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Sonic Lost World |OT| Too X-treme for the Galaxy

Zafir

Member
Just finished Frozen Factory. Starting to see some of the more questionable stuff in the latter two Acts, that said I still managed to get through it mostly unscathed.
The Pinball bit on Act 3 being the worst. Died a good couple of times then got lucky...
 

NotLiquid

Member
Does this game not tell you how to spindash? I haven't seen a single game reviewer use it.

The game doesn't really tell you much of anything, it just leaves you to experiment and find your own way. Occasionally there are hints on the gamepad you can press but they're kind of jarring to use.

That pamphlet which is standard Nintendo-issue is really helpful to figure out some stuff.
 

Lynd7

Member
Does this game not tell you how to spindash? I haven't seen a single game reviewer use it.

Theres hints, I assume one must mention it. But, what kind of player/reviewer doesn't press all the buttons when they are getting used to the game? The spin dash is hardly hidden, its on the shoulder button.

Also, is it that hard to check the digital manual?
 

XaosWolf

Member
Finished the Wii U version the day before release, and here's my thoughts:

  • Visually impressive. Clean and colourful, if not as gorgeous as Generations was.
  • Plot is incoherent/disjointed and the Deadly Six have no build up whatsoever. They may as well be badniks.
  • The controls are good for the most part, but there are tacked on gamepad features that hinder more than enhance.
  • Hint System is relegated to the Gamepad, need to be tapped, and there aren't enough. I know that sounds silly, but there are times when you REALLY need some clue for mechanics and such and there just isn't any.
  • I don't know if this is just me, but Sonic seems to have terrible air control. A real pain in the ass for parts that require more precise platforming.
  • Ice slide levels are at getting you killed due to some funky jumping mechanics in them. (You jump/axels to the side and things go very wrong... hard to explain)
  • Super Guide type item's box is always in the way.
  • Parkour system is barely used unless you're finding secrets/Red Rings
  • Speaking of secrets, the timer on this version hinders that somewhat.
  • Bosses are an absolute joke.
  • Hidden World
    1 - What the fuck am I supposed to be doing.

I have also just now finished the main levels on the 3DS version so for comparison:

  • Still looks great, though video quality is horrendous. Sound quality is great though.
  • Nice strong 3D effect that doesn't cause the framerate to plummet.
  • For those who like 2D, there is definitely some anti-aliasing when the 3D is off.
  • Level variety is an improvement in my book. More puzzley stuff and exploration.
  • Much more time to explore and enjoy the level design. And in minutes and seconds too. (Usually 10+)
  • Sonic almost feels too responsive at first, but once you get used to that the platforming becomes nice and fluid. Great control over his movement and even has a camera reset on stages that need it.
  • Parkour is used all over the place, and is a lot easier to use. (Unlimited boosts horizontally, one-off boost vertically)
  • Bosses are more varied too. Still easy, but not as easy as the Wii U version.
  • Plenty of lives here. And they aren't reset when you quit.
  • Gyro controlled boss is the worst one. Mandatory 360 swivelling.
  • Secret Levels are pretty baffling to control, but I still say it's a step up from the one from Sonic Heroes.
  • And having just finished watching the credits...
    Hard Mode unlocked.

So yeah, DIMPS have actually got the superior game here.
3DS version is great fun, and different enough from the Wii U version to make buying both little more worthwhile.

I'll be back with more impression of the 3DS version after I've finished it some more. =P
 
[*]
Hidden World
1 - What the fuck am I supposed to be doing.
NOTHING! no really, after I demolished 20 odd cubes and then got crushed trying to figure out what the hell the point of the stage was I tried again and let the clock run down to see what happens, the stage ended and the next one unlocked.
I have no idea what the point of the stage actually is, I'd say for grinding the animals but you don't need any at this point so....yeah.
Don't get too excited about the other hidden stages either.
 

