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[ThatObviousUser]

That's all true. The platforming was sketchy as hell though, trying to land on those moving whirlpool platforms was some of the most frustrating gameplay in recent memory.

 

[Dark Schala]

I recently picked up the Wii version for $10 just because I heard it was different from the HD version. I was planning on playing through it during the Christmas break, but since I played Unleashed PS3 earlier this year, I might not.

Is it really that bad outside of the distribution between Hedgehog and Werehog levels? I'd imagine the lack of a hub world would be a good thing since it made me a little dizzy.

Yeah, it kind of saddened me when Unleashed was slammed with 3's and 4's (worse than 06??).

How.

Why.

 

[Professor Beef]

How.

Why.

They obviously couldn't recreate those better-than-Half-Life 2 physics.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

I recently picked up the Wii version for $10 just because I heard it was different from the HD version. I was planning on playing through it during the Christmas break, but since I played Unleashed PS3 earlier this year, I might not.

Is it really that bad outside of the distribution between Hedgehog and Werehog levels? I'd imagine the lack of a hub world would be a good thing since it made me a little dizzy.

Pros:

• No hub BS. I loved just booting into levels, although there is a hub of sorts for each world's levels. I don't remember, but I don't think you have to use it. There's still NPC interaction, but it's really quick.
  
  
• The daytime stages are still really good, even if they aren't as complex or involved as what I've seen of the HD versions. Very satisfying to break your old times.
  
  
• No QTE plane sections, thankfully.
  
  
• Progression is handled automatically. At the end of the level, a dial turns based on how much EXP you've gotten, and you get more skills and power based on how far it goes. You don't have to micromanage a skill list you're not going to be involved in learning anyways, like the HD versions.

Cons:

• More Werehog stuff allegedly. For my playthrough about 80-85% of the time was spent in the Werehog levels. In raw level count they're probably like 70%, but just due to their nature they're going to eat up a ton of your time. Plus you're going to die on them a lot due to poor platforming controls and physics.
  
  
• Waggle controls are pretty bad. Not gamebreaking, but bad. Might want to use a CC, CC Pro, or GC controller for the werehog stuff.
  
  
• It's missing Empire City and Mazuri. Well, it does have Mazuri's boss battle, but that's it.

Plus most of Unleashed's other flaws, like the asinine medal-to-unlock-stages mechanic, and it does the Secret Rings thing of replaying different parts of a daytime stage with a different objective (although that was mostly optional, if I remember.)

 

[Dark Schala]

Thanks for the detailed post, Andrex!

I didn't really mind the NPC interaction, but at least you don't have to deal with a hub in the Wii version. And no QTE plane bits make me very happy. It's a real shame about the Werehog/Hedgehog distribution, though. :/

I was planning on using the GC controller since I played Colours that way... I really like how nice the GC controller feels.

They obviously couldn't recreate those better-than-Half-Life 2 physics.

Clearly everyone's favourite physics-driven part of Sonic 2006 was this:

The best part was going to see how the hole where the ball's supposed to go into worked.

And don't forget this and this.

Comparing that game to the games that use the Hedgehog Engine, it just looks so damn bland...

It still amazes me how well Crisis City turned out in Generations. The classic version is probably my favourite level in the entire game.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

I made it over halfway through Sonic Unleashed for the Wii and I have been struggling to find a reason to go back to it.

Sure, there's no hubs. But I really didn't have a problem with Unleashed HD's hubs, and in all honesty, navigating the menu that replaces the "town" hubs is just as frustrating because pushing a direction on the d-pad never moves you to the icon you want it to - a lot of pushing down and the cursor moves left, etc. (I'd also like to note that after you cleared the hubs in Sonic Unleashed HD, you could also just pick stages from a menu without dealing with the hub, Andrex).

Daytime levels are okay, but have their speed noticeably neutered and everything is way more stiff feeling. And for as little platforming as Unleashed HD had in the daytime levels, Unleashed Wii has even less. It's very "don't stop for nothin'." How they handle boost is also different: if you remember the Ridge Racer games for PSP and how you charged up levels of boost, that's kind of what this is like. When you boost, you boost for a set length of time until that block of boost is completely spent. You gain more boost "blocks" by leveling up, and you level up by collecting rings. It's really weird.

