IGN: A Tour of Sonic Lost World [Gameplay]

[SilentDoom]

Oh wow I just realised fast tunnel level (Desert Ruins Zone 2 i.e. the 3rd WiiU level shown) reminds me so much of this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwf9Mr3yG-4

 

I personally had quite a bit of fun with the slide levels/segments in both Mario 64 and Galaxy 2 (the ice slide vs the penguin in 64 in particular was one of the most memorable moments in the game for me) and that essentially looks like a more fun version of this.  Mind you it's best if they're used sparingly and each one feels unique to each other.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[Conando]

From Aaron Webber's Twitter:

 

 

Now, why would he bring up the EU date for an event that doesn't even come there? Possibly a public demo?

 

Maybe SEGA has submitted it to the eShop. Some publishers submitted their E3 demos last year, like the Kingdom Hearts 3D one.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Super Mario

[Carbo]

The Demo tweet is from yesterday and is referring to Project Diva F.

[Gabz Girl]

Just wanna reply to this...

 

The more I watch the Wii U gameplay, the more I get aggravated at the dash pads. Seriously... they have absolutely no reason to be in this game. I'm sorry, but I can't get over it. It's the only gripe I have, and it bugs me so much because it's a blemish on an otherwise solid-looking game. Seriously, with the candy level they showed, it honestly looked like the dash pads almost ruined the stage...

 

 

Sorry, but did you just completely ignore the fact that the 3DS version you like so much is also to blame for too many dashpads? See Hogfather's screenshot a couple of pages back.

[Tara]

Here's why red ring suck:

 

Normally you replay a level because there is something about it you didn't experience. Now I'll simply not count those who think they haven't experienced something about a level and will replay it out of pure free will and intuition because there's no way to ensure anyone is going to do this. That's why you need something to influence anyone's behaviour. Offering a door etc.

 

Any hidden item required to unlock whatever does that. They're a reason to replay the levels, more than anything. If you know, right from the start, that you'll have to get 5 of them in each level, you have a reason to explore them and eventually replay them because, after all, completing the game is far more important. And just like I can't say anything about those who replay levels just because, I can't say anything about those who won't collect red rings just because they're optional. Separating "completionists" and "non-completionists" is silly, because it's categorizing people and there's no way we can do that with enough certainty. What we can do is to understand how a hidden item will (try to) influence someone.

 

If you scatter them throughout the level in paths you know the player wouldn't normally take, we have the problem of "how". Either we make the path accessible through a specific skill, specific use of a common skill or through a condition external to the character itself.

 

• With specific skills, we may end up lecturing the player: if you've never done it, it's because you must do it now. It gets predictable, and predictable exploration is gimmicky. Sonic Advance 3 did that. Probably more than any other game ever.
• With the specific use of a skill, we may ruin the intuitiveness of the entire game. So how do you do that again? Spindash and jump? But here? Through that, we run the risk of blurring the line between what we show as threatening and what we show as promising: if it doesn't feel right, it's because it's right. If we do employ this method, it's best for us if the intervention in the level design is brief in order to make it less weird to go where we are going. Sonic CD is a main offender with its Past signposts, even moreso because you'll often stay in the same path searching for some place to get enough speed.
• External conditions can be basically anything. Having 50 rings opens a door like in Sonic R; going too slow in a section you make a door close like in Sonic 4: Episode 1 (Mad Gear Act 3); killing a badnik will reveal a secret passage (can't really remember of an example, but it's possible); etc. This is less problematic in terms of turning what you're doing into a special task instead of something fluid, because in any case you know what you'll have to do, but can do it in any way you see fit. However, this makes us need to control many more variables. For example: in Sonic Rush, you must use Boost power to access the special stages. If a level is hard, then hiding the... switches or whatever in the same way you would in easier levels is much more aggravating. So you need to balance very distinct parameters.

So where does the problem with the red rings lie? You know they're there, but you must take all of them. What are the chances of not overdoing any of the methods to extend a level's lifespan? Fat chances. If they were more flexible, the way of playing to get whatever needs to be unlocked would also be more flexible. Therefore, they wouldn't turn the replay into a task-completing endless chore. The fact that there are always so many of them is aggravating, too. You can make two paths in a fork feel natural to follow, but three is much harder, even moreso in a fast-paced game like Sonic. How to turn collecting red rings into more than a checklist? I doubt Lost World will even try to do this.

