Sonic Unleashed - What is it now after four years?

[Vertekins]

2006 looks horrific because absolutely no effort was made to ensure that the Sonic characters fit in the world amongst the humans and there was literally no vibrance in any of the stages. The characters models looked absolutely awful too. The game was a victim of it's premise.

 

Unleashed looks fantastic because amazing attention to detail was paid to the NPC, the world and the lighting, making sure that Sonic melded with the settings and not like he crept from uncanny valley. The models look fantastic and their animation is unrivaled in quality.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Vertekins

[Nepenthe]

Unleashed's pallette is also pretty damn colorful and saturated, culminating in both Jungle Joyride and Eggmanland as brightness overload, and this pushes it away from being as representational of reality as Sonic 06 was. It also had a greater occurrence of some fantastical set pieces and environments, like the impossible dragon sculptures, or that huge tree house, that I feel is only rivaled by Crisis City's apocalyptic scenario. Couple that with the stylized enemy and NPC design as well as the optimistic tone and push for physical comedy, and you have a world that's about as realistic as the ones seen in Disney movies. Just as "stylization" brings to mind a large array of different artworks, not all realistic works are created equal either.

[MugiMikey]

The reason people say Sonic got back on his feet with Sonic Colours is because he did. While I'll admit that Sonic Colours was a bit too basic and safe, it at least did everything right. They stripped Sonic down to its basics of fun gameplay and speed and didn't add any other BS gimmicks (ie; the Werehog) and the tone of the game was bright fun and not the realistic world crap Unleashed was trying to push.

So, um... What are the Wisps to you?

 

Sonic being stripped to the "basics of fun gameplay and speed" is awfully subjective. In my opinion, Unleashed wasn't perfect, but compared to Colors, it was a little more challenging which made the experience more enjoyable. From what I remember, Colors was so basic that it made the game a little too easy which kind of ruined the fun at times. For example... I recall the game sometimes having a set path (Like if I get launched into the air towards a pit and there are nothing but three rails there, the game will make sure I don't land anywhere else but on the rails). Oh! There's the QTEs, too. Not many people liked those, but a least they required concentration and a little practice. I prefer them over the meaningless and easy repeated A button mashing that Colors has.

Edited December 24, 2012 by MugiMikey

[Diogenes]

From what I remember, Colors was so basic that it made the game a little too easy which kind of ruined the fun at times. For example... I recall the game sometimes having a set path (Like if I get launched into the air towards a pit and there are nothing but three rails there, the game will make sure I don't land anywhere else but on the rails).

What, you think Unleashed doesn't do that?

[Nepenthe]

The simple fact is that Colors owes pretty much everything good about it to Unleashed. It would not exist, at least as it does now, if Unleashed wasn't made at all. And aside from setting the stage for the franchise's gameplay and general light-hearted atmosphere, Unleashed still stands as a marked improvement and departure from Sonic 06. This renaissance began with Unleashed; don't you Colors fans forget that. xP

[Jack / Joker]

This was the first time in the series that the humans were redesigned to fit in next to Sonic and Dr. Eggman, as opposed to Sonic and Dr. Eggman being redesigned to fit in with the humans.

 

I AM UN-MEASURABLY THANKFUL FOR THIS, SONIC TEAM.

[Komodin]

Sonic Unleashed has the personification of sheer awesomeness that is Professor Pickle. Him alone is a reason why I love this game so much.

[Alluusio]

The simple fact is that Colors owes pretty much everything good about it to Unleashed. It would not exist, at least as it does now, if Unleashed wasn't made at all. And aside from setting the stage for the franchise's gameplay and general light-hearted atmosphere, Unleashed still stands as a marked improvement and departure from Sonic 06. This renaissance began with Unleashed; don't you Colors fans forget that. xP

 

In my eyes that's exactly what dragged Colors down. What made Colors enjoyable to me were the interesting environments and the exploration, which was largely enhanced by the Wisps. The Sonic sections were very dull and limited and felt more like a punishment for not having Wisps with you. There were a couple of interesting Sonic sections like the lollipops in Sweet Mountain and running on water in Aquarium Park but overall it was just the same stuff we had in Unleashed, just slower. The Wisps were really the stars of the party here.