There's more of everything, really. Every stage unlock also makes you play tutorials and a batch of missions with it. So, for example, you unlock... I dunno, Dragon Road or something, and before you can play the stage you'll play a stage that teaches you how to light dash. And then directly after playing the main stage, you'll also have to play two Dragon Road missions like "Don't break the pots" or "Collect 200 rings before time runs out". Only after finishing those will you return to the world map.

The Werehog stuff is maybe a bit longer. The problem is, instead of having one big giant 30 minute stage, they break Werehog levels down in to 4 or 5 smaller, 7-8 minute stages that you play back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back. This makes it feel like there's more Werehog when it's probably about the same it was in Unleashed HD. They do, however, use that opportunity to shake things up a bit more. Rooftop Run Night Act 2 feels noticeably different from Act 1 and Act 3, and so on.

Werehog combat is the pits in the Wii version. I think they tried to set it up for Motion Controls, but if you're using a classic controller or a Gamecube controller, you use the L/R triggers for punching. Combat feels really wooden and jittery. Attacks don't really flow in to each other so much and there doesn't really seem to be any depth to it at all. You just sort of mash the triggers and the Werehog does random attacks until everything is dead.

Platforming as the Werehog is also not as tight feeling. Certain hanging or shimmying animations can feel like they're ready to glitch out - I've almost fallen off things because I wasn't perfectly aligned with a wall.

As somebody who played the hell out of Sonic Unleashed HD, I really don't like the Wii version at all, and it leaves me constantly baffled as to why so many reviewed the Wii version higher than the HD version because it's definitely not a better game.

 

[Anth0ny]

They obviously couldn't recreate those better-than-Half-Life 2 physics.

Oh boy.

In 2 days...

The horror continues.

 

[vall03]

wow! and I was eagerly looking for some more Sonic game, maybe I should really just wait for some super cheap copy and download a save for the Wii.

 

[SimonM7]

Under the distinct impression that the Wii version of Unleashed was the one to play, I originally played that one and went on to review it. Here's that review if there's interest;

Sonic Unleashed is strange. It’s truly bewildering for a number of reasons. It is a game where Sega has obviously listened to the critics and fans and made a host of changes based on those complaints and ended up with a game that no doubt is the best crafted Sonic game on the stationary consoles since the original Sonic Adventure. The strange thing though is that while it is mostly devoid of the unfair bottomless pit insta-deaths and almost entirely rid of the affectionately named “shitty friends” of the blue star, it somehow ends up being the most genuinely un-interesting, downright boring Sonic game of basically all of them.

The gameplay is first and foremost reliable, which is rare to see in a 3D Sonic game outside of the balls crunchingly challenging but still very competent and I dare say rewarding Sonic Riders. Even when you’re out of control there’s a nice margin for error in that you mostly just get slowed down or fall down a level and have to take a longer, slower route than you would otherwise be able to stay on. Even when Sonic turns into the infamous Werehog, the controls work like they should and you never go into a twitch-frenzy the way you would on a regular basis in everything from Sonic Adventure 2 to the much berated “Sonic 2006″. Sonic Unleashed for the most part is safe, reliable, predictable, and feels a lot like having training wheels on your bike, someone holding you firmly around the waist and… the bike is bolted to the floor.

Ironically this is the crux of the game. For as much verbal (and I imagine some physical) abuse 3D Sonics have taken over the years I have on a fundamental, core level found something about them to like in their freeform homing attack glory, and now that Sonic is being locked down to a safe path what little thrill there was left – even in Sonic ’06 – is all but extinguished. Many call this game out on its Werehog portions but truth be told they’re not awful either. They’re just predictable and safe like the rest of the game but they move at a fourth the speed so I guess you have more time to reflect and realise that you’re bored out of your mind.

The game does occasionally take off and becomes somewhat entertaining, most notably on the Holoska and Eggmanland levels, and that’s largely because they mimic Sonic Riders in so many ways. You drift around corners using a very similar shoulder button and control stick combination, and the levels themselves have many moments where a number of different maneuvers are required in succession so that you can improve your pace by knowing what to do and when to do it. During the other stages you all too often feel like the developers haven’t realised the opportunity in actually having someone sitting there with a controller in hand waiting for something to do. A lot of times large stretches are traversed by just running in a straight line with plenty of space to move from side to side but no reason at all to do it, and other times you’re shot through elaborate twists and turns and loops with no required input at all. In fact, you’ll probably just mess stuff up if you do get creative during those moments.

