Sonic Unleashed?

Recent happenings of pertinence to Sonic fans.
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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Baba O'Riley »

Zeta wrote:I didn't say they weren't good or that you shouldn't play them, just that they're not perfect.
But by God, Portal certainly comes close.

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Protodude
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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Protodude »

Never thought this game would have downloadable content, but something called the Chun-nan Adventure Pack was released today for 250 MS Points, with four new day stages and two night. Might give it a download soon.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Kogen »

I never even finished the normal secondary acts for Chink-nan, they were just so horrible.

And now they expect me to pay for more?

If this is what they are going to do for DLC, then they should not bother with it. I was expecting something good.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Esrever »

I liked the Chun-Nan Sonic stages... particularly that looping obstacle course second act.

Apparently half of the DLC's stages are just rejiggered "difficult" versions of the regular stages. The third and fourth Sonic stages are original, though, as is the second werehog stage.

250 points is not exactly expensive, but I think I'll wait for some youtube videos of the new stages before taking the plunge. Still, I'm kind of excited about the prospect of getting new Sonic stages that don't require collecting emblems or slogging through hub quests.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Owen Axel »

According to wikipedia (because evidently I'm too lazy to simply insert the disc into my 360 and see for myself) they also released a patch that improves the frame rate in the Werehog stages. Which is a greater level of professional pride than I've come to expect from Sonic Team. Frankly, I'm surprised Sega allows them to try to improve already-released games at all, instead of putting all effort towards the next buggy project.

EDIT: Hold on, with those town missions, we already have rejiggered difficult versions of the regular stages. So half the new stages is already content we've already seen, or masochistic jaunts I'd rather avoid.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Esrever »

My understanding is that these are different, more thorough rejiggerings. The reworking of the main Werehog stage, for example, actually takes you right off the regular path and into a previously inaccessible/unused area of the level.

That said, it does sound like masochism is the order of the day, based on the reactions being posted on the Sonic Stadium and on NeoGAF.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

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250 points is not exactly expensive, but I think I'll wait for some youtube videos of the new stages before taking the plunge
The first one is up...

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

Basically, it's an extra-hard version of a level that was already difficult to the point of being unplayable.

Shame. I would have liked new day levels set in the existing environments. But I stand by my opinion that they should DLC the werehog/emblem stuff out of existence.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Esrever »

Well, two of the four day stages are new stages. (And so is one of the night stages.) That same You Tube user is sharing videos of them if you'd like to see them!

But they're both shorter stages, like the second acts were. Too bad! Not that I didn't like the short day stages -- many of the were among my favourite parts of the original game -- but I'd totally drop 250 points for just one new full length day stage and none of this other business. Honestly, why even bother making a whole new night stage? Who was calling out for more werehog?

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by FlashTHD »

Esrever wrote:Honestly, why even bother making a whole new night stage? Who was calling out for more werehog?
Is this like a trick question? If they were doing DLC to begin with then why wouldn't it have happened?

Edit: Oh. Well without a semi-new day stage of around equal length to go along with it, I guess it is a bit lame.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Kogen »

So I spent 3 dollars on this (4 in Canada!) and it is probably the worst thing I have ever played in my life. Not joking.

The water level is just a lap race around a tiny lake. There is random stuff placed everywhere like some kid made it in a Starcraft map editor. Not too hard - just pointless filler.

The next level is the issue... There are barely any rings, there are spikes everywhere that move, it has mostly static and awkward camera angles, it requires exact jumps with super twitchy-fast Sonic, enemies are around shooting missles at you (have fun with no rings), just ugh... It is like they built the level just to piss you off, and they know it because it has like 20 extra lives scattered around and continue spots everywhere.

I never tried the werehog stages or the hard stages of preexisting stuff.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Ngangbius »

Kogen wrote:So I spent 3 dollars on this (4 in Canada!) and it is probably the worst thing I have ever played in my life. Not joking.
Welp...
Esrever wrote:That said, it does sound like masochism is the order of the day, based on the reactions being posted on the Sonic Stadium and on NeoGAF.
...it wasn't as if you were not warned.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Owen Axel »

These people sure do love their masochists. I recall that Sonic 06 offered the opportunity to pay to play even harder versions of the already near-unplayable levels. The masochism thing would also nicely explain why they keep reducing the fucking score to fucking zero every time you fucking die in every goddamn game they make. Yes, at some point I cared about getting those top ranks, and was punished severely for it.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Kogen »

Owen Axel wrote:The masochism thing would also nicely explain why they keep reducing the fucking score to fucking zero every time you fucking die in every goddamn game they make.
This is how I talk when I play Unleashed.

I tried the werehog levels and they are actually alright (for Werehog levels). I only died a few times in one and if I played it again, I know how to not die now. Why do the Sonic levels have to be horrid spike-trap platforms hovering over a bottomless pit? This game could be fun if it were not for all the holes. With werehog you are slower, so you do not fall down them nearly as often.

I hope they realise actual new levels are funner than `lets see how hard we can make it!`. And no holes.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Wombatwarlord777 »

Owen Axel wrote:
The masochism thing would also nicely explain why they keep reducing the fucking score to fucking zero every time you fucking die in every goddamn game they make.
One of the very few things I was delighted about the Werehog stages in the Wii version was the leniant scoring system. Instead of focusing on aceing the stage one time, you only have to meet separate standards from rings, time, and experience obtained. Because you're allowed to focus on only one of those aspects, it ultimately reduces the number of times you have to play those stages, I think.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

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Kogen wrote:This is how I talk when I play Unleashed (Wii)
Fixed for me, with the exception of Eggmanland. I picked up the DLC and it's not bad. Haven't had a chance to play the night stages yet, but I've enjoyeed the retinkerings of day levels and the new ones were pretty inventive. Like Esrever said:
I'd totally drop 250 points for just one new full length day stage and none of this other business

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by FlashTHD »

I watched Day 1-2 in action earlier, and for a while didn't really see what people were pitching such a bitch about with the difficulty. This guy's run was pretty uh, bold (my first instinct would sure not to be to boost through those quick-step mine roads), and the run-on-water part's brutality was a given, but it took me until around 3:30 or so when they throw Egg Shooters into the mix near ledges for me think "ok, now it's a tad cruel".

