Sonic Fan Remix

[Glenn]

Okay, late to the party but thought I'd add my opinion nevertheless. Mahzes gave me a copy of the Emerald Hill Zone demo yesterday, as my bandwidth looks at anything above 1MB in size and tells me to get stuffed. Having just spent half an hour with it, I've got some observations. Note the absence of a full review, akin to the ones I've posted on here before for Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, but this is only a three-act demo we're talking about (and I don't have an hour to write in)!

First up, the good stuff.

Take a glance at any screencap or moment in the game, and I defy your jaw to remain un-dropped. This is one gorgeous game, no question, even when the framerate at higher resolutions becomes painfully slow. I had to play in a small window to make it run at anything like a final release game... but even so, the amount of detail crammed into every element of the Emerald Hill Zone is eye-poppingly beautiful. The amount of work that must've gone into the design element is incomprehensible and the game certainly gets a hearty congratulations on that front: it looks amazing, especially for a fan game. That said, at times there seems to be TOO MUCH detail. During the closing moments of Act One, when the killer whale leaps over Sonic, there exists a flurry of confusion that my eyes (can't speak for anybody else) are simply unable to keep up with. I'm sure Sonic Team and SEGA could create a game that looks as rich and as diverse as this... but would they want to? Impressive and jaw-dropping, there's no doubt, but from a gameplay perspective I think they're a disadvantage.

It certainly all feels very Sonic-y and that's a great style to tap into. So many have tried to nail that Sonic feel, but this game comes incredibly close to achieving Sonic perfection. The music is a great update (although I can't recognise Act Three as being from anything... that said, I might just be having a mental blank). Of course, much of this comfortable familiarity with the game might come from the fact that it is, essentially, the old Emerald Hill Zone. Without wanting to seem rude, there is a slight feeling of "What's the point? I can just go and play Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on my MegaDrive, my PlayStation2, my Nintendo DS, etc. etc. instead!" Given there are billions of versions of the classics out there, released by SEGA seemingly every year, releasing the same game with a facelift only manages to pull off a fleeting moment of novelty rather than a truly spectacular must-play-again impulse.

Okay, I actually ended up being quite negative there! Apologies!

Unfortunately it gets worse. Taking into account the Sonic Retro logo on the final screen, and reading some of the opinions and pre-release posts on the Sonic Stadium homepage, I get that this game is supposed to counterbalance Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode One and the "Rush Physics" much-berated. The brand new Act Two, however, included in this game's demo is one of the worst offenders of Hold Right Syndrome I've ever encountered. In the fifty seconds it took me to clear the act in my first playthrough, I jumped twice: once for a MotoBug, once for a spring. Otherwise I literally did just hold right, and I won within a decent time. The Sonic Advance series and the Sonic Rush series were never, ever this bad (and they coined the syndrome). They included multiple routes and at least some vague attempt at platforming... whereas here? I'm sure there's a multiple route included, but there was no incentive to take it. Of course, I'm sure those actively looking for such a route will find one, but perhaps that defeats the point. It is clear this game (well, at least from the demo) is designed for fans of the classics but shutting everybody else out, from the casual gamer to the hardcore fans of modern Sonic, isn't a winning strategy and makes the game feel clique-y.

And finally, I don't want to say too much on the badnik placement, as some have noted that already, but yeah. Not only is it impossible to see oncoming badniks (the worst offenders, by far, being the new MotoBugs) but they're so impossibly frequent in Act One especially that most of the time the game's longevity is down to forced stop-start combat.

In no way am I trying to belittle the efforts of the fans behind such an impressive project. I would have no idea where to start in creating something so detailed, so impressive and so accurate in capturing the essence of the classic Sonic games. All those involved deserve praise for the work they've done, there's no question, and as a Sonic fan I'm quite proud to belong to such a passionate and creative fanbase. But unfortunately I'm also a gamer, and with my gamer hat on I had a very, very difficult time with this game. Granted, 'tis a three-act demo and hopefully there'll be some way for me to play the finished version (which, contrary to the rest of this post, I would be very interested in) but based on this remixed Emerald Hill Zone... ouch. Throw all the HD visuals you want at something, but crowding out old zones with new badniks and creating fifty seconds of Hold Right Syndrome makes Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode One look like videogame Shakespeare.

Apologies if I've caused any offence with my opinions. I know this is a sensitive topic for many, and I mean for nothing above to be used as a personal attack.

[Djawed]

A video I made to express my apreciation for the game.

[PSI Wind]

So, Silva found a glitch on the Tinychat, and it's where Sonic slides like he's on ice/standing on soap. Oh god, it's funny .

When you spin dash up hills, just hit right as soon as Sonic gets close to the ground.

[Detective Shadzter]

So, Silva found a glitch on the Tinychat, and it's where Sonic slides like he's on ice/standing on soap. Oh god, it's funny .

When you spin dash up hills, just hit right as soon as Sonic gets close to the ground.

Ha ha! That's hilarious and the music fits so well XD He does look like he hits a bar of soap on the way down

[Sami]

Some new WIP pics of Chemical Plant have recently been posted on Retro.

Can't wait to get my good computer back so I can play the game again.

