164 replies to this topic

[Generations (Chaos Warp)]

So, the topic is: Are you happy with the direction of the series? You can talk about anything: Story direction, gameplay direction, art direction, anything that has to do with the overall direction of the series! Here's my two red rings.

I'm very happy with the series's direction right now! I love Modern gameplay, and I want them to keep on improving it (hopefully improving controls and adding more momentum-based level design). The one thing I can really complain about in recent game is the story. I was fine with Colour's approach for a ONE TIME change of pace (lol), but I don't want it to happen again, and I was quite disappointed in Generation's story. I want stories more in the tone and detail level of SA1 or Unleashed to come back, with better dialogue writing hopefully.

Thoughts?

[sonfan1984]

Not really, I'm kinda worried about Sonic's future now cause it seems like the series can't do anything interesting anymore and it's currently on 'playing it too safe' mode only for people to spit it out and throw it back in it's face. It makes me wonder how long are they going to keep this up before people gets tired/bored of it.

*still fuming from reading that Kotaku article this morning*

Edited by sonfan1984, 27 February 2012 - 08:40 PM.

[Soniman]

Kinda, sorta. The gameplay is improving and thats good, however, they need to drastically improve their story quality and stop playing it safe when it comes to pleasing ignorant reviewers.

Better stories and playable characters are the things I want to see this franchise expand upon now.

[The Eleventh Doctor]

I'm fine with most of it, yeah
but the only things i can pinpoint are,
- i want them to bring back camera control
- Story improvement, alot of story improvement,
- The occasional multiple character choice, not all the time though
- I would not mind the return of the 3D spindash like the adventure games (but different drastically to the 06 spindash)
But if they include those features then it will be perfect in my opinion.

[King Sombrero]

Overall yes, I'm very happy about it. Here's the breakdown.

Artwise, we've gone from dark and lifeless environments with no color to beautiful colorful fantastical envirnments that could give you a seizure if they wanted (Starlight Carnival in HD) So much improvemnt

Storywise, this is the biggest offender. I really liked the way the stories were told before (exceptions: Heroes, 06) especially Unleashed's and even Colors' story was fine in my book, both of them and even the Adventure duo's stories did a great job of keeping me in the game. However I don't like way story has been starting to become more nonexistent with each game after Unleashed. Generations' story was there sort of, but it did nothing to even remotely interest me or even try to. I also hear rumors that there was a much bigger story before the game's release. I don't know if they're true or not, but I don't see why sega decided to give it the most half assed story in the main series history. I mean 06 was a piece of crap filled with plotholes everywherebut at least it tried. Just when they had nailed the gameplay, they kill the story and I don't see any logic behind that. Can the writers not handle anything more than slapstick gags? This is the only thing I felt kept Generations from really shining.

Gameplay wise is the meatiest part and the most satisfying. We've gone from games that consist of 70% unrelated gameplay like shooting or brawling and fishing, leaving only 30% OR LESS of actual Sonic gameplay and riddled with glitches and questionable design choices, to well built games that consist of 100% platforming gameplay that more or less nail it. Not perfect by any means, but certainly lightyears better than what we had a few years ago. It can only continue to get better. What I would like to see is a FULL 3D game with no 2D sections, more genesis feel to it and extra characters to play as that play similarly to Sonic as opposed to shooting and treasure hunting.

I love this direction the series has taken for the most part and wish to see it progress and evolve from there. Viva la Sonic Renniasance

Edited by Prince Solaris, 27 February 2012 - 08:27 PM.

[Diogenes]

Not really.

We're better off than we were ~5 years ago, but the series is currently dividing its attention between the mostly polished but shallow "Modern" gameplay and failed attempts at recreating the classic gameplay. The gameplay is either good at being bad or bad at being good. And the story's in an odd place where they've made some legitimate improvements but they also seem scared to do anything remotely serious, so it isn't really "good" so much as it is "less bad", and also "less" in general.