And yet time and again I find myself thinking “well it works, it’s good because I’m not being shafted by the game during any of this the way I’m used to from Heroes or Shadow The Hedgehog”. Well that’s true enough, but in removing the risk of messing up, they’re also left with a game that pretty much gets by without you for the most part. For some reason the developer has opted for an absolutely archaic lives system that means game overs are a possibility. I imagine that is why every level is a total cakewalk until you arrive at the last level and that’s a bag of bricks in the head. Suddenly you’re tasked with really precise maneuvering that leave you with an insane difficulty spike. You have to wonder why they didn’t just go with the Secret Rings setup of having infinite lives and having a proper learning curve. You know, like games do it.

Okay so I’m a fan, and if you’re reading this you possibly are too, so we should be able to deal with this. We’ve seen worse times! Lord knows Heroes was an insult, and Sonic 06 had us watching load times and Sims asking us to do stuff more than actually playing a Sonic game. The reason I’ve been sticking with Sonic all this time is partly because I kinda enjoy the universe established in Sonic Adventure. I like Big and Shadow and Rouge and this sort of lame, furry soap stuff. I like it when Sonic is depicted well as a simple, free spirit whose answer to everything is to just keep moving, keep running, and don’t let the bad times stick. Imagine my disappointment when Unleashed feels nothing like any iteration of Sonic, let alone an interesting one.

Sure you’ve got Robotnik firing mechs and robots and laser beams and all kinds of crazy stuff at Sonic in the intro, but moments later you’re chatting up disney dudes in Africa, accompanied by a fairy squirrel. I mean what the hell. The levels themselves never feel like they adhere to any of the familiar Sonic locations – and no I’m not asking for Green Hill Zone here. There’s more of the south european holiday resort imagery that made no sense in ’06, making no sense in this one either, and ultimately the only levels that carry a Sonic vibe are the aforementioned Holoska – which is somewhat Ice Cap-esque – and Eggmanland.. which is self explanatory.

There’s no sight of any of the now-familiar characters apart from Sonic, Tails and Amy, but to make matters even worse, Tails doesn’t even get to be Sonic’s sidekick. Instead you’ve got a tiny, annoying, ice cream obsessed jerk flying around (yeah, furry flying thing, remind you of anyone?) while Tails is stuck being a cardboard cutout you converse with briefly to further the story. All this said I haven’t even mentioned the Werehog bits yet. During the night, everything’s obviously all dark and gloomy and the locations are covered in neon beams to indicate where the Werehog can go stretchy arms and chimmy across. This, mixed with the blueish/purple “Dark Gaia” enemies that spawn out of nowhere definitely does not increase the sensation that you’re playing a Sonic game. Again, much like the gameplay itself, it’s not like any of the presentation is bad or tasteless. It is just completely uninspired and devoid of personality. You’re essentially in different parts of the world but their names have the letters switched out a bit so Alaska is Holoska. How very imaginative.

So not only is it mostly just boring to play, there’s really nothing here that warrants an investment even for hard boiled post-Adventure Sonic fans. It’s telling that Sonic and The Secret Rings which is set against an Arabian Nights background has buckets more Sonic feel than this one.

So Sonic Unleashed is strange. It’s no doubt the most competent 3D Sonic… possibly ever, purely from a technical perspective and in terms of polish and lavish production values. I mean there are no wild glitches or anything like that, and you can tell this hasn’t been rushed out the door. At the same time it’s got its priorities absolutely messed up. This is certainly the Sonic game most people will be able to tolerate gameplay wise because it never really treats you unfairly, but it also never really… treats you to anything either.

I’ve been able to cautiously recommend each of the technically flawed 3D Sonics over the years to fans of the characters and universe, but I just don’t know who would enjoy this one. It is heartbreaking amounts of fun in two of its levels, granted, and if they only capitalise on what makes those two great then they’re truly on to something, but it gets the whole presentation wrong and messes up the vibe of the series to degrees Mario Sunshine could never dream of. Ultimately the majority of the time spent in Unleashed’s mock-up continents will be time spent suffering through functional but unfun levels in hopes of getting to one that takes advantage of the fundamentally sound gameplay mechanics, and at no point will you really feel like you’re playing a Sonic game.

