Do you like the way the Sonic games are currently going?

[Sami]

No.

I LOVE the way things are going. This new gameplay style isn't a "platformer", it's "Sonic". There's absolutely nothing else like it and I definitely appreciate that. I also think the general tone and style of SA2, Shadow, and 06 sucks total ass and needs to stay dead.

Do improvements need to be made? Yes. Do they look like they're being made? Yes. I really hope Sonic Team stays like this and doesn't suddenly decide to be total idiots again.

[Gamenerd]

I do like the way Sonic is going, actually.

That's not to say I'm completely happy with Sonic - far from it, I think Sonic is only working at a fraction of the amount he could be - but SEGA and Sonic Team are taking steps everywhere to deliver consistent content that is improving with each game, and since 2006 they've at the very least tried making every Sonic game fun to some extent.

Plus I think they're on to something with Generations. It's no perfect formula but I like the Classic Sonic 2D and I like the Modern Sonic 3D; if they could combine the two somehow, and cap Sonic's speed somewhere in the middle ground rather than separating the playstyles, that'd be golden. From there it would just be about showing that they can provide fun, unique, ever-changing experiences with that engine, with levels as amazing and memorable as the kind in Sonic CD or Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Oh and throw a couple of extra characters in, adapted for the new playstyle, because eventually Sonic alone will get boring if left unchecked.

[Gaming Misfit]

Story wise not really, too childish for me and corny jokes kinda ruin it.

Gameplay wise I would also say no because sonic seems to control like a car and there are too many invisible walls.

"Story wise not really, too childish for me and corny jokes kinda ruin it."

To be fair every Sonic game is in some way childish. Even Shadow the Hedgehog was partially aimed at a young audience. The majority of Sonic's regular buyers is actually probably kids. More or less so compared to the old school fanboys who stuck with the franchise (like many of you).

As for the jokes, I don't think they're that bad anymore. The main problem is how they're handled. With Ryan as a voice actor it just felt really akward whenever a joke was told, like it was being forced on you and shoving it down your throat. With Roger as the new voice actor it feels less forced and thus a bit more humorous. Not to mention I think the actual conversations amongst the characters itself has gotten better. It could use work, but hey, it's a start at least.

Weren't you always raving about Unleashed style of play in the Sega Forums? Changed your mind?

That doesn't sound like Cobalt...he's a pretty laid back dude.

EDIT: Oh, by the way, I forgot to add that I agree with Dissident. ST has found something that identifies Sonic from other platformers...and does a good job at it! I hope they continue to see what they do with it, but at the same time don't stray away from the formula.

Edited July 21, 2011 by Jetbounty

[Unknown User]

No.

I LOVE the way things are going. This new gameplay style isn't a "platformer", it's "Sonic". There's absolutely nothing else like it and I definitely appreciate that. I also think the general tone and style of SA2, Shadow, and 06 sucks total ass and needs to stay dead.

Do improvements need to be made? Yes. Do they look like they're being made? Yes. I really hope Sonic Team stays like this and doesn't suddenly decide to be total idiots again.

To be honest, I do like a serious story in Sonic. But goofy is fine too. I like AoSTH after all.

I hope Robotnik/Eggman says "Snooping as Usual, I See?" in the games. If that does happen I would laugh my way out of Earth.

[CobaltBlue]

Weren't you always raving about Unleashed style of play in the Sega Forums? Changed your mind?

Wait.. I am content with the way things are going, and I completely agree with Dissident on this subject. It is irreplaceable in my opinion and that is why I love it so much.

[Lightspines]

Story wise - It's too light and childish.

Gameplay wise - I'm rather sick of the Unleashed gameplay continuation.

[SHAX Hedgefox]

I like the way the series is going. If they keep the gameplay going in the direction that Colours/Generations seems to have, then I reckon that Sonic could go from being a "Washed up" series to being a "Washed up series that has some credibility and respect".

But I reckon they need to either nerf the boost or make it a powerup. I'm not really much of a fan of the whole "press boost to win and occasionally not die" mechanic.

[SuperClassic]

Story wise - It's too light and childish.

Gameplay wise - I'm rather sick of the Unleashed gameplay continuation.

It looks like the Unleashed style of gameplay....

*puts on sunglasses*

Doesn't stack up.

Edited July 22, 2011 by SuperClassic

[Dr. Crusher]

It looks like the Unleashed style of gameplay....

