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Ocean Purification Plant (オーシャン・プラント Ōshan Puranto?, lit. "Ocean Plant") is the sixth area of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.[1] 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.[2][3] It is also here that Q-N-C was built and programmed. It can be entered after obtaining the Verdant Crystal and unlocking the level's Crystal Lock on Bygone Island.
During the events of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, Sonic and Amy came to the Ocean Purification Plant to retrieve the Tidal Crystal.
Description[]
The Ocean Purification Plant is divided into two sections. The first is a metallic compound and storage facility located below the sea, amidst a coral reef. It is mainly made of dome-like industrial rooms with smaller tunnels connecting them, some of which are glass tubes leading through the sea. The Ancients' architecture is displayed in the markings adorning the surfaces. Along the walls are windows showcasing the sea. The rooms are lit up by green lights from all around.
The first section of the Ocean Purification Plant is filled with various tubes, vats and pipes that contain either water or a green liquid. These vessels align the walls and bottoms of the rooms. There are also large pools of toxic waste from the plant's cleaning procedures which contain a stinking mineral removal. 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 inside a rift in the sea created by the Tidal Crystal. Here, immense walls of suspended water appear on both sides. Undersea rock formations stick out from both below and through the water walls, showing an abundance of coral reefs, undersea flora and sea snails. Amongst them lies abandoned pirate-like ships from Lyric's armada. At the end of the rift lies a fortress from the Ancients with a tower that contain the Tidal Crystal and the Angler's dock.
Story[]
A thousand years ago, the Ancients hid the Tidal Crystal in the Ocean Purification Plant so that Lyric could not find it. Following Lyric's uprising, this location became the first site of Lyric's attack, which ended in failure.
In the present day, Sonic was joined by Amy to the Ocean Purification Plant to find the Tidal Crystal, despite wishing to go alone, and was soon joined by Q-N-C. When they found what they thought to be the Tidal Crystal however, they were attacked by the Tunnel-Bot. Escaping the robot, Q-N-C revealed that the Crystal they found was fake and that real one was further inside.
The hedgehog duo continued to the center of the Ocean Purification Plant (where Amy had Sonic watch the scenario) where they found the real Tidal Crystal. Removing the Crystal made the Ocean Purification Plant crumble however, forcing Sonic and Amy to escape in the Angler.
Gameplay[]
In Ocean Purification Plant, the player passes through the processing plant, across the sea rift and into the sea fortress' tower. Like other levels in the game, Ocean Purification Plant features different puzzles the player has to clear to progress, which can be solved with the Enerbeam mechanic and Buttons. It also contains a few short speed level sections, where the player runs down a long path with speed-enhancing gimmicks while avoiding hazardous obstacles, 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. There are also large purple clamshells in the sea rift which work like Bounce Pads.
Environmental hazard in this level differs between sections. In the plant, there is waste leaking from nearby pipes, ground vents spewing toxic gasses, red-hot bars and even geysers of toxic which can intercept airborne players, all of which cause damage upon contact. Exclusively for Amy, her Balance Beams can crumble apart or have harmful containers roll on them. There are also Commando Husks which Parasite Snakes can possess, thus creating stronger and tougher enemies. In the sea rift, there are as well sea snails with spiky shells that cause damage when touched. These snails are found on any surface and can either move around in patterns or come together to form clusters of spikes
Overview[]
In Ocean Purification Plant, the player's objective is to obtain the Tidal Crystal. For entirety of this level, the player only controls Sonic and Amy. When beginning Ocean Purification Plant, the player will start out in an elevator coming down from the platform in Coral Bay. After a short introduction cutscene has been played, the player must proceed down the forked corridor (which path is chosen does not matter because they lead to the same place) to the room with the fake Tidal Crystal floating inside the gate. Here, the player has to fight Parasite Snakes trying activate dormant Commando Husks. After defeating all these Destruction Troops, use the Enerbeam to pull the latches in front of the fake Tidal Crystal's securing mechanism to get the Crystal. Immediately after, a Tunnel-Bot will appear. From here, the player has to escape through a corridor. During this chase, the camera will show the perspective from the front of Sonic and Amy, giving the player a view of the Tunnel-Bot approaching from behind. While chasing Sonic and Amy, the Tunnel-Bot will travel along the walls and ceilling, and even drill into the floor. In addition, touching the Tunnel-But during this chase sequence will result in an instant defeat. Eventually though, the playable characters will pass through a door that closes behind them, leaving the Tunnel-Bot trapped on the other side and ending the chase section.
