Sonic the hedgehog 4 - previews, interviews, and impressions topic

[LoseR]

Pretty cool actually.

Plus the picture of the Sonic x Puyopuyo calendar looks pretty cool, even if I've never really been a fan of the Puyopuyo series.

[BlazingTales]

Honestly, it looks a hell of a lot worse than the render. The quills look horrible, like they have been looking for the most part for a while now. The face looks flat and the mouth somehow looks more awkward than the render. Looks almost as bad as the 20th anniversary art.

Interestingly enough, wasn't the 20th anniversary art also based off a render? Those seem to be the only pieces that feature that facial structure and quill layout, as the Sonic Channel and other promotional images seem to keep with Uekawa's traditional style. I always knew 2D art doesn't translate well into 3D, so I suppose it works the other way around, too.

[Ferno]

I keep staring at the pictures as hard as I can, with all my might...and all I can see is Sonic. The 3 quills, circular head, nose, mouth, arms & legs, it's like, all there. No problems on my end.

Maybe the fact that his nose is centered on his face rather than stylistically to the side like it usually is in 2D art, is throwing people off a bit? :r

Edited April 13, 2012 by Inferno

[Blue Blood]

Like Inferno said, I don't see a problem. It looks a thousand times better than the soulless renders normally used, and the one used specifically for this game. Uekawa's art does tend to look a lot more plain than it used to though, I'll admit that. The SA2 art very smooth and flowy, the peak of it's quality. Still, plain 2D art >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> renders, any day.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Detective Shadzter]

Destructoid Ken Balough interview

[OlenJimi]

"I love the fans" Thanks Ken.

Man, Billy Hatcher has a good soundtrack... anyway, that was my favorite interview with Ken. Destructoid has some cool people in there.

[Penny]

I find funny that SEGA seems to think that there are only 2 groups of Sonic fans: 2D fans and 3D fans.

Hello,SEGA, you know there are people who like both!

[Scar]

Liking both is more of an overlap than it is its own category of fans to be honest.

But I will say that most people who like 3D Sonic games like 2D Sonic games. I don't know a Sonic fan who doesn't like the classics.

[Barry the Nomad]

I grew up on the classics and love them like crazy, but I was also swept in the "OMFG 3D Sonic!!1" era of Dreamcast games. So I'm def a fan of both. Stupid gaming press simplifying things.

[Marcello]

I find funny that SEGA seems to think that there are only 2 groups of Sonic fans: 2D fans and 3D fans.

Hello,SEGA, you know there are people who like both!

[Detective Shadzter]

Another interview

[Blue Blood]

So much PR bull. Nothing against Ken for this since it's just his job (different to his irresponsible behaviour on the SEGA forums a while back), but bleh. Boring stuff. Chances are we won't really get any more fan impressions until the game is out in a mere month's time.

Edited April 15, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Indigo Rush]

So much PR bull. Nothing against Ken for this since it's just his job.

I watched the video because I was intrigued by this statement... but I haven't heard a single thing that's "bull" coming from Ken. There are things I don't like to hear (No Sonic or Tails solo, lock-on isn't quite as exciting, no apples-to-apples physics) but it isn't anything that I would consider to be a lie or general dishonesty, even. To be frank, I don't see any basis for the "PR Bullsh*t" card whatsoever.

Edited April 15, 2012 by Indigo Rush

[Blue Blood]

I watched the video because I was intrigued by this statement... but I haven't heard a single thing that's "bull" coming from Ken. There are things I don't like to hear (No Sonic or Tails solo, lock-on isn't quite as exciting, no apples-to-apples physics) but it isn't anything that I would consider to be a lie or general dishonesty, even. To be frank, I don't see any basis for the "PR Bullsh*t" card whatsoever.

Not so much lies but just it's the whole way he, or anybody else in such a position, talks about the game. The entirety of Sonic 4 so far has felt like a cheap, soulless, cash-in project which they've had to improve upon for E2 simply for the sake of saving their skins after E1 hit such a bum-note with a great deal of fans. E1 was quite horribly marketed as a sequel to the classics and of course named as such, when it's nothing like them at all. What really bothers me about all this when it comes to E2 is that they're all 'we've definitely listened to fan feedback and incorporated that', when they've completely avoided several wide-spread criticisms, gone against what people wanted and/or expected and are still failing to deliver on E1's promises. It's all meaningless bull. Very annoying to listen to (and of course I understand they can't really say much differently, but still).

The S4 games are in no way "a thank you to the fans". The only passion for the game on SEGA's end is from the PR team. In massive contrast to Generations HD, Unleashed HD and Colours Wii where you could feel the amount of love poured into everything.

