10 years since Sonic Adventure

[Dr_Ultimate]

I was thinking about my memories of playing Sonic games and I realised that it has been 10 years since Sonic Adventure came out. I find it quite scary how long it has been. Where has that time gone? It feels like only yesterday when it was the latest must have game for my collection. That game was like the start of the modern 3D era of Sonic.

I thought this was a good excuse to start a topic about this game and how we feel about it.

I was absolutely amazed when this game first came out. I loved everything about it, with the new character voices and the really cool story line. It really was the next level of Sonic gaming and I really enjoyed playing it over and over again. I still enjoy playing it today and I think it still looks good even 10 years after it's release.

Well there are my thoughts on Sonic Adventure. How do you guys feel about this game?

[Phos]

I think it's hilarious how many people claim "Sonic can't work in 3D" while this game continues to exist.

[Cinos]

Sonic Adventure was the game that changeded me from being a casual Sonic Fan to a Sonic Obessed Freak.

Edited March 29, 2009 by Cinos

[JezMM]

It's a pretty good game, and I still love it, but I can't deny that it's aged horribly. Hilariously bad cut-scene animation, slightly too stiff ground controls and slightly too loose air controls. Level designs are good, but way too small and enclosed at times.

I'll never understand all the praise this game gets for "feeling like an old Sonic game" mind you. The envioronments feel just as realistic as they've done in every game since.

However despite all I've said above: the game still is damn fun to this day.

[Phos]

I'll never understand all the praise this game gets for "feeling like an old Sonic game" mind you.

Designed more like a game, less like an interactive cut scene.

[123654]

I think it's hilarious how many people claim "Sonic can't work in 3D" while this game continues to exist.

This.

As much as I continue to love Unleashed, Sonic Adventure is what Sonic should be like in 3D. It makes me very angry when people say it was the start of Sonic's downfall. If anything, it was a great step forward.

[SuperStingray]

I thought it was a great game when it was released, but it hasn't really lasted the test of time. It was rather impressive upon release, but I can say as many good things as bad things about it.

Still, it was a good transition to 3D for Sonic, but I still think too many of the modern games have been created using Adventure as a frame of reference as opposed to the original games. I'm not saying Sonic Team shouldn't continue to look at it this way, but I don't want it to cloud their vision of everything before it.

Edited March 29, 2009 by SuperStingray

[ovarloard]

Still, it was a good transition to 3D for Sonic, but I still think too many of the modern games have been created using Adventure as a frame of reference as opposed to the original games. I'm not saying Sonic Team shouldn't continue to look at it this way, but I don't want it to cloud their vision of everything before it.

Heh, I think many people think the opposite; people say that the modern games aren't enough like Adventure.

[Indigo Rush]

Sonic Adventure remains to this day my favorite 3D Sonic title.

[SuperStingray]

Heh, I think many people think the opposite; people say that the modern games aren't enough like Adventure.

Oh, I get that. But Adventure itself provided the basis for most of the other 3D games, such as different gameplay styles and characters, emphasis on storyline, hubs, etc.

[batson]

Sonic adventure rocks. Simply of my favorite games of all time, and the only post-Mega Drive Sonic game that is seriously able to compete with the classics in terms of pure entertainment value (Sonic Adventure 2 sadly drops a lot of points due to the Knuckles/Rouge and Tails/Eggman levels).

Oh, I get that. But Adventure itself provided the basis for most of the other 3D games, such as different gameplay styles and characters, emphasis on storyline, hubs, etc.

Exactly. Sonic Adventure was an absolutely outstanding game when it first came out and it still is, but the way Sonic Team keeps reusing so many aspects of it over and over again is pretty lame and unimaginative. Like the music style for instance; SA was the first Sonic game to make heavy use of rock music with lots of guitar solos and stuff, and it was cool because it was original, something else than the 16-bit video game pop of the older titles. But now that they are reusing that same type of music for game after game after game it just gets tiresome.

But by far the most ridiculous thing of all is how they keep reusing the narrative, or rather the narrative structure of SA to a degree where it's simply pathetic. The storyline in SA was awesome, the way each playable character had their own story arch was awesome, the idea of using a villain even more threatening and powerful than Eggman was awesome, the grand final with Sonic going super while fighting an epic monster to the tune of the games rock and roll theme-song was awesome. But because all of those things were awesome and felt fresh and imaginative the first time around doesn't mean they cant get worn out, which is exactly what they are by now. Really, really, REALLY worn out.

[Blacklightning]

It's overrated.

It was okay for its day, sure, but that everyone including the developers have held it as the perfect example of a 3D Sonic game for so long is just sickening. I really find it isn't really anything special.

[DarkOverord]

I think it's hilarious how many people claim "Sonic can't work in 3D" while this game continues to exist.

As said though, It's aged horribly.

