Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (3DS)

[Milo]

I do like the Metroidvania style approach. A Metroidvania Sonic game, with some good level design, would actually be really neat to play. And I do commend the choice of it being an independent version from the Wii U (which in retrospect is /very much/ a good thing IMO) instead of being a watered-down cash-in handheld version like Dimps's non-Sonic 4 games since 2007.

 

I just wish it didn't look so dull though. Though it may be because the footage has been blown up, the graphics look awful and the artstyle looks generic, looking like an uncreative mix of ND artwork and Rivals. The gameplay and level design is just boring-there's hardly any (standout) level-specific gimmicks/hazards/enemies/etc. aside from the drill (and even then it's primarily there for Knuckles to use) and the level design is mostly comprised of straight lines and blocks; and Sonic's movements (especially the air dash in particular) look stiff (the other characters don't look to bad to me though). And unless they make her playable later in the game, placing Amy in damsel-in-distress mode (especially if it's a choice solely made to give Sticks a gameplay spotlight) is pretty weak in my opinion.

 

But I think the worst thing (and the ultimate irony of it all) is that despite the Boom influences and generic elements, it ultimately looks eerily similar to Dimps's Sonic games of past. The graphics look no different to Dimps's work on Generations and Lost World. The level design of straight lines and presence of springs and dash panels could had come straight out of Sonic Advance 2 at best and Sonic 4: Episode I at worst. Even the Wii U version of Boom at least, was firmly recycling other PS2 games, rather than being this weird mishmash of Backbone and Dimps's previous games with elements of the Wii U Boom game thrown in.

[Ultimate Waffle]

Well ok, on one hand the gameplay looks way too slow and uh.... a bit icky. Though the Tails mini-sub thing sounds like some Tails' Adventure shit, so I'm ok with whatever they're making here.

[Chili Dawg]

Looks okay I guess?

 

But it needs more gotta go fast. The footage they showed looked way too slow. Yes, Sonic is a platformer and exploration is important, and yes this is also not a traditional Sonic, but if it's Sonic, and there's no speed, you're doing it wrong. Simple as that.

[Cyrus]

Well there's the boost, so that's something...

I don't really like that the two speeds are a fixed walk and running really fast.

[Zazz]

Jeez man, I'm kinda dissapointed that Shattered Crystal isn't in 3D.. After seeing how epic Sonic Lost Worlds 3DS was, I was like hell yea the next 3DS Sonic game is gonna be way better but.. I'm not sure what to think about this game =/. I mean, it looks better than Sonic Generations 3DS which was.. meh but I still wanna see more before I make up my mind about this game. I hope the Auto Speed sections aren't the only 3D sections in the game. On the good side though, this game looks colorful, character gimmicks look nice, & I can't wait to look through those aftergame illustrations or whatever.

 

Anyway November is a BUSY month for me, with the Pokemon R/S remakes coming out & my 16th bday, FFFFFF so much to handle.

[Conando]

I like Metroidvanias, but I'm a bit skeptical about how it would work in Sonic. Still, willing to give this one a chance, as well as the Wii U version that was showed off at the same time.

[JezMM]

People keep throwing around "Metroidvania" but all I've heard from the actual video is "non-linear levels with a metroid style map".  It's not gonna have one big game world guys, I'm pretty sure it's still gonna be split into acts, they just won't necessarily be going left to right.

 

 

But yeah the Amy thing better be subverted there is no excuse for this treatment of her otherwise.

[Sean]

People keep throwing around "Metroidvania" but all I've heard from the actual video is "non-linear levels with a metroid style map".  It's not gonna have one big game world guys, I'm pretty sure it's still gonna be split into acts, they just won't necessarily be going left to right.

People are referring to this as a Metroidvania in the same vein that Tails Adventure is one. I don't think anybody actually expects it to be one giant stage.

[JAiRO]

That master post is awful opinionated for this being the main thread for this version of the game.

It doesn't look that bad, I'm curious as to how much they can really change up the gameplay for each level though.

[Gabz Girl]

So graphically this game doesn't look that impressive and I'm a bit iffy about Amy not being playable but wow, the gameplay looks a lot more fun than the Wii U version! O_O I like the idea of it being a Metroidvania too. It's different but it could work with Sonic! And did I hear mention of a Tails submarine? That sounds familiar...

 

Uh yeah, this still looks alright but it certainly doesn't look as okay in the gameplay department as the Wii U version did. It'll be interesting to see which one ends up better.