(But he does lie when saying "not that Ep1 was bad").

Edited April 15, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Penny]

(But he does lie when saying "not that Ep1 was bad").

That is a matter of opinion.

[Indigo Rush]

What really bothers me about all this when it comes to E2 is that they're all 'we've definitely listened to fan feedback and incorporated that', when they've completely avoided several wide-spread criticisms, gone against what people wanted and/or expected and are still failing to deliver on E1's promises.

I understand that the level design (and sadly the music) hasn't improved, but completely revamping the physics isn't something I'd call "completely avoiding." The physics were the biggest complaint and we all know it. That, and we have visual designs that aren't blatant rip-offs of Sonic 1 and 2, which was another big criticism put forth. See, I know they haven't addressed everything, but they still fixed and improved some major aspects of the game. The fact that people completely shove that aside and say "nope, they completely ignored us" is simply not true. This is really the only thing about your opinion that I cannot respect, because it's just plain incorrect. They did listen about the physics, they did listen about environmental diversity, they did listen about that plastic visual design, and they did listen about rehashing bosses and badniks. (save for Bubbles, but I digress) I know you seem to be personally offended by Sonic 4, but at least give credit where it's due.

*sigh*

No bad blood, bro. We're all just trying to get through the days.

[Blue Blood]

... they've completely avoided several wide-spread criticisms, gone against what people wanted and/or expected and are still failing to deliver on E1's promises.

I actually made sure when writing that that I didn't say they completely ignored us.

Edited April 15, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Indigo Rush]

I actually made sure when writing that that I didn't say they completely ignored us.

Gahhhhh okay. Misunderstanding. I hate those. Sorry, man.

Carry on.

[Winston]

That is a matter of opinion.

I think Blue was talking about the graphics. (Unless you know that, and you're defending the graphics.)

Edited April 15, 2012 by Ultimate Symbiotic-Freddie

[Neon]

GotGame Hands-On:

http://gotgame.com/2...g-4-episode-ii/

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II is surprising but it is far from perfect; while most of the game feels as if its in line with the expectations of a blue blur homage, some of it feels as if it still wants to be considered among the likes of more modern games such as Sonic Heroes and Sonic Unleashed. For every five moments spent hopping and bopping around the vibrant scenery, there is one moment spent bashing against an enemy’s robotic skull until it explodes. That said, 5:1 is a far better ratio than has been seen in most title outside of Sonic Generations, and that is enough for me to find reason for excitement in this latest attempt to recapture the golden years of the Sega Genesis. Episode II isn’t perfect, but it offers a promising new direction for the franchise in the wake of Sonic Generations, its major momentum swerve of a product.

Articles are still using the fanmade Episode 2 logo...

[ArtFenix]

..and again, there is a load of bull in the article. Splash Hill in Ep2? Please! Ep1 stages and bosses were copied from Sonic 1? Well yeah, but they were copied from Sonic 2 as well.

And yet again they mentioned Sonic the hedgehog 2006 and forgot about Colors (which I don't like THAT much, but I appreciate the positive response it got), only mentioning Generations as a good modern Sonic game.

[Blue Blood]

..and again, there is a load of bull in the article. Splash Hill in Ep2? Please! Ep1 stages and bosses were copied from Sonic 1? Well yeah, but they were copied from Sonic 2 as well.

And yet again they mentioned Sonic the hedgehog 2006 and forgot about Colors (which I don't like THAT much, but I appreciate the positive response it got), only mentioning Generations as a good modern Sonic game.

That's pretty much a case of critics being critics, getting stage names and origins confused. The specifics don't matter much. They only mentioned '06 in relation to how bad E1 too.

[Penny]

I think Blue was talking about the graphics. (Unless you know that, and you're defending the graphics.)

I thought he meant the game. Even so, the graphics for E1 weren't horrible. They were good enough.

[Blue Blood]

I thought he meant the game. Even so, the graphics for E1 weren't horrible. They were good enough.

Ken was specifically talking about graphics, I wasn't specifically talking about either. It was a joke obviously enough.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Blue Blood

[Detective Shadzter]

SEGA's Mike Kebby has posted this on the PS Blog, his former place of work.

Bringing Collaborative Play To Sonic 4 Episode II

EU PS Blog

http://blog.eu.plays...c-4-episode-ii/

US PS Blog

http://blog.us.plays...c-4-episode-ii/

In the EU PS blog comments he says he will be back with more info soon.

Always nice to be back Skookie

The price will be revealed at a later date, I’ll be back on the blog in due course with more info.