Sonic Adventure remains to this day my favorite 3D Sonic title.

Same. That or SA2

Exactly. Sonic Adventure was an absolutely outstanding game when it first came out and it still is, but the way Sonic Team keeps reusing so many aspects of it over and over again is pretty lame and unimaginative. Like the music style for instance; SA was the first Sonic game to make heavy use of rock music with lots of guitar solos and stuff, and it was cool because it was original, something else than the 16-bit video game pop of the older titles. But now that they are reusing that same type of music for game after game after game it just gets tiresome.

You'll find with that. That's just how the Sound Director likes his Music. SA/SA2/SH/ShTH/SatBK are of the rock genre because Jun Senoue is a huge fan of rock music. It simply comes down to that one person who controls the aspects of how the music will go.

But by far the most ridiculous thing of all is how they keep reusing the narrative, or rather the narrative structure of SA to a degree where it's simply pathetic. The storyline in SA was awesome, the way each playable character had their own story arch was awesome, the idea of using a villain even more threatening and powerful than Eggman was awesome, the grand final with Sonic going super while fighting an epic monster to the tune of the games rock and roll theme-song was awesome. But because all of those things were awesome and felt fresh and imaginative the first time around doesn't mean they cant get worn out, which is exactly what they are by now. Really, really, REALLY worn out.

Big agreement, I still to this day love fighting Chaos. Metal Sonic/Black Doom? No. Just no. I REALLY want a game where you know, the main villain is the main villain all the way to the very end. =/ Which isn't a handheld game.

It's overrated.

It was okay for its day, sure, but that everyone including the developers have held it as the perfect example of a 3D Sonic game for so long is just sickening. I really find it isn't really anything special.

I partly agree with this. It is overrated. However. For the most part, it is a good example. Sadly as stated earlier. You can't find anything special because every game after it follows the same format. Even SA2, and I love that.

My thoughts on SA? I play it, I love it. Then I remember that I was 10, and now I'm gonna be 20 this year. And feel old. And then I remember I'm older than the franchise itself. And that makes me feel even older..

[the godfather]

My God this Christmas will be 10 years since I plugged the Dreamcast into my VHS/tv combo and being blown away, This is still (for me) the best 3-D game, just wondered why after the 2 adventure games they drifted away from the formula, So it will also mean that 10 years have gone by since I saw the first screenshots in the Official Sega Saturn Magazine (U.K version) I still have that issue under my bed, that mean Big-Chaos-E102 GAMMA- are 10 this year.

[batson]

just wondered why after the 2 adventure games they drifted away from the formula

Yeah, the did drifted away from the formula in terms of gameplay, but certainly not in terms of story, when they should have done the exact opposite

[188Eternal]

Since I'm not a console-gaming person, I first obtained the PC version of Sonic Adventure DX through the Internet during either the winter or the spring of 2005.

I was so hooked to that game that after beating the 5 story modes I went back online and searched for the PC version of Sonic Heroes... And after obtaining that next game, I entered a state of such euphoria that I ended up joining this message board on September 28, 2005.

The memories are so clear and vivid in my mind that it feels as if all of this happened only half-a-year ago.

*sigh* Time enjoys to run like Sonic.

Edited March 29, 2009 by DarkJedi188

[lounge]

I have two different opinions on this game. The first is that I respect the game for being a benchmark on future sonic games, and I understand that they were getting a grip on making 3d sonic work, and they spent a lot of time deciding what would work and recreating sonic's world. Redesigning the characters. These aspects I respect because they were very important. That, and this game I believe didn't start planning until 1997, which means they had one year to develop it.

My other opinion, is that I didn't play the game until 05'. The DX version. When I played it, it was, in my eyes, severely unpolished. The terrible cutscenes didn't do the story any justice. The idea of the story was very cool, but the cutscenes resulted in me not caring for the story. The levels got boring fast. There wasn't much to do in them, and they were too short. That and there were only 10 sonic levels. The multiple characters felt boring to me. Tails was a shorter, uninspired version of sonic's. I actually prefered tails in the tornado 2. He was a lot cooler shooting stuff. Knuckles were okay, but I enjoyed the knuckles stages in SA2, because at least you got to play in different environments. The E-type robot was surprisingly fun, but again, playing in the same environments didn't really flow well.

I forced myself to finish Big's story in one day. I was surprised that the fish programming was well written, and I can tell they obviously spent a lot of time programming the A.I. But there was one problem.... it was BORING!

Amy, again, I rushed through. If I could describe Amy's stages, It would be that once you force yourself to finish her story, you'll never touch her again.

I will say the music even in 05' was extremely impressive. Both in sound quality and melody.

SA2battle is just a much more polished, more enjoyable experience. saDX bored me after a month. But it was a necessary game in the franchise.

