The current state of Sonic has me not wanting to play recent Sonic games

[VolatileMike]

I love Sonic Generations. While not technically the "best" in terms of living up to its potential given its own hardware limitations (that honor is still held by S3&K), it really is my favorite. Then LW came out and that was okay, but not great and definitely a step back. Then Boom came out and I know it's awful, yada yada. But it's not the fact that the most recent Sonic game that carries a price tag was terrible, or that it was made by another company. It's the fact that the series has just lost all of its momentum since then. In terms of momentum, it was doing great with Generations' release and then steady with the release of LW, but lost its legs with Boom. 

Nowadays, I can't bring myself to play Generations. It's just awful to try and do because it reminds me of a time when things were going so unbelievably well for the series and for us as fans. I can't even play Unleashed, because its sheer scale and scope just reminds me of another thing, something SEGA seemingly has no intention of bringing back: a truly grand and epic story with a fleshed-out world. It just seems like everything after Generations has been the result of lower effort and less passion. I'm not saying I need a new game announcement, but the way the company has been treating the series for the last 3 years has been so mediocre. 

Weirdly enough, I can still play the greats from before Unleashed, probably because they're chronologically removed from this whole period of promise and disappointment. 

Does anyone else feel this way?

edit: Yes I do need a new game announcement, but it has to look more promising than anything in a long time. 

Edited September 15, 2015 by VolatileMike

[Failinhearts]

I personally don't. No matter what Sonic's current reputation is, I still play his games. Classic, modern, I still play them.

 But then again, this is coming from a guy who plays 06 just for lulz. (Plus, I enjoyed Sonic's gameplay in 06) 

Ironic, considering my behaviour of being reminded of grim things easily. But when I play Sonic games, I don't think about how he "sucks" now, I just have fun and I be happy with what I'm playing. (Unless you're Secret Rings, Free Riders or Sonic Genesis GBA... I can't have fun with them.)

[FriendBot]

While I do agree that SEGA's mismanagement with Rise of Lyric definitely puts the company in a bad light but just because SEGA made a bad licensed generic beat-em-up platformer doesn't mean I can't all of a sudden enjoy past games. I get that many people have been feeling very disappointed with the series now that Sonic Team, as far we know,aren't in the mood to give us grand, epic anime-esque action adventure stories like the days of 98-09 but guess what I found stuff I can still enjoy despite those hiccups. I mean, look at it this way. 06 was a massive trainwreck, debatedly even worse than RoL, but then Unleashed came and while that game did had its fair share of technical issues and other flaws, it shows that Sonic Team can still deliver an amazing experience of a game even with said flaws. So if the 25th Anniversary game can meet those same expectations people once had back at the day, which is kind of unlikely but not impossible, I have a good feeling that the series can begin its road to recovery as long as Sonic Team can properly make a solid game with solid mechanics with a solid but fun story.

But until then, I'm still going to play the games, new and old, and I'm still going to enjoy other Sonic-related media like the Archie Comics and the Boom TV show which are generally well-liked amongst the masses.

[Dizcrybe]

I don't really feel like this with the games, but it's been a good while since I sat down and put on some Sonic music.

[TCB]

I still play his games because I feel like playing them. Just like with any other game that I feel like I want to play. I literally brought Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast for partly this very reason.

[redhellc]

I got to say that recent events did have an effect on me and I feel like I'm slowly disconnecting with the franchise. But in terms of past games I can't really say I enjoy them less than before.

I probably say that what this fan base needs is a kickstart something that hypes people in someway. I think that most probably the begining of next year will turn things around. I don't have big expectations just a small hope that Sonic Team will deliver something to be excited about.

So no I can't say I feel like that only a bit tired of the rollercoaster that is this franchise.

[Wittymations]

I have been very uninterested in this franchise for a while. Honestly the only games I can go back and play are the Adventures, or Sonic 3 and Knuckles. I tried to move past that and try other games, but I just don't care.

 

But for me, it's mostly the stories. They don't make me the slightest bit invested.

Edited September 15, 2015 by WittyUsername

[DarkDefeater]

I still enjoy the Sonic games; I'm doing a playthrough of Sonic 2 right now. I"ll then eventually move to all the other games I have in the series, ending with Sonic Lost World.

I haven't played as much Sonic as I used to, being busy with other games, such as Smash bros and Xenoblade Chronicles.

However, whatever happens with games of the present, they do not diminish the quality of past games.

 I suspect the 25th anniversary game will be amazing, but even if it isn't, I"ll still have high interest in sonic games of the past.