[ChaosSupremeSonîc]

Gameplay: Definitely. Although after not seeing very significant improvements to it (with the exception of level design), I would like to see more work done to make it even more enjoyable.

Story: Eh, on the verge of saying no. To be perfectly fair, it is leagues better than what they did in Heroes-Sonic06 even if much smaller and simpler. I'm not entirely asking for such epic plots, but I would like more meat to them than just the bones we're getting.

Characters: At this point, no. And that's only because they haven't made use of other characters. They've made Sonic more interesting and improved the dynamic between him and Tails, not to mention they've made Eggman MUCH more enjoyable than before. But as it is with the other characters, they're lacking.

Art Direction: I'm definitely not complaining. Some of the coolest stuff I've seen for a cartoon series since Ratchet and Clank. Eggman's machines have that kind of cool menace that blends well with a cartoon style. I still want to see some robot designs from Sonic 06, but I'm not complaining with these robots.

[Arle985]

The Modern gameplay is great, but what I want to see is having more characters to play as and not just Sonic. Seriously, the Solo Sonica formula is getting pretty old now. :/

[Semi-colon e]

I'm pretty pleased for the most part, I'm glad the games are decent/good for the most part again (I don't care about which gameplay style they use at this point, as long as they make it polished and you know, like a Sonic game and not Werehog etc.), and the art direction overall I'm really digging.

However, they're really playing it more safe than they should be. It's like they're so scared of the fanbase and reviewers, that it actually hurts the quality of the games. More characters would add more playtime and replayability, but better stories would round the games off more. I would have enjoyed Generations even more than I did if the story wasn't so... pointless; it didn't even have much of the goofball humour and stuff that Colours had that made it it's own, even if it's divisive in the fanbase. A more interesting story or at least more humour if the story IS basic would have rounded it off, I think. Playing it less safe with the missions and stuff may have helped too.

I think the main issue isn't anything like gameplay in an overall sense, but it's the feel of missed opportunities. I mean Generations had so many that it did hurt the game a bit.

Edited by Semi-colon e, 27 February 2012 - 08:38 PM.

[Prownage]

In a way yes and in a way no. I'm glad that the games have reached a high quality in terms of gameplay which works and doesn't have any game breaking glitches and in terms of well written stories. However I think both of these have became rather shallow in the process. I haven't been a huge fan of the gameplay in recent Sonic games since the controls seem so stiff and there is a too great emphasis on speed which makes the level design very linear. Then there's the platforming which has for some reason almost completely abandoned slopes and momentum and only consists of blocks and homing attacks. The platforming doesn't feel like Sonic anymore, it just feels like any generic platformer out there.

The stories of recent games have felt pretty shallow too. It's not a big problem, but in the earlier Sonic games you always knew that there was that huge monster you had to fight in the end and when you finally reached that point, it just felt epic beyond words. Even in Sonic & the Black Knight I was looking forward to fighting King Arthur. But in Sonic Colors they just pulled a random robot out of their asses and it didn't feel that epic. Even in the classics there was that Death Egg you knew you had to take down. Time Eater was a step in the right direction again but the boss sucked and that completely ruined it.

[y cant solkia crawl]

No. Not enough gimmicks.

[Scar]

There is no real direction to speak of to be honest.
All I see is a slight movement upward with each game and that's enough. I'll just see how things go from here. If I like the look of the games I'll buy them and probably have fun with them. I don't expect something specifically, just a fun game.

[Emmett L. Brown]

I'm pleased as punch ^______________^

The gameplay is really fast-paced and fun, and the most replayable it's been since ess three and kay, with tons of different paths and shortcuts. The story doesn't take itself too seriously, and doesn't get in the way of the core focus which is a fun-loving fast hedgehog versus a maniacal mad scientist.

Sonic Generations was fantastic. The best thing Sonic Team could do right now is take that fully-functioning gameplay system and built on top of it instead of tearing it down and starting over. Call me too cautious, but I'd rather take something that works really well than try another one of Sonic Team's experiments. Like gunplay, team play, werehogs, mach speed, psychokinesis, vehicles, shooters, mandatory NPC interviews, and princesses.

