Lost World: Discussion, Impressions and Fan Reviews

[Blue Blood]

Lost World's story could have easily been another SA1/Unleashed affair. It has all the makings of a proper story, but all of it was intentionally ignored in lieu of having being like a kids TV show.

[Narukami07]

Unleashed's story wasn't pretentious at all and was more enjoyable and engaging than the ones that followed. Colors was great as a one-time, "day in the life of Sonic" type deal, but I'm tired of it and I want a return to the SA1/Unleashed style of plot. That is, a plot I'm actually somewhat invested in.

I'd actually like that very much, just stay away from the Monster of the Week-Final boss cycle towards the end while keeping the tone of SLW and everything else should be fine.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Narukami07

[Blue Blood]

Something I didn't mention in my review- who the fuck  decided to call this game "Sonic Lost World"? You know, that's an awesome sounding name that brings about images of an ancient civilization, a mysterious world and lost of other mysteries. Lost World could have had this by way of the Zeti, the Lost Hex and the conch. In practice, none of it is there. The world itself isn't even a part of the story outside of a single line of dialogue in the opening scene. It's more like "Sonic Accidentally Found Somewhere". The game should have been called "Sonic vs The Deadly Six", or "Sonic Hex Adventure" (in line with Rush Adv and World Adv). The title they went with is totally lost on the game.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Blue Blood

[Semi-colon e]

From what I am seeing, I agree with Blue Blood on the Mario thing. Even in the 3DS version there's that level where you push apples onto stuff, with cheery Mario Sunshine style locality and music in the background.

 

At least Colours was surreal but had detail and the Sonic flair, with realistic detail and a nice balance, or say Generations Crisis City and Speed Highway, which look realistic but with surreal bits such as the vivid colours in them. I feel like Sonic always had a mix of real and surreal, whether it's surreal environments with realistic detail or realistic environments with surreal or wacky detail. This just doesn't stand out.

 

I also get the impression the 3DS version uses the Wisps better, but not by much. I don't know they brought them back other than "because it worked in Colours", at least in Generations there was a purpose as they were only in the Colours levels, even if they were inferior to Colours's usage.

I haven't played either version an I was shocked at the low scores initially, but the more I see and hear, the more I can see why. A shame, really, it seemed like they were onto something awesome.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Semi-colon e

[Doctor MK]

Something I didn't mention in my review- who the fuck  decided to call this game "Sonic Lost World"? You know, that's an awesome sounding name that brings about images of an ancient civilization, a mysterious world and lost of other mysteries. Lost World could have have this by way of the Zeti, the Lost Hex and the coch. In practice, none of it is there. The world itself isn't even a part of the story outside of a single line of dialogue in the opening scene. It's more like "Sonic Accidentally Found Somewhere". The game should have been called "Sonic vs The Deadly Six", or "Sonic Hex Adventure" (in line with Rush Adv and World Adv). The title they went with is totally lost on the game.

 

Maybe "Lost World" doesn't refer to Lost Hex (even though it obviously does), but rather the fact that Sonic's world becomes all but lost during the story. In that case, it might be an ungrammatical summary of a plot point. Foreshadowing ~

 

Or... OR... maybe it's a poorly punctuated battle cry. "Sonic lost, world!" screamed the villainous Zavok down towards the earth below, safe in the knowledge that its spiky hedgehog hero had let them all down and was now left stranded by himself, alone.

 

Whatever way you look at it though, the title makes no sense.

[DaN]

ok I finished the game and I collected all red star coins but 3 (that tedious last one on frozen factory act 2 and 2 from lava mountain act 3).

I can honestly say that I appreciated this game a lot more than I thought I would

 

as a fan of the Adventure series this gameplay feels to me as a sequel to those games. I appreciated the boost era, but 3 games were a bit too much, and that gameplay, even if it was really fun,  wasn't really that expandable anymore

Sonic Lost World is a step towards innovation for sure, I can see a lot of potential for things to come, mostly concerning multiple playable characters with extra abilities. Seeing Super Mario 3d World, while it seems a really well done game, reminds me why I prefer Sonic: action, thrill and speed. The boos trilogy had its limits, it was fun to speed through the level and all, but now with Sonic Lost World they added the option to EXPLORE like never before, and it opened up MORE gameplay approaches the series needed.

