All-new 2D Sonic rolling out in 2010

[Crowbar]

Sonic 3D's Mega Drive soundtrack was light years ahead of this crap.

Also I fucking hate how that damn Mega Drive snare has been shat all over every track. Go listen to some Sonic 1, not every track features it heavily (Marble Zone barely at all, for example), and in those that do it's pretty much only for the backbeat and the occasional break. In fact, the only exception to this is Final Zone music (which was also my least favourite from that game). But for these it's just been forced into every track in a nauseatingly unsubtle way that basically screams "Look at me I'm retro!"

It also sounds out of place and has obviously been made alot louder than it ever was in the Sonic 1 soundtrack. I can barely hear anything else other than those godawful synths.

[Esrever]

I was thinking more like the songs from the volcano level, or gene gadget, or the snow level... only using the Sonic 1 drum sample set. Like, compare the Mad Gears to Gene Gadgets. Maybe they aren't quite as good as those? I don't know, I never had a very high opinion of the 3D Blast soundtrack... I didn't mean it as a favorable comparison! I think they sound pretty similar.

[j-man]

Wrote a massive post before this and my browser died when I hit submit. fffffff

Sounds pretty cool. Reminds me of Sonic 2, which is very good. Needs a little context and a lot more bass. Regardless, nothing will ever trump the first three dirty little seconds of Mystic Cave Zone.

[FlashTHD]

If you don't approach this game as being Sonic 4, but as "New Sonic the Hedgehog", then I can forgive most of these oddities.

So the truth is not to the truth to you so long as you delude yourself into thinking it's ever acceptable to make a poor product on purpose.

Christ.

[Neo]

Guess what? This is how Sega keeps making money.

[K2J]

I'm sorry I don't have as high standards as everyone else to the name "Sonic 4" due to the fact that I'm a Nintendofag and thus didn't get in on this whole Sonic thing until he started to decline. It'll be an acceptable time-waster, like Rush and its sequel were, but it won't be a "true" Sonic 4. And I'd be fine with that, but I can certainly understand why the Sonic community as a whole doesn't think that's acceptable.

[Esrever]

Just as an experiment, I chucked the Sonic 1, 2, and 4 soundtracks into winamp and listened to them loop a couple of times for the last hour or two while I was working. I recommend you guys do the same! Honestly, I think Senoue -- if that's who did the Sonic 4 stuff -- deserves a lot of credit. The new tunes fit in pretty seamlessly with the old ones. They capture the same sound, they have a very similar feel. They're just, well... they're just not as good. He doesn't write killer 16-bit hooks like Nakamura.

But still, it's a pretty devout homage. And there's some good tunes in there! Act three of Splash Hill, act two of the underwater level, the Mad Gear songs... none of you guys like those ones? Like, at all? Really?

I dunno, I just wonder if maybe everyone's impressions are being a little tainted by the mediocrity of everything else we've seen associated with the project.

[Kogen]

It just sounds assy to me. I cannot stand that electronic sound that drowns out everything and the lack of varied instruments. I would have much preferred they got someone with talent, like Yuzo Koshiro.

[(No Imagination)]

Why does Mad Gear's BGM sound all epic and shit? It's like the setting could be anywhere. Where did the factory noise, the robotic bleeps and bloops and heavy snares go?

Of the bunch, I like Lost Labyrinth the most - at least it's somewhat ambiental...I can actually recognize a water level there.

Anyhow, is anyone really that surprised or disappointed over the crappy music selection? "Retro Sonic" implies Retarded Sonic (with the focus on invoking nostalgia...NOT on making a good game) and that's what we're getting here.

[Shadow Hog]

I like the compositions. I hate the instruments. That's about all there is to say.

[Protodude]

I kind of like the Mad Gear songs, and most of the other ones are decent enough. I don't think they're any worse than all the music in any 2D Sonic game that wasn't 1-3&K.

I'm a little surprised no one mentioned how the special stage music is more or less a remix of the one from Sonic 1. It sounds a little to calm for my liking, especially for a special stage.

[Isuka]

To me, it kinda sounds like an Advance game's BGM. About as good, and about as throwaway as those. Splash Hill Act 1 was moderately catchy (it started playing while I was looking at the screenshots, rather than me going out of my way to hear the whole thing), then I found most of the others sound very samey and they really abuse that, err, "percussion thing" (dude, where's DackAttac when I need him)... Lost Labyrinth Act 2 and Mad Gear Act 1 were pretty okay for me.

Special WTF mentions go to Special Stage and Boss Music 1. I'm not sure if the composer should be fired, or SET on fire, lol.

Then again, I didn't like all of S3&K tunes, although I did like most of Nakamura's work in 1 and 2.

[Locit]

But still, it's a pretty devout homage. And there's some good tunes in there! Act three of Splash Hill, act two of the underwater level, the Mad Gear songs... none of you guys like those ones? Like, at all? Really?

I've only listened to Mad Gear so far, but I thought those tracks were pretty good! They have a sort of classic Mega Man vibe to them, especially act 2.