[Blue Blood]

That master post is awful opinionated for this being the main thread for this version of the game.

 

Excuse me? I wasn't aware that I wasn't allowed to post my thoughts. And I opened the post with the info from the press release along with a video preview to boot. Pretty sure you wouldn't even be saying this if my opinions were glowing.

[Zazz]

For all the Amy fans out there, what if after you rescue Amy from Lyric you get to play as her for a congrats on beating the Final Boss sorta thing?

[kalion]

Yeah, it kinda sounds like that to me and what I was hoping for... Amy as an after game unlockable... Making her unplayable would be huge mis-step for the IP after branding the four of them so much together...homage to sonic advance much?

unfortunately the details make it sound a lot like a generations cash in since sanzaru seemed to have started work later than BRB...wish I had not missed out on that footage...till E3 I guess:(

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

Yeah, it kinda sounds like that to me and what I was hoping for... Amy as an after game unlockable... Making her unplayable would be huge mis-step for the IP after branding the four of them so much together...homage to sonic advance much?

perhaps if you cross connect the 3DS and wii-u versions you unlock amy in the handheld and Sticks in the console?! or they are both post game unlockables in the respective versions 

[Tails spin]

Yeah, it kinda sounds like that to me and what I was hoping for... Amy as an after game unlockable... Making her unplayable would be huge mis-step for the IP after branding the four of them so much together...homage to sonic advance much?

unfortunately the details make it sound a lot like a generations cash in since sanzaru seemed to have started work later than BRB...wish I had not missed out on that footage...till E3 I guess:(

I want Amy to be playable for her fans as well but until this point the 3ds version was never talked about and every question about it was dodged. So there was never any promise that all of the fab four would be playable in the 3ds version so there really isnt a huge mis step for the ip

[SlickEvan]

Excuse me? I wasn't aware that I wasn't allowed to post my thoughts. And I opened the post with the info from the press release along with a video preview to boot. Pretty sure you wouldn't even be saying this if my opinions were glowing.

I think it's more the fact that opening post was very biased and opinionated and usually (at least for these Boom topics) it's left at mostly neutral stance and the OP later post their opinions in a separate reply. It's okay though but is a little surprising to see the very post so.. eh, idk.

 

I probably won't pick this up. Mostly because I'm most likely never going to get a 3DS but it's looks... interesting? to say the least. I'm more or less on the other side of the spectrum unlike most of these replies as I actually prefer the WiiU version and I'm not a big beat em' up guy but this looks less interesting than the WiiU version. I don't really care if it looks more "Sonic-y" but so far the levels don't match the more "Sonic-y" gameplay. Also seeing every character homing attack, akin to Rivals, doesn't float my boat too well. I haven't seen much so I'll leave it at, looks interesting but not as much as the WiiU version.

[Zazz]

I think I'm warming up to the 3DS version, a little.. I hope what we've seen in the preview video isn't the extreme basis of the game but only the beginning of it. I didn't really see a whole lot of level gimmicks =P, I hope there's fully explorable 3D stages here & there, if there is then I'm totally okay then =P! Just don't leave out the 3D explorable stages & I'm good to go because jeez Lost Worlds did a great job with tht stuff..

[Crippled Espurr]

I think that the N3DS version looks pretty good.

 

I agree when people say Sonic looks kind of slow here. Hell, even the Sonic of Lost World 3DS was faster. Still, not as slow as the Wii U version (I mean, the ACTION Stages).

The visuals are, so far, very nice and colorful. The game seems to run at 60 FPS because of how smooth it looks, but I can't say that with a straight face, since YT's video framerate is of 30 FPS. The character models also look very good and full of life, though, Sticks' movement when throwing her boomerang looks kind of awkward, in my opinion.

All of the characters' abilities and signature moves look quite interesting and creative. Though, Knuckles' dig ability reminds me A LOT from the Drill Wisp, but kind of slower.

The level design of the 2D action stages looks interesting. The levels seem kind of blocky, though. The gameplay of said stages looks really fun, and I actually preffer it more than the Wii U version's Action Stages gamplay. I agree when people say it looks like some sort of "Metroidvania", and I think that's something that could fit with Sonic. I also heard there are going to be some different paths for each character, plus some crystal-thing exploration. Very interesting, if you ask me.