XaosWolf

Member
NOTHING! no really, after I demolished 20 odd cubes and then got crushed trying to figure out what the hell the point of the stage was I tried again and let the clock run down to see what happens, the stage ended and the next one unlocked.
I have no idea what the point of the stage actually is, I'd say for grinding the animals but you don't need any at this point so....yeah.
Don't get too excited about the other hidden stages either.

I figured as much. It looks like a Survival type level, but if you have to beat it somehow to unlock the next level, there is no indication given on how to do that,

If the answer is flip all tiles to a colour per side, well....

1a08y.gif


Edit: Extra 3DS Impressions: Comparing the first level
to it's Hard Mode counterpart
, there's a lot more tricky platforming going on already. It hasn't let up on lives though, so super enjoyable.
Edit 2: Extra Lives everywhere. First boss still cake.
- 3DS WINS -
 

Rlan

Member
Fucking Laval Mountain Act 2, the underwater level. Poor level naming, really.

Main problem with this level is that the designer is just a jerk! These Bomb carts kill you in one hit, even with rings. Nothing else in the world, outside of lava and death pits, does this, so why do these? And there's one point where you have to be so accurate on the jump (high as possible, and then double jump) that I feel like the designer forgot what fun was.
 
The game doesn't really tell you much of anything, it just leaves you to experiment and find your own way. Occasionally there are hints on the gamepad you can press but they're kind of jarring to use.

That pamphlet which is standard Nintendo-issue is really helpful to figure out some stuff.

wait. didnt reviewers complain that there are too many tutorials nowadays?
 

Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
On the last page I had this question to anyone who has completed the game including all missions:

I've completed all the missions on the Wii U version and a message popped up saying "Congratulations, you've completed all the missions. Here's your reward." and then nothing happened. What is the reward? I can't find a thing... Has my game glitched me out of the final reward, after 50 hours of (great!) gameplay :(?

Does anyone know an answer to this?
 
So i am further in the game and i still dont see the terrible brokenness of a game.

I would say its a safe 8 with good arguments for a 9 or more going from what reviewers would look at usually.

When does it become a complete broken mess like the reviews indicate.
 

Zalman

Member
I reached Silent Forest. The snowball level is the stupidest thing I've seen so far. I mean seriously, who thought that was a good idea?

Anyway, despite that, the game's great so far. I enjoy most of the levels.
 

Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
So i am further in the game and i still dont see the terrible brokenness of a game.

I would say its a safe 8 with good arguments for a 9 or more going from what reviewers would look at usually.

When does it become a complete broken mess like the reviews indicate.

It doesn't, but more than 9 is really stretching it a bit ;).
 

NotLiquid

Member
So i am further in the game and i still dont see the terrible brokenness of a game.

I would say its a safe 8 with good arguments for a 9 or more going from what reviewers would look at usually.

When does it become a complete broken mess like the reviews indicate.

The second half of Frozen Factory is a bit an annoyance but the rest of the game is steady sailing all up until the later half of Sky Road and Lava Mountain.

That said I'd surmise if you've enjoyed what you have played so far then game play wise you probably won't think any less of it. The stage design is what ends up becoming iffy despite a decent difficulty curve because the lack of an easy way to get lives means you'll probably get game over a few times when attempting some of the more challenging levels.
 
Just played through Windy Hill on the Wii U version.

So far, the game looks and sounds quite nice. The visuals are bright and clean and things move very smoothly. The music is, of course, up to standard, upbeat and catchy and urging you to move on. What little story there has been so far has been voiced well. The "new" cast are still doing well.

Mechanically, I think it's sound. The walking speed is just right for that lower gear maneuvering and while the running speed could maybe stand to be a tad bit faster, it works well too and the dynamic between them is fine. Moving to the left and right while going forward feels a tad sluggish, but I don't know if that to do with the general moveset or the cylindrical design of many stages. In terms of the parkour, it's gone almost entirely unused so far, except for climbing on raised portions of an otherwise flat area. Not sure how I feel about running up a wall entirely replacing the wall jump rather than supplementing it yet.

