-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
GameSpot - Sonic Gems Collection Review
- Thread starter Fuzzy
- Start date
Late Stage Marxist
Member
Streets of Rage would have put it over an 8
Bartman3010
Banned
Theres already been good reasons as to why SoR was taken out of the complimation other than the fact it'd bump up the ESRB rating.
But none of you care, so...
But none of you care, so...
Bartman3010 said:
The only thing I've seen was some bizarre message about how Sega would have to translate all the ROMs again, and that would be a lot of work... which really doesn't make any sense when they could just dump the already translated USA ROM images on the disc.
Azure Dream
Member
...Except people would complain about getting the edited US versions, and say that they should've gotten new translations of the Japanese originals.
I don't know, I've got the Japanese Sonic Gems, and while the SoR games are fun, they really don't fit, not even compared to Sonic the Fighters. ("Bare Knuckle" and "Blaze" are amusing coincidences of sorts, though.) They're more adult than I remember. They should kind of be their own seperate thing, except a SoR disc for sale by itself wouldn't do well. And we're well past the point where "preorder bonus" is a viable option, for obvious reasons.
And even Bonanza Bros has you shooting cops and SWAT, albeit with stun bullets.
That doesn't excuse just hacking the games out with no replacements, though. Comparable ROMs could've easily been implemented, even if it was just to level out the playing field. (Giving US GCN gamers The Ooze and Comix Zone. I don't need another copy of those games, especially The Ooze, but that'd be OK. And we know those titles would still net the game an E, or at least an E10.)
I don't know, I've got the Japanese Sonic Gems, and while the SoR games are fun, they really don't fit, not even compared to Sonic the Fighters. ("Bare Knuckle" and "Blaze" are amusing coincidences of sorts, though.) They're more adult than I remember. They should kind of be their own seperate thing, except a SoR disc for sale by itself wouldn't do well. And we're well past the point where "preorder bonus" is a viable option, for obvious reasons.
And even Bonanza Bros has you shooting cops and SWAT, albeit with stun bullets.
That doesn't excuse just hacking the games out with no replacements, though. Comparable ROMs could've easily been implemented, even if it was just to level out the playing field. (Giving US GCN gamers The Ooze and Comix Zone. I don't need another copy of those games, especially The Ooze, but that'd be OK. And we know those titles would still net the game an E, or at least an E10.)
Bartman3010
Banned
Although its probably the worst time to bring this up, theres now ACTION REPLAY codes unveiled, go look and comment them in the official Sonic Gems thread.
http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=58761
Theres no time like the present, go to it!
http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=58761
Theres no time like the present, go to it!
After taking out SOR1-3 & Bonanza Bros, Sega really should've added something something in their place. There's so many amazing Genesis games they could've included... hell, even including just Comix Zone and The Ooze (which were missing from the US Mega Collection) would've been a nice move.
Also, it really does need more (non-Game Gear) Sonic titles. SegaSonic Arcade, Knuckles Chaotix and Sonic 3D Blast PC would've all been rather simple to emulate/port and would've really rounded out this collection. As is, all I want to play is Sonic CD, Sonic Fighters and Tails' Adventure. :/
Also, it really does need more (non-Game Gear) Sonic titles. SegaSonic Arcade, Knuckles Chaotix and Sonic 3D Blast PC would've all been rather simple to emulate/port and would've really rounded out this collection. As is, all I want to play is Sonic CD, Sonic Fighters and Tails' Adventure. :/
EternalDarko
Member
so wait, is the UK version actually gonna be getting Streets of Rage?
I didn't know if it was for certain or not.
I didn't know if it was for certain or not.
Myoclonic Jerk
Member
trippingmartian said:
why do companies do that?
sometimes they take some really REALLY DUMBB decisions..
I wana know why this game wasn't included in teh US version for example? although I don't even know it, but you guys make it seem like its a very stupid decision lol
FortNinety
Member
almokla said:
It was done just so the game could get a E rating. With SoR it would have made it T and scared off a potential customer base.