In this section, the player's next targets are three Buttons in front of the platform the characters are currently standing above. However, while pressing these Buttons, watch out for the toxic waste spewing out from one of the pipes above one of the Buttons. Once all three Buttons have been pressed, the entrance to pathways up along the wall on the platform above the Buttons will be opened. This allows the player to utilize either a passage for Amy with pink ledges and Balance Beams or a passage for Sonic with Spin Ramps. Once the player has made to the upper floor, they will come face-to-face with a toxic waste container. Here, the player will come under attack by a number of Destruction Troops. Once it is safe, use the Enerbeam to pull the latches on the toxic waste container. This will in return open up for two routes: one for Sonic on the right side of the toxic waste container and one for Amy on the left side. These goes as follows:
- Sonic: The player must skip across the toxic waste using Air Targets. Once on the other side, get past a few pipes spewing toxic waste and use the Bounce Pad at the end to reach a platform above and enter the Tube up there. This Tube will take Sonic to another platform with a vat filled with row of plumes of toxic waste that he has to cross. While the player can cross these plumes when they are not spewing, they can also activate a Button hidden behind a grate on the platform Sonic is on to reveal a Spin Ball. Using this gimmick will move a Spin Ramp into place that Sonic can safely use to reach a narrow passage that will take him over the toxic waste plumes and even allow him to get a Crown. After that, the player will have safely crossed the room.
- Amy: The player has to scale the Balance Beams on the left and follow them to the right. Along the way, watch out for pipes spewing toxic waste. At the end of the Balance Beams is a Bounce Pad leading up to a Zip Target. Use that to reach another set of Balance Beam, but be careful, as half of them will collapse the second Amy gets close. At the end of these Balance Beams, Amy is send down to a platform by a Bounce Pad where she has to pull a latch behind a grate with the Enerbeam to pull some Balance Beams into place. Use these Balance Beams to get to the Zip Target on the other side, but watch out for pipes spewing toxic waste and the carts on the Balance Beams. Once on the other side via the Zip Target, the player will have safely crossed the room.
On the other side of the room, follow the path as it leads up to a pair of latches for the Enerbeams. The player then has to pull these latches, only to be interrupted by the return of the Tunnel-Bot. While there, the Tunnel-Bot will attack with its arms which can cover the entire arena, but they can be avoided by jumping over them. At the same time, an endless wave of Destruction Troops will intrude upon the encounter. To drive the Tunnel-Bot off, lasso the Destruction Troops with the Enerbeam and throw them into the Tunnel-Bot until it withdraws from the fight. After that, pull the latches in front of the arena with the Enerbeam again to reveal a Button, which will drain the majority of the room ahead of toxic liquid when pressed. After that, the road splits up again with a Sonic-exclusive path appearing on the right and an Amy-exclusive path appearing on the left:
- Sonic: Skip across the gap on the right with Air Targets and enter the Tube on the plaform that Sonic arrives on. Once out of the Tube, use the Spin Ramp ahead (whose pathway is obstructed by by spewing toxic waste and red-hot bars) to get into the air and use the incoming Air Targets to skip through midair to the other side of the toxic vat.
- Amy: Take the Balance Beams on the left and follow them to the path on the wall, but watch out for pipes spewing toxic waste. At the end of this path, use the Tube above to reach the platform below. From there, use the incoming Balance Beams, Bounce Pads and Beam Swings to cross the toxic pool. However, watch out for carts on the Balance Beams, pipes spewing toxic waste and collapsing Balance Beams.
After having follow the path(s) above, the player will find themselves on a path that joins Sonic and Amy's path together. On each side of this path is also a Button. Both of these Buttons open up for a hidden room on their respective sides of the path which Sonic and Amy can access respectively with their unique skills. Nonetheless, on the road ahead, use the Boost Pads to reach the Bounce Pads at the end and use either the Air Targets or Beams Swings to cross the incoming toxic pool. Once on the other side, pull a door open with the Enerbeam. The characters must then enter the corridor on the other side of the door. There, the Tunnel-Bot will appear and chase the characters again. This time however, the player's path will be obstructed by vertical blue pipes and horizontal green pipes that will inflict damage if the characters collide with them. At the end, the characters will exit the corridor through another door that closes behind them, thereby sealing the Tunnel-Bot off from them.
