Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)

[JezMM]

So basically Sonic games from Colors onwards?

 

Let's not be too pessimistic about the state of play with modern Sonic, not always the same fans, but many fans enjoyed Colours, Generations, Episode 2 and Lost World, the first two especially.

[Tani Coyote]

With regards to the post-Colors comparison...

I suppose. I don't think Colors and Generations had this much displeasure, though.

Hence why I'm hopeful E3 will show off more if the game's meat.

Ratchet can get rather tedious with its combat, but it usually has lots of side quests and mini games to make up for it.

[Skyward Sword]

I feel like a Skylanders has been pulled with the Wii U version and sonic and co have been shoehorned into a unrelated game with those mach speed zones added on to pander to the speed junkies. I'm still interested, but the Wii U version seems to lack a good battle system for it to be more "combat-based"

 

The 3DS version also looks... mixed. I like the focus of exploration but the game overall feels... lacklustre. Interested to see that Sanzaru games are developing though.

 

Lyric is a disappointment. I'm tired of the "Reptiles are Abhorrent" trope and his name sounds too feminine (Seriously Lyric? Might as well call him Melody or Cadence).

 

TL;DR

Ehh... Still interested but much more cautious now.

[Celestia]

The 3DS version looks bleh, to be honest. Boom Wii U still interests me, though I hope the characters are sped up quite a bit. It doesn't even look like they have a real running speed, just a jog. Weird.

 

So basically Sonic games from Colors onwards?

Since when do "diehard fans" (whoever the fuck that's supposed to be) "hate" Colours and onwards?

[Detective Shadzter]

Oh I understand the second point Shadzter raises.

I'm just saying companies care about profits, not romantic notions of how games should be. It's sad, but true. Slapping Sonic's face on a different kind of game may not please the fan base, but it's a low risk maneuver in terms of sales due to brand recognition. It's the same reason when cereal companies get bought out and their recipe is changed, they keep the old logo and name.

But that's another problem. They're now causing brand confusion of what Sonic's really about. 

[Eitarou]

...I like them.

[Diogenes]

I really am foreseeing this being Sonic's All 4 One. Disliked among the diehard fan base, but fairly popular with families and more casual fans.

I watched a Let's Play of All 4 One.

It looked like a buggy, terrible mess.

[Dizcrybe]

But that's another problem. They're now causing brand confusion of what Sonic's really about. 

 

Let's not forget that even Sonic Team can barely comprehend that at times.

[Marcello]

Just add Shadow and guns and we can rename the game to Shadow the Hedgehog 2. I'm pretty sure there was combat in that game.

I think there was some punching and kicking in it, but using anything besides a weapon was pointless since it took so long to kill an enemy.

 

..so who's looking forward to the car racing levels? They're in every Sony platformer.

 

After having just played through the Jak HD trilogy, I swear I will snap if this happens. xO

[Tani Coyote]

But that's another problem. They're now causing brand confusion of what Sonic's really about.

No more than Mario Kart or Mario Party confuse fans of that. The brand name is Sonic Boom, and each installment has a subtitle.

The main brand is Sonic. It's a subtle difference but it's there.

[Mauro Fonseca]

Let's not forget that even Sonic Team can barely comprehend that at times.

 

With the exception of the 2005-2006 era, they kept brand identity pretty tight for the 20 years of the franchise. Sonic's fast, Sonic's cool, Sonic plays fast, Sonic plays cool.

 

No more than Mario Kart or Mario Party confuse fans of that. The brand name is Sonic Boom, and each installment has a subtitle.

Mario Kart and Mario Party are visible different genres, as shown by the karts and the party on the covers, for one. Boom is the same turf as mainline. Your argument would work if it were, I don't know, an RPG.

[Balding Spider]

I haven't touched on this yet but did they seriously just throw in another robotic themed villain out of nowhere when they already had one?

Edit: Just a thought. Is anyone else reminded of Epic Mickey when watching the videos?

[TCB]

Late I know, but I'll make this short:

 

Since it's the 3DS version I'm looking on getting...I'm looking forward to picking it up. Before Lost World 3DS release I was hyped for that version as it looked like I can really enjoy its gameplay. Afterwards...yeah my hype died down but it wasn't that bad of a game for me.