The "Temple Run-ish" 3D stages also look very fun to me, and remind me of SLW's Desert Ruins 2's gameplay.

If the rival races aren't based on Sonic Rivals' gameplay, then I don't know what are they based on. They seem like a quite fun and interesting challenge.

 

I'm digging this version more than the Wii U version, honestly. I also heard this is going to be the prequel of the Wii U version story-wise. No real problem with that, I just hope not to be plotholes or unanswered questions everywhere because of this.

[Zazz]

I think that the N3DS version looks pretty good.

 

The visuals are, so far, very nice and colorful. The game seems to run at 60 FPS because of how smooth it looks, but I can't say that with a straight face, since YT's video framerate is of 30 FPS. The character models also look very good and full of life, though, Sticks' movement when throwing her boomerang looks kind of awkward, in my opinion.

All of the characters' abilities and signature moves look quite interesting and creative. Though, Knuckles' dig ability reminds me A LOT from the Drill Wisp, but kind of slower.

The level design of the 2D action stages looks interesting. The levels seem kind of blocky, though. The gameplay of said stages looks really fun, and I actually preffer it more than the Wii U version's Action Stages gamplay. I agree when people say it looks like some sort of "Metroidvania", and I think that's something that could fit with Sonic. I also heard there are going to be some different paths for each character, plus some crystal-thing exploration. Very interesting, if you ask me.

The "Temple Run-ish" 3D stages also look very fun to me, and remind me of SLW's Desert Ruins 2's gameplay.

If the rival races aren't based on Sonic Rivals' gameplay, then I don't know what are they based on. They seem like a quite fun and interesting challenge.

 

I'm digging this version more than the Wii U version, honestly. I also heard this is going to be the prequel of the Wii U version story-wise. No real problem with that, I just hope not to be plotholes or unanswered questions everywhere because of this.

Long time no see bro =D! The funny thing is, I just downloaded Metroid on the 3DS Eshop like a couple months back & I gotta say, Sonic Boom Shattered Crystal looks hella lot like Metroid, just more 3D & badass.

 

Anyway yea, speaking of Wisps, will they be in the game? Nobody said they would be or wouldn't be so.. speculation tyme boii

Nah jk, but I would love to see at least 1 or 2 wisps in this game, none of the main characters have a Cyan Laser type attribute so meh I could see that happening, there are "Shattered Crystals" haha

[Sean]

Can we please not raise a fuss about whether the OP sounds "biased" or not? We already went through this bullshit with Lost World. It's like the stupidest thing to complain about.

[anna]

It looks fun, but I really hope that this version doesn't have such a weak story like Generations did on the 3DS. (I haven't played Lost World yet oops)

 

I dunno I can't say I'm all that thrilled about another Sonic side-scroller on the 3DS but I'll definitely give it a shot. 

 

Am I the only one bothered by the texture quality?

[Blue Blood]

It looks fun, but I really hope that this version doesn't have such a weak story like Generations did on the 3DS. (I haven't played Lost World yet oops)

 

I dunno I can't say I'm all that thrilled about another Sonic side-scroller on the 3DS but I'll definitely give it a shot. 

 

Am I the only one bothered by the texture quality?

Actually, I think we needn't worry about the story. Unlike Gens and LW, Boom has a completely different story on the two platforms with the Wii U version coming first and the 3DS version happening after. The story is probably going to be nicely fleshed out because it's it's own thing entirely. At this stage we know more about the story for Shattered Crystal than we do for Rise of Lyric.

The textures really do seem pretty poor though, I agree with you there. Especially the ones used to make up the backgrounds. I hope they get touched up over time.

[JezMM]

For all the Amy fans out there, what if after you rescue Amy from Lyric you get to play as her for a congrats on beating the Final Boss sorta thing?

 

Ugh, still not enough for me really.  I wanted her to have an active, playable role in the story and be as important a hero as the others, not a motivational plot device.

 

I may end up eating my words if the situation is not as it seems and things get subverted, and by all means I hope they do.

[Tails spin]

I saw the video and i really liked what I saw. The tube stages seem fun and hopefully the rival races will be better tban gens 3ds. I think that sanzaru may be working on boss battles since the demo didn't show any real footage.

[The Deleter]

I'm not sure why people are complaining about Amy getting kidnapped; in the Lyric boss fight introduction, it shows everyone but Sonic captured. Not sure why Amy has to be singled out like this, especially since she gave him an actual reason to kidnap her.