In the room the player has arrived in, they have to press four Buttons to open up for a passage. The player also climb the plaforms on the right side of the room to press another Button up there to make Rings pour from a Tube in the ceiling, or press a Button on the left side of the room to make a Crown appear in the middle of the room. When going through the aforementioned passage though, the player will arrive in the sea rift. Here, after a cutscene has played, the player must defeat a number of Destruction Troops in order to make a Spin Ball appear. Use that to activate a Bounce Pad, and use that to send the characters into a 2.5D section. There, the player has to start avoiding the spiky snails, both big and small. From here, pass through the section using the bouncy clamshells. After completing this section, the player has to get to the two ships hanging overhead and activate their cannons by pulling them with the Enerbeam to tear down the walls of the great stone wall at the end of the sea rift. The first ship lies on the left, right after exiting the previous 2.5D section. It can be accessed using the stone pillar with two giant snails on it. The second ship must be reached by using the clamshell on the right side of the sea rift, right in front of the stone wall. Use then the Enerbeam to zip over to the ship via Zip Targets. After both cannons have been fired, get to the Enerbeam latch next to the giant anchor at the stone wall and pull it. This will activate a Bounce Pad that leads into a 2.5D section above. Enter this section and use Sonic and/or Amy's respective skills to climb this section. At the top of this section, use the Enerbeam to pull the giant anchor and open up for a blocked passage. Follow then this passage to a clamshell and use to climb further up.
After reaching the top, the player will find themselves on a ship where they will have to defeat some Destruction Troops. Among them, the player will also encounter the Gatling Elite for the first time. After defeating these enemies, two Buttons will be revealed. Press them to lower two Bounce Pads into range and use them to get upstairs. There, press another Button to lower a plank with a Bounce Pad at the end. This Bounce Pad will take the player to a tall building. Inside it, Sonic and Amy have to climb up to the level above using their respective character skills: Amy has a route for her on the left and Sonic has one the right. The player should also watch out for spiky snails along these routes. At the top, the player has to defeat all the present Destruction Troops and then press the Button connected to the main structure in the middle of the room three times. As the mechanism turns, the real Tidal Crystal will be revealed, which can be obtained by using Enerbeam to open its cage once the aforementioned Button has been pressed enough. After collecting the Tidal Crystal, Sonic and Amy will jump into the Angler and begin the Undersea Bolt, ending the level.
Boss[]
The boss of Ocean Purification Plant is the Tunnel-Bot, the guardian of the Tidal Crystal, which appears three times. The player first meets it after collecting the fake Tidal Crystal at the very beginning of the level. In this section, the player has to escape from the Tunnel-Bot through a corridor, but be careful when its climbs the ceiling or starts digging into the ground. Touching this boss during this section also causes an instant defeat.
Later, the Tunnel-Bot will appear in the arena in the second section of Ocean Purification Plant. Here, its attacks no longer defeats the character's immediately. When fighting the player, it only makes a swing with its arm that covers the entire arena. The characters can jump over this attack however, and the Tunnel-Bot can be injured by throwing other enemies into it with the Enerbeam.
For its last encounter, the Tunnel-Bot will appear during the second chase section through the Ocean Purification Plant's corridor. However, escaping it this time will be more difficult due to pipes along the corridor, since colliding with one will slow down the characters. Like the first chase, the player cannot fight the Tunnel-Bot and must run away from it in order to avoid defeat.
Collectibles[]
This level has the following total of collectable items:
- Crowns: 17
- Shinies: 5
- Robot Scrap Chests: 12
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.
- During the development of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, the level was referred to as "Ancient Template".[3] It can be assumed that this was a placeholder name.
- It was also named "Ocean Waterfall" at one point.[citation needed]
Music[]
Name | Artist(s) | Length | Music track |
---|---|---|---|
N/A (Entrance) | Richard Jacques | 2:49 | |
N/A (Waste) | Richard Jacques | 3:22 | |
N/A (Tunnel-Bot) | Richard Jacques | 3:01 | |
N/A (Outside) | Richard Jacques | 3:11 | |
N/A (Outside/Battle) | Richard Jacques | 1:36 |
Video[]
References[]
- ↑ Sonic Toon. ワールド紹介 (16 October 2014). Retrieved on 17 October 2014.
- ↑ E3 2014: Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric Stage Demo. Retrieved on 11 June 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Shadzter (15 July 2014). New Sonic Boom: RoL Details Revealed, Chaos Crystals, Time Travel & More. Retrieved on 17 July 2014.