[Nepenthe]

In my eyes that's exactly what dragged Colors down. What made Colors enjoyable to me were the interesting environments and the exploration, which was largely enhanced by the Wisps. The Sonic sections were very dull and limited and felt more like a punishment for not having Wisps with you. There were a couple of interesting Sonic sections like the lollipops in Sweet Mountain and running on water in Aquarium Park but overall it was just the same stuff we had in Unleashed, just slower. The Wisps were really the stars of the party here.

 

I personally feel as if the Wisps were severely underutilized as a concept and thus fit right with in the the blah-ness of the rest of the game. What I was expecting was a power-up system like Galaxy's- wherein you gather a Wisp and it's yours for a duration that's not inherently dependent upon some arbitrary power bar that depletes with use- and you can use their powers in different contexts to meaningfully explore large multi-ended levels, an expectation not put in check by the false prediction on these forums of there being multiple goal rings in a single level or Yellow Drill's ability to work in land and water.

 

Instead, what we got were very contextual and limited power-ups, some of which were horrid to control like Frenzy, that were as engaging and thought-provoking as Heroes' team system, all of it tossed into the same "big for big's sake" level design I always deride as boring, and on top of that, the actual Unleashed gameplay was completely neutered in the process. Let's ignore the fact that the Wisps were given no real narrative presence either, despite being given some interesting personalities on the official websites.

 

But despite me thinking Colors is mediocre, it's still pretty much built from the foundation Unleashed laid, and as a result, it owes its success to Unleashed first and foremost, so I don't agree with this idea floating around that Colors began the marathon; rather, the baton was passed to it.

Edited December 24, 2012 by North Pole Nepenthe

[Kuzu]

Colors may owe a lot to Unleashed, but Colors improved(and I use this term loosely) on what Unleashed did, so it makes sense people would consider that the better game and starting point.

[Nepenthe]

I understand why people give Colors all the due props; I just think it's a heavily misguided view of the franchise when you consider the fact that Colors ape's Unleashed's technical workings and penchant for lightheartedness. Literally, without Unleashed, Colors would not exist.

[Alluusio]

I personally feel as if the Wisps were severely underutilized as a concept and thus fit right with in the the blah-ness of the rest of the game. What I was expecting was a power-up system like Galaxy's- wherein you gather a Wisp and it's yours for a duration that's not inherently dependent upon some arbitrary power bar that depletes with use- and you can use their powers in different contexts to meaningfully explore large multi-ended levels, an expectation not put in check by the false prediction on these forums of there being multiple goal rings in a single level or Yellow Drill's ability to work in land and water.

 

Instead, what we got were very contextual and limited power-ups, some of which were horrid to control like Frenzy, that were as engaging and thought-provoking as Heroes' team system, all of it tossed into the same "big for big's sake" level design I always deride as boring, and on top of that, the actual Unleashed gameplay was completely neutered in the process. Let's ignore the fact that the Wisps were given no real narrative presence either, despite being given some interesting personalities on the official websites.

 

But despite me thinking Colors is mediocre, it's still pretty much built from the foundation Unleashed laid, and as a result, it owes its success to Unleashed first and foremost, so I don't agree with this idea floating around that Colors began the marathon; rather, the baton was passed to it.

 

I fail to see how the Wisps were any more context sensitive than the power ups in Galaxy, which had a time limit as well and if they didn't you were forced to get rid of them some other way to be able to progress through the level. I agree that the Wisps could have been utilized better but at least they were more fun to use and required more thinking than the stupid reaction tests and block-infested platforming that the rest of the game made you do. The Wisps give you much more to work with and especially Laser and Spikes are handy in finding new routes to the goal.