Edited March 29, 2009 by lounge

[cause_of_chaos]

Wow - I remember my friend importing a Japanese DC when it launched there, with SA1 and Pen Pen. When I played SA1 for the first time it was in black & white (NTSC console on a PAL TV). But I was completely blown away by it!

It ran as smooth as silk and looked gorgeous - the whole experience from start to finish was breath-taking.

I have since finished it 7 times and finished the GC version 5 times and still can't get enough of it (though some of those A rankings are ridiculous!)

I think that the new games are really missing the old badniks and themed levels like in SA1 - I think that sets SA1 apart from most of the other 3D Sonic titles.

cause_of_chaos

Edited March 30, 2009 by cause_of_chaos

[Silencer226]

It's aged horribly, but it's still one of my favorite games. I guess it's because that game is from my childhood and I grew attached to it when I was only 8 years old and it was my first Sonic game. What I really like about this game that the newer ones cannot seem to get right is the enemy design, and the levels, I'm not even sure why but this game just has "fun" written all over it for me.

[SuperStingray]

SA was the first Sonic game to make heavy use of rock music with lots of guitar solos and stuff, and it was cool because it was original, something else than the 16-bit video game pop of the older titles. But now that they are reusing that same type of music for game after game after game it just gets tiresome.

I'm going to have to disagree on that one. Most video game series have a standard music style and though rock is abundant in Sonic, it's hardly the only one used. It may be the basis of most of the game's theme songs but beyond a few levels and bosses, that's pretty much it. In Sonic Adventure, beyond Open Your Heart, It Doesn't Matter, and perhaps a few others, there was variety in both the character themes and level music. Then in SA2, same deal. Each character had a different associated genre. Sonic had soft rock, Tails had techno(ish), Knuckles had rap, Shadow had industrial, Eggman had hard rock and... I'm not so sure what Rouge's is but I think it may be half Latin half blues or something. Then in Heroes, rock served as about half of the main themes and even then, the levels have a strong variety of music similar to the classic games. Then in Shadow, I guess that one does have a lot of rock and metal, but there is also industrial and techno involved as well. Sonic 06 was almost all orchestral. Secret Rings did have a lot of rock, but it also had an Arabian flair. Sonic Unleashed, same deal as Heroes. Black Knight, also rock, but a celtic twist.

What I'm saying is that it's really a misconception that rock and roll is overused in the 3D games. It really only serves as a character defining genre for Sonic (and sometimes Eggman.)

[188Eternal]

Amy, again, I rushed through. If I could describe Amy's stages, It would be that once you force yourself to finish her story, you'll never touch her again.

On the contrary, being hunted by Zero aboard the Egg Carrier was the most memorable experience for me out of the whole entire game. It gave me chills yet somehow kept me wishing that the chase would last as long as possible.

(Yeah, so I guess I'm a freak. But that's just how weird I felt. I was nervous but at the same time I wanted the chasing to keep going and going. )

If I ever get a wave of nostalgia to play SADX again then the very first story that I will re-visit is definitely going to be Amy's.

And besides, her story in that game was vital for her character development. Without it she would just remain as the same helpless child that she was back in Sonic CD...

Now THAT would've been boring for sure.

Edited March 30, 2009 by DarkJedi188

[SuperStingray]

And besides, her story in that game was vital for her character development. Without it she would just remain as the same helpless child that she was back in Sonic CD...

Now THAT would've been boring for sure.

I agree she was very well developed in that game, but frankly, I think she heavily regressed after Sonic Adventure 2.

Edited March 30, 2009 by SuperStingray

[Cany the hedge]

Y´know, my first sonic game was Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (and boy...didn´t i LOVE it), i then crossed paths with it´s predessesor backin ´05. I liked it, not as much as SA2...but i had fun with it...who would have thought 10 years have already passed huh?

[Thirsty Pocket]

Yeah. Sonic Adventure really is how Sonic should be in 3D. It feels fast, but it's not all about speed. It's about platforming.

Knuckles and Tails felt like you were still playing as Sonic, but with flight, gliding, or punching. I can't speak for the other 3 characters. Big definitely was the biggest drag to play as, but his part of the game wasn't terribly long. Amy and Gamma... well Gamma was more fun to play as than the Tails and Eggman walkeres in SA2. And Amy... well. She's not that bad. She's a slower paced, more challenging character to play as. Only 3 levels though? What a shame.

Really. Why can't todays games be more like Sonic Adventure? I mean, I really liked Sonic Adventure 2, but they have been sticking too much to that style. Sonic Adventure played more like a classic Sonic game.

If Sonic Heroes had played more like Sonic Adventure, I beleive it woulda been perfect.

Edited March 30, 2009 by Lando The Bat

[jackskellinghog]

I started up my Dreamcast yesterday and had good old go at perfect chaos. The original was so much better than DX...I'll play with you some other time ;3~