 

I'd much more in favour of letting the external conditions be more present and in less intensity. Giant rings in S3&K were better, but still not what I'd like to see. Sonic 2 was my particular favourite, but Sonic 1 (GEN/MD), Sonic Rush, Sonic R and Sonic Adventure did a better job here.

I see every factor listed here as possible...

 

But not as possible problems.  I'm not quite sure how anything listed here really detracts from anything.

[Chooch]

You know Land of the Livid Dead from Rayman Origins? Well just make a 3D version of that here and we're good.

I fucking hated that stage.

 

I didn't see it as much of a challenge as more of an exercise in masochism.

[Soniman]

I fucking hated that stage.

 

I didn't see it as much of a challenge as more of an exercise in masochism.

 

Well it's something id like to see when it comes to difficulty in Sonic and NOT something like Eggmanland.

[chirf]

But they looked fun and controllable.

 

Yea, but I just hate that they took up the 3rd level slot for a mach speed zone when they could of had an actual "hard" level that still lets you explore and run around.

 

Obviously this is my own personal preference, of course, but I just wish the "top running speed" in the mach speed zone was another speed tier you could control with the controller, and not ONLY have it at certain parts of a level, or certain levels entirely. 

 

Especially when you get good enough at the game, I'd love to throw away the training wheels and see if I could run through the stage at that speed lol and not just in designated levels. I know the spin dash is back but it's not the same to me

[Chooch]

Well it's something id like to see when it comes to difficulty in Sonic and NOT something like Eggmanland.

I feel like the Land of the Livid Dead and Eggmanland have more or less the same kind of bullshit, but maybe that's just me.

 

I'm find with challenge but there is a fine line between genuine challenge and obnoxious trial and error.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Chooch

[Vec]

Awesome! And the egyptian themed level music was so cool

[jords]

This game looks great!

 

 

Well, im gonna be at best buy alot playing this demo

and other good shit they got going on there.

[Komodin]

The Demo tweet is from yesterday and is referring to Project Diva F.

 

... Meeeeeeh, I knew it was too good to be true. 

[Nepenthe]

Perhaps I need to go back and look at it, but Sonic didn't look like he was going significantly faster than his top speed in the normal levels. Even assuming as such, you will still be able to blaze through the normal levels with the controls given. It's the entire point of the tiered-speed system in the first place. xP

[Conando]

*Moved onto the 3DS videos* Oh my God, Sonic's doing laser kicks. SONIC'S DOING LASER KICKS.

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

Great, forced mach speed zones.... -___-

 

It's like SMW in some levels when we have forced screen scrolls.

[Conando]

I don't see the big deal with those tube race stages. It is actually a thing a lot of other platforms have done before, it makes perfect sense with Sonic considering the character is about speed. I thought it looked fun at least.

[Emperor Robrainiac]

So far I really like what I'm seeing... I admit, I got a little dizzy at the beginning of the video. Not to mention, I'm a little concerned with how slippery the controls look. But overall, I'm really digging the variety of level design and overall gameplay

 

Very impressed with the 3DS version as well. When watching the tutorial video, It took me a while to realize that I wasn't watching footage of the Wii U version.

[Gabz Girl]

Yeah, because I was totally going gaga over the 3DS version and praising it to no end... I made one post about the 3DS version, saying I was more impressed with that version over the Wii U version. That was my initial reaction, and in fact, I retract that statement. Must have just been the thrill of seeing a portable Sonic game with actual 3D gameplay. You act as if I was putting down the Wii U version, which wasn't the case at all.

 

Alrighty...sorry about that. O.O It did sound like it was your favourite version from your first comment in this topic. I think the 3DS version looks impressive too, but because it's Dimps I'm still not sure if it will be a day one purchase for me unlike the Wii U version. You can see some of their err..level tropes in the gameplay footage.

[Rinzler]

That tube section looked quite fun imo. It also seemed as if it required more input than the high-speed sections in the other 'modern' games.

[Sarah Jane Smith]

Finally a Sonic game where you do different things. Sick of same-y Generations/Unleashed level designs.

[Carbo]

I don't see the big deal with those tube race stages. It is actually a thing a lot of other platforms have done before, it makes perfect sense with Sonic considering the character is about speed. I thought it looked fun at least.

Have to agree. Super Mario Galaxy 2 did some levels like this and the tree slide level in particular which looked similar to this was fun as hell. Levels like these can be great fun if they're well done and I'm glad that they're able to vary all the levels so they're not just retreads of previous acts like in Colors.

[Diogenes]

I fucking hated that stage.