[Nepenthe]

The thing is, I don't think the Wisps are particularly more fun than what the rest of the game has to offer, either through control issues, their actual purpose, or limited functionality, with only Yellow Wisp being the exception. Helping you find alternate routes? I've ranted too many times before on why this kind of level design is boring as fuck. Pretty much everything gameplay-related in Colors coalesces into one big blurry ball of forgettable mediocrity.

[Komodin]

Sonic Colors discussions... meh. Can we just talk about how awesome Prof. Pickle is?

[Vertekins]

The fact that over half of all Wisp forms (Spikes, Cube, Rocket, Drill, don't know whether to include Void and Burst considering they're DS exclusive which is 2D only anyway) are strictly confined to the 2D plane is one of the best indicators to show how overly dependent Colours is on gimmicky 2D gameplay.

Edited December 24, 2012 by Vertekins

[Jack / Joker]

I'll have to say Arid Sands and Skyscraper Scamper are my least favorite stages in the game for Sonic as the Hedgehog and the Werehog, respectively. The opening section of Arid Sands Day is so memory-based and the later sections are so... difficult (I'm embarrassed to rate a level down for being too hard...), while the fact alone that tilting too far to the right on a tightrope could strip you of a monumentally high score wrecks Skyscraper Scamper for me.

 

In contrast, I'd have to say Dragon Road and Cool Edge are my favorites for Day and Night. I just find myself replaying them the most, and getting Dragon Road Day down perfectly is immensely satisfying. What about you guys?

 

Also, does it irk anyone else when people refer to the actual levels by the full name of the continent they take place in? :U

Edited December 24, 2012 by Jolly Joker Frost

[Soniman]

Getting off of the Colors criticism and focusing on Unleashed for a second...

 

 

Sonic Unleashed is a wonderful game. After the Sega dropped the ball with 06 it was nice to see a Sonic game with some actual forethought and heart put int it. The world was lovingly crafted with an insane amount of detail and character, the NCPs are great, each with their own specific personality traits and memorable dialogue, the music was good, each with it's own unique style and feel depending on the continent it took place on. The story wasn't bad either, I mean it's not super good or anything but it does have a good amount of charm and heart to it.

 

The gameplay however, falls flat for me though. Ignoring the Sonic sections for a second. the gameplay is filled with some obvious padding and unnecessary bells and whistles in order to make the game longer that it really have to be. The Werehog sections had no business being there and was even specially stated that it existed in order to lengthen the game, which could also explain why the stages themselves seem to go on and on. There was the medal collecting, which again padded out the game and forced one to backtrack though levels and areas because they just happen to be missing (yeah I know some are better at this kind of thing than others but my point still stands).  The Sonic gameplay is fun...at first, until you then realize that through most of the levels you reacting and responding to the level design nearly the exact same way every time you play the levels. Trial and Error gameplay is not really my ideal Sonic experience, it's exhilarating sure, but not really that deep.

 

So yeah, a mediocre game I find with blah gameplay and decent to great everything else.

[Nepenthe]

I'll have to say Arid Sands and Skyscraper Scamper are my least favorite stages in the game for Sonic as the Hedgehog and the Werehog, respectively. The opening section of Arid Sands Day is so memory-based and the later sections are so... difficult (I'm embarrassed to rate a level down for being too hard...), while the fact alone that tilting too far to the right on a tightrope could strip you of a monumentally high score wrecks Skyscraper Scamper for me.

I think I'm the only one who finds Skyscraper Scamper Night to be such a chill stage. I think it's the whole 20s aesthetic going on in the gold lighting, Metropolis-like flourishes, and the accompanying jazz music; it's such a marked difference from the more modern and upbeat stylings of the day stage. It also feels quaint and small in a way; there's a lot of winding paths and places where you can see blatantly upcoming parts of the level. If anything, Arid Sands Night is worse, if only for that ambush up the stairs of which there's no indication that it's optional.

