Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)

[Sami]

Also I don't want to be "that guy" but considering I've been called the "graphics guy" anyway I guess I'll bite - 

 

Game's fuckin ugly yo

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

 

Wait...what is this?!

 

Still looking forward to the game though, but gosh are they killing the hype for it.

[Vertekins]

If there's one good thing about Boom to me, it's Amy's acrobatics

 

 

I think they at least look cool and I do like the idea of her exhibiting acrobatic finery. I just always had a headcanon-y thing that she'd make for a graceful acrobat.

[Carbo]

3DS version looks like hot garbage. The design is atrociously generic and everything is hideously devoid of detail. It looks like a half-assed attempt at trying to be a genuine Sonic game. The idea of this being a Metroidvania makes me want to throw up a little.

Wii U version looks like a mid-tier PS2 action title. Combat looks "meh", only salvageable thing about the game will be whether it's adventuring segments can stand up as something of their own.

[Nintendoga]

I think the Wii-U version looks better than the 3DS version. Doesn't look remarkable or amazing, but I don't think it looks as bad as everyone's saying it is. A little worried about how the pacing of the levels seem slow, but I won't mind that too much if the levels aren't too long.

3DS stages look too dull for me, but I'll probably enjoy it if it's metroidvania. Speaking of which, I really wish the 3DS version had 3D platforming stages too, not counting the temple run style levels. This seems more like a huge step back from Lost World 3DS. Gameplay speaking, it looks miles ahead of that game (SLW). (Though that's not really saying much, is it?)

[VO.SUPER]

Also I don't want to be "that guy" but considering I've been called the "graphics guy" anyway I guess I'll bite - 

 

Game's fuckin ugly yo

Heh, for once I really agree with you. It's like being taken back to the PS2 days.

[Willsy]

Wii U:

It looks pretty cool, but I can't say that I don't have my reservations about it. The pacing seems slow and the speed levels seem more automated than Unleashed. So as a Sonic game....well...it doesn't seem like a Sonic game. BUT, as a game in it's own right, it does seem to look quite good, the combat looks fun and free flowing, the emphasis on exploration sounds promising, and the voice acting is actually witty and funny. The bugs and frame rate drops worry me a bit too, but it's an early build so hopefully they'll be ironed out.

Overall, it's a mixed bag for me. I like how there's exploration and a lot of characterisation, but I'm worried at the slow paced gameplay. I hope Sonic can do more than jogging, because it'll really bother me if Sonic can't do what he's known for; going fast.

"RINGS! Nom nom nom nom nom"

3DS:

Metroidvania. Sonic. Metroidvania. Sonic. Metroidvania. And. Sonic.

Aww yiss.

Did I mention Metroidvania?

Overall, Metroidvania.

[JaidynReiman]

Oh.... the whole Amy being, I don't particularly mind... to a point, so long as the reason makes sense since Amy is not a weak distress character and hasn't been for decades.

Apparently for some reason Amy was kidnapped because only Amy is capable of finding the Shattered Crystal. In other words, they conjured up some reason out of the blue for Amy to NEED to be kidnapped so that they can shoehorn Sticks in as a playable character.

 

EDIT: And I DIDN'T think most of the things Andre thought was funny were actually funny. Especially the whole "RINGS!" thing. That was just plain lame, I was laughing at how bad it sounded, not because I thought it was actually funny.

[Mania Pipe]

I saw the previews for this on both versions and... I have a bit conflicted by this. I say that because there are things I really like about the game; like being able to play as chacters OTHER than Sonic and I the visual for the game in the Wii-U looks at least pleasing to me. But the other things in this game, the gameplay that focuses way too much on combat rather than speed platforming and the ground speed be slow and not picking speed and barebones linear as hell looking speed sections really bogg the game down for me.

I guess I'll have wait for more footages from E3, but man... I really want this game to be good, hell not just good but great!

Although I have to admit, Lyric's design is pretty awesome.

[Scar]

I personally don't give a rat's ass about the 3DS version of the game, because even if it is good, its still a 2D game, even though the console is fully capable of fully 3D gameplay. Fucking why?

 

As for the Wii U....

 

The clips of Amy's sneaky-sneaky gameplay looks great....for Amy.