 

In Sonic Lost World u can play levels by massive exploration with low speed, but you can also try the faster approach when u start to get use of the controls. The fastest but hardest way is using the spindash, and this is really useful for speed-runs, and when u master it it gives u a lot of satisfaction

 

What I'm trying to say is that even if mario 3D world presents a huge variety of situations, u still play the same way all over again, and the power-ups are cool for sure, but they don't change the feel of the game that much, u just run around and jump with the same pace. Sonic, with just his default abilities, can be played in different ways and different paces. The Wisp powers made me smile a bit and are nice to see, but I feel they're quite useless. Even though they made a good use of them, because they don't break to much the gameplay, and are 80% optional

 

I might add though that comparing Sonic to Mario is not that easy, their concept is completely different, aside from SLW mimicking Galaxy style a bit too much.

 

In the end I'm really curious to see what's next for the series. Things that need to be improved IMO are:

 

- fixing the aiming: sometimes aiming enemies with the homing attack and kick can be quite glitchy

- increase Sonic's normal speed and give it some momentum, while keeping ZR for faster running/parkour

 

 

 

Things that need to change:

 

- a proper momentum mechanic should be back as well as the spin attack (by tapping ZL)

 

- I can tollerate the Galaxy art style for one game, but I'd like the Sonic series to have a different feel. Heroes and Unleashed did a pretty good job with that. Get back to that style with some more machinery + nature levels like Planet Wisp

 

- ...so get rid of the tubular levels and planetoids (maybe keep them for Chaos Emerald special stages) that are too reminescent of Galaxy. I'd keep the cylinder structures though, it is really fun to blazing through them with spin dash

 

- Introduce at least 3 more playable character with a multiplayer option, and with some extra abilities for them (ex: Tails can fly a bit, Blaze can double jump higher while still attacking)

 

- The dialogues are fine, but I'd like to see a bit more mature plot, something in line with Sonic Adventure 1

 

- Get rid of the Wisps, they're fair in this game, but they don't feel that needed. Introduce the shields again and add more types

Edited October 23, 2013 by DaN

[ArtFenix]

Typical))). Time is passing, more criticism appears. People now see just how similar to Mario the game looks and sounds and how unfair the level design is and that the story isn't much better than Colors.

Makes me a bit warm inside. But it's only typical. The hype is disappearing and people can think straight whether they like this game or not.

Good review, Blue Blood.

[Straw Hat]

Typical))). Time is passing, more criticism appears. People now see just how similar to Mario the game looks and sounds and how unfair the level design is and that the story isn't much better than Colors.

Makes me a bit warm inside. But it's only typical. The hype is disappearing and people can think straight whether they like this game or not.

Good review, Blue Blood.

Well, of course there were going to be criticisms when the game came out. None of us were expecting it to be perfect, but our views were positive (and from the most part, still are.). We remained optimistic when the game came out because we found promise in it, whereas you would pick apart the smallest negative thing you could every time something popped up as if you wanted the game to fail the whole time. It was pretty annoying.

[smogfog]

Something I didn't mention in my review- who the fuck  decided to call this game "Sonic Lost World"? You know, that's an awesome sounding name that brings about images of an ancient civilization, a mysterious world and lost of other mysteries. Lost World could have have this by way of the Zeti, the Lost Hex and the coch. In practice, none of it is there. The world itself isn't even a part of the story outside of a single line of dialogue in the opening scene. It's more like "Sonic Accidentally Found Somewhere". The game should have been called "Sonic vs The Deadly Six", or "Sonic Hex Adventure" (in line with Rush Adv and World Adv). The title they went with is totally lost on the game.

Since when SSMB members want something in Sonic to make sense? Especially such a minor detail as a game title? I though it's just me and ArtFenix who are "make sense" maniacs. Every time I come here, I see you having fun, laughing over every single stupid inconsistent detail, pretending it to be made on purpose, just for fun. It would be more like you to say "Lol, Lost World is such a misleading title, it's just hilarious, I love it."