[Monkey Destruction Switch]

I wouldn't say I've felt this way with Sonic specifically, but I guess I can relate to the sentiment. Even though I haven't personally read many recent Superman comics, from what I've heard, they've had some ideas lately that I absolutely hate, from giving Supes a horrendous redesign to making Lois Lane reveal his secret identity to the public and so much more. I do own one New 52 trade paperback, which I believe contains the earliest issues from the New 52 Action Comics, but lately I can't bring myself to reread it even though I thought it was decent, because I hate being reminded of the worse parts of the new Superman. So I can relate to what you're feeling.

[PerfectChaos]

Can you believe it's been four years since Generations, AKA the last good Sonic game for most people? For all the negativity that still persisted around it (it is a horribly divided fanbase after all), the series certainly was in a very good position back then with a lot of momentum. I personally loved the game, and cannot believe there was no DLC for it - 9 stages just isn't enough, but I would have gladly paid for a few more. 

I just wish they stopped doing the thing that has plagued the series to hell for over a decade - completely fundamentally changing up the gameplay mechanics with every single game. Why can they not just sit still, just for a bit? Even if not everyone like Colours, it wouldn't have hurt to get a couple of games that used that sort of playstyle. 

I do sympathize with them for trying to wean off the Boost which both drew criticism and was no doubt a difficulty for stage design and resources, but Colours showed it could work and produce a fine game. Their next step should have been to refine it further for 3D gameplay in my opinion, since Colours was obviously 2D, although to be perfectly honest I wouldn't mind more fully 2D Sonic games if they're that good.

At this point it all comes down to whatever the Generations team has been working on (for me, anyway). If that sucks too, then I'll be seriously concerned, and I wonder what they'll do from that point on.

 

[azoo]

I haven't felt captivated by a new Sonic title since 2008. Give it shit for where the shit is due, but Unleashed's attempts to breathe new life and push the envelope for Sonic at that time was some of the most refreshing stuff the (console side of the) series had given me since 2001, and now it's been as many years between SA2 and Unleashed as Unleashed and now.

I mean I liked Colors and Generations, and appreciated the things done in each. They were decent fun. But while some may think that's enough to pass, I don't think so. I don't want something inoffensive with its best aspects being a gameplay style that's played best only one way, or nostalgia cash-ins. I want substance.

Substance in which Lost World failed to give too, which only doubled the problem that it was a really mediocre and sloppily put together game. 

That said, my hope never really wanes. I hope for another game that's got more to give me than hokey-jokey excuse plots, minimal content outside the main campaign, and gameplay that is either a (admittedly well polished) one-trick-pony or is so poorly designed that it has no sense of understanding fluidity in game design.

And tbh I'm not expecting a single one of those things to be improved next game, as much as I hope they would. Better safe than sorry.

[ThePrinceOfSaiyans]

Yeah, I know what you mean. It's hard to express optimism when the momentum gained from Unleashed onward was tripped up by Lost World and outright lost by Boom: RoL. I'm probably a little more optimistic than I should be after playing through every major console release, sans the story book titles, recently, but I can't help but agree that Sonic's future looks a little bleak right now.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

The games, yes. The franchise? Haha, no.

It's no secret Sonic has hit another nosedive. It's not the same crash and burn that started with ShTH and hit rock bottom with Sonic 06 - although it comes pretty damn close - but it's another era of disappointment all over again. Particularly the Boomverse. I was once interested to see where this would go, but after the lack of news and then seeing the end result of the product, I've been rather indifferent to recent games as of late. And the cartoon isn't fully selling me on what it's going for. Don't get me wrong, it's great Sonic has another cartoon and is still standing, but while that's doing its thing I'm looking into other franchises for the time being, waiting for Sonic to get back on his feet again.

But in the meantime, I'll always have my fix of Sonic to play with in the older games. Not just that, but there's the comics too, that's the one that's really taken much of my attention regarding the franchise. Can't say I'll ever quit Sonic tho - after sticking around before, during, and after the travesties that were ShTH (which I supported back when I was a clueless young teenager, man time flies :lol:) and Sonic 06, it's hard to shake someone's interest with another screw up.

[Rondineviola]

I think exactly like you, except that the last Sonic game i've enjoyed was Zero Gravity and i'm waiting for over 7 years that they fix this sad situation.

[Dantemustdie00]

The games I can understand being put off from them....unless it's Classic Sonic, but the franchise as a whole I can't call quits on.

[Kuzu]

Meh, ever since Lost World I've just started to lose interest in the series, the comics are the only things I still marginally stand for. 

 

I'm rather surprised they haven't announced anything major for the series as of late in all honesty, not even a hint they're making something for 2016. 

[Roger_van_der_weide]

I have high hopes for Sonic 2016.
Especially if that's the first game from the Sonic generations team who had 4 years to work on it.
So looking forward to that.
It has the highest potential of being good since, well, since I had high hopes for Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric, eh heh heh...

