51 replies to this topic

[Solid SOAP]

Not even 3 years ago, if you so much as mentioned Sonic anywhere, be it the internet or real life, you'd be slogged with remarks such as "omfg sonuc cycle!!1!" and "sonix dead y do u play ;//". However, ever since Colors was released, I feel like SEGA have been doing nothing but improving the face of the franchise and bringing it to a reputable status once again. While the games aren't getting scores as high as the latest Mario platformer and the sales aren't quite up there with Uncharted, I feel that the series is finally picking itself up, not even necessarily only as far as overall quality goes, but the face of the franchise as well. Colors got 8s and 9s almost exclusively, with high sales and many seemed to have really enjoyed it. Generations was hyped by Sonic fans old and new, bringing back jaded fans who haven't played a game in years, and making once weary fans eager and excited to play a Sonic game again after countless disappointments.

Now, with Sonic CD hitting the top of the sales charts on Apple's app store and many seeming to love it, I think it's very safe to say that, well, the Sonic series is definitely out of the slump it put itself circa 2004. There really seems to be something to enjoy for all fans, old or new, and the overall quality of the franchise has increased dramatically. People are finally clamoring for the next game, and if they aren't super into modern gameplay, there are 2D games out there for them to enjoy as well. Looking at Sonic 4 critically, I honestly didn't think it was all that special. However, it's released marked the first time a Sonic game was praised in a while, and it of all games was among the first to bring old fans back to the series.

Regardless of your personal views of the franchise, I think it's safe to say that SEGA are on the right track to making Sonic a popular and fun franchise that the whole family can enjoy.

[VisionaryBlur]

I think the franchise is definitely going up. It's worth as a whole has been rising since the release of Colors and SEGA have done a lot to try and regain trust in their fanbase. The heavy emphasis on listening has definitely helped Sonic as a whole. What I also like is that SEGA finally seems to be avoiding catering to one regional demographic. During the 2004-2007 Saga, SEGA seemed to have too much emphasis on appealing to one crowd with their storylines. With SA2, and Shth, it seemed to try and aim at the American crowd too much. With Heroes and '06 it seemed like SEGA were trying to catch the Japanese crowd. I think they've finally found their balance with Colors forwards.

Sonic is definitely on the right track.

[Solid SOAP]

I've noticed that ever since Sonic 4, there's been a lot more community involvement with projects. Showing concept art to us prior to release, asking us what levels are our favorite prior to Generations, and going as far as to have a fan himself develop the Sonic CD port, are all really impressive and awesome ways to include the fan base in the series. It really helps define itself as more of a fan-driven franchise, where the company does value our views and opinions on the games, as oppose to pandering to a non-existent audience or trying to get people who enjoy "dark" storylines in on the series.

Edited by Solid SOAP, 19 December 2011 - 07:39 PM.

[Diogenes]

Slowly, yes. I've got plenty of issues with recent games, but we damn sure aren't at '06 levels of desecration.

[VisionaryBlur]

I've noticed that ever since Sonic 4, there's been a lot more community involvement with projects. Showing concept art to us prior to release, asking us what levels are our favorite prior to Generations, and going as far as to have a fan himself develop the Sonic CD port, are all really impressive and awesome ways to include the fan base in the series. It really helps define itself as more of a fan-driven franchise, where the company does value our views and opinions on the games, as oppose to pandering to a non-existent audience or trying to get people who enjoy "dark" storylines in on the series.

It also gives good publicity to SEGA as a whole by attracting new audiences. Who else wouldn't want to be in a fanbase where you could help input ideas for the next projects?

I think SEGA needs one more good game in order to move on to the next step: a new Sonic show.

[Tomoki]

I think SEGA needs one more good game in order to move on to the next step: a new Sonic show.

I'd rather they wait after making at least 2 or 3 more good games before making a new Sonic TV series.

Edited by Winter-Man Noir, 19 December 2011 - 09:04 PM.

[Rusty Spy]

You know what they say, once you hit rock bottom, the only direction you can go is up.

[y cant solkia crawl]

I'd say it's pure opinion as to whether the series every hit rock bottom in the first place, or if it's been shit since adventure and still is shit *cough* hentai quill modern faygots *cough*

There has been a significant increase in quality lately, I'll say that much.

[Johnny Boy]

Definitely yes. The series has definitely came a long way since the days of Shadow and 2006.

And sonic definitely seems to be winning respect back from the gaming community as well. Whenever I went to some game sites to look at previews for generations, every now and then I'd see a troll comment such as "Ha! Sonic Cycle!" or "Only Autistic furfags play this SHHHIIIIT!!". And while during sonic's dark period, most people would join in on ripping the game apart, the commentators would instead get flamed like there's no tomorrow. And get this, a lot of the people I saw defending the game weren't even sonic fans. That should say something on how sonic's reputation becoming good again.

Edited by Holly Jolly Johnny, 19 December 2011 - 09:24 PM.

[Soniman]

Sonic 06 said they bar so low that pretty much any Sonic game after that was an improvement.
So by proxy I guess he has been improving.

But its good that we have had two consistenly good games in a row, plus a excellent recreation of an old game on the CD. I think we just need one or two more good hits before we can finally say we like Sonic in public and be 100% proud of it.

[Solid SOAP]

I'd say it's pure opinion as to whether the series every hit rock bottom in the first place

I'm all for not shoving my opinion down others' throats and letting people speak their mind without being harped upon, but I'd just like to say that if Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic '06 aren't rock bottom, I don't know what is.