 

With that said, I'm going to be cautiously optimistic for Shattered Crystal; from what was shown I did like it, but at the same time it looked like an updated Gens 3DS engine lol. That doesn't mean I dislike it; there are things I like so far about it (vibrant, Metroid-esque gameplay). There are things I am weary about though; for instance things look a bit barren in the level design. Regardless I'll be keeping tabs on it. 

 

As for the Wii U version...all I can do is weep as I'll most likely won't be able to play that version for a while D:

[Detective Shadzter]

No more than Mario Kart or Mario Party confuse fans of that. The brand name is Sonic Boom, and each installment has a subtitle.

The main brand is Sonic. It's a subtle difference but it's there.

The general public who don't really follow Sonic aren't going to know the difference. 

[SlickEvan]

So, the replies are all over the place. (As in how rapid they're popping up, most share a same general consensus) 

 

So, as for me.... Well..... As, almost, everyone else I don't know exactly how I feel yet. There's things I like, things that I don't mind, things that are weird, and things seem off. Nothing yet, has totally upset me, but nothing yet has me off the edge of my seat onto the floor, besides maybe some of the dialog. So I'm just gonna analyze my thoughts real quick:

 

What I like: I really like how it's looking and the way it's set up per say. I like how Sonic isn't super fast and how levels are more spread out. I definitely like the extension of Sonic's moveset with all the kicks and homing attacks and spin dashes (Yes! he can spin dash, but... I'll save that for later) And in the platforming sections/character path sections it looks to be really fun, truly. 

 

What's not so much my taste: It looks really slow. I don't care about "fast" Sonic because fast doesn't really mean much unless handled correctly but this... this is a different case. In say Sonic Adventure, he wasn't as "fast" as Unleashed, but only to make nice enviorments and real platforming sections (not saying anything about boost please don't take it that way) that Sonic must move through, but pulling off his abilities gracefully and creatively make for speedy fun play. This looks a tad too much like the werehog. -irl interruption- And that's not a 'bad' thing but it is really jarring. The combat this a little too focused also but nonetheless it looks pretty cool.

 

-In closing- 

 

When they said they took inspiration from everything they truly did. And there's one thing that I thought they wouldn't do and tried to defend against early on, but.. they made a jak and crash and etc the sonic. To me it does look good, but not nearly what I expected, which isn't a bad thing. I was going to say it wasn't meant to be what we expected normal sonic, it's been said many times, but now it looks like people are getting mad at that line so I'll leave it be in any replies. I hope games in the future will add more of the normal Sonic we have come to know (and maybe take some ques from Adventure... :3) and tune the gameplay more a tune to "Sonic". BUT keep it's originality. I'd personally increase the speed some add more platforming and mix the combat into the platforming and by that I mean just add enemies as you normally would along a stage but maybe give it 2-3 hit points and they'd be stronger the further into the game. 

 

I see both sides of the spectrum but I'm still on the slightly excited side. I've come to like much of what all Sonic games offer and not just because it's Sonic. In most of them there is something to give it charm even if I don't like everything. This game will probably be the same. Seeing as BRB come from a Sony based platformer series I can see why'd their influence would be more obvious than not and hopefully Boom gets the chance to see more titles that fix and form the Boom Series. Likewise with Sonic 1, Sonic 2 and 3 continued to build upon each game. I feel the same will happen with Boom. And I say, still, give it a chance. It's not meant to be SEGA SONIC I know it should still have the soul of "Sonic" but I'm gonna say this again it's hard to channel that "Sonic" when there's so many sources to dig from. Seeing as they said they took inspiration from everything it's easy to see why it's a little all around. Plus trying to throw their own spin on it too. That's a hard task, not even in a "I'm trying to defend their work" kind of way either. I think it'll be fun as a "Sonic" game and it's own stand alone title. As I said before lets just hope the next Boom games in the franchise help develop it further.

 

EDIT: I've touched on this a couple times before. But I really don't see how this is anymore "confusing what Sonic really is" then Shadow, Battle, Chronicles, Secret Rings, Boost Trilogy, Lost World, Adventure (and heck that was the closet to what Sonic originally was), and few others.

