Sonic 4: Episode 2 Screens & Media Topic

[Marcello]

I think it's kind of funny how people are saying E1's music is more memorable, whereas when we first heard Splash Hill, people complained about how unmemorable it was.

[Soniman]

First Sonic 4 related news for weeks and we are already off to a shitty start.

All the more reason why I stopped caring one way or the other about this game, it's just fucking depressing now.

[Voyant]

This is still no where neeeaaar as bad as the drama with episode 1 though. Stuff been pretty chill overall honestly.

Although I believe the game itself is being treated as "Just another Sonic game" among fans though. I think people just want something really fresh and new now.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Voyant

[OlenJimi]

by fresh of course you mean a sonic game that is like Sonic 3 but better.

[Barry the Nomad]

I'll wait til I hear some direct feed audio of the music before I judge too much.

Though the instruments DO sound loads better. More Mad Gear, which I loved, less Splash Hill, which I was so-so on.

Do remember that the music changes from act to act, and this act has been seen as being under a minute in length. So if it's a short loop, I'm okay with it considering the stage itself is short.

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

I strongly dislike Splash Hill Zone Act 1's BGM, but because it was so catchy I can still remember it. Same goes for EGG Station Zone. Sylvania Castle's Act 1 isn't catchy and not even good, so it's unmemorable. Replayed the vid like 5 times already, doesn't stick.

But of course, the video isn't a direct feed. The music in the video isn't that clear enough.

[Marcello]

I was listening to some other songs, and I would've liked a song similar to Tikal's theme for Sylvania Castle.

[Scar]

I can't tell.

Audio quality is tinnier then the crap Apple's standard headphones pump out.

I like the melody, its OK. I know Jun can do better, but I guess he's trying too hard to do something "classic". His music is generally better when he works with his own style instead of trying too hard to do something else.

Its also at least a 50 second loop. Hope there's an extra phrase after the video cuts off. Probably isn't, but oh well.

Listened again, and I still can't really make out the details of the song. Audio is tinny and the SFX are too loud and keep covering up the music.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Scar

[Machenstein]

Why, oh why, doesn't Sega have Richard Jacques do the music instead? At least his compositions for 3D Blast matched the themes of the levels.

[Marcello]

Eh, never really liked Jacques stuff, but I do wish they'd have gotten people like Kumatani, Ohtani and Tokoi instead. Jun could've just overseen (a.k.a do nothing) the music.

[Scar]

Eh, never really liked Jacques stuff, but I do wish they'd have gotten people like Kumatani, Ohtani and Tokoi instead. Jun could've just overseen (a.k.a do nothing) the music.

Well he himself admitted that he prefers to work with others more than he does just by himself.

It really shows.

This particular example is not bad, just average. Underwhelming if you will.

[Blue Blood]

Eh, never really liked Jacques stuff, but I do wish they'd have gotten people like Kumatani, Ohtani and Tokoi instead. Jun could've just overseen (a.k.a do nothing) the music.

Never really liked Jacques stuff? Get out.

Though yeah, any of those artists, Hataya or Jacques could really work wonders with a soundtrack for this game. And Cash Cash. <3

[Machenstein]

Whatever. Richard Jacques is too good for this game anyway. In fact, I think Jun is a perfect fit now since this game is being done by other washed-up Sonic Team members that peaked during the Genesis and Saturn era.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Machenstein

[Scar]

Whatever. Richard Jacques is too good for this game anyway. In fact, I think Jun is a perfect fit now since this game is being done by other washed-up Sonic Team members that peaked during the Genesis and Saturn era.

This is being worked on by no members of Sonic Team.

This also quite saddening. I know Jun can do so much better. I mean that Chemical Plant remix was soooooo good.

What is he doing with this one? Does he care at all? I certainly wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. I mean I wouldn't but come on.

[Machenstein]

This is being worked on by no members of Sonic Team.

Uekawa and Iizuka. Both Sonic Team members that were good during the Genesis and Saturn era. Now they're not.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Machenstein

[Scar]

Uekawa and Iizuka.

They're not working on the game. Not directly at least.

Both Sonic Team members that were good during the Genesis and Saturn era. Now they're not.

I don't think that's true. Iizuka has pretty much been around for the re-hab period for the franchise.

[Blue Blood]

Uekawa and Iizuka. Both Sonic Team members that were good during the Genesis and Saturn era. Now they're not.

S4 Sonic Team Credits:

Producer: Takashi Iizuka

Director: Toshiyuki Nagahara

Art Director: Hideaki Moriya

Technical Director: Makoto Suzuki

Sound Producer & Music Composer: Jun Senoue

Artists: Yuji Uekawa, Shinji Matsuura, Michikazu Tamamura

Technical Support: Akira Kanasugi, Hideki Kudo, Hiroto Hayashi, Masanobu Yanagisako, Mito Yoshida, Noriyuki Tarumi, Yoshifumi Okada

S4 Dimps credits:

