin isn't clear, but presumably they have been placed by Eggman, along with the other man-made traps and features in the level, perhaps to aid and defend the Death Egg's regeneration once again. Their darkened areas shift from black to glowing purple regularly, and among them you'll also find a grid network of thick, purple pipes running throughout the act, with various connecting features such as valves and flashing patterns. The rough, molten foreground surfaces of Act 1 are based mostly on rounded light brown rocks, almost polygonal in appearance, and stacked on top of each other. Look for Robotnik's Death Egg facing downwards in a hole in the ceiling some distance away, with red flashing eyes.
Beyond, there are veins of bright lava streaming between black rocks, and other endless glowing pillars into the distant abyss of the colossal caverns. Spacious areas inside the subterranean volcanic caves of Act 1 are supported by massive thick rocky pillars with a green-ish glow, reaching up from the floor to the ceiling in the background, with stalagmites and stalactites surrounding their bases on either end. Certainly one of the more under appreciated compositions, perhaps because it such a masterful plot peice is the reason this song breathes life almost exclusively during playthrough unalike more well known and referenced tunes such as "Green Hill", "Chemical Plant", "Ice Cap", etc.ĭespite being every bit as deserving of such recognition, in it's own way at least. not up, another impassable cut-off point will occur if you do) if it is your intention to aquire the second special ring.Īnd it has to be said the music for this level is just brilliant, to create such a lovely ancient, elegant and mysterious atmosphere and such a brilliant contrast and to it's upbeat counterpart, whats more is that this stage in tandem with hidden palace zone go hand in hand to shift the atmosphere of the (only?) plot development and does so wonderfully on point. *Additionally, if you manage to access the first special ring again, go directly down and back to the left then down the breakable blocks and right (ie. *Going up once you reach the giant metal spinning cylinder with the spikes and the ladder, will cause you to reach an immediate new linear pathway with no return, and miss your chance to recover the (2) special rings, although providing a fairly decent yet challenging shortcut. Remembering this is the last level in the game you have Access to Special Stage rings, So The earliest shortcut for the Sonic/Tails route (going up after the three horizontally shifting floating blocks) will cause you to miss out on 2 Special Stage rings, to ensure you still have access to them you must go right here, not up. A potentially important thing to remember when undertaking Lava Reef Act 2