[y cant solkia crawl]

I'm all for not shoving my opinion down others' throats and letting people speak their mind without being harped upon, but I'd just like to say that if Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic '06 aren't rock bottom, I don't know what is.

While Shadow the Hedgehog had many flaws, I find people highly overexaggerate about it. Sonic 06, however, was a one time occurrence.

[eXtaticus]

Yes.

Why?

Because the games have, to a certain extent, stopped being complete and utter shite.

And by that I mean that Generations was good.

[Generations (Chaos Warp)]

Honestly, to me, Sonic never dropped (too much) in the first place. He's only really had two truly​ bad games (Shadow and 06), and the rest range from mediocre to amazing. Sure, his quality has improved a lot recently, but he never dropped that much to me.

[Dantemustdie00]

I rather wait to see what Sega has plan this coming year before jumping the gun immediately. I'm most curious as to what they got plan.

[Solid SOAP]

While Shadow the Hedgehog had many flaws, I find people highly overexaggerate about it. Sonic 06, however, was a one time occurrence.

I can't see how anyone can see that game as anything other than an embarrassment to the franchise. The levels were boring and ugly, the objectives just sucked (Being forced to kill a certain amount of enemies in a linearly designed level just doesn't work), the concept just didn't work for a Sonic game (Say "It's a Shadow game!" all you want, they hyped this game up, it takes plot elements from previous Sonic games, and Sonic plays a major role), the plot was horrible and ruined the mystery behind what used to be a good character with ridiculous plot twists and it was, well, embarrassing. For a series that prides itself as a family friendly one, it's just embarrassing to see what were formerly known as kids characters cursing and toting fire arms. It is no where near as bad as Sonic '06, but it still is a bad game.

I don't get what people are trying to prove when they say "Shadow wasn't bad, just look at Sonic '06". Sonic '06 is just about the absolute lowest form of quality you can get in a video game this generation, just because Shadow TH isn't the WORST game on the market, it's still a shitty one. If Sonic '06 is a 3/10, then Shadow is a 4/10.

[Riverstone]

H'es a little bit more in the spotlight and getting better reviews than a few years ago...But besides that, the games are still mediocre and nothing worht really getting excited about unless your truley a fan of sonic.

(my opinion) Currently the games are too focused on:
- way too many kiddy jokes and scenes
- Sonic is too fast and slippery and thus lacks any real movement precision. (adventure stylem, speed and controlls ftw)
- and have about as much story and character interaction as a Mr Men book.

Not to mention that generations sold jack all copies. (dropping to 32nd place and not even in the top 40 cannot be justified by the competition of 9 other great games that came out at the same time)

So while the series is not getting pounded by critics anymore, it's now being placed in the 'Here's a sonic game that's just worth playing' basket.

[Generations (Chaos Warp)]

H'es a little bit more in the spotlight and getting better reviews than a few years ago...But besides that, the games are still mediocre and nothing worht really getting excited about unless your truley a fan of sonic.

(my opinion) Currently the games are too focused on:
- way too many kiddy jokes and scenes
- Sonic is too fast and slippery and thus lacks any real movement precision. (adventure stylem, speed and controlls ftw)
- and have about as much story and character interaction as a Mr Men book.

Not to mention that generations sold jack all copies. (dropping to 32nd place and not even in the top 40 cannot be justified by the competition of 9 other great games that came out at the same time)

So while the series is not getting pounded by critics anymore, it's now being placed in the 'Here's a sonic game that's just worth playing' basket.

Well, platformers don't sell as well now as they used too, it's not like he's going to compare with Call of Duty anytime soon.

[ChaosSupremeSonîc]

Given that the games are actually good now, I'd like to think so. However, now there's a question of how they're going to carry this success and not ruin it like they did when ShTH came into the fray. I doubt it would go to that extreme, but there can be other things that make this series fall again.

While Shadow the Hedgehog had many flaws, I find people highly overexaggerate about it. Sonic 06, however, was a one time occurrence.

ShTH tried to take what SA2 had and turn it up to 11 by trying to pull a Jak 2 so that the Sonic series could be more hardcore. There's not a lot to overexaggerate about the game when it practically does that for us by making a parody of itself.

Sonic 06 probably wasn't intended to be a one time occurrence if it had actually been successful. It being a one time occurrence was due to the fact that Sonic Team actually got their shit together and developed Unleashed which (despite the werehog) had the very concept that allowed Sonic to pick itself up to where it is now.

If anything, that sounds like an understatement from you.

Well, platformers don't sell as well now as they used too, it's not like he's going to compare with Call of Duty anytime soon.

Exactly what are the figures of Generations' sales anyway?

Edited by ChaosSupremeSonic, 20 December 2011 - 01:28 AM.

[VisionaryBlur]

Well, platformers don't sell as well now as they used too, it's not like he's going to compare with Call of Duty anytime soon.

But that's not the audience SEGA should be going after. The people who are solely into that type of genre aren't going to find any appeal into the platforming genre, especially one with such a contrasting style.


Edit: To the comment about '06 being a one time occurence, I think '06 will find a way to come back in some form. It still had a bit of the atmosphere of a Sonic game, or at least it attempted it. The problem was that it tried to clash with a lot of cliched Japanese plot-lines. I think Shadow will be the one time occurence, the only reason the game came to be was because of Japanese developers who had little to any understanding of what Americans liked. The problem was that they turned a series that was known for it's light and dark balance into a solely dark series. Jak could do it because Jak had only one game.

Edited by VisionaryBlur, 20 December 2011 - 01:40 AM.