I think Sonic and the Black Knight is a great display of Sonic's personality.

[SuperStingray]

I don't think so. NOBODY expected that Merlina plot twist. How was that a horrific mess? And I think it's unfair to call a game a mess just because it has an unusual theme (medieval, knights and all that), or a theme that you don't happen to like.

SEGA did a good job with the characters, which shows they put some TLC into their games, and I think it turned out pretty damn well. (In my opinion.)

Agreed. I think they actually pulled off Sonic's character better here than they did in any game since Sonic Adventure.

[Blazey Firekitty]

I haven't played the game yet to be honest, but from the cutscenes I've watched, Sonic feels a lot more open emotionally than he was in the last couple recent sonic games I played (Rush and Unleashed). He reminds me of how in the old SatAM and Adventures of Sonic cartoons, he'd constantly shoot his mouth off, treating most things as a joke. I'm glad he's gotten that quirkiness back.

[Phos]

I don't think so. NOBODY expected that Merlina plot twist. How was that a horrific mess? And I think it's unfair to call a game a mess just because it has an unusual theme (medieval, knights and all that), or a theme that you don't happen to like.

SEGA did a good job with the characters, which shows they put some TLC into their games, and I think it turned out pretty damn well. (In my opinion.)

First of all, about the italicized bit, where do you draw the line? It wouldn't make any sense at all to stick a Sonic Team character into a Sin City kind of environment.

This game's script is pretty terrible, the most glaring mistakes include:

Using "King Aurthur" as a title

Calling Blaze "Sir" (This isn't the army, she should have gone by "Dame Percival")

The massive eastern themes included in the game, even though during this time period, Japan might as well have been a different planet. Knuckles essentially deciding to commit seppuku after loosing (for honor?), the way the Black Knight's horse gallops through the air, Shadow using a Dao (like that terrible King Aurthur movie!).

the constant puns. It's like this game was written by the Hot Topic T shirt guy.

Tails, once again, does almost nothing. Big surprise there.

Sonic preventing Merlina from creating her never ending world because... "you have to make the best of the time you've got" and not because "she was releasing demons and destroying everything, and would probably kill everyone in the process".

Also, why does Sonic feel compelled to help the characters in these stories? rather than risking his life, couldn't he just find another copy?

You know, I'm seriously staring to think that this scrip was written by 4Kids after all. It's got the puns, the misinterpretation of the source material (in this case it's chivalry/Arthurian legend), and smiler phraseology in general.

[Candescence]

You're nitpicking factors that are completely irrelevant. Besides, what's the harm in having another interpretation of the Arthurian legends? There's so many different versions that it really doesn't bloody well matter.

Using "King Aurthur" as a title

Title? That was left vague and implied that

Sonic was the geniune article Arthur. It's more of another name than a title.

Calling Blaze "Sir" (This isn't the army, she should have gone by "Dame Percival")

It's not aiming for historical accuracy, now is it?

The massive eastern themes included in the game, even though during this time period, Japan might as well have been a different planet. Knuckles essentially deciding to commit seppuku after loosing (for honor?), the way the Black Knight's horse gallops through the air, Shadow using a Dao (like that terrible King Aurthur movie!).

As I said, another interpretation of the legends, like so many others...

Tails, once again, does almost nothing. Big surprise there.

Storywise? Nope, gameplay-wise is another matter...

the constant puns. It's like this game was written by the Hot Topic T shirt guy.

So? Whether the puns were good or not is the real question here, and I honestly didn't mind them.

Sonic preventing Merlina from creating her never ending world because... "you have to make the best of the time you've got" and not because "she was releasing demons and destroying everything, and would probably kill everyone in the process".

That's Sonic for you. Besides, Who Wants To Live Forever?

Also, why does Sonic feel compelled to help the characters in these stories? rather than risking his life, couldn't he just find another copy?

I believe it's not just a "copy-exclusive" world, really, otherwise there'd be millions of the bloody things. Besides, it's Sonic. What the hell did you expect?

You know, I'm seriously staring to think that this scrip was written by 4Kids after all. It's got the puns, the misinterpretation of the source material (in this case it's chivalry/Arthurian legend), and smiler phraseology in general.

Besides my previous points, really? 4Kids do scripts that are a lot worse. This story is actually good, doesn't remove references of death and such (hell, Mordred is refered to as Arthur's SON, since he's also the child of Arthur's half-sister)... It doesn't resemble anything that's come out of 4Kids. Why is it that you're the only guy in the topic who thinks otherwise?

Edited March 17, 2009 by Soma Cruz

[Phos]

Title? That was left vague and implied that Sonic was the genuine article Arthur. It's more of another name than a title.

Worse yet. Rather than screwing up Arthurian Legend, it's screwing up Sonic.

It's not aiming for historical accuracy, now is it?

The first half of the game is dedicated to Sonic learning Chivalry. I'd expect them to at least get that right.

That's Sonic for you

Exactly my point - it's not behaving like Sonic.

Why is it that you're the only guy in the topic who thinks otherwise?

If you came to Retro, you'd be the only or one of the only ones to think it wasn't terrible.

Plus, the majority is not always right.

