What's the point of Stormy Ascent?

[Human Required]

If you beat it do you get instant access to the final boss or something?

[rarestMeow]

hello,

this is just an optional DLC level (very long, hard and challenging)

completing that level will not give you a way to final boss (and will not unlock anything at all), however it will raise your total completion percentage a bit (making it able to finish the game at 105%, not 100%) and gives you an extra gem (making it 27/26)

there is one glitch tho. if you finish final boss BEFORE finishing that level, then the game statistics will show you 104% instead of 105% - nothing bad, but if you are a super perfection, then you should be aware

[Human Required]

Originally posted by rarestMeow:

hello,

this is just an optional DLC level (very long, hard and challenging)

completing that level will not give you a way to final boss (and will not unlock anything at all), however it will raise your total completion percentage a bit (making it able to finish the game at 105%, not 100%) and gives you an extra gem (making it 27/26)

there is one glitch tho. if you finish final boss BEFORE finishing that level, then the game statistics will show you 104% instead of 105% - nothing bad, but if you are a super perfection, then you should be aware

Ah. Thank you for the straightforward response! So many snarky commenters on the forums these days; I was kind of worried what sort of response I'd get. I appreciate the info.

[rarestMeow]

Originally posted by Human Required:

Ah. Thank you for the straightforward response! So many snarky commenters on the forums these days; I was kind of worried what sort of response I'd get. I appreciate the info.

hehehe, I totally feel you
some subforums (*cough-cough* Left 4 Dead 2 & Half-Life 2 *cough-cough*) are so over-the-top smug, prim, conceited, and plain toxic. it makes very uncomfortable just to read those posts, not to mention asking anything yourself

as for Stormy Ascent - that level is annoyingly hard and long. that is the point of a level and it is more like a super final challenge, just to nerve player off

you can read about that level (and about the history of its development) here, https://crashbandicoot.fandom.com/wiki/Stormy_Ascent

there is another extra DLC level in the game - Future Tense - that is available in Crash 3: Warped. it is just a regular extra level, not hard, not easy, just okay. again, you don't need to finish it, just a nice addition to spend time

read more here, https://crashbandicoot.fandom.com/wiki/Future_Tense

[Anxilius]

I'm willing to bet, and this is entirely a hunch, that Stormy Ascent was made available right at the start to give streamers a direct injection of content without having to slog through the visually simplistic early level designs to get there. The intent was likely to build up a word-of-mouth reputation for the difficulty of the game. Of course the Nostalgia vs. New conversation would perpetuate it and the controversy would generate more sales. That's just my theory and my only possible in-game evidence for it is that the dot to select the level is available at the end of the last island as well... and that's pretty weak evidence. However, still I get the feeling that adding it to the beginning may have been a marketing decision and an afterthought.
I certainly could imagine some people in a room talking about how to get the level to be "The Crash Challenge" and then proceeding to place it right at the beginning tempting players to attempt the level without spending the whole rest of the game becoming acclimated to the nuances of the jumps/hitboxes/movements/etc. all the while producing the rage that many twitch channels are fueled on.
However, that doesn't make it bad in the slightest and I rather enjoyed the additional challenge to the game, I would just recommend to nearly everyone looking to enjoy themselves for an evening to start at the beginning and simply ignore it as the level gives no exaggerated benefit to game completion like the aforementioned "instant access to the final boss".

I am entirely aware that unlike the previous more informative comments I am talking out of that thing I sit on.

[rarestMeow]

Originally posted by Anxilius:

I'm willing to bet, and this is entirely a hunch, that Stormy Ascent was made available right at the start to give streamers a direct injection of content without having to slog through the visually simplistic early level designs to get there.

that is an interesting theory, I am not into Twitch-thing so can't say for sure how effective those streamers (and their rage) in generating extra fad/hype/money for developers and publishers

I can, however, state that level in question was available back in Crash Bandicoot original game (that of 1996). the level was almost finished - the only thing was left is the bonus level and more polishing and testing - however developers very run out of time and decided to scrap that level all together. the other reason why the level was cut because developers considered it too long and difficult

its code is available in the 1996 game and player can access it via hex-code (gameshark or whatever memory edit software of those years do a trick)

I do think that resurrecting of that level and given it to players right at the start of the game (not as a bonus level after defeating Cortex, for example) may has something to do with marketing and analysis, but might be just a tribute to original developers, whose passion, ambitions and efforts were sadly scrapped back in the days, like saying, "hey, now Crash HAS that level, your work was not pointless". also it is appealing for die-hard Crash community who knew about that level and dare to see it a modern graphical glory

current developers did a nice job, by the way, they have created a brand-new bonus stage for that level, as well fixed some enemies and prop placement/timing. level feels more polished than back in 1996

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally posted by Human Required:

If you beat it do you get instant access to the final boss or something?

Also you get a hidden achievement for completing the level

[Hyperchaotic]

It's unreleased level from old Crash Bandicoot. Think about it as it's DLC