Edited October 23, 2013 by crystallize

[smogfog]

Fired and then what? We get stories that are similar to Colours and Lost World, but with an even worse script? Cause I'm betting that's what would happen.

Any average scenarist or even a good fanfic writer can give you a better script.

[Blue Blood]

Typical))). Time is passing, more criticism appears. People now see just how similar to Mario the game looks and sounds and how unfair the level design is and that the story isn't much better than Colors.

Makes me a bit warm inside. But it's only typical. The hype is disappearing and people can think straight whether they like this game or not.

Good review, Blue Blood.

No.

No no no no no.

Some of us pointed out the Mario similarities on day one. Everyone remained optimistic and open minded regardless of whether they thought it was like Mario. And the Mario influence does work in the games favour sometimes.

You've no reason to feel warm inside when all you've done is trash talk the game and people who weren't over dramatically repulsed by it. In effect, you decided you didn't like this game the moment that it was revealed and haven't let anything convince you otherwise.

Also, Crystallize, what on earth are you on about?

Edited October 23, 2013 by Blue Blood

[Indigo Rush]

 

 

No.

No no no no no.

Some of us pointed out the Mario similarities on day one. Everyone remained optimistic and open minded regardless of whether they thought it was like Mario. And the Mario influence does work in the games favour sometimes.

You've no reason to feel warm inside when all you've done is trash talk the game and people who weren't over dramatically repulsed by it. In effect, you decided you didn't like this ge the moment that it was revealed and haven't let anything convince you otherwise.

Also, Crystallize, what on earth are you on about?

 

Blue Blood, you're my favorite member for the day.

 

I'm glad to see that this game is getting more positive reviews than negative ones, at any rate. I've noticed that most scores that are in the red are because Sonic isn't the exact same thing he was in Generations. Speed this, speed that. I'm hoping that they take the best of Lost World (parkour, toggling the run, some of the art direction, better story) and find a way to improve it while making it a tad faster for those speed demons such as myself. 

 

It's funny. Only 4 people give it a bad score, and almost everyone else is giving it an average to positive one. 

http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii-u/sonic-lost-world/critic-reviews

 

Far more positive than negative.

 

That being said, there are some legitimate issues with the game (something that most of us have not actually denied), but instead of wanting to scrap the whole thing, we want it to improve. TSS' review as well as Jim Sterling's are probably the most level headed and honest towards the game - far from giving it nothing but praise, but also recognizing it's ingenuity and risk.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Indighost Rush

[Blue Blood]

That being said, there are some legitimate issues with the game (something that most of us have not actually denied), but instead of wanting to scrap the whole thing, we want it to improve. TSS' review as well as Jim Sterling's are probably the most level headed and honest towards the game - far from giving it nothing but praise, but also recognizing it's ingenuity and risk.

 

... I'd rather they scrapped the whole thing and made SA3 (yes, I said it). Just implement parkour somehow, and the run button if it's really necessary.

 

Lost World is interesting in it's ideas, but I'm keen to see more of what it didn't do rather than what it did do.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Blue Blood

[Indigo Rush]

Well, that's kind of what I was driving at (minus the SA3 bit). Suppose I should have explained myself a little better: parkour, run button, more colorful environments and character development is what I wanted them to take from it, not necessarily the whole planetoid in the sky design.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Indighost Rush

[Bouldergeist]

What if this gameplay style will introduce us to an adventure-esque game done right.

[Soniman]

I dont know whether to be surprised or kinda worried that this is the game that is getting everyone to go"bring back Sonic Advnture/SA3-ness" again.

[pppp]

I would be ok with a return to SA1(Not SA2, that plot is just as out of place from a Sonic game as Shadow's, it only worked better cause they kept the out of place terrorist and government bullshit more subdued than in Shadow's) style of plot and gameplay with 2 conditions:

 

1. Please, for the love of all that is good, get a writer that can write dialogue that doesn't make me facepalm and can write a script that doesn't have plotholes. I can't possibly take it seriously if stuff doesn't make sense.