 

Combat looks slow and clunky, with the exception of the boss fight. Also, enemies that take more than one hit to kill. Also why is there so much combat. I mean combat doesn't even look as fun as Unleashed for mercy's sake. Goodness. Why is Sonic so slow in sections which aren't designated "Go Fast" zones? Why does movement look so clunky? 

Why are the speed levels EVEN MORE LINEAR than Unleashed? It looks almost automated. Like Sonic and co are being pulled forward by a magnet of some description. 

 

I wanted to be optimistic for this game. However, they segregated speed and exploration/platforming EVEN MORE than Generations. 

All the mistakes of Unleashed repeated and made worse, with alternate gameplay styles thrown in. 

 

Also the graphics.

The game could look beautiful. But it doesn't. The end result doesn't look anywhere near as good as the concept art, and doesn't even look as good as Generations, let alone Unleashed.

[Rusty Spy]

Then I guess its a good thing this isn't a traditional Sonic game is

I don't berate the game for being combat heavy or co-op based or having open-ended level design or even being a little slower. I berate this game because it pretends to be a Sonic game, but has practically nothing of what actually MAKES a Sonic game, i.e actual speed and fast paced action.

 

Even without speed the actual gameplay looks ripped from about a dozen other beat-em up games with very little originality to actually make it stand out or, ya know, feel like Sonic. The trailer we saw a while back showed a more interesting game that looked like it would blend its new mechanics with the runny-jumpy action of a more traditional Sonic game. The gameplay we saw here looks more like the speed and combat are being kept in separate rooms in separate buildings in separate plans of existence, and neither show any depth or originality that'd validate such a bold new direction.

[Lady Soniko]

I'm wondering if what we're seeing of combat is because they're going to introduce an upgrade system into the works like Unleashed did to make you stronger, more endurance etc. So fighting becomes faster and less tedious.

 

I'm not going to say anything or call anyone out at this point because I learned my lesson with Sonic Lost World, but it's honestly baffling me what people expected out of this when it was pretty much confirmed to be an adventure brawler with friends. SEGA/Sonic has offered us way too much diversity over the years that the company is always going to be flipping off certain fans and polarizing others, meanwhile it's going to continue picking up momentum from new people that were put off by the speed.

 

I like what I'm seeing, because I was expecting a brawler from the start and an end product that is akin to Jak and Daxter, so I'm totally fine currently with it all.

 

I'm going to stay out this topic too because I'm honestly sick of reading all the negativity and expectations that weren't met because they were expecting a Sonic game similar to what we had in the past.

[Marcello]

Apparently for some reason Amy was kidnapped because only Amy is capable of finding the Shattered Crystal. In other words, they conjured up some reason out of the blue for Amy to NEED to be kidnapped so that they can shoehorn Sticks in as a playable character.

 

They could've had both playable.

 

The reason is probably that they wanted to give Sticks more of a focus in the story since she's the new character. And Amy's her best friend, so they can easily show off her love for her friends or something like that.

[Woun]

Interview with Stephen Frost

[Diogenes]

I personally don't give a rat's ass about the 3DS version of the game, because even if it is good, its still a 2D game, even though the console is fully capable of fully 3D gameplay. Fucking why?

Well, because 3D isn't inherently better than 2D, maybe?

[Lady Soniko]

I also don't care what you all say, BRB/ Ex-Naughty Dog have still got the mojo to animate beautifully hot damn the characters are so fluent and full of personality, especially the mecha. Instantly giving me J&D Precursor vibes.

[azoo]

Well, because 3D isn't inherently better than 2D, maybe?

 

It's not the matter of it being better or not that gets him I think. It's mostly just that 2D is always the alternative for portable games even if 3D can be done just as well.

[Badnik Mechanic]

I'm going to stay out this topic too because I'm honestly sick of reading all the negativity and expectations that weren't met because they were expecting a Sonic game similar to what we had in the past.

 

Ok if this is going to be 'the defence' until the game comes out, let me just say right now.

 

I was expecting a GOOD looking game.

 

And by good looking I mean the following.

 

1: It doesn't look like it has a brown colour filter over it.

 

2: It has some varied level design.

 

3: It doesn't look slow and sluggish.

 

4: Has some enemies/challenge/less automated looking speed sections.

