Has modern gaming left Sonic as a relic? Will Sonic & the Secret Rings revive him?

[agbulls]

Well, I now feel the need to buy Sonic on the 360 and give everyone a fair and balanced unbiased review. Considering I never expected this topic to blow up like it has, I think we all deserve someone's opinion that HAS a long history with this franchise--and can at least put the game into perspective for the series' long history. After all, the large gaming sites have little to say except the negative and the demo isn't all that bad.

And so there you have it. I'm not going to CHANGE my purchasing patterns. I think that notion is silly to be honest. However, we can still vent about a desire to see different forms of our preffered medium. Do you think fans of indie films (on indie film message boards--they gotta exist, right?) have people saying...

"Look Bob, you just need except that "Long Lost Souls" is never going to win an Oscar or be popular. I recommend you start going to more Michael Bay films and really start contemplating your movie going decisions. After all, we can't change the industry by having opinions---so stop having them at all."

Ain't happening. And yes--I very much appreciate your opinion.

[alec006]

It really all depends on what type of gamer you are,the more i see sonic in 3d the less i want to play it. Now dont get me lying,Sonic Adventure 1 and 2,Sonic Jam (the 3d little world) were all good games. I Think one mistake was made when Sega put sonic in our world,why couldnt they just keep him on Mobius? Second,Shadow is great,very nice opponent for Sonic to face,hes fine,Metal Sonic,Great,hes good too,now theres this new silver dude.....yea.....i have no idea who he is but....hmm. Third they changed Dr Robotnic to Eggman......sounds like a kids name...but that was an original name so.....yea...they had to change it.Speaking of kids....the sonic series has become to kid friendly...making it kind of sappy in away. Finally..........Yuji Naka left right...........well if so you know Sonic games are going to get worst now cause of that. Well thats my opinion on it,now im going to go play my fav Sonic game of all time Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Sega Genesis ^^

[agbulls]

Alright, I asked for Sonic 360 for Christmas and got it from my mother-in-law. I got home late last night and popped it in with INCREDIBLY low expectations. For those of you wondering why I would have bothered actually asking for this, hit up some of my earlier posts. I will be giving a run down of the entire game, and will post 100% non-biased opinions. Don't think of this as a review per se--but rather of my opinions for other adult gamers who love Sonic.

Early Impressions/Intro:
The game starts with an absolutely beautiful cutscene that is almost reminscent of a Final Fantasy intro. A gorgeous cityscape surrounds a princess about to participate in some sort of ceremony. She has a preminition of a fire engulfing the city and hesitates. However, she goes through with the ceremony and guess what? Flame on baby! The entire city goes up in fire and Eggman (who I will still refer to as Robotnik here forth) shows up and talks about...Chaos Emeralds! Of course! Beyond the introduction of a princess the chaos emeralds are expected Sonic fare. Sonic then shows up and really wows you. The cinema ends with a quick flash to Silver who refers to the "Iblis Trigger."

If you have a recollection of the introduction to Sonic CD (and who can forget that theme song---Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom...) then you will at least appreciate the intro cinematic. This is the Blue Blur as you imagine he is suppose to move---crisp, with style and incredibly fast. Needless to say, you are very hyped to start actually playing the game.

You are given control of Sonic in the city after Robotnik steals the Princess. Apart from the most generic storyline since Mario Brothers, a couple things become instantly obvious:
*The first environment feels like Station Square from the Sonic Adventure games. At this point, I truly realized that this game IS and WAS intended to follow the adventure series in gameplay. After playing the first level (which I will go into in a bit) you will truly become totally dumbfounded as to why this game was not titled "Sonic Adventure 3."
*Controls are loose--but not terrible---as they have often been described. A good friend of mine (while playing the demo) put it in a totally different perspective: The controls in Mario 1 felt like you were on ice the entire game, but did you complain? No, you adjusted and got use to them. In fact, we debated a bit and came to the agreement that discussion over controls in games has not become a major issue until recent 3D gaming. We recalled plenty of 8bit and 16bit games with clunky controls. Yet, we accepted the controls as part of the games at that time. Obviously, this is a highly debatable topic. Back to the game...
*Graphics are nice and colors really "pop" on an HDTV. I am playing on a 50" Sony and have no complaints on the look of the game other than the generic looking townfolk. Can it really be that hard to give them some personality? This may be in the spirit of the Sonic Adventure games, but it is NOT the dreamcast Sega!!
*Voice acting appears to be GREATLY improved from Sonic Adventure 1 and 2.

You are instructed to meet up with Tails immediately after gaining control of Sonic. You speak with him, talk to a guy in town to get some shoes (more on this later)--and head off into the first area. This is called "Wave Ocean" if I recall correctly.

Wave Ocean
You get control of Sonic, hit a speed ramp and you're off. The controls continue to be a little loose--but are not a problem as I am not getting use to them. They are VERY similar to the Adventure games. You run in three to four large loops which appear to be very inspired by the intro to Sonic CD. You jump and attack a bunch of robots, hit a few checkpoints, bounce of a couple red springs and realize this isn't so bad. A quick warning---jumping into the water is instadeath. Sonic has never liked water, and this is no different. However, if you are a veteran gamer avoiding the water seems to be a non-issue (at this point). Camera has not caused any deaths so far...

