Rebooting the Franchise: Good or Bad?

[sonfan1984]

I guess it's just that Sonic didn't talk in the older games. But once Sonic started talking he constantly spews out awkward lines that just make him look stupid.

"Yeah, this is happenin!"

"WE'RE SONIC HEROOOOOOOOEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!!"

"Is it time for a clobbering?"

"Excuse me giant killer robot? You wanna do this the hard way or the easy way?"

Maybe I'm too used to Sonic spewing out cheesy lines since he went 3D. It doesn't really bother me.

[Celestia]

Seriously, Sonic needs to either start acting cool again or just shut the fuck up.

He did shut up for most of Generations, and it was really boring. I'm sorry, but I prefer his snarky personality in Colours (although it'd be good to tone down the jokes...they're so cheesy I can't not love it, but still) to "blankly stare at my friend as they thank me for saving their lives, then nod and maybe give a 'cool story bro!' thumbs up + smile if I really feel like it".

[sonfan1984]

He did shut up for most of Generations, and it was really boring. I'm sorry, but I prefer his snarky personality in Colours (although it'd be good to tone down the jokes...they're so cheesy I can't not love it, but still) to "blankly stare at my friend as they thank me for saving their lives, then nod and maybe give a 'cool story bro!' thumbs up + smile if I really feel like it".

I didn't find him to be that boring, he was pretty laid back. I really wish he interacted more with his friends though, that's my only disappointment.

Edited April 7, 2012 by sonfan1984

[Nepenthe]

Sonic's been spewing stupid-sounding stuff since 1993; what we hear in the games isn't some misguided revelation.

Regardless, I felt he was boss in Colors anyway; Cubot had far worse lines. But even more pertinent; this is a problem that can be solved with, yanno, better writing? Every solution to a problem doesn't need to be blood-letting.

Edited April 6, 2012 by Nepenthe

[Kuzu]

What amazes me is that people still have this perception that because Sonic was silent that he was this uber cool badass, but suddenly when he starts talking it makes him less of one. I mean since when do we start judging characters on what they say or act like, rather than their actions? I mean people have a real shallow way of judging the characters.

[sonfan1984]

So how about that silly rumor about the reboot. There's countless topics regarding Sonic's characterization in the series already.

[Chili Dawg]

Regarding the rumor we've been hearing, my thoughts are no, just no. I don't want to have to buy a bunch of flash drives with little statues on 'em to get the whole game experience, so any Skylanders type bullshit is a no no. You might have taken my dragon, but you take my hedgehog too and there'll be hell to pay. Well, not really, but I'll be annoyed.

The idea of a reboot in general though? I'm torn. On one hand I feel like they're best off to keep doing what they're doing, but there's only so far they can go before it comes stale. Does that mean we need to fully erase everything that happened beforehand? No. But part of me does want to see something that can be to the modern era what Sonic Adventure was to the classic era. Something completely new like nothing else the franchise has seen. I don't think it's time for that quite yet though.

[Sega DogTagz]

I’m not buying the reboot rumor 1 bit. Not even .000001%.

If they were planning a reboot, they would have done it back in 07-08. Not five years after digging themselves out of one of the darkest pitfalls of the modern gaming industry. It doesn’t make any sense that they would put so much effort into going from where they were, to where they are today, to simply turn around and throw it all away. Rebooting the franchise would be a waste of time and a waste of a playstyle, that still has a little bit more room to grow.

Sonic’s got good mojo for the first time in a while. Cleaning the slate of that is kinda foolish in my opinion.

Even if they wanted to shake up the playstyle a bit, you don’t need a reboot for that.

Edited April 7, 2012 by Sega DogTagz

[Diogenes]

I mean since when do we start judging characters on what they say or act like, rather than their actions?

Yeah, we should judge the characters by how they act, not by how they act!

...buh?

[Kuzu]

Yeah, we should judge the characters by how they act, not by how they act!

...buh?

You know that's not what I meant.

[Burning Neoxor]

I would be okay if a reboot if were to reintroduce characters to improve them (making Rouge a strong female character instead of paring fodder) or to reassign their roles ( giving Knuckles a role where he more accessible but not to point where he is Sonic's second tag-a-long best buddy). However, I'm against the elimination of characters via reboot.

[Chaos Rush]

I mean since when do we start judging characters on what they say or act like, rather than their actions? I mean people have a real shallow way of judging the characters.

What they say and act like is part of their personality - it contributes to what makes up the character. Yes, their actions contribute to the characters, but so do their personalities. So to me, Sonic is this guy that can run really fast and do really cool things, but he's also socially awkward.

