All-new 2D Sonic rolling out in 2010

[Zeta]

From what I've seen(and I haven't seen the leaked gameplay videos either) I don't think it looks that bad but I don't think it looks particularly great either. Some of the complaints being made seem valid but a lot of them seem really nitpicky.

Agreed. It looks OK. It's not the end of the world or Sonic Heroes/Shadow the Hedgehog. It looks about as good as New Super Mario Bros Wii. I'll probably like it better, actually.

[Esrever]

My beef isn't that it looks like a step down from Sonic and Knuckles... it's that it looks like a step down from Rush Adventure. SRA was my favourite 2D Sonic since the classics, and -- I thought -- a sign that Dimps had finally learned how to design interesting, relatively well-balanced stages. I was excited to find out their next project was a more "important" Sonic game... one that would surely benefit from higher production values and increased development time. I mean, this one would be even better, right?

Right?

[Zeta]

If they made it more like Sonic Rush Adventure 3, people would complain it's too much like Sonic Rush.

They tried to make it more like the old Sonics, but since it's made by DIMPS, people still complain it's too much like Sonic Rush.

[Crazy Penguin]

My beef isn't that it looks like a step down from Sonic and Knuckles... it's that it looks like a step down from Rush Adventure. SRA was my favourite 2D Sonic since the classics, and -- I thought -- a sign that Dimps had finally learned how to design interesting, relatively well-balanced stages. I was excited to find out their next project was a more "important" Sonic game... one that would surely benefit from higher production values and increased development time. I mean, this one would be even better, right?

Right?

I'm pretty much in the same place. If Sonic 4 was like Rush Adventure but with classic badniks and no dash meter or aerial tricks I'd be psyched. As it is now though, I think I'd rather have those than the homing attack. I've not watched all of the videos so I can't really comment on the stage design, but I think that kind of thing is hard to judge without actuallly playing it.

[Alexrd]

On a totally unrelated note, I think the other thing a lot of people don't consider is that a lot of the shit our sites do is... pretty fucking illegal. It's a wonder none of us have been shut down considering the degree of things we do. I'd say a little bit of cooperation ensuring our future survival can't be the worst thing in the world either.

Well, the main issue here is the the leak was done primarily by a member of our forums. Actually, all of the leaks for the game have been from members of our forums. I dunno about you, but solid correlation or otherwise, that paints us a pretty clear reputation as "those guys doing the leaks," regardless of whether or not we actually endorse them. I think if a site has a reputation for leaking SEGA's intellectual property on a consistent basis that SEGA would be less willing to work with them. But that's just my rationale; you may see things differently.

I'd say this is not about having illegal/leaked shit. It's about being coherent. Why haven't you guys at Retro started that anti-piracy/leaked material policy before? Why now?

[Kogen]

I would assume that it is hard to justify the site being anti-piracy/leaks when it is based upon a site built around a stolen copy of Sonic 2's beta. Perhaps they should be clear they have nothing to do with that site any further, which is what I assume most people still consider the site to roughly be.

Just for example, I think many people only have an interest in Sonic Retro for the leaks. I doubt they care about the community.

[Alexrd]

Well, I can't talk about others but the reason I joined Retro 2 years ago, was because of the big Sonic community, the lack of young and immature fanfic kids, and the mods and hacks. But since I'm on PA for over two years (for no good reason), I just lurk around from time to time...

Actually, that's why I'm here. Since the news about Sonic 4 came out, I became interested again and decided to join here, since I can't post on Retro.

[Crowbar]

I'm more curious about what these "plans" could possibly have been, and why it's still seemingly impossible to say what they were even though they're now all apparently terminated anyway.

[(No Imagination)]

(watches the boss rush)

...who's menstruating all over the internet now?

I think the main reason you guys are watching this videos is that Sega hasn't released proper trailers or gameplay videos, only those bad edited tiny videos with 3 seconds of gameplay. It's kinda like they know people will say it's crap.

This, basically.

As for my biggest gripe about this game ...is not the fact that it's got plastic "GBA cover" visuals, rigid physics, broken game mechanics and insulting music ("who are you and what have you done to Senoue?!"), but the fact that on top of all that, it's got the guts to appear on the market with FOUR LEVELS.

..."episodic content" was done before: Sonic 3 & Knuckles had six enormous levels in the first episode, and it got bad rap from day one since it seemed like such a significant step down from Sonic 2 and its huge array of worlds to explore.

Nitpicking or not, everyone's standard for Sonic games had dropped really, really low.

[Popcorn]

IT LOOKS AWFUL

[(No Imagination)]

...goddamn final boss tune, it's been like 60 minutes already, please leave me!

