Episode Metal Discussion

[Blue Blood]

^ Just saying, the Metal Sonic race in Generations isn't the same one as Sonic CD. All the rival battles are just the characters challenging Sonic one reason or another, usually in the same place as before cause they can.

[speedfreak]

Wait...why is Metal Sonic fighting Badniks at all? Shouldn't they recognize him and not attack? That's stupid.

This is all stupid.

[Milo]

^ Just saying, the Metal Sonic race in Generations isn't the same one as Sonic CD. All the rival battles are just the characters challenging Sonic one reason or another, usually in the same place as before cause they can.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Top Cat

[Blue Blood]

Of course, but in the long run they didn't change any of the events within their respective games.

[Barry the Nomad]

Any of you nerds lay out what you think the Ep Metal and Ep I timeline is? Here's my take on it:

• Stardust Speedway flashback

• Stardust Speedway modern day - Eggman tells Metal to get his ass to Earth

• Splash Hill w/Sonic - Eggman holds Sonic off while Metal is en route. "Eggman revisits - and improves - the very best of his creations to defeat our spiked hero" as most of his resources went into building the Death Egg Mk. II and Mad Gear. Hey look, Eggman is recycling!

• Casino Street w/ Sonic - Still holding Sonic off as Metal gets closer

• Mad Gear w/ Metal Sonic - Eggman repairs Metal and sends him through a Mad Gear training course. Both depart to...

• Lost Labyrinth w/ Sonic - Metal goes off on his own to help Eggman find the ancient power source while Sonic makes his way through Lost Labyrinth.

• Lost Labyrinth w/Metal Sonic - Sonic defeats Eggman, but Metal finds the Altar's hidden treasure and blasts out of LLZ, presumably causing it to collapse.

• Mad Gear w/Sonic - While Metal is in LLZ, Sonic confronts Eggman at Mad Gear (who was perhaps waiting for Metal to return?)

• Casino Street w/Metal - With Eggman at the E.G.G. Station, which is above Splash Hill, Metal makes his way to SHZ but must go through CSZ to get there (shortcut perhaps?)

• E.G.G. Station w/ Sonic - Sonic defeats Eggman at E.G.G. Station and returns in Tails rocket (events of Archie adaptation) landing in Splash Hill.

• Splash Hill w/Metal - Metal is closing in on Sonic! But before he can catch them, the heroes depart in the Tornado. Metal rages, gets on the rocket and goes after them.

EPISODE II - Sonic & Tails unknowingly evade Metal (the game makes it appear to be right after Ep I, but some sources say a month or so passes), but Eggman catches up with them at Sylvania Castle outside Never Lake. I assume seeing Little Planet making an appearance is the equivalent of going out to see an eclipse, and S&T made their way there for that but saw all of the badniks about and assumed Eggman was up to something. Metal finally tracks down S&T at White Park and the story continues from there.

[Emmett L. Brown]

I didn't even know Episode Metal existed until I downloaded episode 2, so going into it with zero hype all I see is some nice fanservice, and some fun extra hard versions of old levels.

I got a free present, I enjoyed it, and I'm not gonna complain since I wasn't even expecting a gift.

[Hyper-Shan]

I didn't even know Episode Metal existed until I downloaded episode 2, so going into it with zero hype all I see is some nice fanservice, and some fun extra hard versions of old levels.

I got a free present, I enjoyed it, and I'm not gonna complain since I wasn't even expecting a gift.

I never expected something big anyway for Ep Metal. Admittedly, I was hyped for Ep Metal, but I wasn't expecting something fantastic or even decent since most of the attention was pouring into Ep2.

I guess I wasn't too fussed about the 'free giveaway that requires both Episodes to play' thing since I got Episode 1 on PS3 for free - My older brother bought it before on his PS3 (unfortunately for him, he got it full price =P), but I got it on the Wii beforehand... So I guess it wasn't exactly "free" for me I suppose..

But yeah, I heard about Ep Metal when the first gameplay trailer of Ep2 came out, which did get my hype up. Although, later on my hype died down for the launch of Ep2, the main focus.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Hyper-Shan

[Blue Blood]

*timeline theory*

I prefer too look at it in the order that it's presented to us. Not that it matters...

• Stardust Speedway "a long time ago", Metal is lying dead
  
• Splash Hill w/Sonic happens
  
• Casino Street w/Sonic happens
  
• Lost Labyrinth w/Sonic happens. Eggman is here because he's looking for the ancient treasure but never finds it.
  
• Mad Gear w/Sonic happens
  
• Sonic chases Eggman to E.G.G. Station, from where Eggman has can reawakened Metal who is on Little Planet. Metal beings to Toot Toot his way back to Earth
  
• E.G.G. Station w/Sonic happens.
  