Unleashed is a solid foundation. If you could trust Sega to realise what components actually worked in this one then the next game should be a sure fire success, at least in humble 3D Sonic terms. However, the Werehog and the general lack of familiar themes – both for fans of the Megadrive games and fans of the Dreamcast era ones – stand as testaments to how out of touch with Sonic fans Sega truly are.

While you'd think some of these issues apply to the 360 version aswell, truth be told I have a great deal of affection for Unleashed's stages and music in retrospect having eventually gotten around to playing the "next gen" iteration. The most significant difference is that yes, you'll die a whole lot more and a lot more unfairly in the 360 one, but that's precisely it; it allows you to. With greater freedom comes great fall-in-a-bottomless-pit-ability. But that sensation of freedom (within the by design limited framework, obviously) is so pivotal to enjoying modern Sonic games that it makes all the difference.

Anyway, sorry for wall of text. In hindsight I find my flailing predictions at the end there somewhat amusing with facts in hand.

 

[Teknoman]

You know what...Emerald Coast 3DS actually isnt that bad. Its actually kinda fun to speed run.

 

[DICKS AHOY]

Eh, to all the 'how could people review this game worse than X?' sayers, it's not that strange. I don't think anybody here would claim Unleashed is flawless (I personally think it's shovelware-quality, which still means it's lightyears ahead of '06, but each to their own) and compared to a combination of different platformers released around that time and the likihood you have different reviewers for Unleashed than '06 who are more likely going to compare it to Super Mario Galaxy rather than the last major Sonic game, it's not too surprising it got poorer reviews.

I honestly find it more offensive a publicly released beta for a game which has one of the most unbelievably awful plots for any series, let alone one intended mostly for a general audience like Mario, got as high as the 4's and 5's average it has.

Release Unleash in 2006 and it'd probably get at least 'good' reviews due largely to its impressive tech and being an early-gen game (and it sorta kinda addresses some of the laundry list of complaints people had about the franchise up to that point), release S'06 in late 2008 and it'd be the worst reviewed game in years.

Spoiler

/Mama-Robotnik

 

[Bucket-o-roadkill]

So its been like 6 weeks or something.. How has this game been recieved in everyones opinion? I'd say its been more Colours love rather than Unleashed indifference.

Although I'm probably quite biased as I'm someone who thought (APART FROM WEREHOG) that the HD version of Unleashed was actually very well done. Not a huge fan of Colours purely because of the wisps. I don't think they're complete shit or anything, its just the game didn't feel much like a SONIC game to. More like a platforming game involving all these wisp powers to move around the board, starring Sonic the hedgehog. A bit like a spinoff. I dunno, hard to explain, however I will admit did enjoy Colours for what it was, which was a solid platformer and totally understand why a lot of people think its great.. I feel Generations beats all other HD Sonic games with a large stick. The end boss was a kick in the nuts after you've let your guard down, but other than that I felt this is a solid 8/10 game.

Do fans here believe this is the HD c-c-c-c-c-combo breaker to the Sonic Cycle? Even though I liked HD Unleashed, I have to admit the cycle was still strong with it purely because of the werehog.

By the way, I really dont get all the Wii/PS2 Unleashed love by some people. There wasn't much fundamentally wrong with it, I agree with that, but I didn't really feel enthralled by it purely because of what it was... Which is a last gen Sonic game. It came out in 2008, if it came out in 2003/4, I'd have probably lost my shit.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Do fans here believe this is the HD c-c-c-c-c-combo breaker to the Sonic Cycle? Even though I liked HD Unleashed, I have to admit the cycle was still strong with it purely because of the werehog.

Absolutely. Sonic Generations is probably the best 3D Sonic game ever, in my opinion.

 

[Vice]

This game has made me look forward to the next Sonic game. Please, Sega don't break my heart.

 

[Lijik]

Eh, to all the 'how could people review this game worse than X?' sayers, it's not that strange.

When X is the definitely worse Wii version, it kind of is.

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

Got this for my birthday, and holy hell it's kicking my ass! I'm making it through levels, but damn, it's been a long time since I played Sonic, I keep falling into so much stuff. Gotta learn when the best moment is to actually hit an enemy because it feels kind of random. I like it, there's so just some moments on levels here and there where a bit of a head's up, don't boost off the ledge would be nice.

 

[DICKS AHOY]

When X is the definitely worse Wii version, it kind of is.

I was looking more at the sites reviewing Unleashed worse than '06. Doesn't the Wii version mostly play itself? Wouldn't surprise me it got reviewed better in that instance.