Halfway through the level you grab a ride on a monstrous killer whale. This scene plays out as a remake of Sonic Adventure 1. Do you remember how you ran towards the camera as Sonic and saw the whale destroy the docks behind you? This is THE EXACT SAME SCENE. The only difference is that this looks much better. You still have the "sense" that you are controlling the scene (as you did in Sonic Adventure 1). However, as in the other Adventure games you're often just going along for the ride while Sonic goes into automatic mode. I'm ok with this---as it really does emphasize the character's sense of speed. But, why Sonic Team chose to remake a scene from the first game is way beyond me. Couldn't Sonic run away from ANYTHING else? Maybe this is more of a Sonic Adventure 1 remake...

After running away from the whale, Sonic screams for Tails to close the gate to the ocean. That way the whale can't escape. Why are you trapping the whale? I have no fucking clue. Maybe Sonic hates environmentalism. But, you're suppose to do it.

You gain control of Tails and soon realize his flight controls SUCK. Sonic's controls are acceptable and are in my range of "get use to it." Tails has the ability to fly by tapping and holding "A." But, you don't appear to have the ability to get him to land without running out of flying power. Arghhhhh. This is annoying but not anywhere near as weird as Tails' attack ability. He throws a fake ring box at his enemies. Yes. A fake ring box. That kills the robots. Again, I will ask...why? You are suppose to COLLECT rings. Not throw them. This concept is way beyond me from a logic perspective. So far, this tails segment was the worst thing I've played. I died 4 times trying to find the damn gate switch.

Eventually, I flew up high and found it. Click click. The gate is closed. You have guaranteed the suffering of a killer whale.

Wave Ocean Sonic Speed Rush Section
Howly Crap!!!!!! This is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too fast. I saw these sections referenced in some reviews but really was given a poor concept of how they played. Think of F-Zero on Gamecube with a TON OF OBSTACLES. You are moving WAY to fast to truly react to what is going on. I hit shit left and right, bounced Sonic into multiple enemies and should have died about four seperate times. But I didn't. The weird thing is that when you hit something you don't stop moving. These sections are on rails and NEVER STOP. When you make a mistake (and you will, believe me) Sonic "floats" and keeps moving. It is sort of hard to describe and pretty poorly done. Its almost plays like Space Harrier on crack with too many obstacles. Weird.

From what I've seen, Sonic on the Wii looks a lot like these segments. This is a really great idea as it gets Sonic's speed across to the player. But there is just WAY to much happening. If you feel like driving a non-gamer farther away from gaming, put this in their hand. They will be totally confused and probably pass out from vertigo. Personally, I hope the later speed rush sections are better. This is a great idea that may just take me getting use to it. I definetly sucked at this segment. But I want to try it again.

I finished the first area with a "B" ranking and turned it off for the night. Glitchy? Yes.
Annoying in parts? Yes.
Pretty? Yes, especially the cinemas.
Fun? Yes--if you liked Sonic Adventure 1 or 2.
Potential? Possible. I'm a sceptic at this point. More updates to come.

[agbulls]

Bump for my extensive impressions.

[agbulls]

With Sonic coming out on PS3 this coming week, its time to revive the thread! Has anyone heard if bugs were fixed and load times reduced?

[shadowforte]

I did not like it. It just sad what they are doing to the game.

Bring back the Chao's!

[agbulls]

Sonic and the Secret Rings Topic TIME!

Ok! We now officially know two things:
1. Sonic the Hedgehog on the 360 sucks (read my impressions above)
2. Sonic the Hedgehog on the PS3 is just as bad

So, will Sonic and the Secret Rings revive the good old hedgehog? I will say, the extensive videos I've watched actually gives me a lot of hope. The perspective is locked, it JUST has Sonic (as we've all been asking for) and its real fucking fast. Whats not to like?

I'm going to go out on a limb and predict a 8.5 from IGN. Thats a little ballsy--I realize--but it does look that promising. If you don't believe me just watch some of the latest videos.

[theshizzle3000]

I think Sonic still has its place in gaming. I mean those of us that grew up with Sonic will still long for the nostalgia every once in a while and as long as they don't flood the market with crappy Sonic games our blue friend should stand the test of time.

[50s Brawler]

While I still play the Mega Drive originals, namely #1 and #2 (never really cared for #3), I have to say I just couldn't get into the 3-D Sonic games at all. I tried back during the hey day of the DREAMCAST but by Sonic Adventure II I just stopped caring. Super Mario IMO, seemed to make a better transition to 3-D wheras I didn't care for the on-rails-area approach to the 3-D Sonic games, but could see where the programming for something moving at blast processing speed (ha, ha, ha!) would be hard to control in a non 2-D enviroment. By the time "Shadow of the Hedgehog" was released, complete with the guy weilding an M1911 .45 pistol and AK-47 assault rifle... well I knew that it was dead to me.

