Ocean Purification Plant

Ocean Purification Plant is the sixth area of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric. It is an undersea facility powered by the Tidal Crystal, which filters out all the muck and gunk dumped into the sea during Lyric and the Ancients' war in the past and returns the oceans to normal. It is also here that Q-N-C was built and programmed.

During the events of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, Sonic and Amy venture into the Ocean Purification Plant to retrieve the Tidal Crystal in this location.

Overview
The Ocean Purification Plant is divided into two very distinct sections. The first is a metallic compound and storage facility located below the sea amidst a coral reef. It is mainly composed of dome-like and industrialized rooms with smaller tunnels connecting them, some of the latter which are simple glass tubes leading through the sea. The Ancients' architecture is displayed in the runes and markings adorning the walls and floor. Along the walls are windows showing the surrounding sea. The rooms are lit up by green lights from all around.

The plant section of the Ocean Purification Plant is filled with various tubes, vats and pipes, containing either water or a green liquid, that align the walls and bottom of the rooms and as well large pools of green toxic waste from the plant's cleaning procedures which contain mineral removal that stinks. Leading over these pools are scaffolds and platforms. The plant also has several control panels and is equipped with a security system.

The second section of this level takes place outside, inside a rift in the sea created by the Tidal Crystal. Here, immense walls of suspended water can be found on both sides with undersea rock formations sticking out from both below and through the walls, showing an abundance of coral reefs as well as undersea flora and sea snails. Amongst them lies abandoned pirate-like metal ships from Lyric's armada. At the end of the rift lies a fortress from the Ancients with a tower on top containing the Tidal Crystal and the Angler's dock.

Story
A thousand years ago, the Ancients hid away the Tidal Crystal, one of their own Chaos Crystals, away in the Ocean Purification Plant so that Lyric would not be able to find it. Following Lyric's uprising, this location became the first site of the rouge Ancient's attack, which ended in failure.

In the present day, despite his wish to go alone, Sonic was joined by Amy on his journey into the Ocean Purification Plant to find the Tidal Crystal. They were soon after joined by Q-N-C. They quickly found what seemed to be the Tidal Crystal but when they took it, they were attacked by the Tunnel-Bot. After escaping the robot, Q-N-C revealed to Sonic and Amy that the Crystal they took was fake and that real Tidal Crystal was further inside.

The hedgehog duo continued into the center of the Ocean Purification Plant (where Amy had Sonic watch the scenario despite his impatience) where they found and collected the real Tidal Crystal before escaping the location in the Angler.

Gameplay
In Ocean Purification Plant, the player passes through the processing plant, across the sea rift and into the tower on top of the sea fortress. Like other levels in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, Ocean Purification Plant features different puzzles needed for the player to progress which can be solved with the Enerbeam mechanic. It also contains a few small speed level section, where the player runs down a long path with speed-enhancing gimmicks while avoiding hazardous obstacles (though not on the same scale as in other levels), and as well slower-paced areas for exploration and combat.

Since Sonic and Amy are playable characters for this level, Ocean Purification Plant contains all the gimmicks for their character actions, such as Spin Ramps, Spin Balls and Air Targets for Sonic and Balance Beams and Beam Swings for Amy. In the sea rift there are also large purple clamshells which function identically to the Bounce Pads.

Environmental hazard in this level differs between sections. In the plant, there are waste leaking from nearby pipes, ground vents spewing toxic gasses, red-hot burning bars and even geysers of toxic which can intercept airborne players, all of which cause damage upon contact. Exclusively for Amy, her Balance Beams in the plant can crumble apart or have containers rolling on them which also cause damage. Also, in the plant lie deactivated robot shells which Parasite Snakes can possess, thus creating stronger and tougher enemies. In the sea rift, there are sea snails of different sizes with spiky shells that also cause damage when touched. These snails can be found on any surface and can either move around in patterns or come together to form sections covered in spikes

Description
In Ocean Purification Plant, the player's objective is to obtain the Tidal Crystal. At the start of the level, the player must move from the elevator leading into the level to the hall at the end of the path and collect the fake Tidal Crystal. The Tunnel-Bot will then appear and the player will enter a short speed level section where they will be chased by the Tunnel-Bot. The player must keep their distance from the Tunnel-Bot; touching it will cause an instant defeat.

When entering the room after the speed level section, the player must press some Buttons below the front edge of the room to open an path leading straight up to the higher sections. From there, the player must defeat some enemies and cross some pools of waste before arriving at an Enerbeam puzzle where the player has to fight off the Tunnel-Bot to get access to said puzzle. This puzzle will lower the toxic pool levels, allowing the player to proceed down there where they have to pass through a door to another speed level section. There, the player will be chased by the Tunnel-Bot again while having to dodge pipes.

After the end of the speed section, the player arrives at the sea rift. Here, the player must find and board two abandoned ships, where they must fire their cannons at the fortress' walls, thus revealing some paths behind it. At the wall, the player must raise an anchor blocking the revealed path and then scale said path. At the top, the player must defeat some enemies to open a puzzle that will take the player to the tower. Inside the tower, the player has to climb to the top where a puzzle must be solved to unlock the Tidal Crystal. Once the Crystal is obtained, the player enters Undersea Bolt.

Trivia

 * According to unused voice clips, the Ocean Purification Plant is filled with many fake Tidal Crystals to keep Lyric searching for the real Crystal. The minerals are used to create fake Tidal Crystals. They also say that the Ocean Purification Plant was the first site of Lyric's attack and the pirate ships found there are the remains of his forces.