Post by Sunflora Azumarill on Nov 7, 2012 20:59:07 GMT -5
These are some of the gameplay modes other than Normal Mode:
Easy Mode: Selectable from the main menu. A difficulty mode for beginners. The game is made considerably easier and allows newcomers to prepare for the higher difficulties. Here is a list of the things affected by Easy Mode:
-First and foremost, enemies, both human and robotic, are reduced in number and what's left is easier.
-Some objectives in stages have been tweaked to be easier and others have been removed entirely.
-In the third stages of each Episode, you only fight one admin/equivalent (ex: only Shelly in Aqua Galleon; only one of the Shadow Triad members in Ice Cathedral). This also applies to other stages with midbosses. There are some other midbosses that remain unfought in this mode (ex: every R.O.B.-based midboss).
-Powerups are more common than they normally would be. Dragon Shields happen to be plentiful when playing in this mode (in fact, every shield found in the game are these on Easy).
-If a stage or part of a stage normally has a time limit, the time limit has been increased by about one-half of what it normally is. Ex: A time limit of 5:00 has been increased to 7:30.
Expert Mode: Selectable from the main menu. Must be unlocked. Another special challenge mode. The stages themselves have been upped in difficulty in every aspect there is. Here is a list of the things affected by Expert Mode:
-First and foremost, the Tank upgrades and whatever other upgrades you have are in play from the get-go.
-There are no assist characters in the Expert Mode. You must go through their sections using your selected character.
-Enemies, both human and robotic, have increased in number, naturally meaning more of them will impede your progress. In addition to that, they're also tougher and smarter than before, plus their attacks do more damage.
-Human enemies (ex: Grunts) come equipped with better weapons, including some that you wouldn't see until later in the Episode or game. Ex: Team Flora guards in Urban Jungle are equipped with Flora Railguns, which aren't used by them until Flora Depths. Additionally, generic enemies that come in multiple ranks (i.e. guards and Grunts) boost the rank for the second stage of the episode in the Expert Mode, whereas the boost wouldn't take place until the third stage of the episode in normal gameplay.
-Robotic enemies sometimes have higher tiers and kinds that normally don't appear in that stage are present. Ex: A set of Tier 1 Sandslash Wheels in Turquoise Valley are now Tier 2; Sharpedo Subs and Laser Lanturns, which don't appear until Green Grove, now appear in Turquoise Valley.
-In some cases, destroying a higher tiered robot in a group of robots destroys the whole group (ex: Destroying a Tier 2 Magneton Shield amidst a group of Tier 1 variations destroys the whole group). In Expert Mode, destroying a central robot no longer destroys the whole group.
-As you may expect, the terrain in each stage has been retooled at various points, making traversing tougher. Precise usage of jumps, rail grinding, homing attacks, and more, is further tested. Ex: The layout in Mystic Mansion is now the Super Hard Mode version used in Sonic Heroes.
-Some elements introduced as the campaign goes on may occur in earlier episodes in Expert Mode. For example, punishing wind, which starts to come into factor in Glacial Park in the main campaign, starts to come into factor as early as Bramble Relic in Expert Mode.
-Powerups are fewer and farther between. In some cases, a powerup has been downgraded. Ex: What is normally a Super Potion may now be just a Potion, an X Attack may be removed entirely.
-If a stage or part of a stage normally has a time limit, the time limit has been reduced by about one-quarter of what it normally is. Ex: A time limit of 5:00 has been reduced to 3:45.
-When it comes to stages with multiple parts where only one of the three parts is played (Urban Jungle, Glacial Park, and Research Facility), you must now go through each part of those stages in succession (ex: For Urban Jungle, you must do Wildland Outskirts, Tropical Skyline, and Jungle Treetops in that order).
-The biggest thing about Expert Mode is that instead of just tackling a single stage, you now clear a whole Episode without failing the mission, without changing characters, and without quitting at any point. Ex: If you play Episode 1 and make it to Generator Dam, but get killed there, you'll go all the way back to the start of Turquoise Valley. This is especially harrowing when it comes to the Final Episode, with the multiple areas of Enveloping Machine and Rocket Megaship, since if you make it to Enveloping Machine Area 3, but fail the mission, you go all the way back to the start of Deconstructed City.
Master Mode: Selectable from the main menu. Unlocked via DLC. Another special challenge mode. This one is for those who have mastered the game. Everything from Expert Mode is present in this mode, except there are also these changes:
-Unlike in Expert Mode, you're reduced to having Chaos Drives, and all the Upgrade Shops are closed, meaning you won't be able to purchase any others throughout the course of the game.
-Any gender and type-related bonuses (ex: 1.5 Speed for female; +2 Power for Fighting, Ground, or Rock) are not applied in this mode.
-Instead of equipping two Pokémon, you can now only equip one (this Pokémon's attack is used by pressing either of the L or R buttons). Characters with alternate R button actions (ex: Liza's superjump) can no longer use them.
-All stationary powerups (except for those needed to progress through the stage, such as a Fire Shield in Red-Hot Passage) have been removed. The only way to get powerups is from defeated enemies.
-Healing items don't appear at all, meaning you need to get through each stage with whatever health you got. (You still start each stage with full health.)
-Whatever money you have upon clearing the game is what money you start off with when you begin Master Mode, meaning you can easily purchase items from shops throughout each hub early on. Especially good considering you can't purchase any upgrades.