Honestly I wouldn't mind seeing Alex Kidd or even Psycho Fox making a come back in 3-D as a SEGA mascot character, but seeing as how AK hasn't been seen since the early Mega Drive days and most never even knew about Psycho Fox... I seriously doubt any mainstream gamer would take to it, including the kiddies at that. Bloody shame really, I still play my Sonic and Sonic The Hedgehog 2 simply because that's were it was at for me.

[agbulls]

Anyone pick up Sonic and the Secret Rings today yet? I'm dying to know if its good. Gaming Age gave it an 85% and had some really positive stuff to say.

[Iron Draggon]

what I hate most about all the 3D Sonic games is the way that they change the perspective when you run through the loops... why the hell don't they let you run through the loops in first person? why change the perspective? it's not like a ton of other 3D games haven't allowed you to run through loops in first person before, even as far back as the 16BIT era... so why in this age of ultra advanced 3D technology do they change the perspective in the loops? it's the most retarded thing ever... modern hardware is totally capable of 360 degree rotation in any direction... so it's an insult to change the perspective

[agbulls]

1up has given Sonic a solid 7.5. Here is the review:

Sonic has quietly become videogaming's biggest celebrity train wreck: In his prime, he competed with Mario for game-of-the-year limelight, but these days he's a far cry from the mascot A-list. His waning stardom isn't the result of some explosive Mel Gibson–esque meltdown, but rather a steady decline into near-irrelevance. Sure, the kiddies and loyal fans stick with him through the rough spots (Shadow the Hedgehog comes to mind), but savvy consumers avoid his releases like the latest Michael Jackson record. Recently, Sonic's handlers promised a stunning reinvention with his eponymous Xbox 360/PS3 effort...but that slapdash 3D platformer crashed his 15th birthday with a disappointing thud, continuing a post–Sonic Adventure downward spiral. Luckily, we won't have to stick around to witness a rock-bottom career burnout -- Sonic and the Secret Rings shows a hedgehog who's definitely on the mend.

Secret Rings isn't exactly a triumph, but it's still a clear cut above most of the stuff we've seen on Wii. In the wake of all the recent PS2, PSP, and DS ports, it's encouraging to see that a from-the-ground-up Wii game can look really hot. From a purely technical viewpoint, the textures, polygons, and effects here demonstrate the Wii's step-up-from-GameCube graphical muscle. While nothing here looks like Gears of War or MotorStorm, some stages approach Resident Evil 4–level artistry, thanks to wise aesthetic decisions. Choosing to blanket the entire adventure in an Arabian Nights theme firmly cements the game's setting, lending the stages a cohesive look. You'll be pleasantly surprised, especially by the gorgeous final level. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the vocal-drenched soundtrack, seemingly performed by a local Winger cover band. Actually, had the composer simply stuck to cheesy butt rock it might have been more successful -- instead, each stage attempts a wildly different musical genre, butchering them all equally.

Perhaps all the singing (and we're talking every stage) is forgivable in lieu of the fact that Secret Rings is more fun than any other Sonic in years. The radically deconstructed gameplay has you steering the 'hog by holding the Wii Remote horizontally and tilting it right and left. Sonic's homing attack serves as your main offense, delivered via locking on and thrusting the Wii-mote forward. The controls feel a tad reckless at first -- Sonic's momentum takes some getting used to, and trying to go in reverse is a pain -- but become more natural and fluid as you get acclimated to the fast-paced, twitchy action. It's almost as if you combined a surreal, motion-controlled racing game with the tricky, pinpoint platforming of Super Mario Sunshine. Once you've crested that learning curve, the game's true design shines through: Expert play allows you to pull off long combo strings that send you hurtling through stages at breakneck speed...it's immensely satisfying, breathtaking stuff.

While none of the "normal" stages offer a daunting challenge, many of the game's other missions impose nasty criteria (finish with no rings, without killing any enemies, or without dying) that will surely test your patience. Some of these challenges are purely optional, but many are not...and the epic difficulty spikes they present may weed out the less dedicated players. Stick with it, though: You'll actually want to play through them to unlock a plethora of bonus content, and even the least forgiving challenges become easier once you've spent a few hours steering Sonic with the Wii-mote.

Although Sega deserves praise for Secret Rings' innovative single-player adventure, the less said about the four-player party mode, the better. It's another low-budget Mario Party rip-off that stretches out a few weak gameplay concepts into multiple multiplayer contests. Seriously, the haphazard canoeing mechanic barely works -- why make four different variations of it? A few bright spots (a clever violin-playing contest, catching fruit on skewers) don't make up for the poorly executed whole. Stick with the main game -- you can surely do multiplayer Wii-waggling better elsewhere.

[djsquarewave]

Anyone pick up Sonic and the Secret Rings today yet? I'm dying to know if its good. Gaming Age gave it an 85% and had some really positive stuff to say.

I picked it up today and have put about an hour into it so far. It's not bad, and is definitely more playable than Sonic Heroes was. Haven't played the more recent releases, though, so can't compare to those.

The controls work pretty well once you get used to them. For the most part...