The "What the HECK Is A 2016 Sonic" Prophecy Thread (two topics from the pre-server wipe in one!)

[ElectricAngel]

Yeah I'm not going to dabble in any arguments here but I am going to say that I'm excited for the 25th anniversary merchandise! I was lucky enough to get... absolutely nothing for the 20th anniversary aside the comics if those count? But this time I'll be in America around the time the merch starts popping up so that will be neat. The question is though, will I have money? But eh, I'll jump over that hurdle when I get to it. 

[Multikaris]

So, from what I gather, the 25th anniversary is a full-blown Classic Sonic game, which is okay with me, depending on how close they match what the classic games really were (tone-wise). Considering it's an anniversary, could some little-known characters be at least acknowledged to exist? Even Mario has a problem with that. There could be more playable characters, as those were clearly accepted during the classic era.

Edited December 21, 2015 by The Very First Miru to Me

[Tenko]

It's a nice idea for sure, I mean you can't really have a proper potential "classic" follow up game with Shadow in it for example, or over half the current cast really, as a good 85% of them met Sonic and pals in the modern timeline, with the exception of the Chaotix, tho even that is debatable considering Izuka said they weren't the same Chaotix. Would be a fine excuse to show some of the older forgotten characters again, and have Amy in her classic attire etc.

Tho it's more likely to be themed around the classic side of the franchise rather than actually take place during that time period in Sonic's history.

I may not have great faith in them these days, but I would assume, especially after Generations, that Sonic Team could do a better job of a classic'ish continuation than Dimps did with Sonic 4. Maybe best to stay away from the numbers tho in any case, the numbers in any series bring with them high expectations that generally can't be met by today's developers for whatever reason. I'm looking at you Square Enix, Kingdom Hearts 3 better be good!

[Chris Knopps]

The 2016 game is just going to be a pure 2D version of Sonic Generations just longer.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

The 2016 game is just going to be a pure 2D version of Sonic Generations just longer.

Well considering they make empty promises I wont be suprised if it is more nostoilga pandering. Cant wait!

[Chris Knopps]

Well considering they make empty promises I wont be suprised if it is more nostoilga pandering. Cant wait!

With the game set to "play" like heyday titles, key word "play" that is, it's obvious a 2D title is planned, or rather a 2.5D title akin to Sonic 4.

Regarding designs of said stages, originality isn't my highest hope. I expect it to continue the hybrid Sonic 1 & Knuckles thing Lost World had going on with an awkward CD esque vibe thrown in.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

With the game set to "play" like heyday titles, key word "play" that is, it's obvious a 2D title is planned, or rather a 2.5D title akin to Sonic 4.

Regarding designs of said stages, originality isn't my highest hope. I expect it to continue the hybrid Sonic 1 & Knuckles thing Lost World had going on with an awkward CD esque vibe thrown in.

We want it to play like the Genesis games.... the playstyle that got so many people to love Sonic. Thats what we want. We dont care if its 2.5D.

[Chris Knopps]

We want it to play like the Genesis games.... the playstyle that got so many people to love Sonic. Thats what we want. We dont care if its 2.5D.

I didn't say 2.5D is an issue, as that's what I prefer, this IS 20 years post Genesis titles, the popular ones at least.

My issue is lack of originality if the game just shares the same design as Sonic 1 and 3 with CD mixed in awkwardly like Lost World did.

And unfitting Mario stages... If there's another Sonic game shoving you in some random candy world or random things have eyes that shouldn't, someone is DEFINITELY desperately trying to blow the top dogs at Nintendo for further support.

And the music... I don't want to hear Mario in a Sonic game ever again either, or whatever the heck they did to the music in Sonic 4.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Chris Knopps

[Monkey Destruction Switch]

As a classic fan, I SHOULD be happy...but for the most part, I'm not, since I'm still afraid that they'll just make a superficially classic-looking/sounding ("nostalgia pandering" as some might say) game without capturing what was actually so great about the classics. If they're just going to do that, I would really rather they not make something classicy at all. But hey, who knows? If it actually turns out good, that'd be superb. I'm not holding my breath, but it's a possibility I can hope for.

I don't think it's guaranteed to be classic-style game, mind you, though there is enough evidence pointing in that direction for me to entertain the possibility.