But I have to admit, I'm also reaching my breaking point in patience.
Sonic 2016, whatever it may be, has a lot hanging in the balance. It's a make it or break it point for many Sonic fans I know.

It's mostly energy I want, positive bouncy energy.
2d Sonic/ 3d Sonic, story/ not story. Serious/ comical. Real/ cartoony. Platformer/ Boost arcade action. Whatever.
I'm too tired of their clumsy behaviour the past years to even care about which I prefer.
I just want some energy back in Sonic.

The past decade has sucked away the energy of Sonic with the self depricating humor, lack of self esteem, lack of clear identity and passion for what makes Sonic tick.
Comedy's fine, but put some energy in there.
Sonic's an adventurous teenager, not a down beaten middle-aged office clerk for pete's sake.
The level designers of Sonic Generations have a fantastic sense of humor, get THEM to decide the overal atmosphere instead of the current clowns penning Sonic, Please.

So whatever Sonic 2016's doing, it better stand tall, proud, and DO IT.
If they have Confidence, I'll have confidence.

 

Edited September 20, 2015 by Roger_van_der_weide

[FriendBot]

The past decade has sucked away the energy of Sonic with the self depricating humor, lack of self esteem, lack of clear identity and passion for what makes Sonic tick.

Past decade?

From what I recall, Sonic was still being portrayed as a badass anime hero since Black Knight, which was 2009. That was 6 yearsago, not a full decade.

But I get what you're saying, Pontaff, if they're writing Sonic 2016's story (which is pretty likely), they need to drop their detached style of humor since it doesn't work with the series. It can work for Eggman since he's the bad guy so him being all cheerful about enslaving an entire alien race sounds right up his alley, reminds me of the time pre-Genesis Wave in the Archie Comics, where he's literally like the Joker. Being cheerful and all that but sucks up the energy of people, ALIVE and rig his "allies" robotic parts to explode if they ever go rogue on him. Archie Eggman, back then, was pretty scary before he went mentally insane. 

Where was I going with this again?

[Lord-Dreamerz]

The level designers of Sonic Generations have a fantastic sense of humor, get THEM to decide the overal atmosphere instead of the current clowns penning Sonic, Please.

 

Unless I remember wrong... The guys who wrote Generations are the same guys who wrote Colors and Lost World.

 

However you did say level designers... wait... what did they make that had good humor? I would think anything story wise was done by the main writers.

[Nepenthe]

I'm in Azoo's camp. It's been seven years since I felt we had a game with some amount of artistic depth and integrity, even if it was highly flawed, and I feel that's simultaneously as important as the objective quality of the gameplay. Without any hint of Sega changing course in that regard I can't be bothered to getting emotionally invested in the games anymore. I'll still watch out for them, but from a distance. I'm tired of being disappointed.

[Kuzu]

I wonder what arbitrary design decision that they'll put in Sonic 2016; because we all know Sega can't seem to make 1 step forward without taking two steps back in the process.

 

*sigh* Its really kinda sad that Unleashed wasn't that well-received, because you can plainly see that they wanted it to be the game to earn everyone's good graces. Its almost fascinating how misguided one company can be.

[FriendBot]

 

Unless I remember wrong... The guys who wrote Generations are the same guys who wrote Colors and Lost World.

Ken Pontac and Warren Graff, is the name. Or in short, Pontaff.

But Pontaff only wrote the dialogue for Colors, so for that game's story was written by Yasushi Otake. For Lost World, Harumasa Nakajima was also part of the writing the game's story. For Shattered Crystal, it's Tin Guerrero, who's also the Creative Director of Sanzaru.

 

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

 

Ken Pontac and Warren Graff, is the name. Or in short, Pontaff.

But Pontaff only wrote the dialogue for Colors, so for that game's story was written by Yasushi Otake. For Lost World, Harumasa Nakajima was also part of the writing the game's story. For Shattered Crystal, it's Tin Guerrero, who's also the Creative Director of Sanzaru.

 

Was Nakajima in charge of writing the game's story, with Pontac and Graff just doing the dialogue, or was he collaborating with them on equal footing? Because if it's the former, then that just goes to show people are either unaware of this fact or are scapegoating Pontac and Graff for Lost World's haphazard story moments.

[Soniman]

I largley dont care about Sonic currentley because there's nothing to get exicted for besides the comic and the boom cartoon (when im bored).

This isnt really me distancing or "disconnecting" from the series. Im just waiting for them to make an actual Sonic game again (not the Boom garbage) and when they do ill get interested again, but for now im very scarce with this series.

Edited September 21, 2015 by Soniman

[TheChris110]

I'm really looking forward to Sonic 2016. In Sonic Team I trust.