Although, I should mention that watching Youtube makes even the Sonic 06 Very Hard DLC levels seem like an alright time.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Kogen »

Locit wrote:
Kogen wrote:This is how I talk when I play Unleashed (Wii)
Fixed for me, with the exception of Eggmanland. I picked up the DLC and it's not bad. Haven't had a chance to play the night stages yet, but I've enjoyeed the retinkerings of day levels and the new ones were pretty inventive. Like Esrever said:
I'd totally drop 250 points for just one new full length day stage and none of this other business
I really try to like this game, but the holes get to me. Just think about missions some of the villagers make you do or the 'extra' acts and how retarded the holes make it. Sonic + excessive holes is simply not good; look how better Rush 2 was solely due to less holes.

I also miss when Sonic went into water, he generally did not die. What happened to under water areas? Why not just make it slows you dowd so you have to find a spring? Why reset the score after 5 minutes of having fun?

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Wombatwarlord777 »

Kogen wrote:
I also miss when Sonic went into water, he generally did not die. What happened to under water areas? Why not just make it slows you dowd so you have to find a spring? Why reset the score after 5 minutes of having fun?
I personally like the fact that Sonic can now run on top of water, but yeah, the ability to actually traverse underwater would be nice for a change of pace occasionally and would eliminate a substantial amount of that bottomless pit syndrome we all know and hate.

The reason why underwater mechanics were eliminated in the newer 3D games is probably because they mesh with Sonic's more usual high-speed gameplay, which is of course more pronounced more than ever. I was thinking a long time ago how there could be an Emerald Coast-type level in which Sonic can go underwater between dry sections, AND make it possible to not bog down the flow/speed/whatever too much. A possible solution would be to place stationary enemies/targets underwater for quick homing-attack chains to a spring leading to dry land.

Also, I miss the drowning theme, if only because it's one of the most consistant tunes in the series.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Ngangbius »

The reason why underwater mechanics were eliminated in the newer 3D games is probably because they mesh with Sonic's more usual high-speed gameplay,
I think it more has to do being more work for the team to develop 3D levels underwater. I mean why create intricate layers of optional routes in 3D when it it much more easier and faster to turn water into death-pit traps?

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Kogen »

They had it in the Sonic Adventure engine, just barely used it. Sonic Adventure 2 used it a bit with Knuckles.

Must just be post-DC stupidity. And the werehog kills the arguement that they do not want you to slow down.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

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Kogen wrote:I really try to like this game, but the holes get to me. Just think about missions some of the villagers make you do or the 'extra' acts and how retarded the holes make it. Sonic + excessive holes is simply not good; look how better Rush 2 was solely due to less holes.
I can totally understand this, even though I seem to have a pretty high tolerance for it. That said, later stages don't have nearly as much replay value for me as early and middle stages, and I think having large unforgiving segments above bottomless pits has a lot to do with this. Apotos, Spagonia, Mazuri and the like get a lot more play than, say, Adabat or Empire City. The shameless retreads of auto-run segments don't do the latter any favors, either.

Chun-nan treads the line between the two, probably thanks to the prominent use of 2D side-scrolling. same goes for Shamar, though its main problem is its pillar-falling/momentum-killing areas- an impressive feat given you can boost to top speed at any time!
I also miss when Sonic went into water, he generally did not die. What happened to under water areas? Why not just make it slows you dowd so you have to find a spring? Why reset the score after 5 minutes of having fun?
Yeah, SRA was really good about this, too. Again, I'm really just happy that score doesn't do anything in Unleashed.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by K2J »

I thought it was odd that SRA was a game set around sailing and pirates, yet for all the underwater sections, there were no bubbles.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Owen Axel »

I had 300 points collecting dust on my XBox Live profile, so I foolishly checked out the Chu-Nan level pack. Emphasis on the "foolishly".

Have you ever seen those Super Mario World ROM hacks, like Kaizo Mario World, where the levels are designed with every sadistic cheapness the designers can think of? The new day stages are basically that. There's a free extra life next to every checkpoint because you will die and die and die and die and die and wonder why you're still playing this shit. The final new Sonic level does an excellent job of highlighting the major problems with the running on water gimmick, and why it is so very broken. Ironically, the new night stages are entirely okay, with their only major flaw being that you're still playing as that fucking wolf thing.

Understand that I like this game. Adabat was hard as hell, but fun. I don't mind replaying that level, because it was fun. Occasionally unfairly cheap, but still overall fun! This new shit is not fun. It's garbage. Even if you like Sonic Unleashed, avoid it, seriously.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by Wombatwarlord777 »

Kogen wrote:
They had it in the Sonic Adventure engine, just barely used it. Sonic Adventure 2 used it a bit with Knuckles.
They had quite a bit of swimming in Big the Cat's game too. The fact that he was pretty much the only one who exploited waterways in SA was one of the few aspects of his gameplay that appealed to me.

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Re: Sonic Unleashed?

Post by FlashTHD »

Holy shit you guys. It's...it's Sonic Jam for Game.com: The Long Lost Part 2! Or a probably reasonable facsimile.

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