*puts on sunglasses*

Doesn't stack up.

*applause*

That's mah boy... that's mah boy.

[Gaming Misfit]

Story wise - It's too light and childish.

Okay, I'm sick of this.

Ever since the classics it's been "light and childish". Yes, even the precious Adventure and Genesis titles were ridicolously kiddy and even more than Colors really. Same for Unleashed considering that part of the story is about the ultimate force of good and evil meeting, and on top of that a mad scientist breaks the world into pieces. Also, mind you, I'm not the one who neg repped you, so I guess I'm not alone here.

[SuperClassic]

Okay, I'm sick of this.

Ever since the classics it's been "light and childish". Yes, even the precious Adventure and Genesis titles were ridicolously kiddy and even more than Colors really. Same for Unleashed considering that part of the story is about the ultimate force of good and evil meeting, and on top of that a mad scientist breaks the world into pieces. Also, mind you, I'm not the one who neg repped you, so I guess I'm not alone here.

I also hate how people associate "light" with childish, Colors story, I must admit, felt a bit empty, the reason being probably because the story was incomplete, but it's moments and characterization were fantastic. Humor and a simple plot is far from childish.

[Gaming Misfit]

I also hate how people associate "light" with childish, Colors story, I must admit, felt a bit empty, the reason being probably because the story was incomplete, but it's moments and characterization were fantastic. Humor and a simple plot is far from childish.

Thank you. It's nice to know I'm not all alone in this. Also I just used the words that they used to fit it. I agree with you on that.

[SuperClassic]

Thank you. It's nice to know I'm not all alone in this. Also I just used the words that they used to fit it. I agree with you on that.

It's ironic that I said that because of my joke post, but whatever.

Another ironic thing, I definently agree with Dissident on this, Sonic Colors' level design was good, but I felt that Sonic Unleashed's longer levels were a lot more enjoyable.

[Kuzu]

Yes and no. On one end, I love the the current art style, it feels very Sonic esque and not overly realistic. Music is meh, I prefer Adventure's soundtrack more; I don't hate the orchestra, I just feel they're using too much of it, it should be used for when it matters, like when something big happens. I do love they have finally found a gameplay style and are sticking with it. Stories are no longer filled with that god awful melodrama that was plaguing the games for a while, its a fun little adventure from start to finish.

On the other end. They're relying way too much on Nostalgia in their marketing, first Sonic 4 and now Generations? Ok I can take Generations because its his 20th anniversary, but I hope next time we get something new. Lack of playable characters still pisses me off, I love playing as Sonic and all, but to see long time regulars like Tails and Knuckles along with everyone else be pushed further and further from the spotlight really is disheartening, it can't be too much trouble to put them in without it resorting to genre roulette. Story needs to be handled a bit better, I understand that Dark stories don't work for the series, but that doesn't mean the overall narrative should suffer, Colors does good with the lighthearted tone, but its story sucks balls; Almost, if not all the cutscenes were just plastered with really bad puns, there was no plot progression at all, I felt like I was playing a Mario game. I know gameplay comes before story, but that doesn;t mean you should just say fuck the story in general. I mean Secret Rings, and Black Knight are the perfect examples of how to do Sonic stories, learn from it. Unleashed gameplay doesn't feel like it going anywhere, I mean there are barely any changes from Unleashed-Generations, no new moves, no new power ups, its just the same, I like the gameplay and all, but throw something new in, experiment, something.

[sjmaster92]

Yes, I like the way the series is going, It seems that sega has finally gotten close to getting the right formula for Sonic gameplay and seem to be close to perfecting it. I even like the new direction the plots are going. I'd rather take a light hearted and simple plot over an overly serious and needlessly complicated plot any day.

[Mangoaxe5]

Storywise, no. Sonic Colors was ok, but it reminded me too much of AOSTH.

Sonic needs to go back to having big epic storylines where the fate of the world is in the balance. "Sonic Colors" failed at this because I never give two shits about the Wisp.

One thing that bugs me is how Robotnik has become a pathetic manchild. He use to be a cool villain, but after Sonic Adventure 2(which was the height of his villainy)he lost his coolness.

Gameplay wise, they need to make the levels longer, and they need to get rid of the whole 3-D/2-D thing. Either make a Sonic game 3-D or 2-D but not both.

And they need to make the other characters playable again. People are getting sick of this "Sonic only" crap.