[Shaddix Leto Croft]

This game mahn THIS GAME jesus this fan game bringing beauty to the next level (lolSonicquote) Chem Plant Zone looks fantastic wonder how the background will look like =). I can't wait too see finished images/videos of this level =D.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Croft

[-Mark-]

Fingers crossed they just don't end up making it a visual clusterfuck like they did with Emerald Hill. =/

[Sami]

Fingers crossed they just don't end up making it a visual clusterfuck like they did with Emerald Hill. =/

I wouldn't worry about that. Pelikan and Mercury have shown time and again that they care about fan feedback, and to my knowledge, that's the only complaint this project has gotten since it's reveal.

[Blue Blood]

I wouldn't worry about that. Pelikan and Mercury have shown time and again that they care about fan feedback, and to my knowledge, that's the only complaint this project has gotten since it's reveal.

And that it was blue. Very, very blue to begin with.

EHZ looked like a total clusterfuck in screenshots, but in motion when you're actually playing it's not a problem at all. If the visuals are a problem it's only because you stop paying attention to Sonic and look at the pretty flowers or something.

[Sami]

And that it was blue. Very, very blue to begin with.

EHZ looked like a total clusterfuck in screenshots, but in motion when you're actually playing it's not a problem at all. If the visuals are a problem it's only because you stop paying attention to Sonic and look at the pretty flowers or something.

I agree. It's just a problem a lot of people seemed to have anyway, so I'm just saying that future levels will probably be different in order to appeal to everyone.

But as you said, I felt that the game looked fine in motion.

[Silver*]

The game was not all that. I actually hated it. Sonic was slow in a way and there was lag and the badniks are too over-exaggerated. I think they worked more on the graphics rather then the gameplay

[Sami]

The game was not all that. I actually hated it. Sonic was slow in a way and there was lag and the badniks are too over-exaggerated. I think they worked more on the graphics rather then the gameplay

[azoo]

After playing this for a while..

It's okay.

I mean, the graphics are gorgeous but there's something missing about the gameplay. The camera movement and the animations feel rather off, and the physics feel rather wishywashy. Especially with the decision to make it where you had control of jumping out of a roll. That just feels uncomfortable and less realistic to me.

[Silver*]

I take it you hate Sonic 2 as well?

No I don't hate Sonic 2. :-|

[Glenn]

I take it you hate Sonic 2 as well?

Whoa there, steady on! That was a bit uncalled for, don't you think? Pwr commented on lag, over-designed badniks and the HD graphics, all exclusive elements in Sonic Fan Remix, not Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but play fair!

[Sami]

Whoa there, steady on! That was a bit uncalled for, don't you think? Pwr commented on lag, over-designed badniks and the HD graphics, all exclusive elements in Sonic Fan Remix, not Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but play fair!

Lag is strictly the fault of her computer, and a minor aesthetic touch isn't enough to make a claim like "I think they worked more on the graphics than they did the gameplay".

[Glenn]

Lag is strictly the fault of her computer, and a minor aesthetic touch isn't enough to make a claim like "I think they worked more on the graphics than they did the gameplay".

Hey, my computer made the demo lag as well. Is there a rule that says all Sonic fans must have top-of-the-range computers?

Anyway, I don't want to get drawn into a debate, Dissident. I just thought you were being a little mean towards somebody who was innocently stating an opinion, that's all. No offence intended. I'm just trying to play nice, I guess.

[-Mark-]

I think another gripe I have with Sonic Fan Remix is that, well... it's just Sonic 2, isn't it? As nice as Sonic 2 is, it's something we've all played a million and one times by now. Similarly, from what I can tell from the demo, the original stage wasn't particularly impressive, and other than the graphics, the other changes were for the worse (added enemies and so on).

[Blue Blood]

I think another gripe I have with Sonic Fan Remix is that, well... it's just Sonic 2, isn't it? As nice as Sonic 2 is, it's something we've all played a million and one times by now. Similarly, from what I can tell from the demo, the original stage wasn't particularly impressive, and other than the graphics, the other changes were for the worse (added enemies and so on).

[Vec]

So, I see that not liking this game in some way makes you automatically a Sonic 2 hater...well, I still like it since it was my first Sonic game .

Letting this topic go

The added enemies were fairly ridiculous. And for the time being it may well be Sonic 2, but it's not going to be forever. They plan on doing other levels and maybe some original ones. I don't remember exactly what's been said, but it's not going to be just S2 stages.

I say they simply dedicate to make new levels instead of surpassing the barrier of rehashing

[-Mark-]

True, that. Only Sonic 3 or not, there's only so much I can care about levels I've played countless times before except with fancy new graphics.

And like I said in my last post, with all due respect to the creators and not trying to say I could do better, but the one original stage in the demo was fairly unimpressive.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Okay. Aside from the visuals...what exactly is there to hype here?

Edited December 21, 2010 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[Badnik Zero]

Does there need to be anything aside from the visuals? This is an extremely impressive fan production.

They've also got one original act and small original areas in the remade acts.

Don't think I've given impressions yet. It was choppy on my computer so I toned down the graphics. Basically I can fire this up to kill six minutes anytime, it's awesome.

[Sami]

Okay. Aside from the visuals...what exactly is there to hype here?

I won't speak for anyone else, but to me, Sonic 2 was one of the best Sonic games ever made. The only problem that really bothered me was the enemy placement. I'm expecting this game to not only fix that, but also look really fucking pretty. I'm hyped for it, but I can understand why other people wouldn't be. However, what I can't see is how someone could love Sonic 2 and hate this. They're basically the same game.

[Balding Spider]

After playing it I can only say it's okay.