Edited December 24, 2012 by North Pole Nepenthe

[Scar]

Skyscraper Scamper Day is pure greatness.....maybe its the music, but its SOOOOOOO much better than Arid Sands Day.

[Diogenes]

I personally feel as if the Wisps were severely underutilized as a concept and thus fit right with in the the blah-ness of the rest of the game. What I was expecting was a power-up system like Galaxy's- wherein you gather a Wisp and it's yours for a duration that's not inherently dependent upon some arbitrary power bar that depletes with use

Galaxy did have timed powerups, which aren't that much different from the wisps as far as limitations go. And they didn't really let you play around with the other ones much in a lot of cases; they were usually limited to some short challenge section, at which point you reached a launch star or something else that would strip it from you.

 

Seems like games these days aren't as willing to be "broken" as they used to be...

and you can use their powers in different contexts to meaningfully explore large multi-ended levels,

Helping you find alternate routes? I've ranted too many times before on why this kind of level design is boring as fuck.

I can't say I'm entirely sure how these two views jive...

[Komodin]

To be honest, Arid Sands Act 3 (Day) is my favorite Daytime level. It's very reminiscent of Sonic's levels in Sonic Adventure, which I also love to bits, and I like how exploration-focused it was.

[Nepenthe]

I can't say I'm entirely sure how these two views jive...

 

There's a marked difference between huge, sprawling levels with meaningful avenues to travel and find actual shit in, akin to something like Banjo Kazooie, and the mere diversionary path bullshit with nothing interesting to do that plagues most of the Sonic games hailed for their "exploration."

Edited December 24, 2012 by North Pole Nepenthe

[Diogenes]

To be honest, Arid Sands Act 3 (Day) is my favorite Daytime level. It's very reminiscent of Sonic's levels in Sonic Adventure, which I also love to bits, and I like how exploration-focused it was.

The chao collecting one? Aside from not being about boosting, I don't see how it's anything like SA. Honestly that level just seems to point out most of what's wrong with the modern gameplay, and 3D Sonic in general, aside from the boost. It's slow, it's flat, Sonic controls poorly, half of the level is solved by homing attacking...

 

 

There's a marked difference between huge, sprawling levels with meaningful avenues to travel and find actual shit in, akin to something like Banjo Kazooie, and the mere diversionary path bullshit with nothing interesting to do that plagues most of the Sonic games hailed for their "exploration."

What makes an avenue meaningful to travel? Just the "actual shit" you find in it? Why do alternate paths as are typical for Sonic games not have anything interesting to do?

[Nepenthe]

What makes an avenue meaningful to travel? Just the "actual shit" you find in it? Why do alternate paths as are typical for Sonic games not have anything interesting to do?

 

Yes, the actual shit is the reason why, but it doesn't even have to be physical rewards: some story significance, or a completely new area altogether divorced from the design and aesthetics of the previous areas I traveled. For example, a big-ass underwater pirate ship hidden near a beach area is interesting. More of the exact same beach in that beach area I've seen hundreds of miles of is not interesting, and no, it doesn't get more interesting when you place it a little over to the left or up above your head. It's still the same goddamn beach. 

 

Why would I go anywhere if I didn't expect to find anything worthwhile; literally nothing, except either a dead end or mere divergence back onto the main path? That isn't fun. That isn't meaningful exploration. It's a waste of my time. Praising paths for path's sake, paths that are there just to bloat the size of the level, makes about as much sense to me as praising the sheer number of combos in the Werehog's arsenal just because he has them, even though most of them are completely and utterly useless to the actual experience of playing as the Werehog.

Edited December 24, 2012 by North Pole Nepenthe

[Diogenes]

I don't understand why the path itself isn't valuable. And I'm not praising paths for path's sake, a shitty path is a shitty path, but the level design and how you interact with it is pretty much what makes platformers, so how is a chunk of level not valuable? Is gameplay not valuable if it doesn't come with some aesthetic reward, or collectible, or story element, or whatever?