Easy Mode: Selectable from the main menu. A difficulty mode for beginners. The game is made considerably easier and allows newcomers to prepare for the higher difficulties. Here is a list of the things affected by Easy Mode:
-First and foremost, enemies, both human and robotic, are reduced in number and what's left is easier.
-Some objectives in stages have been tweaked to be easier and others have been removed entirely.
-In the third stages of each Episode, you only fight one admin/equivalent (ex: only Shelly in Aqua Galleon; only one of the Shadow Triad members in Ice Cathedral). This also applies to other stages with midbosses. There are some other midbosses that remain unfought in this mode (ex: every R.O.B.-based midboss).
-Powerups are more common than they normally would be. Dragon Shields happen to be plentiful when playing in this mode (in fact, every shield found in the game are these on Easy).
-If a stage or part of a stage normally has a time limit, the time limit has been increased by about one-half of what it normally is. Ex: A time limit of 5:00 has been increased to 7:30.
Expert Mode: Selectable from the main menu. Must be unlocked. Another special challenge mode. The stages themselves have been upped in difficulty in every aspect there is. Here is a list of the things affected by Expert Mode:
-First and foremost, the Tank upgrades and whatever other upgrades you have are in play from the get-go.
-There are no assist characters in the Expert Mode. You must go through their sections using your selected character.
-Enemies, both human and robotic, have increased in number, naturally meaning more of them will impede your progress. In addition to that, they're also tougher and smarter than before, plus their attacks do more damage.
-Human enemies (ex: Grunts) come equipped with better weapons, including some that you wouldn't see until later in the Episode or game. Ex: Team Flora guards in Urban Jungle are equipped with Flora Railguns, which aren't used by them until Flora Depths. Additionally, generic enemies that come in multiple ranks (i.e. guards and Grunts) boost the rank for the second stage of the episode in the Expert Mode, whereas the boost wouldn't take place until the third stage of the episode in normal gameplay.
-Robotic enemies sometimes have higher tiers and kinds that normally don't appear in that stage are present. Ex: A set of Tier 1 Sandslash Wheels in Turquoise Valley are now Tier 2; Sharpedo Subs and Laser Lanturns, which don't appear until Green Grove, now appear in Turquoise Valley.
-In some cases, destroying a higher tiered robot in a group of robots destroys the whole group (ex: Destroying a Tier 2 Magneton Shield amidst a group of Tier 1 variations destroys the whole group). In Expert Mode, destroying a central robot no longer destroys the whole group.
-As you may expect, the terrain in each stage has been retooled at various points, making traversing tougher. Precise usage of jumps, rail grinding, homing attacks, and more, is further tested. Ex: The layout in Mystic Mansion is now the Super Hard Mode version used in Sonic Heroes.
-Some elements introduced as the campaign goes on may occur in earlier episodes in Expert Mode. For example, punishing wind, which starts to come into factor in Glacial Park in the main campaign, starts to come into factor as early as Bramble Relic in Expert Mode.
-Powerups are fewer and farther between. In some cases, a powerup has been downgraded. Ex: What is normally a Super Potion may now be just a Potion, an X Attack may be removed entirely.
-If a stage or part of a stage normally has a time limit, the time limit has been reduced by about one-quarter of what it normally is. Ex: A time limit of 5:00 has been reduced to 3:45.
-When it comes to stages with multiple parts where only one of the three parts is played (Urban Jungle, Glacial Park, and Research Facility), you must now go through each part of those stages in succession (ex: For Urban Jungle, you must do Wildland Outskirts, Tropical Skyline, and Jungle Treetops in that order).
-The biggest thing about Expert Mode is that instead of just tackling a single stage, you now clear a whole Episode without failing the mission, without changing characters, and without quitting at any point. Ex: If you play Episode 1 and make it to Generator Dam, but get killed there, you'll go all the way back to the start of Turquoise Valley. This is especially harrowing when it comes to the Final Episode, with the multiple areas of Enveloping Machine and Rocket Megaship, since if you make it to Enveloping Machine Area 3, but fail the mission, you go all the way back to the start of Deconstructed City.
Master Mode: Selectable from the main menu. Unlocked via DLC. Another special challenge mode. This one is for those who have mastered the game. Everything from Expert Mode is present in this mode, except there are also these changes:
-Unlike in Expert Mode, you're reduced to having Chaos Drives, and all the Upgrade Shops are closed, meaning you won't be able to purchase any others throughout the course of the game.
-Any gender and type-related bonuses (ex: 1.5 Speed for female; +2 Power for Fighting, Ground, or Rock) are not applied in this mode.
-Instead of equipping two Pokémon, you can now only equip one (this Pokémon's attack is used by pressing either of the L or R buttons). Characters with alternate R button actions (ex: Liza's superjump) can no longer use them.
-All stationary powerups (except for those needed to progress through the stage, such as a Fire Shield in Red-Hot Passage) have been removed. The only way to get powerups is from defeated enemies.
-Healing items don't appear at all, meaning you need to get through each stage with whatever health you got. (You still start each stage with full health.)
-Whatever money you have upon clearing the game is what money you start off with when you begin Master Mode, meaning you can easily purchase items from shops throughout each hub early on. Especially good considering you can't purchase any upgrades.