Really don't know what to say on the level design so far. As it stands, I'm not entirely sure the cylinder/half pipe thing works. It's not really bad or good, it's not particularly interesting to play in, it's just there. Run forward and sometimes jump over an enemy or vine or scale a slightly raised bridge and run under some fish. Wow. I am, admittedly, only four levels in so there's every chance for things to improve. Having a booster run the player towards an enemy that doesn't do damage but instead acts as a bumper that knocks you off the narrow stage if you hit it is kind of a dick move this early in the game, though.

So far, early as I am, I'm not sure. It feels like there's potential for a good game in the mechanics, and it could open up to be it, but I'm not as immediately convinced as I was with Unleashed/Colours/Generations.

e: Oh yeah, and I think I triggered the Super Guide style thing a couple of times. Thing isn't clearly marked at all, like the Luigi/Rosalina-ghost style thing in the Mario games or the pig stall in Donkey Kong. It's just a Wisp container looking thing that could be mistaken for a standard powerup if you're not paying attention/expecting it.

Also the gravity Wisp or whatever it is is a bit shit. You hold down A or whatever to charge upward movement then let it go in a burst and control left/right with the tilt of the Gamepad? From what I can tell? Like a motion controlled version of that one Wisp from Colours DS. Laser is just Laser. No problems there.

And playing the first desert level, which is relatively flat, I think the horizontal movement while going forward is just kind of shit.

e2: A couple levels into the desert world, I'm pretty disappointed. As someone that still rather liked Sonic 1, and whose Sonic experience growing up was the first couple Master System games, the idea that things were being slowed down a bit to allow for a better focus on platforming excited me. The divided reception kept me interested as it suggested that something new was being done that didn't gel with everyone but was ultimately a good idea. So far, that just isn't the case.

I can appreciate the idea, and I understand Sonic Team wanting to branch out a little and change things up within the franchise to avoid the stagnation of the hedgehog production line that the studio became in the early-mid 2000s but in this case change for the sake of change isn't really working. They'dve been better off just making Sonic Unleashed 4.

The honeycomb autorunner is Sonic 2006 Mach Speed stage style bad. Not in the absolute sense, as it's not nearly as broken and unfair as those in terms of a collision wrenching control from the player and leaving them vulnerable, probably careening into a death-inducing object or tumbling into the abyss, but it is hard at times to see exactly which way you're supposed to be rotating and there is still cases of the odd misjudgement sending you flying or a time you maybe should be able to make it being ruled out anyway.

As much as I'm down talking it, Lost World isn't Sonic 06 bad, or even Shadow the Hedgehog ultra-mediocre. The modern Sonic Team are well beyond that on a technical level and I don't think the franchise will ever sink that deep again. It is a pretty disappointing realisation of what could have been an interesting concept, though. In that sense, it's probably fair to call it their Sonic Heroes. More than that, it's a disappointing misstep after so many strides forward. Super Sonic in the deep pit of the Mystic Cave Zone, if you will.

I dunno, maybe I'll click with it better tomorrow.
 

Dr. Buni

Member
Finished the Wii U version the day before release, and here's my thoughts:

  • Visually impressive. Clean and colourful, if not as gorgeous as Generations was.
  • Plot is incoherent/disjointed and the Deadly Six have no build up whatsoever. They may as well be badniks.
  • The controls are good for the most part, but there are tacked on gamepad features that hinder more than enhance.
  • Hint System is relegated to the Gamepad, need to be tapped, and there aren't enough. I know that sounds silly, but there are times when you REALLY need some clue for mechanics and such and there just isn't any.
  • I don't know if this is just me, but Sonic seems to have terrible air control. A real pain in the ass for parts that require more precise platforming.
  • Ice slide levels are at getting you killed due to some funky jumping mechanics in them. (You jump/axels to the side and things go very wrong... hard to explain)
  • Super Guide type item's box is always in the way.
  • Parkour system is barely used unless you're finding secrets/Red Rings
  • Speaking of secrets, the timer on this version hinders that somewhat.
  • Bosses are an absolute joke.
  • Hidden World
    1 - What the fuck am I supposed to be doing.