Edited by Grumpy Old Guy, 27 February 2012 - 09:22 PM.

[Johnny Boy]

For some reason I think we've had a thread on this already, but it's probably buried by now. But either way yes, I am more than happy with the series direction right now. It sure has come a long way since 2006.

[Vertekins]

If I'm going to be completely honest, Sonic games as of recent are like 4 steps forward and 2 steps backwards. To me at least.

The best example of this IMO is Generations; You've got wonderful level design, great mechanics, amazing visuals and a tasty plethora of unlockables to sink your teeth into but there's something missing. And that is substance. What I mean is, hefty world-building, things to keep you going after the missions and acts have been completed are non-existent and story and character interactions/development is pitiably lacking. Great potential in these areas has been passed up and that's a shame.

Why we couldn't have an expansive world with loveable NPC's and main cast interactions from, say, Unleashed as well as the extremely high standard of characterization in, say, the Storybook series mixed with Generations' awe-inspiring stages, level layouts and incredible bosses as well as a subtle yet awesome skill system is mystifying. A combination of all these things would have, in all probability, made for the ultimate 3D Sonic game experience.

[Azure Yakuzu]

Yes, and No. I like how we're a lot better off than we were five years ago, but you get the feeling the series could be way better than it is right now.


Gameplay, while incredibly fun, boils down to just running and nothing more. the levels feel restricting, and nothing really interesting to interact with in the environment.

Story is a lot less convoluted, but somewhat shallow and less structured than it should be for it to be an interesting experience at least.

Nothing has been done to fix the characters instead they've just been demoted to glorified extras, with the exception of Sonic, Tails, and Eggman, characters out of a cast with over 20 recurring characters.




Are we good? yes. Could we be better? oh so very much.

Edited by Shadic Claus, 27 February 2012 - 10:55 PM.

[Soniman]

Yes, and No. I like how we're a lot better off than we were five years ago, but you get the feeling the series could be way better than it is right now.


Gameplay, while incredibly fun, boils down to just running and nothing more.

Come now, I know the Unleashed formula isn't exactly deep, bit it its current point, I believe it goes a bit deeper than that.

[Komodin]

Gameplay-wise, yes. VERY, OH SO YES! In fact, with the Storybook Series, Unleashed, Colors and Generations, I haven't been happier with a consecutive series of Sonic games since the classic Genesis titles.

Story-wise... eh. While I don't really mind the stories nowadays, it could be a whole lot better. I mean, while I don't mind the occasional Excuse Plot, Generations's story was far too shallow and lacking for its own good. While I can forgive Colors' story as being "another day in the life of Sonic," Generations' story didn't wow me at all. I just couldn't really give a straight crap about the Time Eater after the opening cutscene; it didn't help that it barely actually did anything in the White Space. The less said about how they handled the characters outside of Sonic, Tails and Eggman, the better.

If there's one thing I'm hoping to see again in future titles, it's stories that are actually something substantial. It doesn't have to be all grim-dark or all sunshine-n'-gumdrops; just something that will give me more reasons to care about what's going on in the game. Surely that doesn't make me something of an unpleaseable dope, yes?

Edited by Komodin, 27 February 2012 - 11:35 PM.

[neezTHEhuman]

Absolutely not, Sonic was a platformer but thanks to the Modern Gameplay introduced in Unleashed the series has evolved into a glorified racing game, basically f zero x but with a blue hedgehog. Levels are like race tracks for the most part (Generations Modern: Green Hill, Chemical Plant, Speed Highway, Rooftop Run), Boosting on straits and drifting round corners is what I expect in Sega All Stars Racing not a main Sonic title.

[Gen]

YES!! The games are getting better, and Generations is my 2nd Favorite Sonic game.
It's like the 90's again!! (The games)
Stories.... eh.

Edited by Cristian Fox, 28 February 2012 - 12:13 AM.