(yes I am aware that the script writers do not intend for him to come off as socially awkward, but his lines are so cheesy, lame, and awkward so that's just what it's coming off as to me)

[Nepenthe]

As far as the reboot is concerned, I don't believe the rumor going around at all and pragmatically the idea itself is pointless. There's no internal logic to the current universe preventing other characters from having some spotlight and development. The only preventative measure in place now are net-goers who get overly-offended at the sight of anyone beyond Sonic, Tails, and Eggman, and their bitching will not go away if you do a reboot. So it goes without saying that Sega would do much better to simply say "fuck you all" and actually use their own creations in the current universe they've crafted.

[The-Master-Board]

Let's put it this way. If the reboot is true SEGA can go F@#k themselves.

Reboot Sonic and I'll boot Sonic from my likes.

The series is fine as it is, reboots are never a good idea. I like the series DUE to its history and lore, developed characters/places/events and whatnot.

I honestly can't see this rumor being true, why would they possibly want to reboot after such a grea game like Sonic Generations that celebrates the history of Sonic?

[Mangoaxe5]

I like the idea of Eggman's grandfather being able to create the ultimate lifeform! The fact he needed help from some alien dude kind of ruIns it for me.

Personally I like the fact that Shadow's part alien, and I like the fact that Gerald Robotnik had help creating Shadow. It always bugged me that Robotnik's grandfather was able to create an ultimate lifeform by himself. So I don't mind the retcon.

[Phos]

The concept mentioned in the rumor sounds terrible.

Man, I just dunno. Such a far reaching question with so many variables, it's no secret that I think there's a lot of embarrassing stuff that I'd rather Sonic be without, but there's good stuff in there too (at the beginning), I guess I just don't really see Sega doing this right.

[Nerfuffle]

We facepalm over the dumb plot twists and lousy, hypocritical marketing campaigns that continue to this day, but why do you think people still pay attention to this franchise?


Can anyone name what the most recent Crash Bandicoot game was off the top of their head? How about Packman? Perhaps if he turned into a werepuck occasionally. I love this franchise because of the creators' bizarre ability to make such ridiculously avoidable mistakes and yet somehow benefit from it.

Even if they do axe all the characters for some reason, what would we be losing? Some cameos and shoehorned convolution? Their pesky mascot status that prevents any character development? When have they resolved plot holes or expanded on past stories without tacking on useless details, or let people play as the characters outside of a vehicle or a sports mini game? So long as a dollar is to be made they will have some sort of presence be it as npcs or in merchandise. If all else fails, the comics would be free to take liberties.

Even if they do change the characters, there's nothing to indicate that they will fit the ludicrously specific visions fans have been bickering about for years. As playable video game mascots that have to shell out introductions to newcomers in mere seconds and are seen at a distance 99% of the time, most of them are designed better for or a more detail oriented storytelling medium.

I'm wishing for something like the revival of Maria and her implied romance with a sniper rifle armed Elise wearing a bikini.



[Kuzu]

What they say and act like is part of their personality - it contributes to what makes up the character. Yes, their actions contribute to the characters, but so do their personalities. So to me, Sonic is this guy that can run really fast and do really cool things, but he's also socially awkward.

(yes I am aware that the script writers do not intend for him to come off as socially awkward, but his lines are so cheesy, lame, and awkward so that's just what it's coming off as to me)

Well that's not how it is, because almost no one finds him lame or cheesy in his own series, so.....yeah, not socially awkward in the slightest. And that's not even what I was talking about, its how you lambast Sonic for becoming lamer ever since gaining a voice, as if had he not had a voice he would somehow have a completely different personality. What implies that Sonic would not be cheesy back in the 90's other than the fact he didn't have a voice, and that's not even an adequite reason considering the technological limitations at the time. Sonic's never changed, but his fans sure as hell have.

[Diogenes]

Sonic's never changed

seriously dude?

[Chaos Warp]

seriously dude?

He's gained a lot more corny jokes and lines through the writing (​ especially Colours), but at the core, no, he hasn't.

Edited April 7, 2012 by Chaos Warp

[Kuzu]

seriously dude?

Yes, I am. He have had parts of his personality exaggerated or downplayed, but at his core he's barely changed.

He's gained a lot more corny jokes and lines through the writing (​ especially Colours), but at the core, no, he hasn't.

Exactly. He's always been a cheeseball, and I'm wiling to bet he'd be no less of one had the original games had voice acting

[Diogenes]

When was he a cheeseball in, say, S3&K?

[Kuzu]

When was he a cheeseball in, say, S3&K?

I dunno, I couldn't hear because of the lack of voice acting.

Edited April 7, 2012 by Shadic18

[Indigo Rush]

I think the DiC cartoons had too much of an influence.

I get the feeling that SEGA originally intended Sonic's "attitude" to be more like this:

[Chaos Warp]

When was he a cheeseball in, say, S3&K?

Well, through his waiting mannerisms and his victory pose, I would say he was always played up as the hog with attitude, even in that game.