3294 replies to this topic

[Komodin]

Spoiler

The final boss sure looks rather... interesting. A giant actual human heart-shaped mech... now, I've seen everything.

[Dreamy Luigi]

Spoiler

The final boss sure looks rather... interesting. A giant actual human heart-shaped mech... now, I've seen everything.

Spoiler

The heart shaped mech is Dimps way of saying I love you.

[Treacher]

I thought the

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core/heart of the final boss bore a passing resemblance to CD's final boss.

[-Knuckles The Echidna-]

Well, I pretty much just saw all of the Epi. II beta gameplay footage that was available. I only got to see one act/cutscene for Epi. Metal though.

Welp, it was pretty much what I predicted. It's pretty much an improved Episode I. Physics I've read are still quite similar to Epi I, with some things like the jump and rolling improved in some areas. Some of the bosses and the more difficult levels looked fun to play, and there was a few tracks that I liked, some badniks were cool, and the graphics indeed do look nice, but that was pretty much it. The graphics didn't seem a lot like a classic game (SFZ being my personal exception, and even then it reminded me of both the classics and the Advance games; not to mention that it was pretty much Epi. II's throwback zone), more like your average downloadable 2.5D (Sonic) game. I didn't see many HA chains (and there's even one that DIDN'T feature Bubbles for once! Yes, just one sadly), and the level design in some levels looked larger than Epi. II, but then Dimps evened that out for that by having the levels overly reliant on dash panels and springs. There's one area in ODZ Act 2 in which you run up a wall that had five dash panels lined up across it. The flying fuck? One or two dash panels would be tolerable, but five? And don't get me started on WPZ Act 2, that zone was pretty much the definition term of "hold right to win" with a few platforming bits thrown in. In terms of gameplay, I believe I can safely say that there's pretty much nothing that Episode II did that it pulled off better than the classic games.

I'm pretty sure most critics will eat it up because "it's 2D Sonic," and Sonic 4: Episode I fans, some 2D Sonic fans, and modern Sonic fans will love it. But I think I can safely say that there's nothing to see here for classic Sonic fans. Sonic 4 never even was supposed to be "Sonic 4," it was supposed to be another typical downloadable Dimps modern Sonic game. And it looks like as of Epi. II it's planning to stay that way. Epi. II being "a polished Epi. I" accurately sums up the game for me.

And I'm not buying any BS that "it's a beta, the final game will be different," nor Ken's claims that it's an early beta of the game. Aside from some bugs, some missing textures (which BTW I only saw in SCZ), and what could be some missing features, the game looks near-complete. Doesn't help that the final game will be out in a few weeks. And last but not least, people said the same thing about Epi. I's beta, and despite the delay, the final version of the game was almost no different from the beta.

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Wierd that there's no Epi. III cliffhanger, I really was expecting one. Then again, this is a beta, so it likely hasn't been added yet.

[Polar Vec]

Spoiler

<p>We can say that Sonic<br></p><p><br></p><p>*puts glasses*</p><p><br></p><p>Broke Eggman's heart</p>

[-Knuckles The Echidna-]

Spoiler

We can say that Sonic....*puts glasses*...Broke Eggman's heart

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[-Knuckles The Echidna-]

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I like the fact that Dimps even put dash panels and springs in the Special Stages (although I'll give springs some credit, they can take you to other areas in the special stage. If used right, you could use them to make special stages even larger and maybe even add a few bonuses in some areas. Maybe even multiple emeralds/collectible rewards?).

Dimps has a really unhealthy fetish for dash panels and springs in their level design, no?

[-Bender-]

The special stages look rather easy.

[Nik1895]

I've eventually got my hands on this beta, too.
About co-op...
Firstly, you don't need a second controller to play it - both players can play on one keyboard.
Secondly, the character which is falling behind is pushed by left border of the screen and if he gets above or below the screen he will become inactive and will float near active character (like in Sonic Colours) and the camera focuses on active character.
So, considering that Tails can fly and swim on his own...

Can you play the co-op as Tails but ON YOUR OWN. In other words play co-op and play as Tails but have nobody in control of the other controller, or will the game stop you progressing because nobody is in control of Sonic?

... yes, you can complete the stage as Tails alone unless you have to do Rolling Combo.

EDIT: Ugh, I guess I'm late.

Edited by Nik1895, 22 April 2012 - 10:14 AM.

[JezMM]

The special stages look rather easy.

Lol. They're not. Trust me.

[CC14 the Vipester]

I've gotta say, I'm REALLY liking Metal's theme in this game. It already has me humming along to it and there's a certain coolness to it that I enjoy.

[SiLeNtDo0m]

Meh, Metal's theme to me just seems like a primitive remix of an amazing piece.

[Blue Blood]

Spoiler

I like the fact that Dimps even put dash panels and springs in the Special Stages (although I'll give springs some credit, they can take you to other areas in the special stage. If used right, you could use them to make special stages even larger and maybe even add a few bonuses in some areas. Maybe even multiple emeralds/collectible rewards?).

Dimps has a really unhealthy fetish for dash panels and springs in their level design, no?

The dash pannels launch you along a set path in the special stages. Sometimes they get you lots of rings, but there's more times when you have to choose the right pannel to get the most rings. Heck, in one stage is was best to just over to get all the 10-rings possible.

The special stages look rather easy.

The first one's easy, and the second one is very doable. After that they become quite difficult. And still, fuck the last one.

[JezMM]

As a point of reference, it took me exactly 2 hours of playing to get the last 4 emeralds (I finished the initial playthrough with 3).

For the first hour I forgot you could retry in the special stage to avoid playing the level again. Considering each special stage lasts around 2 minutes tops, and that realisation came to me on special stage 6, that should give an idea of how brutal the last two are.

I'd estimate it took me at least 30 attempts to do number 7. It's a real "you have to learn the entire sequence off by heart" one.



By the way, you guys wanted momentum physics? The special stages have em. You can't get high up rings without picking up speed and swinging yourself up there by going off the opposite direction first. With an optional boost that you can use at any time with no penalty (you won't want to though) as well, the entire thing is actually surprisingly deep. Time attackers are gonna LOVE these things.





Oh, one more thing, I never commented on the rolling tag action. It's not really that overpowered. Most of the time I didn't think about using it, and any time you need to use a homing attack or change direction without use of gimmick that automatically sends you in the opposite direction, you have to break out of it, and you are constantly moving forward while you use it (Generations skateboard monitor style).

Edited by JezMM, 22 April 2012 - 10:20 AM.

[MarcelloF]

I don't like the Special Stage music. It doesn't seem lively enough.

[Shadzter]

2 more Acts of Episode Metal are up.

I've caught up on all of the videos released over night so far and I actually quite like the look of most of the second half of the game. It definitely gives me more of a Sonic 4 vibe than the rest of the game.

Spoiler

Lol at Tails now being able to boost, albeit in the Tornado. I wanna boost high

[JezMM]

That second to last frame of Sonic is super cool. =D

[Stocking Anarchy]

Wow, the music is a HUGE improvement over E1. There isn't a single track I don't like from what I've heard. Definitely getting this on day one.

[Shadzter]

Last Act of Episode Metal is up, as well as the last Special Stage. That Special Stage does look pretty tricky. ShadowOfRuki only JUST makes it.

[-Bender-]

The Metal Sonic story looks really good. A shame it was only 4 acts. Looks fun though.