[Milo]

Only irks I have in current direction is in terms of gameplay, limited gameplay modes, and plot. I wish that they would stop with the whole 2D and 3D mix and make the 2D and 3D platforming in seperate acts, as well as more available alternative routes in both 2D and 3D gameplay styles. I also would like to see a permanent return of classic pinball-based physics in 2D Sonic games that can coexist with the modern boost guage and homing attack. Some other things are secret goals in acts that can unlock "extra" acts [a la NSMB(W)]; and actual 3D underwater gameplay. Sonic could use the air bubbles as homing attack targets, and probably his speed when boosting can be 2/3rds as fast as normal.

I liked the missions in Unleashed, I hope they return as well in both 2D and 3D Sonic games.

Of course, I'd also like to see playable characters other than Sonic return (at least in 2D games first). They DO NOT need alternative playstyles (which contributed to the dislike of those characters and Sola Sonica), they just need gameplay identical to Sonic, but still retain their special abilites or weapons. If they DO need alternative gameplay styles in a 3D Sonic game, I think it should be a redone (and improved) version of Sonic/Shadow/Tails gameplay from the Adventure games. Would also like to see competitive local and online multiplayer become a reality as well (both in 2D and DEFINITELY 3D Sonic games).

As for plot......I dunno. I agree that it shouldn't be too lighthearted (Colors), but not too serious or complicated either (ShTH, 06) either. Maybe what Shadic93 said, more like the plot of Secret Rings.

Other than that, I like the direction the series is heading. They're taking criticisms of previous Sonic games and using them to improve the next Sonic game.

Edited July 22, 2011 by Ananze

[Kuzu]

One thing that bugs me is how Robotnik has become a pathetic manchild. He use to be a cool villain, but after Sonic Adventure 2(which was the height of his villainy)he lost his coolness.

I am so damn sick of hearing this, seriously what the hell did Eggman do in Sa2 that was so damn wonderful that ALL later incarnations fail by comparison, because you say this in pretty much ALL of your post, but you NEVER elaborate, all your saying is "X is X, because I say so".

[Mangoaxe5]

I am so damn sick of hearing this, seriously what the hell did Eggman do in Sa2 that was so damn wonderful that ALL later incarnations fail by comparison, because you say this in pretty much ALL of your post, but you NEVER elaborate, all your saying is "X is X, because I say so".

1. We start the dark storyline off with Robotnik attacking a military base, which was kick ass.

2. He comes up with a plan that allows him to get six of the seven Chaos Emeralds.

3. He blows up the Military base.

4. He holds a gun to Amy's head and pretty much threatens to blow Amy's brains out.

5. He almost kills Sonic. That cutscene where he traps Sonic in the capsule is awesome and he would have killed Sonic if it wasn't for Sonic using the fake emerald.

[EXshad]

Currently? Eh... I'm mixed, but I'm leaning towards yes. Since Sonic Unleashed, SEGA has shown that they are willing to give each Sonic game a lot of love and attention, and it showed. The graphics were top-notch, the music was great, and the overall product felt very polished. It also solidified a tone and art-style for the franchise, and while overall I still don't think it was the best game, it added a lot of twists to the Sonic formula, such as the Sonic Boost, quick step, and drift, to make it feel fresh.

2010 was also a solid year for Sonic. Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing was a cute little spin-off which turned out to be one of the most solid Mario Kart rip-offs around, with great graphics, a solid level and character list, and a great choice of soundtrack. Sonic 4 also was a fun little romp, and while I disliked the lack of originality and momentum-based physics, I had fun with it as a solid throwback to the classic games, with enough fresh elements (such as the fantastically written soundtrack and gorgeously rendered environments) to set it apart. Sonic Colors however was the best surprise though, taking the Unleashed day-time formula and adding in much tighter controls and a bit more focus on momentum. The increased focus on platforming injected even more fresh life back into the current Sonic formula, and the wisp power-ups were great. Plus, the game as a whole got a ton of praise, which was a plus. And of course, I think pretty much all the handhelds have been pretty solid romps, so there's that.

Now, we have Sonic Generations, which as a whole seems like a huge love-letter to the entire Sonic fan-base, with 2 gameplay styles: one showcasing what Sonic started off like in the early 90s, and one showing all that he has become over the years. The level list is entirely made up of user-selected levels, and as a whole, it just looks great.