FirstInHell
Banned
almokla said:
Why is it so difficult to comprehend the ESRB thing? The game is a Gamecube exclusive and it is a Sonic game, not a Streets of Rage collection. Why would they bump the rating up for some old school games that the majority of people are not buying the collection for? It would be senseless for them to do so.
radios shipping overview
Member
Why is the difference between E and T such a big deal for Sega when there are no enforced age restrictions attached to the T rating, and when most parents can't be bothered to look at a rating long enough to decide whether their 8-year-old should be playing an M-rated game?
Need I explain public relations to you?jiji said:
The ESRB is more enforced by retailers and relied upon by parents than you apparently think.
EDIT: You're right, no retailer is going to prevent a kid from buying a T-rated game, though.
Sonic The Fighters goes out of its way to make the violence as cartoony as possible. Note all the stretching and rings.fuzzy said:
EternalDarko
Member
jarrod said:
bloody hell, only the Jap version then
Azure Dream
Member
Fatghost28 said:
What's sad is you're probably right. "We felt that the PS2 represented an older audience that'd be more accepting of the brutal, action-packed Streets of Rage series, and the crime drama Bonanza Bros. We've also listened to the fans, and included the original Japanese soundtrack as selectable for Sonic CD, in addition to the US soundtrack. Enjoy Sonic Gem Collection +!"
Although despite both being on the PS2 disc (and the anime movies with the Japanese music even in the US GCN version), I think the soundtrack is less likely given that it was supposedly cut for licensing costs, they only paid for it in Japan because they had to. I'm surprised they Rockstar'd the opening and closings with both vocal songs on the US version, since I'd assume that'd be the costliest bit if they got caught by the licenser.
I really question if it was the money. The opening and ending songs are on the disc (possibly by accident) but disabled and much of the Japanese music is used as the basis for remixes hidden in the Museum.jgkspsx said:
Not to mention the "past" music is the same worldwide, so that had to be licensed for North America anyway.
WrathOfOtaibah
Banned
Just import it for Bare Knuckle then. I did. I'm playing these games more than the Sonic games included.
Azure Dream
Member
The past music in the original Sonic CD was chip tune, while everything else was redbook on the CD. I don't know if there's significance to that or not (as in whether or not it was done by another group), but I think the issue was more with the vocal songs. I think I remember the version in Sonic Jam sounded resung, for example. (Sonic Screensaver was kind of a low-key release, just tacking in the music as low-quality WAV files, and wasn't even sold seperately in the US, so I don't know if I'd take that as evidence one way or the other. It was also released much closer to Sonic CD's release date, so maybe they still had the original negotiated rights to the music? I don't know.)
And if it wasn't a money issue, why include the entirety of both soundtracks on the PS2 disc and have it automatically detect based on the region, but not let the user have the simple choice of flipping the soundtrack switch themselves? If they already went as far as an automatic soundtrack switchover, there'd be literally nothing to it. The only thing it could be other than that is that they wanted to make sure the PS2 and GCN versions were "equal" in content, but then why include the English soundtrack in the PS2 rev and go through the extra region detection mess if it was a Japan-targetted release?
And if it wasn't a money issue, why include the entirety of both soundtracks on the PS2 disc and have it automatically detect based on the region, but not let the user have the simple choice of flipping the soundtrack switch themselves? If they already went as far as an automatic soundtrack switchover, there'd be literally nothing to it. The only thing it could be other than that is that they wanted to make sure the PS2 and GCN versions were "equal" in content, but then why include the English soundtrack in the PS2 rev and go through the extra region detection mess if it was a Japan-targetted release?
belgurdo said:
But see, I WANT the SoR games. I have only a mild interest for Sonic CD, and none at all for any of the other Sonic games. I don't want to spend 30 (?) bucks for Sonic CD alone. Thus, this collection + SoR = must buy. This collection stand alone = no buy/very cheap buy. See how that works?
FirstInHell
Banned
SailorDaravon said:
So wait until the Streetz of Rage compilation comes out.
FirstInHell said:
Eh?
Also, I don't like emulating. I like owning the game and playing on my nice big TV with a controller in my hands. I don't own the Genesis versions any longer after a moving mishap, and even if I did, I don't want to have to dig out my Genesis and hook it up =p.