[Chris Knopps]

As a classic fan, I SHOULD be happy...but for the most part, I'm not, since I'm still afraid that they'll just make a superficially classic-looking/sounding ("nostalgia pandering" as some might say) game without capturing what was actually so great about the classics. If they're just going to do that, I would really rather they not make something classicy at all. But hey, who knows? If it actually turns out good, that'd be superb. I'm not holding my breath, but it's a possibility I can hope for.

I don't think it's guaranteed to be classic-style game, mind you, though there is enough evidence pointing in that direction for me to entertain the possibility.

This was my point as well really. Don't bother going back to 2D/2.5D unless the stages look original and the music is better compared to the S4 treatment. I don't care if it sounds classic music wise as long as it's better than what we got before.

[Dizcrybe]

We want it to play like the Genesis games.... the playstyle that got so many people to love Sonic. Thats what we want. We dont care if its 2.5D.

...don't you despise the Genesis games?

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

...don't you despise the Genesis games?

I use to hate it but now I am open to it and I am cool with it.

[shdowhunt60]

As a classic fan, I SHOULD be happy...but for the most part, I'm not, since I'm still afraid that they'll just make a superficially classic-looking/sounding ("nostalgia pandering" as some might say) game without capturing what was actually so great about the classics. If they're just going to do that, I would really rather they not make something classicy at all. But hey, who knows? If it actually turns out good, that'd be superb. I'm not holding my breath, but it's a possibility I can hope for.

I don't think it's guaranteed to be classic-style game, mind you, though there is enough evidence pointing in that direction for me to entertain the possibility.

Hah. Imagine what a Modern Fan feels. Or, worse, an Adventure fan at that. It's hard not to think that the end result isn't going to be the same thing as Classic Sonic was in Generations, a boring and generic platformer, or even worse, the cynical mess that was Sonic 4. And the best part of it being that the whole thing just doesn't appeal to me at all in the first place.

Yeah. When that CEO was talking about the possibility of alienating some fans, that seems to be increasingly ringing true for me. If this is the road SEGA wants to follow, then I'm out. I'll keep up my subscription to the comics and that's it.

Edited December 22, 2015 by shdowhunt60

[Milo]

Gonna be honest and say that if a new 2016 classic Sonic is in the works, I'm hoping it's being made by a different developer and Sonic Team has their own 2016 Sonic project on the backburner. I say this because I want to see where Sonic Team goes after Lost World that doesn't involve beating the nostalgia drum some more, and also because I don't think Sonic Team would be able to pull off a legitimate Genesis Sonic title as long as Iizuka is calling the shots. I don't think Iizuka understands or wants to understand Genesis Sonic in general and is more occupied in doing his own thing with contemporary Sonic. Which is fine, but I don't want that to mean Genesis Sonic (and everything associated with it-gameplay, aesthetics, storytelling, etc.) is going to be buried and abandoned again, barring the occasional merch and inevitable ports of the classic games to future platforms.

That said, it also goes without saying that if it is done by a different team (outsourced or otherwise) it needs to be a team who actually know how to make quality games and actually want to design a new Genesis Sonic; and on that note it also needs to have the proper budget and marketing to match it. So don't just callously toss the responsibility of making a new classic Sonic towards anyone (Boom) and / or make it a low-budget affair with PR that (accidentally or deliberately) doesn't reflect the product or its design brief in any way (Sonic 4). Give Genesis Sonic the NSMB/DKCR/Rayman Origins revival I argue he's been long overdue for.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Gabe

[Shadowlax]

Like it's basically admitting in every sense of the word "we've fucked up Sonic, we have no idea what to do with him, so we're pandering to those who have already given up on him by providing fanservice for other games they might've played when they were kids that we haven't continued to produce".  Just geez what a mess.

" but sega, haven't you been doing that for like the past... few years and no one has bitten infact less people are buying the games. And aren't there a whole section of folks who grew up dreamcast/gcn/gba era? Isn't that extremely short sighted , also completely ignoring sales figures? "

" but... here's classic sonic"

" i don't think anyone cares, I don't think they cared when you literally put him in a game 5 years ago." 