I have also just now finished the main levels on the 3DS version so for comparison:

  • Still looks great, though video quality is horrendous. Sound quality is great though.
  • Nice strong 3D effect that doesn't cause the framerate to plummet.
  • For those who like 2D, there is definitely some anti-aliasing when the 3D is off.
  • Level variety is an improvement in my book. More puzzley stuff and exploration.
  • Much more time to explore and enjoy the level design. And in minutes and seconds too. (Usually 10+)
  • Sonic almost feels too responsive at first, but once you get used to that the platforming becomes nice and fluid. Great control over his movement and even has a camera reset on stages that need it.
  • Parkour is used all over the place, and is a lot easier to use. (Unlimited boosts horizontally, one-off boost vertically)
  • Bosses are more varied too. Still easy, but not as easy as the Wii U version.
  • Plenty of lives here. And they aren't reset when you quit.
  • Gyro controlled boss is the worst one. Mandatory 360 swivelling.
  • Secret Levels are pretty baffling to control, but I still say it's a step up from the one from Sonic Heroes.
  • And having just finished watching the credits...
    Hard Mode unlocked.

So yeah, DIMPS have actually got the superior game here.
3DS version is great fun, and different enough from the Wii U version to make buying both little more worthwhile.

I'll be back with more impression of the 3DS version after I've finished it some more. =P

Thanks for posting your thoughts about the 3DS version. From the videos I've watched yesterday, it seemed to be a really fun game and likely the best version, but historically DIMPS isn't known for making the greatest games, so I was a little bit concerned.
 

Zafir

Member
I reached Silent Forest. The snowball level is the stupidest thing I've seen so far. I mean seriously, who thought that was a good idea?

Anyway, despite that, the game's great so far. I enjoy most of the levels.
I thought that was quite fun honestly. Mind you I've played quite a bit of the Super Monkey Ball series.
 

ArchAngel

Member
Played through everything without any big problems, but man is Lava Mountain Act 3 a shitty stage. Don't wanna play it again today :(

Great game, but the last couple of levels are hell.
 

Dario ff

Banned
I don't see them not bringing over the demos so we can try for ourselves at some point, honestly.
Next Thursday (in 4 days) seems like the only chance for a demo before the game actually releases. Sega should've released it this week to diminish the negative effects of the reviews the next day. : /
 

Neff

Member
Maybe Sonic Team should just......stop trying to make their games challenging. They clearly don't know how to do it right. I mean I felt Colours and Generations were both a bit too easy, but you know what? They were both consistently fun throughout. It seems like whenever Sonic Team attempt to make a Sonic game challenging they do it badly and it just feels annoying. It happened with Unleashed. It happened with Lost World. Maybe it's best to just leave other platformers to provide challenging gameplay and just focus on making Sonic games fun.

TBH I always feel kind of short-changed when playing a modern Sonic. Effortlessly blasting through levels, while no doubt fun, gives more the feel of an interactive ride than a game. For the majority of 3D Sonics, it's only toward the end that I'm genuinely tested. Lost World though is challenging from the start, and I have to apply myself to keep up. Sonic Team has obviously looked very closely at what NSMBU and DKCR did to bring back tight, unforgiving platforming, and they've pulled it off, IMO.
 

bon

Member
TBH I always feel kind of short-changed when playing a modern Sonic. Effortlessly blasting through levels, while no doubt fun, gives more the feel of an interactive ride than a game. For the majority of 3D Sonics, it's only toward the end that I'm genuinely tested. Lost World though is challenging from the start, and I have to apply myself to keep up. Sonic Team has obviously looked very closely at what NSMBU and DKCR did to bring back tight, unforgiving platforming, and they've pulled it off, IMO.

