Sonic Unleashed - What is it now after four years?

[Diogenes]

Every tutorial character is captain obvious.

 

Because it's their job to explain shit to you.

[ThisMachine]

I just didn't care for him. At least Omochao was just that, a tutorial figure, that they didn't try to really make a character. And you could beat him up if he got too annoying. I don't hate Chip and he did have his moments, but he felt as unnecessary as the werehog.

[Nepenthe]

The only way Chip is comparable to Omochao is in the Helper department, and I find him more tolerable. There's a few instances where he's forced upon the game, but he doesn't talk in them. However, Omochao is so into his work he assumes you can't read, so he narrates the unhelpful text with lackluster voice acting whilst following you. So yeah, give me Chip any day.

[Diogenes]

I don't hate Chip and he did have his moments, but he felt as unnecessary as the werehog.

So do you consider the entire story unnecessary? Because that's the only way this makes any sense.

[Komodin]

I don't understand... how can Chip possibly be worse than Omochao. Chip was very important to Sonic Unleashed's narrative; Omochao's only purpose in pretty much all of his (her?) appearances is that of the typical (obnoxious and somewhat patronizing) helper character. The Gaia Colossus parts weren't that bad...

[ThisMachine]

I did kinda think the story was unnecessary. I realize Chip was a key element but if he was just that, he would've been more tolerable.

[SenEDDtor Missile]

I did kinda think the story was unnecessary. I realize Chip was a key element but if he was just that, he would've been more tolerable.

Then what would be the point of even going through any of the stages if there is no story, or at least a motivation?

Edited December 22, 2012 by Malpercio

[-blank-]

I don't understand... how can Chip possibly be worse than Omochao. Chip was very important to Sonic Unleashed's narrative; Omochao's only purpose in pretty much all of his (her?) appearances is that of the typical (obnoxious and somewhat patronizing) helper character. The Gaia Colossus parts weren't that bad...

 

Bad in that they made Chip a bad character? No.

 

 

Bad in that the controls were sluggish as hell, the attacks were very difficult to dodge at times, and that is was generally just a really unfun experience? Yeah, kinda.

[Wraith]

Chip may not be as annoying as Omochao but that doesn't mean he's not annoying as fuck.

[ThisMachine]

Then what would be the point of even going through any of the stages if there is no story, or at least a motivation?

I'm not saying there didn't have to be a story at all, just that the story as it stands was unnecessary. You didn't have to know Chip, just like Chaos never had to lose his tail to a frog you had to fish for.

[Diogenes]

You didn't have to know Chip

You did if you wanted a story more than "Sonic fights a monster".

[ThisMachine]

It wouldn't be a stretch, but I digress. I just think he didn't need to be incorporated quite the way he was.

[Scar]

I'm not saying there didn't have to be a story at all, just that the story as it stands was unnecessary. You didn't have to know Chip, just like Chaos never had to lose his tail to a frog you had to fish for.

Chip enables moments of greater character development on Sonic's part. He himself also goes through a fairly important character arc, which contributes to Sonic's own development. Chip could have been handled a little better, but he is most certainly a necessary character.

[JezMM]

I can understand Chip being an annoying tutorial character in the WiiS2 version since he is not only enforced but pauses the gameplay and has fully voiced lines.  On PS360 he only ever talks in story cut-scenes, everything else is text boxes, even during gameplay (exception being the boss fights).

 

Kinda weird that they did record all that tutorial dialogue just for the low-end machines actually.

[Amomynous]

Nope. When him and Dark Gaia were bound by the beam of energy used to split the world into pieces, Gaia unknowingly imbued Sonic with a portion of itself which it re-absorbs when it sees him again in order to become complete. Because Gaia only becomes active upon nightfall, the part of itself inside Sonic activates as well, resulting in the transformations.

Even the night enemies exhibit the Werehog's properties; Because they are fragments of Dark Gaia, they have an elastic quality to their bodies and can stretch their limbs just like the Werehog can. Nightmares, Deep Nightmares and Big Mother's have stretchy arms.

 

It seems likely like that the more wolf-ish aspects of the werehog were added later into the concept, as the form wasn't supposed to be so much werewolf as part Dark Gaia.