 

[Slermy]

It still amazes me how well Crisis City turned out in Generations. The classic version is probably my favourite level in the entire game.

What I find interesting is that I'm of the opinion that the Crisis City level is the worst level in Generations. Not to say they didn't do a good job bringing it over, but I think the others are far better. To be fair, is is also the only level I didn't recognize right off the bat as I never finished Sonic 2006.

 

[Juicy Bob]

Absolutely. Sonic Generations is probably the best 3D Sonic game ever, in my opinion.

I've just bought the game today and after playing through for a bit, I love it. Completely agree with your brilliant review, especially about wishing they would remake more memorable Zones in the Generations style.

 

[Dark Schala]

Oh my... I guess I'll have quite the journey with the Wii version of Unleashed. It feels weird playing the same game twice in a year, but I might do it.

As for how I feel about Sonic Generations... I'm sticking with my post here. It's really good, but it ends up falling apart towards the end a little bit... and it's not as cohesive as Colours was. The presentation is marvellous, and the music is fantastic, though. I really enjoyed Generations and it's essentially a great love letter to fans. But I ended up liking Colours a little more as an overall package.

This game has made me look forward to the next Sonic game. Please, Sega don't break my heart.

Did you get Sonic CD? Official thread is here. That... kind of counts... right?

What I find interesting is that I'm of the opinion that the Crisis City level is the worst level in Generations. Not to say they didn't do a good job bringing it over, but I think the others are far better. To be fair, is is also the only level I didn't recognize right off the bat as I never finished Sonic 2006.

It gets way easier and better as you keep going through, imo. It's probably one of my favourites to speedrun.

Plus it also helps that the 2006 version was crap.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

I feel like Generations is a good forward step (and not a compromised one, like Unleashed) but still ultimately stumbled before the finish line. A lot of the ideas are half-baked and the content is pretty light compared to some other modern platformers.

Game was clearly rushed and, considering it didn't show up on the NPD list, really should have spent another six months in the oven. But it didn't and this is the game we got, which is still pretty okay and the best 3D Sonic, but that's not the highest bar in the world to overcome.

 

[AniHawk]

playing the 3ds version and uh... well, it's simple. and it's short. i don't think it's outright bad, but it is one of the weakest handheld sonics of late.

green hill: short. almost nothing happens
casino night: annoying.
mushroom hill: liked it
emerald coast: act 2 is better than act 1
radical highway: act 1 is better than act 2
water palace: liked this one too, but act 1 is better than act 2
tropical whatever: act 1 is better than act 2, but that isn't saying much
special stage: easy, but pretty fun

the colors levels feel less bad than the console version, and probably because it was the same team who made colors ds. the powers feel less forced in there. it helps that the levels are shorter.

one thing that is super annoying is how hard it is for classic sonic to spin dash. i could always do it on the ps3, but never on the 3ds (he just goes into a roll). i also wish there was more differentiating the two sonics. maybe doing more with classic sonic's shields would have helped his segments feel less like modern sonic's.

overall it's not a bad game, but i wouldn't recommend it at full price. unlike the console version, i don't think there's a whole lot of value in replaying the main levels, especially with classic sonic being harder to spin dash.

Spoiler

still like it better than steinbrenner sm3dland

 

[AniHawk]

I feel like Generations is a good forward step (and not a compromised one, like Unleashed) but still ultimately stumbled before the finish line. A lot of the ideas are half-baked and the content is pretty light compared to some other modern platformers.

Game was clearly rushed and, considering it didn't show up on the NPD list, really should have spent another six months in the oven. But it didn't and this is the game we got, which is still pretty okay and the best 3D Sonic, but that's not the highest bar in the world to overcome.

i think they needed:

-better level selection. namely, removing anything from sonic 06 because nothing good has come from that thing. also, choosing levels that not only fit their era, but represent a nice flow. the game goes from green hill to chemical plant (which is already kinda already ingrained into our heads thanks to sonic 2), to another lush green area, then veers sharply into two city areas, back to green area, to a city on fire, a normal city, and then a construction zone land in a green area.

despite its status as a beginner level, i think emerald coast would have been the way to go for sonic adventure, or maybe the snow level thing. that way they could get their snowboarding segment out of the way too. then they could do a desert level with sonic adventure 2's... thing. i really liked seaside hill, and it works well as a water level, so i guess they could keep it where it is. plug in the last level from secret rings, keep rooftop run, and then make starlight carnival the last level. i think this way, the game keeps a mostly fantasy feel throughout without shoving too much green or city in your face.