However, I think this all kinda shows a lack of focus. First off, Classic Sonic is in this, so why couldn't they just use him in Sonic 4? Originally, "Modern" Sonic being in the game didn't bother me because, at the time, there was only one official Sonic (to me), but Generations has shown otherwise, even though it was in development for 3+ years. So what gives? And if Classic Sonic's gameplay was carefully recreated around the momentum-based Classic games, then why couldn't they do the same with Sonic 4? So far, because of this, SEGA has to fall back on the excuse that "we wanted to create a different experience than that of the Genesis/Megadrive games." Well then why the hell did you call it Sonic 4? Furthermore, why make it episodic, when I doubt people are going to have any interest in Sonic 4 Episode 2 once Generations hits the shelves?

Plus, the reintroduction of Classic Sonic could open a lot of floodgates. I already see people demanding that he stays and that he's FAR superior to Modern Sonic, and people lashing out that he might not be in future titles. I mean, people are already calling "Modern" Sonic a lanky, green-eyed impostor; just wait 'til AFTER Generations. People will be PISSED when Classic Sonic's not in the next big title. This will especially be evident with Sonic 4: Episode 2's release, which they pretty much have to release given how they titled the first one "Episode 1". And with all these retro throwbacks, just what gameplay style is SEGA gonna stick with for Sonic's future titles anyway? Will it be the classic Genesis platforming, with a Modern twist? Or will they continue to push the envelop on how fast Sonic can go, and make his gameplay even more frenetic?

To sum it up, I'm happy with the quality of Sonic games, but in terms of the general direction.... well, we'll see after Generations.

.......as for the topic which I somehow managed to miss while writing this tirade, sure, I like the stories. Colors was pretty close in tone to the Genesis games, at least for me. I just hope that they give the characters a bit more depth, like they did in the Adventure games, as well as expand upon the mythos of the franchise, again, like Sonic Adventure did, with the Echidna backstory and all. If they do those things, I'm a happy camper.

Edited July 22, 2011 by EXshad

[Kuzu]

1. We start the dark storyline off with Robotnik attacking a military base, which was kick ass.

Starts Unleashed by blowing up the planet.

2. He comes up with a plan that allows him to get six of the seven Chaos Emeralds.

Had Sonic bring all SEVEN emeralds to him, once again in Unleashed.

3. He blows up the Military base.

Once again blows up the planet.

4. He holds a gun to Amy's head and pretty much threatens to blow Amy's brains out.

Shot Tails out of the sky and threatened to kill Sonic in the Egg Dragoon.

5. He almost kills Sonic. That cutscene where he traps Sonic in the capsule is awesome and he would have killed Sonic if it wasn't for Sonic using the fake emerald.

He shoots Sonic out of an airlock into the vacuum of space, while making fun of him, and that's AFTER Eggman outsmarts Sonic completely, to the point where he pissed Sonic off, something Sonic never does, get angry at Eggman.

Yeah, your claims are kind off considering his track record got BETTER as he became a manchild.

[Flame Reaver]

Of course, I'd also like to see playable characters other than Sonic return (at least in 2D games first). They DO NOT need alternative playstyles (which contributed to the dislike of those characters and Sola Sonica), they just need gameplay identical to Sonic, but still retain their special abilites or weapons.

Yeow-ch that was phrased terribly, almost sounded like advocating Rivals' style bs. I believe you mean, don't force unrelated missions on them and give them each their own style offshoot from Sonic's core gameplay; not "make everyone a Sonic reskin".

Shot Tails out of the sky and threatened to kill Sonic in the Egg Dragoon.

You act like he doesn't (always) have death threats for Sonic during the last fight, even the Egg Viper had a couple kill lines. (Then again, in that game Tails knocked himself out of the sky...)

Edited July 22, 2011 by Flame Reaver

[Milo]

Sonic 4 also was a fun little romp, and while I disliked the lack of originality and momentum-based physics, I had fun with it as a solid throwback to the classic games, with enough fresh elements (such as the fantastically written soundtrack and gorgeously rendered environments) to set it apart.

Sonic 4 had ZERO momentum whatsoever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqxvYkutHNM

[EXshad]

Sonic 4 had ZERO momentum whatsoever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqxvYkutHNM

...and that's exactly what I said in my quote you just posted: I disliked the lack of momentum-based physics in the game

[Milo]

...and that's exactly what I said in my quote you just posted: I disliked the lack of momentum-based physics in the game

Oops, thought the "lack of" statement was only referring to originality. Silly me.