[Shadow Hog]

"percussion thing"

It's either a kick (the sort of "thumping" drum) or a snare (the "dop" noise - probably the more noticeable of the two).

[(No Imagination)]

I kind of like the Mad Gear songs, and most of the other ones are decent enough. I don't think they're any worse than all the music in any 2D Sonic game that wasn't 1-3&K.

...you're saying that, for example, Sonic 4's boss melody sounds no worse than this, and the water zone music is comparable to this?

I disagree.

[James McGeachie]

I was surprised at first that each act has different music. I get the feeling Senuoe didn't feel confident enough in any of the themes he was composing for each zone to make them a "main theme" and do variations. Well I only listened to bits of each of the tracks though so I'm not sure if there are recurring melodies or not.

Anyway some of the tracks are okay, some (like the boss theme and final zone) seem pretty terrible. I agree with whoever said the soundtracks needs more bass. It seriously needs a lot more. I hope Jun doesn't feel limited to maintaining the "same sound" in each episode and varies the instruments significantly for Episode 2.

I'm pretty sure I'll like the music more in context. Most of the time if I listen to retro music from old games I haven't played, it all sounds pretty meaningless to me, even if it's supposedly an all time classic. It's possible that would be very much the same for Sonic, so I don't think it'll be fair to pass complete judgement until I've played the game with the music.

[P.P.A.]

To me, it kinda sounds like an Advance game's BGM. About as good, and about as throwaway as those.

Egg Rocket Zone and Chaos Angel Zone would like to have a word with you.

Anyway, I rather disapprove of the (bad) usage of Mega Drive sounds here, as the visuals really fail to be reminiscent of that hardware era leaving the music to sound really off. The extreme variations between the Acts (though a shared melody is sometimes barely audible) are also cringe-worthy as I assume they disrupt the sense of coherence in the final product, and- bah whatever

[Ngangbius]

Sorry, but the leaked music ranges from decent, but forgettable, to possibly good if it used better instruments and/or composition, to down right "what the fuck is this shit?". It sounds like Senoue is abusing synths and trying way too hard emulating Nakamura and failing the process. But that possibly seems to sum up this whole game.

Overall, the OST is pretty bland which is disappointing considering this franchise usually delivers great music.

[Opa-Opa]

It's odd that Splash Hill actually sounds good, but none of the other songs really got me.

I think they are kind of going the wrong direction here... the music shouldn't sound 16 bit, since the graphics sure don't. I really wish they sounded more like this. I remember when I first heard this I felt it was so right, but then they included lyrics in the final product. Blergh.

[(...)]

The guy who posted it on Retro didn't really cite any sources. It doesn't look like he was the one who leaked it, but if the game is currently being tested on Microsoft's PartnerNET, it wouldn't be too hard to extract assets

It's not on PartnerNet anymore. I looked a couple of weeks ago.

[(...)]

Can't wait until (...) starts defending this.

Sorry to disappoint. All the tunes were taken down before I could hear them.

[Protodude]

I kind of like the Mad Gear songs, and most of the other ones are decent enough. I don't think they're any worse than all the music in any 2D Sonic game that wasn't 1-3&K.

...you're saying that, for example, Sonic 4's boss melody sounds no worse than this, and the water zone music is comparable to this?

I disagree.

Well, honestly, the only 2D games I've extensively played that weren't 1-3&K are 3D Blast, Advance 1&2, and Rush 1&2, so I really just remember those to most. Well, I played CD too, but it was the American version which I wasn't a fan of the music, though that link you provided of Tidal Tempest sounds pretty awesome, and kind of makes me want to replay it with the JP/PAL music.

The only Game Gear/Master System game I've played more then a few minutes of was Triple Trouble, and even then I only remember the opening stage music, which was pretty good. That boss theme you provided from 2 is pretty damn catchy.

Soooooooo I guess it was a bit unfair of me to say "I don't think they're any worse than all the music in any 2D Sonic game that wasn't 1-3&K." considering my selection was a bit limited, and for that I apologize.

[Blount]

Splash Hill Act 1

And there goes the gameplay. See you next time!

[Protodude]

I actually laughed when he barreled head first into that Motobug at the beginning. Sonic gains speed waaaaay to quickly for my liking. Other then that and the three or four instances of poor enemy placement, it doesn't look any less inoffensive then any other Dimps Sonic game, which means it'll probably end up being "playable but forgettable" at best.

[Esrever]

The movement physics weren't nearly as sketchy as I'd feared, but they do look to be ripped pretty much straight out of the Sonic Advance games. So, Sonic accelerates too quickly. I'm sure the speed is being exaggerated a bit by the fact that this video is zoomed-in and doesn't show the full screen, but still. Maybe this won't be so bad when you are playing it in widescreen and can see further ahead of you?

Otherwise, the stage looks pretty playable, and guilty only of being... well, kinda boring looking. Seen it all before... and then again, and then again again. I did like that there was a place (around 0:43 in the video) where you could have accessed an alternate route using the homing attack. It's interesting that you can use the attack at any time you are in the air.

Poor old pre-rendered Sonic looks kinda like he is made out of rubber, judging by how he is animated!