Producer: Hiroyuki Kawano

Line Producer: Kouichi Sakita

Lead Designer: Yukihiro Higashi

Designers: Kenji Ayukawa, Ayano Komatsu, Ayako Kurita

Technical Manager: Hiroshi Waki

Technical Support: Syuichi Goto, Takashi Nakano, Daisuke Kanauchi

Product Engineering Manager: Masahisa Naganuma

Product Engineering Support: Masaki Tanaka, Kazuhiro Gotani

Lead Programmer: Katsuya Kuramoto

Programmers: Koji Okugawa, Chinami Ishizaki, Kouhei Hanaoka, Satoshi Akitomi, Kouji Hokazono, Keisuke Tanaka, Kazuki Yoshida, Takashi Yamatani (Ei-Chi), Kosuke Yurita (SAFARI GAMES)

Additional Art Manager: Kazuhiko Yamamoto

Lead Artist: Nobuyuki Kuroki

Artists: Yuko Yamanoue, Etsuko Hosokawa, Kaori Aoyama, Sadaki Matsumoto, Maki Fukunaga, Shinji Nohara, Maki Terasaka, Yumi Okamura, Mai Miyamoto, Rika Nagayasu (NEURON- AGE), Shingo Hirotani (NEURON- AGE), Makoto Hasegawa (NEURON- AGE), Takahiro Tsukamoto (ACCESS GAMES)

Sound Support: Atsuyoshi Isemura

From the looks of it, Sonic Team's involvement (besides Senoue) was pretty much just executive. They'd provide the outline and ultimately give the O-K to Dimps' work, but probably didn't contribute much as it is an outsourced game.

[Hyper-Shan]

I will make a holiday for you.

I found the music video gameplay in HD.

Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIS6E-SFz4I

I... Really like it. I really do! It's hard to make out the audio properly, but the instruments seems improved & certainly does sound very Mega Drive-ish. Sure, it's not memorable at first, but I kinda like it like that somehow. Don't hate me, but it is really catchy & I kinda hum it often! SHZ Act 1 was memorable, but it had gotten too dull IMHO, kinda like Green Hill.

Its not perfect, but it is an improvement! Just trying to be positive.

EDIT: Just looking back at the video, it's slowly sounding memorable, although the sound effects are drowning it out mostly. Still, catchy as hell! =D

EDIT 2: At least it isn't a 30 second loop - it's 46 seconds. =P

Edited April 4, 2012 by Hyper-Shan

[Scar]

I... Really like it. I really do! It's hard to make out the audio properly, but the instruments seems improved & certainly does sound very Mega Drive-ish. Sure, it's not memorable at first, but I kinda like it like that somehow. Don't hate me, but it is really catchy & I kinda hum it often! SHZ Act 1 was memorable, but it had gotten too dull IMHO, kinda like Green Hill.

Its not perfect, but it is an improvement! Just trying to be positive.

I like it too, I just don't think it fits the environment too well.

[Hyper-Shan]

I like it too, I just don't think it fits the environment too well.

That's true (kinda reminds me of a few SCD tracks). It make me wonder what the other 2 acts would sound like though.

[Indigo Rush]

I understand that Splash Hill doesn't sound like a tropical paradise (neither did Green Hill or Emerald Hill, to be honest) but every other level in Sonic 4 fit the setting.

Sylvania Castle Zone: Act 1, from what we've heard so far, sounds nothing like an ancient castle on a marshy lake setting. It'd be nicer if they went the route of Sonic 4 Episode 1 and put some effort into making the music sound appropriate to its setting.

...did I just ask for the music to sound more like Episode 1?

I... I need a drink.

[Blue Blood]

I understand that Splash Hill doesn't sound like a tropical paradise (neither did Green Hill or Emerald Hill, to be honest) but every other level in Sonic 4 fit the setting.

Sylvania Castle Zone: Act 1, from what we've heard so far, sounds nothing like an ancient castle on a marshy lake setting. It'd be nicer if they went the route of Sonic 4 Episode 1 and put some effort into making the music sound appropriate to its setting.

...did I just ask for the music to sound more like Episode 1?

I... I need a drink.

I'm actually in total agreement here (have we ever agreed on something S4 related before?!) Even if Splash Hill doesn't sound like a tropical paradise in any of it's acts, it still fit, you know? Sylvania Castle needs something slower, more reflecting of it's environment because it's got quite a specific motif level unlike what you normally have at the start of Sonic game.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Hyper-Shan]

SCZ Act 1 music sounds more like it has that "A start of a New Episode!" vibe than a ancient castle ruins. It's not bad I suppose, but it would be even better to have the music reflect the scenery a little more (kinda like the flute-like synth & the other instruments used in Lost Labyrinth)!

Edited April 4, 2012 by Hyper-Shan

[Indigo Rush]

(have we ever agreed on something S4 related before?!)

Haha, doesn't look like we have. I'm still looking forward to it, but certain design choices (bland level design, bland music, etc) will still rub me the wrong way. Issues like that aren't things I don't want to see improvement on. I still think the game will be fun, but still... the music is usually the best part of any Sonic game. I don't want that to be compromised.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Indigo Rush

[TheOcelot]

This is only Act 1 music so hopefully Acts 2 and 3 have a better feel. Music more fitting would be for an old castle ruin - a song similar to Rusty Ruin (3d blast) maybe?

Edited April 4, 2012 by MilesKnightwing