Sonic The Hedgehog

[Rynnec]

It's just another timeline, not another dimension entirely from what I gather. The classic games still happened in both timelines, Mania is just where it supposedly splits. Presumably this allows Sega to make as many classic-styled Sonic games they want without fucking up the lore and continuity more than they already have.

[Kiddington]

Nothing throughout the development process made me think Forces was going to amount to anything beyond yet another forgettable 3D Sonic. After it seemed like they finally mastered the formula somewhat competently with Colors and Generations (I have my issues with those games, but they are at least very much playable and enjoyable), they've pretty much dropped back to square one ever since.

One of my biggest criticisms with any Modern Sonic installment is the cringy-ass dialogue and attempts at humor which, from what I've seen, this has in spades. I've never understood why they want so much for these games to be cinematic and funny, just focus on core gameplay mechanics and knock off this amateur hour mark. It's like they've pigeonholed themselves into believing this is the only way of making a 3D Sonic game, with bad acting and bad jokes. Personally, as far as platformers go, idgaf about storylines and character development, just make a fun game that's worth playing.

We got Mania this year, so I'm just gonna chalk that up as a win and not even waste my time with this blunder.

[Foggle]

I still think, awful cutscenes aside, Colors is by far the best 3D Sonic game. A shame they never ported it to modern consoles or PC since I feel like people tend to forget it exists in favor of shitting on the other Nintendo-exclusive Sonic titles. Generations is great but far too short. Would've preferred them to include stages from more games over having so many tedious side missions. I was extremely hopeful for Forces when it was first announced since I thought it would be a follow-up to those two games... and it is, but it's a lot simpler and less interesting than either of them. I'm sure it's nowhere near as bad as Sonic 06 or Sonic Boom, but, I mean, that's not exactly a high bar to clear.

[Rynnec]

This sounds like Lost World all over again, and it'll likely be placed alongside that among the more forgettable mainline Sonic games.

[Spark Of Spirit]

In the same year as Mania and Odyssey that is just simply lame.

[Rynnec]

Watched the Shadow dlc and the stages there don't look half bad...too bad they're short as fuck and there are only 3 of them. Talk about bogus. At least you can play as Shadow in the maingame, but I'd rather have had him as the secondary playable character if that was the case.

Oh, and Infinite's backstory is lame and underwhelming. Like everything else about Forces.

[gunswordfist]

Early this morning I was watching my favorite Sonic streamer beat the end of the game. Up to right before the final boss. Boost, DOUBLE BOOST, homing attack, boost, fighting 2D Sonic controls instead of the enemy...ugh. I see why she wants to be one and done with the game. For some reason Infinite

Spoiler

is not the final boss (unless there's some secret boss they don't know about). He jobs so Eggman can be the final boss again. Outside of all the returning bosses you DON'T get to fight, one of the largest draws was Infinite and he gets shafted too. The good news is this looks like the best 3D Sonic final boss I've seen. I haven't played Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 yet (think I got them on PC bundled up), but we all know Generations' Final boss is annoying. (Kind of surprised I beat him) and what I remember from seeing the 06 and Unleashed bosses from her seemed nightmarish. This boss looks very straightforward and I loved its design. The bad is it looked very easy and her and her brother kept on saying that it was a rehash of the Metal Sonic and Infinite fight early in the game. Oh and it was a boost fest with clunky looking 2D parts so yeah, nothing to write home about, just average compared to shitty 3D Sonic final bosses.

[close]

3D Sonic is going to need to go into hibernation after this. With Mario clowning Sonic in 3D for the umpteenth time and Forces being an embarrassment to a game in its own franchise this year (Mania) + Sonic Team making the same mistakes from the freaking '00s, they have some serious changes they need to take with the series. Either let Whitehead and co.'s 2D Sonic be THE Sonic for awhile, quickly get rid of boost and/or hire the Utopia guy or hell, call up Nintendo and ask them to make a Sonic for you.

[Foggle]

Yeah, the final boss looked surprisingly decent compared to the previous ones. I remember liking the final boss in Colors, and while the ones from Adventure 1 and 2 aren't great, they were pretty epic when I was a kid.

[gunswordfist]

I just wish we could get boss fights as good as the ones in Generations throughout an entire 3D Sonic for once.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I'm pretty sure it's the same final boss from Lost World, too.

[Rynnec]

Wouldn't be surprised if the final boss and Classic Sonic's presence were executive decisions in a vain attempt to replicate Generations' success, despite neither making sense in this games context. Classic Sonic in particular was all that I needed to know that Sega/Sonic Team had no confidence for this game to stand out on its own whatsoever.

[gunswordfist]

Meh, Classic Sonic would have been great if they made the game good like Generations. The real problem is modern Sonic's mechanics (both 2.5D and 3D) devoling. Namely, you guessed it, boost.

[Spark Of Spirit]

They need to move away from boost now. It was a fun style that lasted for three solid entries, but there's nowhere else for it to go. Lost World might not have been great, but at least it was an attempt at something new. The boost style is really limiting in what the games can do. Even if the stages in Forces had better physics, the level design and length would still be a problem. And if they really worked on this game for 4 years that's a problem.

I'm still throwing in that doing something like Utopia, remembering that Sonic is primarily a physics platformer, is the way to go. It's a unique gameplay style and there is nothing quite like it out there. The success of Mania should finally prove that is a valid direction to try in 3D.

As long as Sonic Team is up to it, that is. No idea who is even left there now.

[Foggle]

They need to move away from boost now. It was a fun style that lasted for three solid entries, but there's nowhere else for it to go. Lost World might not have been great, but at least it was an attempt at something new. The boost style is really limiting in what the games can do. Even if the stages in Forces had better physics, the level design and length would still be a problem. And if they really worked on this game for 4 years that's a problem.

F-f-four years!? The game is like 2 hours long with blatantly unfinished cutscenes and less core mechanics than Generations. How is that even possible..?

[gunswordfist]

Yep, 4 years. I'm guessing the team itself is to blame.