 

Because really what the heck is Sonic. Bringing up attitude doesn't matter when it comes to gameplay, bringing up gameplay doesn't matter when it comes to story, story doesn't matter when it comes down to whatever and so. It's a big and I mean BIG consensus of what a Sonic actually is. Saying one thing doesn't fly without bringing up an other and from that we derive into what individual people think what it is.Then it gets all scrambled. Everyone who brings up this point (or mostly everyone) also tosses in things that they, themselves and maybe a few other, think he should be which will most likely conflict with someone else's thoughts of what Sonic is. I believe unless you want to bring up the core of what made sonic, sonic (Sonic 1) then I personally feel mentioning it is probably just a bad idea, because a person like myself doesn't buy into things like that. Now from Sonic 1 his purpose was to be a different take on a platformer, cool, and speedy... Personality / Genre wise. But when it comes to the gameplay... Unless you want to compare every game to this one then there is no base of what Sonic gameplay should be. Because I'd probably say something more like Adventure but more open with exploration and richer platforming... BUT then you'd get someone who say's the Adventure titles weren't fast enough and he is about speed- do you get my point? Sorry for my rant but that just bothers me.

[SenEDDtor Missile]

Did anyone besides me hear Windy Hill MUSIC in the background?

[Tara]

I'm a bit mixed on it, though for not quite the same reasons.  I think it all looks good, mind you, but the proportions is what worries me.  I'm okay with combat being slower as, to me, overtly-intense speed has always been a bit of detriment to the combat that I've seen with any game that involves combat (with the exception of Super Smash Bros. Melee, which was quite a different game altogether).  I just hope that the concept of "speed taking a backseat" doesn't mean that the speed sections will be so few and in between that it ultimately drowns out any resemblance to Sonic in the slightest.

 

With that all said, though, I think the game looks really cool.  I'm not saying I'd accept it as a substitute for the main Sonic series, but as a completely different timeline in a completely different series, much like SatAM is a completely different series to Sonic X, I can accept it.  It has a charming feel to it, sort of in the vein of Crash Bandicoot.  The fact that it's such a deviation from what Sonic usually is doesn't bother me.  I consider it along the same lines as how superhero comics tend to have a ton of different spin-offs and alternative universes.  Having the two series running side-by-side, independently of one another could have some interesting results.

 

Bearing in mind, this is coming from the same person who actually really likes the Werehog stages in Unleashed, so take that with as much salt as you please.

[Marcello]

I haven't touched on this yet but did they seriously just throw in another robotic themed villain out of nowhere when they already had one?

Edit: Just a thought. Is anyone else reminded of Epic Mickey when watching the videos?

But he's Sonic's most powerful enemy yet!

[Tani Coyote]

I watched a Let's Play of All 4 One.It looked like a buggy, terrible mess.

A mess that was popular with families. And popularity is the bottom line.

After having just played through the Jak HD trilogy, I swear I will snap if this happens. xO

With the resume of this team and the toy car we've seen... I think it's very likely you will end up snapping come this holiday season. XD

[Willsy]

In the video that GameXplain uploaded of the 3DS, I'm pretty sure I saw a 3D level. Maybe there are both 2D and 3D adventure levels? I really hope so, that would be the icing on the cake for me.

[Badnik Mechanic]

"Different" doesn't automatically mean "bad".

 

Again, thats not why people are complaining, I even said this in the post you quoted.

[Blue Blood]

Edit: Just a thought. Is anyone else reminded of Epic Mickey when watching the videos?

 

If we're talking the Wii U version, then I totally get what you mean. It's that exact same sort of uninspired 3D platformer with one little gimmick tacked on. It's much like Pac Man Ghostly Adventures. All the same sort of tat. 

[Celestia]

Did anyone besides me hear Windy Hill MUSIC in the background?

GameExplain used WH's music for the video, that's all. It's not part of the footage.

 

...Unless you didn't think that and you were just pointing it out. XP

[SenEDDtor Missile]

GameExplain used WH's music for the video, that's all. It's not part of the footage.

 

...Unless you didn't think that and you were just pointing it out. XP

The latter.

[Blue Blood]

I wish that GX didn't replace the audio. I'd love to hear what the game sounds like. And the o footage clearly did have audio, cause they showed us some of the voice clips specifically.