-let classic sonic be classic sonic. there was too much of modern sonic's stuff invading classic sonic. the music was also this weird techno remix of modern sonic's music instead of being like it was composed on a sega genesis.

-maybe have more than just sonic the hedgehog as an unlockable. or maybe they're saving that for the big 25th anniversary five years down the line.

-simpler presentation. yeah, it's cute that you could run from level to level, but getting to the missions was annoying. it was probably an issue of deadlines, but the 3ds version of 'select where you want to go' works better. fortunately, you're able to do simple level select for the main game's acts.

-keep the stuff you introduce or don't introduce it at all. lightspeed dash pretty much vanishes after you get it, and you don't ever need to stomp much either (plus it's a boring thing to do in the game). i think planet wisp act 2 mission 4 was pretty fucking awesome because it used all your skills. more levels should have been like this.

and that's about it. i mean, more levels would always be welcome, but i'd rather they make 18 good ones than 18 good ones, 10 mediocre ones, and 8 bad ones.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

i think they needed:-keep the stuff you introduce or don't introduce it at all. lightspeed dash pretty much vanishes after you get it, and you don't ever need to stomp much either (plus it's a boring thing to do in the game). i think planet wisp act 2 mission 4 was pretty fucking awesome because it used all your skills. more levels should have been like this.

The stomp can be pretty useful in some speedrun situations where it's beneficial to have Sonic on the ground instead of in the air.

 

[R_thanatos]

I feel like Generations is a good forward step (and not a compromised one, like Unleashed) but still ultimately stumbled before the finish line. A lot of the ideas are half-baked and the content is pretty light compared to some other modern platformers.

Game was clearly rushed and, considering it didn't show up on the NPD list, really should have spent another six months in the oven. But it didn't and this is the game we got, which is still pretty okay and the best 3D Sonic, but that's not the highest bar in the world to overcome.

it feel weird like how the story stopped to advance during the 2nd & 3 part of the game to pop up at the end .. as for the level themselves planet wisp should have been tuned ( it's not balanced as a level )

Classic rooftop run is also not balanced ..there are long moments where the game is going easy on you to finally get hard for a section .Old sonic weren't unbalanced you had a series of challenges to vercomes from the start ..and teh entire level was based on that mecanic. Here you have such a melting-pot that it can be frustrating ...

 

[JonCha]

I feel like Generations is a good forward step (and not a compromised one, like Unleashed) but still ultimately stumbled before the finish line. A lot of the ideas are half-baked and the content is pretty light compared to some other modern platformers.

Game was clearly rushed and, considering it didn't show up on the NPD list, really should have spent another six months in the oven. But it didn't and this is the game we got, which is still pretty okay and the best 3D Sonic, but that's not the highest bar in the world to overcome.

That's what a year or two developing does.

And it's actually well on target to sell a million by the end of the year.

 

[morningbus]

I feel like Generations is a good forward step (and not a compromised one, like Unleashed) but still ultimately stumbled before the finish line. A lot of the ideas are half-baked and the content is pretty light compared to some other modern platformers.

Game was clearly rushed and, considering it didn't show up on the NPD list, really should have spent another six months in the oven. But it didn't and this is the game we got, which is still pretty okay and the best 3D Sonic, but that's not the highest bar in the world to overcome.

They at least priced it accordingly. The PC version is regularly price at $30.00 on Steam, which is about right for the amount of content in the game.

 

[spindashing]

A lot of people seem to hate the '06 level purely because Sonic '06 was a bad game. I don't mind Crisis City in Generations and in fact Classic Crisis City is probably my favorite Generations stage. Modern wasn't that bad either.

I wouldn't mind seeing other Sonic '06 stages under the Hedgehog Engine. Hell, they'll be a whole lot more playable, I'll say that much.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

That's what a year or two developing does.

And it's actually well on target to sell a million by the end of the year.

Unless your name is Nintendo or Valve, there's a lot of bigger, more varied games that get made in ~2 years.

Plus, Sonic Generations had apparently been in development since Sonic Unleashed in 2008, which makes it closer to 3 years.