That's good to hear. As good as Colors and Generations are, they're definitely a bit too easy.
 

daakusedo

Member
I remember that colors has shorter levels but wasn't there more than one big exploratory level per map? I think that's what is missing. They completely drop multiple paths for 2d levels, at least they're not badly designed, you see it clearly with time trial.
I think the fact that all those levels being challenging and still able to hide red stars well, keep me for being disappointed but seems like a delayed feeling for when I'll finish it.
A bit like I completed fully muramasa but afterward totally disgusted after realizing that I went two times through those copy/paste levels barely designed.
 

Ark

Member
I just watched ~80% of a playthrough of the 3DS version... and it seems to be terrible :/ The level design is a huge mess.

Parts of it look quite decent, other parts look really bad..

I really want to play this game, but I don't want to pay full price for it. Hopefully someone somewhere will do a deal on this so I can get it for ~£20. If it wasn't for AA5 coming out next Thursday I'd have bought it anyway.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
Got the game on the Italian eShop tonight which marks the second big Wii U title I have gotten digitally after Wind Waker HD (perhaps I should know better concerning Nintendo and DD content, but there is a convenience factor in having the titles always available and not clutter the house with discs and have the title immediately available).

I think the game looks really nice from the videos I have seen and the descriptions I have read. I do like a good 3D Sonic and its quirky but entertaining story sometimes. This is the first 3D Sonic I get on a Nintendo platform (missed Colors on Wii for some reason... :(...), but I am in the mood for it... and for some Sonic Unleashed too now that I think about it: the Werehog stages are not good, but I do like the Adventure kind of mixing action stages with more free roaming story/adventure stages like in Sonic Adventure 1.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
TBH I always feel kind of short-changed when playing a modern Sonic. Effortlessly blasting through levels, while no doubt fun, gives more the feel of an interactive ride than a game. For the majority of 3D Sonics, it's only toward the end that I'm genuinely tested. Lost World though is challenging from the start, and I have to apply myself to keep up. Sonic Team has obviously looked very closely at what NSMBU and DKCR did to bring back tight, unforgiving platforming, and they've pulled it off, IMO.

I think Sonic Team kind of wishes gamers put more emphasis on speed running and S-ranking the game rather than just beating the game. It is quite an old school way of seeing it maybe, but a lot of the challenge in the day stages of Sonic Unleashed was beating them quickly and with a high rank, not just beating them. I guess they did fail at making it addictive enough for people to dedicate themselves to it.

Learning the course, learning all the multiple paths it offers, taking advantage of them to get the best time possible and the highest score possible is not easy in Sonic Unleashed (day stages), but not a lot of people want to do that... which means that not a lot of people will want to replay the stage over and over and will complain that it only takes like 5-6 minutes to beat a stage and that there are not enough stages (not considering how much time it takes to create such gigantic stages you run though super quickly at Sonic speed ;)).
 
It would have been jolly nice of the game to tell me that the asteroid wisp can temporarily maintain its altitude if you release and then hold the jump button again at the desired height after jumping, no wonder I couldn't nab that red ring yesterday.
In the process of rounding up the red rings I've found some of the more trickier parkour moves to be a bit unreliable, hopefully they iron this out in a sequel.

The apparent lack of a sound test is a shame, I need the grinding stage theme without the watery sounds and grinding noise.
 

Teknoman

Member
Looking at the quick look as well. The game looks pretty nice in action and alot less stiff than classic Sonic in Generations.

Sorry they mentioned that Colors "had" potential. It was a pretty good game, its not like it dropped the ball or anything.
 

Teknoman

Member
Desert Stage now Quick Look:

Game still looks pretty fun and alot better controlled than boost bar Sonic games, but some of the levels (although colorful) dont seem all that elaborate in background design...

Tree run stage has an awesome theme. I can do without Deadly Six commentary.
 
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