[Diogenes]

It seems likely like that the more wolf-ish aspects of the werehog were added later into the concept, as the form wasn't supposed to be so much werewolf as part Dark Gaia.

This is probably true; we've seen some concept art, and he's not explicitly wolfy in all of them.

[Tornado]

I'd like to start with the most controversial aspect of Unleashed. Many critics slam the existence of Sonic the Werehog just because he is not the Sonic we know. Well, the creation of the character is well-thought to work within the universe of Sonic. You can't really say it is absurd for a Werehog to exist in that context. If there can be a Super Sonic, why not this?

As a lover of video games as a whole, I liked the fact that you can try a different gameplay, within a world I love. Fighting with combos and upgrades, Tomb Raider-style platforming and exploration, puzzles to achieve new skills... Of course, a lot of cricticism in Sonic games is "We never asked for different gameplay". Well, that is where close-mindness is the most visible: simply because we've had bad different gameplays in the past, the fandom will not accept any gameplay other than basic Sonic. Even if it is well-designed and works, and clearly the Night stages fit into that. Technical problems are something else; you can complain all you want about camera or movement bugs, but in terms of concept and design, the Werehog has a very interesting experience to offer.

In all, cricticizing the night levels and the werehog only because of its concept, is like hating on Black Knight simply because Sonic holds a sword. That analysis takes nothing else into consideration except the first impression. Not to mention, the nature of the form allowed for some admirable character development, something which is often overlooked.

 

 

Since when are we not allowed to criticize something on a conceptual level, regardless of how well it works, when we (and, has already been pointed out, two thirds of the company who published the game) find the concept ridiculous?

 

 

Call it close-minded and similarly biased descriptors all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that dividing the game blatantly into two separate pieces probably wasn't the best idea when that was the thing that the game got destroyed over from the start. And no, the Night stages were not particularly well designed. They were technically competent and good enough that they weren't offensive. There's a difference.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Tornado

[Vertekins]

It seems likely like that the more wolf-ish aspects of the werehog were added later into the concept, as the form wasn't supposed to be so much werewolf as part Dark Gaia.

 

You can even see markings on one concept that feel very evocative of the groovy markings on the Night enemies;

 

 

In the Wii version, it's even explicitly stated that Sonic is using Dark Gaia's power specifically in the ability in which he can revive himself if KO'ed as long as there is enough energy in the Unleashed bar. And this strange ability of Sonic's to alter form and said form's abilities and bodily properties revolving around the energy absorbed is shown very well in Colours with the 9 Wisp forms.

[Kimb]

It seems likely like that the more wolf-ish aspects of the werehog were added later into the concept, as the form wasn't supposed to be so much werewolf as part Dark Gaia.

Well if the available werehog concept art is anything to go by,the mayor difference I can see between it and the final design is that they had swirly markings/accessories etc,but they all had the similar idea of it being a more bestial version of regular Sonic ('cept the yeti one,that is just fluffyness taken to the max).

 

I can assume they didn't want to make him look too Dark Gaia minion-esque because the neony colors/black sclera/overall gummy-with-spikes look would make him detach too much from the normal form,so they went with a simpler idea for the influence by just making him more feral-looking(add to that the nighttime aspect and you get the whole ''werewolf''characteristic,and they sorta play it by that trope).

Then sprinkle some ''sharpness'' to contrast the fluffy and stretchy with the spiked shoes/claws/fangs/etc, give him that  elastic attribute the minions have (as well as the inverted triangle shape/big forearms that Nightmare/Big Titan spawn have) and voilà! All while still having enough resemblance to regular Sonic.