 

[qq more]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj2vrNay4DU

I'll just leave this here.

 

[JCV]

Since you guys are talking about non-Generations Sonic games, could somebody tell me if Secret Ring and Black Knight are worth playing?

Thanks!

 

[qq more]

Since you guys are talking about non-Generations Sonic games, could somebody tell me if Secret Ring and Black Knight are worth playing?

Thanks!

They're terrible. Avoid them, especially Black Knight.

Also, if you haven't, get Sonic Colors instead. Good game!

 

[JCV]

They're terrible. Avoid them, especially Black Knight.

Also, if you haven't, get Sonic Colors instead. Good game!

Yes, Colors is awesome! I'm currently trying to S-Rank every level and I'm having a really good time.

 

[Dark Schala]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj2vrNay4DU

I'll just leave this here.

This almost seems like it would fit in with the "What if Sonic ran like an idiot" thread, lol.

Since you guys are talking about non-Generations Sonic games, could somebody tell me if Secret Ring and Black Knight are worth playing?

Thanks!

Black Knight, avoid. Here. You can watch Pokecapn suffer through it instead.

Secret Rings has gone budget/placed in bargain bins now, right? Might be worth the price now. It isn't too bad. If you've played Colours already though, you might not find as much enjoyment in it if you are expecting Colours controls and gameplay in its entirety from it. But it has a great soundtrack.

 

[Hellish]

After I fail my exam tomorrow I finally get to play this

 

[qq more]

This almost seems like it would fit in with the "What if Sonic ran like an idiot" thread, lol.

I thought the same. lol

 

[Kai Dracon]

A lot of people seem to hate the '06 level purely because Sonic '06 was a bad game. I don't mind Crisis City in Generations and in fact Classic Crisis City is probably my favorite Generations stage. Modern wasn't that bad either.

I wouldn't mind seeing other Sonic '06 stages under the Hedgehog Engine. Hell, they'll be a whole lot more playable, I'll say that much.

Crisis City is a great level with awesome music in both eras. It's a unique theme for a Sonic stage.

Really, I think the stage that is the least interesting is Seaside Hill. It's just too much like Green Hill visually, and in gameplay, so the try to set it apart by using a bunch of gimmicks instead of meaty mechanics.

I do actually like the theme they were going for in having a stage from every main game and 3 games per era. There's symmetry that works. While I still prefer Sonic Colors for its new, fresh stage themes and better 2d/3d balance.

 

[Lijik]

Since you guys are talking about non-Generations Sonic games, could somebody tell me if Secret Ring and Black Knight are worth playing?

Thanks!

FUUUUCK Black Knight.

Secret Rings is "Sonic Special Stages: The Video Game".
If that sounds appealing to you, go for it. If not, avoid. I thought it was pretty fun personally.

 

[Teknoman]

Everyone needs to buy Sonic CD HD if they havent already.

That being said, Secret rings is ok, if only to play/listen/see Levitated Ruin and Night Palace.

 

[R_thanatos]

Since you guys are talking about non-Generations Sonic games, could somebody tell me if Secret Ring and Black Knight are worth playing?

Thanks!

black night is a gigantic mess that you should only watch on youtube for the story ( that i liked for the TWISTS ).
Secret rings is a game that doesn't become good untill you unlock everything ..afterwards it's fun but a different "kind" of sonic ..

 

[Berordn]

Secret rings is a game that doesn't become good untill you unlock everything ..afterwards it's fun but a different "kind" of sonic ..

Pretty much this. Secret Rings is the first step toward Unleashed, but it does a lot awkwardly and even though Sonic can control well, you have to unlock the abilities that let that happen. After that it's a very fun game, but it takes a while to even get to that point.

 

[ThoughtsOfSpeaking]

TGS 2001 birthed this... thing.

The weird thing is, it's almost like "What if they tried to make a Sonic Battle Network?"

It just goes to show how out of step I am with with other sonic fans because I think this actually looks kinda cool.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Since you guys are talking about non-Generations Sonic games, could somebody tell me if Secret Ring and Black Knight are worth playing?

Thanks!

Secret Rings is the kind of game that has maybe 60 minutes of actual content and they stretch and they pad and they fluff it up so that it lasts 7 hours.

There are maybe seven complete stages in the entire game. In order to make each one last an hour each, they introduce an RPG-style level-up mechanic where you unlock and equip new skills as you progress through the game. That's not so bad outside of the fact that the first 2 hours of the game are spent being slow as molasses with only the most basic repertoire of moves.