 

I didn't see it as much of a challenge as more of an exercise in masochism.

It's an exercise in confidence more than anything. Once you know what you're supposed to do, rushing forward and doing it is almost always the solution. It's kinda too memory-based, but aside from that it's pretty good.

Anyway, Sanics. I am very interested in where they're going with this, even though it's nothing like my precious classic-styled gameplay. Sonic's a bit too twitchy (though I think I prefer this to Boost Era's "no turning without drifting" style) and the candy stage didn't really do much for me, but that aside the game looks stylish, exciting, and fun, in a way Sonic hasn't been in a long time.

[Scar]

God no. That wouldn't work. At all. The level design is accommodated for multifaceted obstacles and the parkour is built to make use of it. In fact, it was the one thing I hoped they would get rid of the most because it's what I hated with Generations and Unleashed. Moving at jogging speeds is nice and all but most of the time I'm going to want to try sprinting to get through levels on a naturally fast basis, and I don't want that to impede on my control. I want to be able to sprint without feeling like I'm turning like a car on a wet surface. The only reason this was never a problem in Generations is because every Sonic path is a linear straightforward path only accommodated to quickstepping, making turning while running completely useless, but that's not the kind of game this is. Sonic sprinting on an open path with a control like that would be a nightmare, you should feel open and in control, and Sonic isn't running at Generations speeds in this.

The controls could have been a little more loose if sprinting but Generations control is not the way to go. I'm glad they abolished it and I hope it stays that way forever.

Except the controls in this game don't appear to be any better or any more nuanced. Its great that they saw a problem in the way that Sonic handled like a speedboat in Generations, but they replaced it with something equally bad, merely in the opposite direction. Its looks a lot like Heroes, except you have 3 different speed settings. And I use the word settings, because it doesn't look like you can go at any speed in between.

When they said they have a run button, I assumed the run button meant that you merely had higher acceleration. Looking at the gameplay, that doesn't appear to be the case at all, you just switch (almost instantaneously) from low speed to medium speed.

[Double Agent Motobug]

I'm glad I didn't get my hype train up for this one. I think I might just go for the 3DS version and not bother with the WiiU one, but I'll have to try it out at E3 first I guess. I really don't like how they're going about this game. Some concepts look awesome and sound great but were executed poorly IMO. 

I do, however, like that UFO Wisp. That looks sweet. Oh, also, for a level called "Desert Ruins" there sure isn't a Desert or Ruins besides the 3DS version.

[Strickerx5]

Well this was certainly interesting. It seems that with every reveal my thoughts on this game change... though I have to say I feel quite the same way on the gameplay. It was weird to me from the start so while my expectations have changed due to actually seeing the  game, I'm still kind of off put a bit (though not really in a bad way)... hmm, having a hard time putting this into words here... I honestly can't wait to get my hands on this game to gain somewhat of an opinion. I love the idea of being able to play in the style that best fits you (changing from platforming to sonic speed with certain buttons). Though, there are a couple of things that worry me from this preview.

 

For starters, the time limit. This has the potential to completely kill the want for exploring in certain levels. I literally can't phantom why they chose to bring it back. Second, Sonic seems to turn on a dime. I know it might not look natural now due to this being an early build but I'm really hoping his movements become a bit more fluid before release. Thirdly, I'm sorry, but I'm still a bit put off by the visuals here. I can understand going for a more cartoony art style, but I feel as though ever since Unleashed they've been taking steps back in terms of the HE. Hopefully heavier updates will be put on display in later builds, but for now the game just seems so... bland. I know this won't matter to a majority of you, but it just irks me to see Sonic Team (who have up till this point have always created visually great games) create something that could of been produced years ago. It won't affect my overall enjoyment of the game, but it'll definitely be a first for me to go back and play a five year old game (Unleashed) and say "Wow, this looks much better than the game I just brought for a supposedly stronger system!"

 

Anyways, the game is looking pretty solid in terms of actual gameplay and is looking to have a variety of neat features that I'm excited for. Also, I have to point out the part in the preview where they talk about the inclusion of Amy and Tails. Aaron's answer just gives me all the more hope that this story is going to be miles ahead (no pun intended) of Generation's at least. In terms of the 3DS version, I like the way it's turning out. I can't really say which version I'm looking forward to the most (due to my viewpoint of the WII-U version being so bat shit insane) but it's definitely looking like a buy for me. Overall, I'm still very interested to see (and play) what this game has to offer. Really hoping we get some more information (gameplay elements, story, music, ect.) next week.