TWICE!!

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Plus, the majority is not always right.

TWICE!!

Okay, hold the hell up right there. Who the hell are you to claim what is right or wrong?

Every scrap of error you see in the game is basically YOURS (and others) own onlook of it, and whether it sucks or succeeds that's entirely what you see. If many others see otherwise, then that's what they say.

There's NEVER a matter of whether the majority is right or wrong and whether the minority is right or wrong, and who ever even tries to pull THAT shit up needs to get their head out of their ass and look up the definition of an opinion, because it isn't something that messed up to get that critical about every bit of the game whether you liked it or not. It's not the end of anything...hell it's not even (and never has been) the end of Sonic.

Edited March 17, 2009 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[Phos]

As per usual, a minor part of my post that only serves a periphery function gets misinterpreted and attached to something I never put it with.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

As per usual, a minor part of my post that only serves a periphery function gets misinterpreted and attached to something I never put it with.

O RLY?

Well then here's an idea: how about you stop making that "minor" part of your post such a BIG targetboard for people to aim darts at, and maybe it won't get misinterpretated as something else.

Attaching George W. Bush as an example is a dumb move to start with.

Edited March 17, 2009 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[Gabz Girl]

Calling Blaze "Sir" (This isn't the army, she should have gone by "Dame Percival")

Maybe because she's...boyish? <=D

[Sega DogTagz]

Calling Blaze "Sir" (This isn't the army, she should have gone by "Dame Percival")

I asked AAUK about this when Blaze was first officially unveiled.

His response was something along the lines of -----

A Historically accurate title for a Female in this position is “Grand Dame”. When you put Grand Dame Percival next to Sir Gawain, the balance is thrown out of whack.

Besides, it was Sonic Team’s interpretation of the story to screw around with. They could call her whatever they wanted.

Plus, the majority is not always right.

pic

TWICE!!

Minor point of not, this was a very bad example

Bush lost the popular (majority) vote to Gore, so in this case, the majority was right.

[Talen]

Calling Blaze "Sir" (This isn't the army, she should have gone by "Dame Percival")

In my opinion, the problem is another one: why did SEGA choose a female character for the role of Sir Percival? If we want to talk about historical accuracy, women weren't allowed to become knights.

[blackherox]

You know, I'm seriously staring to think that this scrip was written by 4Kids after all. It's got the puns, the misinterpretation of the source material (in this case it's chivalry/Arthurian legend), and smiler phraseology in general.

As far as I'm aware the storybook series, is not meant to be a historical account of the source material but a setting, nothing more. A Sonic Worlds take on the tales as it were. SATSR had the same thing. If were going my historical accuracy, I don't recall seeing any dinos or pirates in the arabian nights stories. So its nothing new.

At he end of the day, this is storybook spinoff title 9targeted at a casual/younger audience) acted out by Sonic characters. Why this is being taken so seriously is beyond me.

[Blazey Firekitty]

Maybe because she's...boyish? <=D

This. Blaze has always been something of a tomboy.

[SuperStingray]

First of all, about the italicized bit, where do you draw the line? It wouldn't make any sense at all to stick a Sonic Team character into a Sin City kind of environment.

Oh, there's a limit. But there series hasn't even approached that sort of style since then (arguably Sonic 06.)

Using "King Aurthur" as a title

Calling Blaze "Sir" (This isn't the army, she should have gone by "Dame Percival")

The massive eastern themes included in the game, even though during this time period, Japan might as well have been a different planet. Knuckles essentially deciding to commit seppuku after loosing (for honor?), the way the Black Knight's horse gallops through the air, Shadow using a Dao (like that terrible King Aurthur movie!).

Okay, I'm sorry but this is just ridiculous. The game is a vague fictional embodiment of an already fictional tale through the eyes of an abstract fictional character, so what difference does any of this stuff make to the script? Besides, Knuckles never actually said it WAS ritual suicide- it was more a part of his own character and beliefs.

Sonic preventing Merlina from creating her never ending world because... "you have to make the best of the time you've got" and not because "she was releasing demons and destroying everything, and would probably kill everyone in the process".

And that's why the story is so damn great: That's Sonic. He's not good or evil, he's not perfect. He's a force of nature who believes in freedom and natural order. I don't completely agree with how he justified his actions, but I don't think a character has to always be "the good guy" to make a GOOD hero either. In fact, it's generally mutually exclusive.

the constant puns. It's like this game was written by the Hot Topic T shirt guy.

Tails, once again, does almost nothing. Big surprise there.

I can agree on the puns, but I generally see most of those in a "so bad they're good" sort of perspective. (Except the ones in Sonic Heroes. Ugh.) But I thought the relation between Sonic and Caliburn was great; it was a lot like the one between Eggman and Ergo.

And I ask you: If Tails was a more prominent character, would that have added anything to the game? That would just be another shoehorn.

Plus, the majority is not always right.

LOL BUSH JOEK

TWICE!!

That pretty much contradicts the very point of your sig. Plus if you paid attention to the 2000 election, you'd know it was only ONCE.