[Opa-Opa]

bad rap

You mean this?

Jokes aside, I don't remember Sonic 3 ever getting a bad rep back in 94. Counting the acts... Sonic 3 has 6 x 2 = 12 acts, Sonic 4 has 4 x 3 = 12 acts. Same old, same old. The difference is that it's now we know that there will be an Episode 2.

And, c'mon, everyone who's dissin' this game in SONIC FORUMS are gonna buy it.

It's not the end of the world or Sonic Heroes/Shadow the Hedgehog.

Hey, Sonic Heroes IS good. You guys are crazy.

[FlashTHD]

And, c'mon, everyone who's dissin' this game in SONIC FORUMS are gonna buy it.

Hello, I have the sense to not buy something I don't like the looks of, fuck you, that is all.

[Shadow Hog]

He has a point, though. Lately "boycott" means "raise a huge ruckus over something and then buy it regardless". Look at Left 4 Dead 2 or PC Modern Warfare 2, perfect examples.

Personally, I was gonna get it anyway, since what little I've bothered to watch didn't look incredibly offensive. Subpar, yeah fine, but nevertheless more like what I want than Unleashed was.

[Segaholic2]

I'm not buying this fucking game and shame on anyone who does.

[Shadow Hog]

Hey, fuck you too, bud.

[Ngangbius]

Hello, I have the sense to not buy something I don't like the looks of, fuck you, that is all.

I'm not buying this fucking game and shame on anyone who does.

That makes three of us, then. This game isn't even really the worth the low entry price, and I'm not giddy over the blue hedgehog for some sub-standard entry in the Advance series(when it should have been modeled after the classic games) when fangame makers can do a much better job at recapturing the classics than Sonic Team/Dimps and for free too.

Though the Sonic fanbase in general seem to have very low standards for years now that they will settle for something that is just "OK with some questionable design choices" instead of something truly memorable(in a good way) and excellent. It's probably why the franchise will still be the butt of many jokes for years to come.

[Neo]

Hello, I have the sense to not buy something I don't like the looks of, fuck you, that is all.

I'm not buying this fucking game and shame on anyone who does.

That makes three of us, then. This game isn't even really the worth the low entry price, and I'm not giddy over the blue hedgehog for some sub-standard entry in the Advance series(when it should have been modeled after the classic games) when fangame makers can do a much better job at recapturing the classics than Sonic Team/Dimps and for free too.

Though the Sonic fanbase in general seem to have very low standards for years now that they will settle for something that is just "OK with some questionable design choices" instead of something truly memorable(in a good way) and excellent. It's probably why the franchise will still be the butt of many jokes for years to come.

You forgot to use the word "fuck".

+1. Fuck.

[j-man]

Haha. Wow. You guys are nerdy as fuck.

I'm gonna buy it. If it's no fun, I'll do something else. I can't get my head around people saying that is an example of rabid fanboy dedication, themselves utterly tangled in self-righteousness and an overbearing sense of entitlement over an electronic jaunt through the fantasy land of a dead mascot. Let's not take sides, here; in the grand scheme of things, I'm hardly making excuses for this game by giving it seven pounds and a couple hours of my time. There are far, far greater things to worry about.

It's all dust in the wind, man.

[Esrever]

It's DLC. There will be a demo. Everyone will get a chance to play this before buying it!

You'd think that'd make them try harder!

[Segaholic2]

All I'm saying is the game looks poor from everything we've seen so far, which is pretty much all of it now. Worse than that, it's been marketed to people like us, older Sonic fans, in a disingenuous light. The game's creators have obviously not attempted any more than aping the series' previous designs and stylings, rather than truly going back to Sonic's roots or whatever, or even trying to understand what made the original gameplay good. This is all painfully obvious from the videos. I even suspect the only reason that Sonic is the sole playable character was to lower development time and costs. The development of this game as apparent to us outsiders seems rushed.

Conclusion: I don't spend my money on bad things. It's not any more complicated than that, as you seem to be trying to imply. I don't pay to watch bad movies, I don't pay to eat bad food, I don't pay to own bad games. That's all.

[Delphine]

IT LOOKS AWFUL

POPCORN POSTED AND NOBODY NOTICED

I NOTICED, POP

NICE POST

[j-man]

I suppose it's all cultural. As an Englishman, I crave disappointment.

[Ngangbius]

But isn't Popcorn an Englishman too? It doesn't seem like he's buying it either. :^)

You forgot to use the word "fuck".

Ok, how's this?

Anyone who fucking complains about this game, but fucking buys it anyway, and fucking complains some more about the fucking game they just fucking paid are fucking pathetic.

Happy?

[j-man]

Popcorn drinks coffee. He doesn't count.