• Sonic takes the rocket back to Splash Hill, Eggman retreats to Mad Gear as E.G.G Station served it's purpose before it was destroyed.
  
• *the months between E1 and E2*
  
• Eggman meets up with Metal in Mad Gear and repowers him. He sends him to continue excavating Lost Labyrinth.
  
• Mad Gear w/Metal happens. He arrives at...
  
• Lost Labyrinth w/Metal happens. He gets the treasure and glows purple
  
• Casino Street w/Metal happens. He's making his way to...
  
• Splash Hill w/Metal, where Sonic had left the rocket after E1. At the same time, Eggman starts building the Death Egg around Little Planet as it has reappeared in the skies.
  
• Sonic and Tails see something odd going on with Little Planet, so they head off to investigate, just before...
  
• Metal finds the rocket. He steals it and follows Sonic and Tails to the next continent over.
  
• Sylvania Castle w/Sonic happens. He and Tails make it to White Park...
  
• ... where they're intercepted by Metal who attempts to use his new found powers to cut the off.
  
• Rest of E2 happens.
  

Both make sense. Yours is a lot more creative.

Alternatively the events of EM happen right after E1, and the events of E2 happen right as E1. Eggman just awakened Metal Sonic... somehow

Edited May 19, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Barry the Nomad]

Yeah, I prefer mine just because it is more creative and creates a bit of urgency for Metal. also, it reminds me of Back to the Future 2 where you see the same events from a different perspective.

But it'll probably end up being Ep Metal happens after Ep 1, which is a lot easier to explain. Plus, the Archie adaptation does say "Meanwhile..." following Sonic landing the rocket and departing with Tails when they show Eggman reviving Metal. Though that would mean Sonic and Tails hung out in Splash Hill for a while before departing and Metal caught up with them just as they left SHZ despite being sitting ducks for all of EM. Poor guy...

[Jango]

I just loved how Metal Sonic can fucking fly from a planet to another (broken), but he still stole Tails' rocket to pursuit Sonic. He sure is a troll

On topic: Well, I kinda liked the EpM, especially because of the cool cutscenes. The "hardness" is cheap, but I'm ok with that.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Jango

[WarioBone]

I just loved how Metal Sonic can fucking fly from a planet to another (broken), but he still stole Tails' rocket to pursuit Sonic. He sure is a troll

On topic: Well, I kinda liked the EpM, especially because of the cool cutscenes. The "hardness" is cheap, but I'm ok with that.

When I watched that cutscene on Youtube, I was like "HE CAN FLY!! WHY DOES HE NEED THE ROCKET?!"

I realize now that it's just because Metal Sonic likes to wreck other peoples' shit.

[Barry the Nomad]

When I watched that cutscene on Youtube, I was like "HE CAN FLY!! WHY DOES HE NEED THE ROCKET?!"

I realize now that it's just because Metal Sonic likes to wreck other peoples' shit.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Barry the Nomad

[JezMM]

Not to put a downer on it but from a technical point of view he probably just appeared on the rocket to make us curious and want Episode Metal, lol.

[Spooky Mulder]

I actually enjoyed Episode Metal. It's pretty much just Ep 1 except with physics that work. I thought it was fun. Nothing extraordinary, but a fun mini game

[Eternal EX]

I actually enjoyed Episode Metal. It's pretty much just Ep 1 except with physics that work. I thought it was fun. Nothing extraordinary, but a fun mini game

Really? When I played it, I felt like I was still playing Ep1 but with a reskin.

[Spooky Mulder]

Really? When I played it, I felt like I was still playing Ep1 but with a reskin.

I didn't. Ep 1 felt broken. Playing it was a hassle because of the lack of momentum. Episode Metal was much smoother. It's what Episode 1 should have felt like (IE Episode II)

[Aquaslash]

Everything about Episode Metal is wrong. Never mind that it's just four acts and a waste of a "lock on", the level design is complete and utter BS. Unavoidable enemies EVERYWHERE. Get on a straightway and think you have speed? Better be spindashing, or you're gonna run right into this enemy that was camping outside of the screen.

Gotta make a jump? Prepare to lose your rings, cause an unseen enemy is gonna cheap shot you right at the apex of the jump. No uncurling? My ASS. Homes uncurled on just about every single curved ramp, which is where 99% of E1's uncurling problems mattered the most.

Then there's the fact that Metal Sonic's controls are just plain wrong. He is freakin Knuckles without a glide, right down to the lower jump and slower acceleration. Last I checked, this is completely backwards to how Metal Sonic traditionally moves. What happened to him having a higher jump, better acceleration and poor braking? Maybe it was all a ploy to get me to get the steam version, cause I'm pretty sure people can change all of that via hacking.