 

2. Please, just speed stages, make only speed stages. I know this is like beating a dead horse at this point, but i just want speedy platforming, nothing else.  Sonic Lost World 3DS, while having no stupid gameplay styles, also suffers greatly from straying from what Sonic is supposed to be. The only level in that game that was about speedy platforming was Windy Hill 1.

 

Do this and I'll be happy.

[Sami]

It's not the script that's the problem. The Colors writers writers are really quite good at what they do, it's just unfortunate that they have no material to work with. They have to write a script that is almost completely inconsequential, but still enjoyable at the same time.

It's like trying to build a house out of toothpicks.

[smogfog]

None of us were expecting it to be perfect

Yeah, I remember all these "guys, I think I've just found a new love" posts.

 

Everyone remained optimistic and open minded

Those are opposing things. Let alone this is Lost World we are talking about.

 

And the Mario influence does work in the games favour sometimes.

In this case developers shouldn't even try to think about influencing Sonic with Mario. This is like... betrayal. I used to think that that old "Sega vs Nintendo" war still somehow protects Sonic from Mario influence.

 

 

Also, Crystallize, what on earth are you on about?

Just another site where I'm called a narcoman, huh?

I mean at first you guys are protecting SG and SLW, saying that it's wrong to try to find things in these games, that doesn't make sense, and we should just take it as it is. And now when you've found in SLW something that doesn't make sense, you've begun treating it as a flaw.

Edited October 23, 2013 by crystallize

[pppp]

It's not the script that's the problem. The Colors writers writers are really quite good at what they do, it's just unfortunate that they have no material to work with. They have to write a script that is almost completely inconsequential, but still enjoyable at the same time.

It's like trying to build a house out of toothpicks.

 

Well i was talking about the writing of SA1 being crap, not the Colors script. Colors plot didnt make sense, but the story didn't take itself seriously so neither should we.

[JezMM]

Well i was talking about the writing of SA1 being crap, not the Colors script. Colors plot didnt make sense, but the story didn't take itself seriously so neither should we.

 

I don't think anyone does, the frustration lies in wanting a storyline we CAN take seriously if that's our bag.

[pppp]

I don't think anyone does, the frustration lies in wanting a storyline we CAN take seriously if that's our bag.

 

I'm all up for a serious plot, just as long as it is Pixar style of serious, I don't want more crappy anime cliches.

[Sami]

Well i was talking about the writing of SA1 being crap, not the Colors script. Colors plot didnt make sense, but the story didn't take itself seriously so neither should we.

Oh that was more so directed at the people calling for them to be fired.

[Carbo]

Yeah, I remember all these "guys, I think I've just found a new love" posts.

In what ass-backwards world do you have to reside in to confuse perfection with excitement? Is the latter some sort of bad thing or are you just pulling the age-old "stop liking what I don't like" crap?

 

Just another site where I'm called a narcoman, huh?

I mean at first you guys are protecting SG and SLW, saying that it's wrong to try to find things in these games, that doesn't make sense, and we should just take it as it is. And now when you've found in SLW something that doesn't make sense, you've begun treating it as a flaw.

No one has ever said that. Stop projecting out of a glass house. What people are doing is having healthy, constructive discussions about flaws, positives and what outweighs the other. There is a difference in expectations and results. What people might anticipate to be something good can end up being worse in practice. A game has problems? A Sonic game no less, which is a series that has been in the realms of the half-assed for an entire decade? Who knew! We don't actually know that until we get to play the game though, and the opposite of the aforementioned expectations applies.

You and ArtFenix take so much pride in pointing out shortcomings, boasting how right you are and how "you're the only ones who care about making sense", even though what it essentially amounts to is moving goal posts. This presumptuous attitude is fucking bile, and frankly you two need to stop victimizing yourself with the "it's my opinion" excuse to justify this asinine behavior. That shit has no place here.

[pppp]

See to me a Sonic story needs to be like a Pixar movie or a Ratchet and Clank story: An overall lighthearted tone with jokes, but with enough substance to make it have dramatic depth, not to mention good writing.

 

Making a Sonic game dark and gritty...that makes no sense to me. Why? What's the point?

 

These characters belong in a cartoony-like tone, even 90s Sonic Team thought that, going by the Sonic OVA.