Edited March 25, 2009 by SuperStingray

[Blazey Firekitty]

I'm not implying this is a bad thing in the least, quite the opposite, but I got the feeling that Sonic was treated as a "ronin," a masterless Samurai, what with the difference between his free-going nature and the Knight's duty bound lifestyle being emphasized, especially before his fight with Percival.

[DC111]

Sonic preventing Merlina from creating her never ending world because... "you have to make the best of the time you've got" and not because "she was releasing demons and destroying everything, and would probably kill everyone in the process".

Exactly my point - it's not behaving like Sonic

Everyone else pretty much took the words out of my mouth for the rest of your post, but as far as this little bit right here (which, by the way, was the only part that had ANYTHING TO DO with the topic)...^

Nah, this isn't a script error. This is SONIC. I honestly tried to understand your perspective on this, and I couldn't. I thought we ALL realized by now that Sonic's a guy who likes to live for the moment and not on the past... a guy who likes to make the most of his life while he can.

Secondly, you act as if this was the ONLY reason Sonic stopped Merlina, when it wasn't. He was also doing it to prevent her from 'releasing demons and destroying everything,' as you said. Sonic himself even states this:

"Why'd you do it? Weren't we trying to save this kingdom from the underworld?" And minutes later, he proceeds to do just that.

Also, this bit from the final bossfight summarizes it pretty well:

Merlina: You could never understand my sorrow at seeing the ruinous future of this kingdom.

Sonic: Good, 'cause I don't ever want to know such one-sided sadness.

Caliburn: Foolish wizard! You're willing to sacrifice countless others just to escape your own sorrow?

But... meh, at any rate, this is the opinion of myself (and others on this topic), so to each their own. But don't accuse us of overreacting to your comments - if you're free to post them, we're just as free to respond to them with our OWN opinions.

Not aiming to sound mean or put you on the spot. Hopefully there's no hard feelings in this topic, and it won't get locked.

EDIT: To everyone: hey, can we stay on topic at least a little bit so this thing DOESN'T get locked?

Edited March 17, 2009 by DC111

[Auther]

My explanation on the Sonic is King Arther debate is that when Sonic went in the book he rewrote it somehow and made himself King Arther and thus only Arther in the book but regular Sonic in his world.

P.S. Evidence on Sonic rewrote the book is in SatSR in the ending the Arabian Nights changes one of the titles to Sonic and the Secret Rings and in Lost Prologue when Sonic was walking he erased some words he passed by.

[SuperStingray]

I'm not implying this is a bad thing in the least, quite the opposite, but I got the feeling that Sonic was treated as a "ronin," a masterless Samurai, what with the difference between his free-going nature and the Knight's duty bound lifestyle being emphasized, especially before his fight with Percival.

That's pretty interesting. I think that suits him quite well.

[KNAVETHEHEDGEHOG2]

I agree with you DC111, Both storybook games to me have showed sonic's true personality.

[Shikushi]

I think Sonic's personality depends on the actor, Ryan Drummond is an adventure loving Sonic, Jason Griffith is a gold hearted, caring Sonic, and Roger Craig Smith is a more cocky Sonic. Not saying the other Sonic's aren't cocky, but I find him to be the most cocky.

[Kuzu]

This topic existed.....my how things have changed in the past four years; Sonic goes from being generally liked to.........yea, you get the idea.

[Amomynous]

I'm glad this topic came to the surface.

When considering this game, the first cutscene pretty much single-handedly convinced me to buy this game. Sonic establishes such a strong presence as soon as he enters the scene, more-so than I'd ever seen before, his every blasted move dripping with swag arrogant grace.

 

Shut up and take my money.

Edited July 18, 2013 by Amomynous

[Vertekins]

This topic existed.....my how things have changed in the past four years; Sonic goes from being generally liked to.........yea, you get the idea.

 

On the contrary, my early posts in this topic from over 4 years ago are pretty mild. I like Sonic even more today having taken truly into consideration how brilliant his SatBK portrayal was especially in light of the last few games.

[Chaos Incarnate]

To be honest, while I do love the Unleashed portrayal of Sonic, I slightly edge toward Black Knight's characterization of him. The scenes with him convincing Gawain, and later the rest of the Knights that there's more to being a knight than serving a king, shows me that Sonic truly is a compassionate person. Hell, the final scene with him talking to Merlina is his best moment of the game. "Live Life" playing in the background fits perfectly with the message of the scene and what Sonic is telling Merlina: Sure, it's sad that everything must come to an end, but you've got to live life to the fullest in the time you have. It also helps that Jason Griffith gave it his all as Sonic in this game. Sure, he was awesome in Secret Rings, Zero Gravity, and Unleashed, but this game sold me on him being my favorite Sonic VA. I tip my hat off to Griffith, and of course the brilliant writers of this game.

[Uraraka]

Anyone could see Sonic's true personality portrayed in this game I love how he is so set to doing what's right , even when everyone else thinks otherwise.  "If I don't show up, don't criticize, I'm just living by my own feelings, won't give in. won't compromise, I've go a steadfast heart of Gold.(forgot some words)..Just living by my word, don't ask me why I don't need a reason, I've got my way my own way...it doesn't matter who is wrong or who is right."

   yeah, that is portrayed well in this game