To top it all off, I wanted to actually use the super mode he had in the boss fights, which might as well play just like Super Sonic, since he's invincible while using it. So I guess that's the one thing this whole thing did do right, though it's less like a super saiyan and more like Super Perfect Cell, which is really the same thing in the end, so it works.

One moooore thing. You know what's really BS? Despite him having all new SFX, the spin dash release sound is still wrong. How does that even work? Oh well, I'm looking forward to see what the hackers can do with this thing.

I would personally like to know what they call that makeshift super mode of his, as well as it's technical strengths/limitations.

[Blue Blood]

Wait, what are you saying about uncurling? They fixed it. You simply will not uncurl at all. The issue was not staying in ball form when going into the air, not after speed boosters and homing attacks (though I admit both are problems).

Also we're probably better off accepting the backward spindash sounds are the right way of doing things if Dimps are going to be so fucking stubborn. It's beyond stupid that they still haven't renamed a couple of files.

Edited May 21, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Aquaslash]

Wait, what are you saying about uncurling? They fixed it. You simply will not uncurl at all. The issue was not staying in ball form when going into the air, not after speed boosters and homing attacks (though I admit both are problems).

Edited May 21, 2012 by Aquaslash

[Blue Blood]

It wasn't? The fact that you didn't stay in ball form when going into the air was probably my biggest pet peeve about E1. I though that was what the uncurling was all about. What in the world did they "fix" then?

[Aquaslash]

Seriously. It might be that you uncurl if you're only curled up cause of a speed booster, I dunno.

It's probably this then. Man, for everyone one step forward they took in this game, another two were taken in the opposite direction.

[Sami]

Just played it for the first time today. Refer to Aquaslash's post, since he pretty much echoes my sentiments exactly. I stopped halfway through Mad Gear because it was fucking awful.

[Badnik Mechanic]

The one thing I hated yet loved at the same time with Episode Metal?

Well.... in Sonic CD and... depending how you view it, every appearence by Metal Sonic has supposed to have been this fearsome machine of doom, he's basically the Terminator in the Sonic series, heck even in the archie Sonic 4 Episode 2 adaptation, his return to life is quite awesome as well as scary. Despite suffering critical damage, he looks like he's still the most dangerous killing machine ever buit...

Then we get to Episode Metals intro... the section with Eggman bringing him back to life... yeah still pretty cool, especially with the tv showing the flight path, it looks almost like Eggman is giving him new orders and Metal is capable of following it... then...

Then we get the ET moment.

Metal Sonic slowly flies away as a hero theme plays... erm... what?

Any sense of fear, any sense of forboding that Metal has just vanished right there. Yet at the same time, you almost root for him, because it's such a hero moment, as if he's been beaten by a bad guy left for dead and then comes back for one final showdown... which he has. But remember, he's supposed to be the bad guy, I want to at least feel this, maybe I wanna be a bad guy!

I don't really understand the choice in music here, let alone the scene in question. Would it not have been equally as epic yet kept his threat level high had there been some indication he had limited backup power (from eggmans electric shock thing), then when he lands back in Mad Gear zone, he does what that other Metal Sonic did, sparks and makes a pulsing noise as he walks towards the machine?

This might just be me, but I felt metal really lost a lot of his scary and meanace thanks to that space flight scene at the start.

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

EM is laughable. I've never played a game where it's such a mess.

In Mad Gear, every like 5 seconds I get hurt. Most of the threats unavoidable first time.

4 acts, same levels in Ep I but just harder, can be all finished within 15 minutes.

Metal Sonic didn't bring anything new to the table. He's nothing more of a color reskin of Sonic. Can we have Episode Tails instead of Metal? At least Tails plays differently.

Did I enjoy it? Meh. But if I had a option between Yes and No, the answer would be no. However I thank Dimps for this free gift even though I didn't ask for this in the first place.

[Alice Twilight]

EM is laughable. I've never played a game where it's such a mess.

In Mad Gear, every like 5 seconds I get hurt. Most of the threats unavoidable first time.

4 acts, same levels in Ep I but just harder, can be all finished within 15 minutes.

Metal Sonic didn't bring anything new to the table. He's nothing more of a color reskin of Sonic. Can we have Episode Tails instead of Metal? At least Tails plays differently.

Well Metal Sonic is meant to be Sonic's robotic counter part.

Were you expecting him to play like Big the cat? or Charmy the bee? Come on now, don't be silly.

He's called Metal 'Sonic' (Key word is Sonic) for a reason.

As for the difficulty, it's harder sure. But it sounds like you're implying the game needs to hold your hand.

It's like Mega man. Hard at first but you get better and better each time you play.

I wish Metal had his own proper game though.

And the unique zones? I wish they made this clearer. But if some people had a brain and looked at the cover they could easily see he's standing infront of Splash Hill zone.

Edited May 27, 2012 by AliceTwilight