 

Edited December 22, 2012 by Kimb

[Eternal EX]

To this day, Unleashed is still the fastest sonic game ever created. Sure you can try to move that fast in Generations but it's not happening. Unleashed, while had it's flaws, was an amazing effort by Sonic team. Griffith, in my opinion, had hit his peak in this game. Tails was finally sounding like Tails. And chip while annoying in English, was probably the most perfect character in Japanese. I swear the cutscene where he and Sonic bought some ice cream, that was one of the cutest scenes in any sonic game I've played. (I missed Black knight, Rush and Chronicles) Unleash's biggest problem is not the werehog stages, it was how linear the game was. Werehog could have been pushed sooo much farther than it really was. Sonic stages (werehog and regular hog) could have been more. And as amazing as Jungle Joyride is (still in my top 3) it still could have been better. And the QTE's could have been cut down some. If Unleash's QTE's were switched out with the joystick thing Generations does, that alone would have made the game better. And finally, the EGGMANLAND stage while it may have been one of the hardest and most satisfying stages, could have been less werehogy. Yup. I said it. And I actually don't mind werehog. 

[Emmett L. Brown]

Come to think of it, Sonic Unleashed as a story would function just fine without Chip. You still have the premise of a giant monster being unleashed, Sonic being cursed, and the Chaos Emeralds being sucked dry.

 

Without Chip, Sonic still has to travel all over the world to find the Gaia Temples.

Without Chip, Dr. Eggman is still able to build Eggmanland.

Without Chip, Sonic still has Tails and Amy for exposition and cutscene duty.

Without Chip, Dark Gaia can still be the final boss, fought as Super Sonic, with no Gaia Colossus.

 

I'll admit that Chip gives Sonic some nice character development, but I would've prefered Tails in that role. You know, the guy who already is Sonic's best friend, and who honestly seems kinda weird that he completely steps aside in favour of the little furry fairy midget they just met.

[LATER BUDDY]

While Tails could've filled the role probably, I think one of the neat things about the game is that Chip is a one off character just for the game. He was quirky and different enough to help keep the game a little new feeling, and I feel like the relationship bond Chip and Sonic had was a different case anyways that wouldn't have worked quite the same with Tails.

[Wraith]

Well, I just don't like how they pretty much ignored the other characters for the sake of Sonic bonding with Chip, I mean, Chip could have just as easily bonded with Sonic, Tails, AND Amy. 

[Diogenes]

I'll admit that Chip gives Sonic some nice character development, but I would've prefered Tails in that role. You know, the guy who already is Sonic's best friend, and who honestly seems kinda weird that he completely steps aside in favour of the little furry fairy midget they just met.

Sonic's only allowed to have one friend, because Tails is intensely jealous of Sonic spending time with anyone else.

 

...where do people come up with this shit?

[Nepenthe]

Come to think of it, Sonic Unleashed as a story would function just fine without Chip. You still have the premise of a giant monster being unleashed, Sonic being cursed, and the Chaos Emeralds being sucked dry.

 

Without Chip, Sonic still has to travel all over the world to find the Gaia Temples.

Without Chip, Dr. Eggman is still able to build Eggmanland.

Without Chip, Sonic still has Tails and Amy for exposition and cutscene duty.

Without Chip, Dark Gaia can still be the final boss, fought as Super Sonic, with no Gaia Colossus.

 

I'll admit that Chip gives Sonic some nice character development, but I would've prefered Tails in that role. You know, the guy who already is Sonic's best friend, and who honestly seems kinda weird that he completely steps aside in favour of the little furry fairy midget they just met.

 

 

Chip is the one who saves Sonic from a deadly fall, Chip is the one who activates the Gaia Temples that allow the Chaos Emeralds to be revived, and as clearly displayed in the cut scenes, it would've been impossible for Sonic to fight Dark Gaia without Chip's abilities in play. You would have to rewrite the most major parts of the story entirely if Chip were gone, meaning the current story as we know it relies significantly on his presence to work; the same cannot really be said for someone like Amy and even Tails to an extent.

 

The game would also be missing a great deal of the heart and sentimentality of Sonic and Chip's friendship, which Tails cannot provide because his friendship with Sonic isn't on a time limit nor is it predicated on Sonic exposing Tails to anything particularly life-altering. Contrast this with Chip's rough line: "I've been on this planet for billions of years, but I didn't know anything about it." That's as tragic as it is meaningful in terms of the potential time the player spends positively interacting in the world the game provides. All in all, Chip cannot be replaced easily within the current framework of the story, and he certainly isn't merely a Tails swap.