Where do you think Sonic will go from here?

[VGamer]

What made them move away from the Adventure gameplay in the first place? The controls (in my opinion) are the tightest and best controls in any game from SA1 - S06. Can't really compare them to the boost games since they are their own sorta category. I think if they had stuck with the SA1 formula for Sonic and co. we wouldn't have to worry about them changing playstyles every few games. Was it because '06 was bad or something?

[Diogenes]

They kept mostly the same core concepts from SA to '06, but the programming and new ideas just got worse and worse until they crashed. At that point they needed something new and eye-catching to prove they weren't just doing the same shit again, therefore Unleashed.

[daman825]

They kept mostly the same core concepts from SA to '06, but the programming and new ideas just got worse and worse until they crashed. At that point they needed something new and eye-catching to prove they weren't just doing the same shit again, therefore Unleashed.

Yeah, this. 06 scared them away from that gameplay style. But at the same time, I think it would be really hard to keep that scope in the HD era. Games cost alot more to make now, stages take alot longer to put together, characters have more dialog, ect.. And on top of it all, thanks to games like Cod flooding the market, Sonic games aren't quite selling that much (they are still selling alot, just not as much). 

 

Also, people started to complain about the camera. I love the sonic adventure games just as much as anyone else, but it's fairly obvious that the games had some glaring issues ( like the camera). Granted, at the time they were amazing. And i think they still are in a way. But I can't blame my friend for getting annoyed when he falls through the floor multiple times in emerald coast. 

[VGamer]

Okay, I can agree with the '06 - Unleashed scenario now that you put it that way. But then why the whole Lost World gameplay kinda thing? Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea, but why not go back to Adventure gameplay and fix the previous issues (gameplay, camera, collision detection, etc). I have 100% faith in Sonic Team that they could pull something like this off now. I'd love to see the parkour idea implemented in an Adventure-styled game.

I really hope the the SLW gameplay is to transition themselves back to Adventure gameplay, and not really a whole new type of playing Sonic that will change in years to come. I mean, it is pretty darn similar to the Adventure gameplay, but with the run button and all that it doesn't look like it will feel like one. I feel like it will be kind of like the boost games where I have to switch between walking, running and spin dashing (non-boosting, boosting) instead of just naturally picking up speed.

Edited September 7, 2013 by TheVGamer

[Gatestormer]

It feels nothing like the boost games to play. If anything it feels closer to the Adventure games but really it's a new experience and for me at least, it's the best and most natural way of playing a 3D Sonic yet. I hope they stick with the control scheme, but I don't see how the 360° stage design is going to be able to carry on past this game, it's unique to Lost Hex. 

[Lokust]

I think it's very hard to truly predict where Sonic will go next. Sonic Team often make complete U-Turns and make unpredictable moves. Still, I have some ideas which I think are pretty realistic.

 

1) Many, many, characters are never going to be playable again (in a platforming game). I'm thinking characters like Charmy, Espio, Rouge e.t.c . There's simply no chance, Sonic Team have been trying to push them away for years.

 

2) There will never be a follow up game to Sonic 4 (I.E. Sonic 4: Episode 3 or Sonic 5). This is pretty obvious.

 

3) Boost will never return. Not because we don't like it, but because it's an inefficient way of making games. It demands an absurdly large map size.

 

4) Tails will be the first character (and perhaps only) character to become playable in a Sonic platformer game. He's had a much more major role than any other character, besides Eggman, and was playable in Sonic 4 as a (ill-fated) attempt to please us. I think he will eventually become playable, if only in multiplayer.

 

5) Sonic Adventure 3 will be made and released on PSN and XBLA. It will almost certainly be terrible and badly made like Sonic 4 (Sonic Team have done nothing like it for years). It does seem like a longshot, since it's mythic status, but I think it will happen. Whilst it's hated by critics, It's a sure-fire money maker (and SEGA are in serious financial trouble). The digital sales of SA1 and SA2 are proof of this.

 

Once Sonic Team get in real trouble, they wil risk damaging their critic respect and make it. It would be a genius idea to improve fan-business relations and they have already visited dead franchises before (Sonic 4).

Edited September 9, 2013 by Lokust