[Badnik Mechanic]

" but sega, haven't you been doing that for like the past... few years and no one has bitten infact less people are buying the games. And aren't there a whole section of folks who grew up dreamcast/gcn/gba era? Isn't that extremely short sighted , also completely ignoring sales figures? "

But Generations did sell well...

Lost World didn't, either did Boom... reason being, the games were not that good. Generations was a good game, it sold well.  

[Chris Knopps]

But Generations did sell well...

Lost World didn't, either did Boom... reason being, the games were not that good. Generations was a good game, it sold well.  

Generations was Mary Jane and Crack rolled up into a short and overpowering experience that wore off all too fast leaving people feeling as bad as before in the end about the franchise.

It was a nostalgic mind fu@& and once that nostalgia wore off everyone groaned "this is it?" because the game had too high a budget with too little to offer.

If you ask me, Generations if the equivalent of the Food Fight movie budget wise.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Chris Knopps

[Wraith]

Generations was Mary Jane and Crack rolled up into a short and overpowering experience that wore off all too fast leaving people feeling as bad as before in the end about the franchise.

It was a nostalgic mind fu@& and once that nostalgia wore off everyone groaned "this is it?" because the game had too high a budget with too little to offer.

If you ask me, Generations if the equivalent of the Food Fight movie budget wise.

On the contrary. Most people didn't seem to actually care that Generations was all that short just going of the reviews and the general consensus at the time. They were just glad that it was good. It definitely improved the franchise's general reception.  Not fair to say that it didn't help at all just because fans chose to only get irritated with it years after the fact.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

 

On the contrary. Most people didn't seem to actually care that Generations was all that short just going of the reviews and the general consensus at the time. They were just glad that it was good. It definitely improved the franchise's general reception.  Not fair to say that it didn't help at all just because fans chose to only get irritated with it years after the fact.

Yep, it was a good game but not the kinda game fans were hoping for. 

[Komodin]

Yep, it was a good game but not the kinda game fans were hoping for. 

It still received a mostly-positive general reception, however, which kinda matters more in this case.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Generations was Mary Jane and Crack rolled up into a short and overpowering experience that wore off all too fast leaving people feeling as bad as before in the end about the franchise.

It was a nostalgic mind fu@& and once that nostalgia wore off everyone groaned "this is it?" because the game had too high a budget with too little to offer.

If you ask me, Generations if the equivalent of the Food Fight movie budget wise.

Is this a joke post?

People liked generations, if anything people wanted more content for it because it was so good, hell I remember people posting images from the hub section of possible extra levels/doorways for stages. For months afterwards people were asking for more content because they really liked the game. 

Critics liked it, fans liked it, even non Sonic fans liked it. Even over at Gaf they all said it was somewhere between a good and a great game. 

There has suddenly been this vocal group of people saying no more nostalgia, however this movement has only come about in the last year (since Booms release), people were certainly not saying that during and after Generations was released. Not at all. 

Generations sold well, it was a good game which sold well. 

Bad games didn't sell well. 

I really don't understand why this concept is so hard to grasp.

[Komodin]

Also, I can't say that I dig the insinuation that Generations basically served as some drug for people to take and are left underwhelmed with for whatever reason...

[Milo]

If you ask me, Generations if the equivalent of the Food Fight movie budget wise.

You're really reaching here with this statement. The game definitely falls short in terms of content and arguably does recycle a fair amount of assets, but concerning each project's respective budget  and how they correspond to the quality of the final product, in no way is Generations anywhere near the levels of Food Fight.

Not to mention the comparison between Generations and Food Fight regarding their budget is disingenuous. Food Fight had a decade-long troubled development cycle that saw millions of dollars poured into a project that ended up having to be restarted from scratch with less available resources. The two really can't be compared at all.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Gabe

[azoo]

Yeah, I can see through Generations' entire schtick but in the end it's still a dang good game. Not an incredible one, or even a great one, but a really good one regardless. Comparing it to Food Fight or calling it nothing but a soulless nostalgia cash-in is either extreme hyperbole or flamebait (or both).

After all, there are games that already fit that bill much better.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Azoo

[Shadowlax]

 

But Generations did sell well...

Lost World didn't, either did Boom... reason being, the games were not that good. Generations was a good game, it sold well.  

eh iirc didnt do spectacularly actually. I can problably bring up the sega 90% loss neogaf thread where the mod brings up the sales figures.