The real offender is that each stage has ten or so "missions" that must be completed in order to advance, so you end up replaying the same stage over and over and over and over again before the next one unlocks, sometimes even going back to previous levels to play them even more.

I found it to be very draining. It might be fun if you download a complete save and get your 60 minutes, but playing the game legitimately can borderline on sleep-inducing because of all the repetition and tedium.

 

[SimonM7]

I found it to be very draining. It might be fun if you download a complete save and get your 60 minutes, but playing the game legitimately can borderline on sleep-inducing because of all the repetition and tedium.

I can see people finding it a chore, especially now that there have been three games that build on top of the lessons learned from Secret Rings, but I think it'd be even worse to jump past the getting used to the initially weird control scheme to where you're expected to keep track of a bajillion skills and different "loadouts".

I played Secret Rings to bits, and I really love a lot of things about it, but if I return to it now, I'm so effing lost in its myriad of moves and attacks and blocks and types of back steps and side steps and fire steps and.. urrrrrh. Frankly I don't even remember which loadout I made for what situation. I totally dug the game when I knew what I was doing though, and in order to know what you're doing and appreciate the differences between different move sets you kinda do have to grind through the early bits. Even the speed everything eventually runs at is extremely harsh to simply be plunged into, and as much as you're sorta just trotting along and waggling a little initially it does ease you into the game.

I think the level themes are brilliant, and purely visually (and to an extent level specific gimmick wise) I honestly think they blow most modern Sonic stuff away. I love the music (because I don't mind myself some Sonic butt rock) and I find the storybook motif refreshing, charming and yet decidedly Sonicy. It's definitely a pretty rough game to play now though, so you'll want to check your mindset if you're thinking of giving it a go. It takes quite a bit of investment, and especially with Colours around the actual returns on that investment are somewhat dubious.

Black Knight isn't really that offensive either, it's just shallow and boring. Some of its level themes are pretty neat, but the senseless waggle fest and progression cluster fuck it all turns into is massively disappointing.

 

[Lijik]

Also you dont need to complete all of the missions to reach the final boss. Makes the game less of a chore when you know exactly what you need for progression and what you can leave to do later if you choose. And if I recall correctly, most of the game falls into the latter

 

[TimmiT]

Since you guys are talking about non-Generations Sonic games, could somebody tell me if Secret Ring and Black Knight are worth playing?

Thanks!

I thought Secret Rings was decent. As for Black Knight, this review is pretty accurate: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/review-sonic-the/46663

 

[Lijik]

If you do get Secret Rings, I found the shortest path list. Use it:

Lost Prologue 1-8
Sand Oasis 1, 2, 5, 9
Dinosaur Jungle 1, 2, 5, 6
Evil Foundry 1
Sand Oasis 3
Levitated Ruin 1, 5
Pirate Storm 1, 9, 10, 5, 13
Evil Foundry 2, 13, 5
Skeleton Dome 1, 5, 9, 10
Night Palace 1, 13

Sand Oasis 10, 7, 13
Dinosaur Jungle 9
Levitated Ruin 6, 9
Night Palace 2, 9, 10, 5

It doesn't cut out as much of the game as I remembered, but it still saves you from doing a chunk of it

 

[qq more]

:l The game had me thinking I had to do EVERY mission. One of the big reasons why I ragequit and sold it. Oh well, it still wasn't fun.


By the way, what happened to the Community Thread? Is it still happening?

 

[canadian crowe]

Is it me or is the 3D really crappy in this game? I'm using the Playstation 3D monitor and I can't seem to get the game to not look blurry. The menus look great and clear, but when I get to the actual game it looks like crap.

 

[Temrer]

Since you guys are talking about non-Generations Sonic games, could somebody tell me if Secret Ring and Black Knight are worth playing?

Thanks!

Secret Rings was okay, imo - I don't think it's deserving of the hate it gets, but like someone already said - if you've played Colours, you won't find it as good. It has dinosaurs in it.

Black Knight was graphically super-pretty, but you will have a shoulder full of pain and agony after playing through two levels. It has dragons in it.

For both of them, though, they have a really different cut-scene style which fits the whole "Storybook" theme of that particular off-shoot series - but that depends on if you play Sonic games for gameplay, "story" or both.