 

5: Doesn't look like the levels were coloured using the bucket fill tool from MS paint.

 

I could easily go on with that. I did not want a 'Sonic game that plays exactly like 'Insert random Sonic title here.' I wanted a videogame which looked good and competent. 

 

Do not dismiss these complaints out of hand because 'they're not the Sonic game people wanted.' Every complaint so far on here has been a very valid criticism, not one person has said 'Why isn't it more like *insert Sonic title here*'

 

We're not stupid, we play games other than Sonic, we all knew this would be different from other Sonic games and the focus on combat was more than likely. But nobody was expecting it to look that bad. Even if you take out the Sonic characters and replace them with 'random character brand X' it still looks like a mediocre game. The combat still looks slow, the speed sections still look lifeless and drained, it will till look as bad as it looks regardless as to who is in it.

[Wittymations]

I don't have a Wii U, so I wasn't gonna buy this anyway, so really, the gameplay didn't matter to me, but god, I know this is going to tear the fanbase apart... even more so.

What does concern me is the story and how they treat Eggman, what does Eggman's purpose to be there since Snake-Eggman is apparently the bad guy? Is he going to get the classic "ROFLStomp" that every other new vilalin seems to give him? Especially since the other villain is supposed to be the most "menacing" villain in the series and the cheesy jokes seem to not be able to take him serious at all. So... kinda doubting what Frost said is as hopeful as I wanted. Either case, I'll watch the cutscenes online.

 

My fears about this game are reviewers reinforcing the whole "shitty friends, story sucks don't do it SEGA, we want Sonic only, lol back to the classics SEGA, 2D-2D-2D-2D ALL THE WAY" thing.

 

Every time fucking SEGA takes one step forward in one thing, they take three steps back in something else.

Jesus fucking Christ.

[SilentDoom]

I'll have to concur with the majority here.  What we've seen so far has been rather disappointing.  I'm usually the type that holds cautious optimism for upcoming Sonic titles.  I have done for years.  But I think this may be the first time where I feel disappointed this early and the main issue for me is definitely the pacing.  The name is Sonic Boom for crying out loud.  That name in itself exudes speed.  Yet the adventure sections, which supposedly are what the majority of the game consist of, are sluggish and combat heavy.  The way that it was all set constructed reminded me a little too much of Sonic 06 honestly, though to give this game credit it does exude a lot more style and personality.

 

I guess I'll still need to at least wait until E3 for more, but I'm not quite feeling this game so far.

[Scar]

Well, because 3D isn't inherently better than 2D, maybe?

 

I guess so. However it still irritates me.

 

It irritates me, because it seems SEGA still haven't gotten over the 2D as a crutch bullshit of the past. The 3DS version doesn't make me feel like its a properly crafted 2D game. It looks and probably is just a gimped 2D version of the main game, thrown out on a console with a higher install base to make a quick buck by using the "2D Sonic is better" gimmick from Gen 7. The Wii U version has a shit load of 2D in the speed sections (even though it looks like its completely automated to the point where its a 2.5D version of the mach-speed section from 06) too, which I find to be pretty annoying...

 

Why isn't the game a downscaled 3D version of the main game, using a similar engine, but with different levels to accommodate for he performance constraints? As a companion game, I feel it should be.

[VO.SUPER]

I also don't care what you all say, BRB/ Ex-Naughty Dog have still got the mojo to animate beautifully hot damn the characters are so fluent and full of personality, especially the mecha. Instantly giving me J&D Precursor vibes.

 

Oh yeah, that's one of the biggest pluses about this game. The lighting and models look subpar, but their animation is incredible. There is a lot of squash and stretch, along with huge impact in this animation. Something I hated about the werehog in Unleashed is how weak his attacks looked, despite being incredibly squash and stretchy. Everytime he hit an enemy, it looked like he was hiting the air, but in this game there is an impact in the hits.

[Splash the Otter]

Having watched both videos, I don't really get what people are complaining about. Sure it's different, but it's a good kind of different. I don't think I'll be getting the 3DS version though, mainly because I don't like Sticks.

 

Wow, it's shit.

Like, literally nothing in this appealed to me at all, in either version.

Somehow I knew you would say that. I hope you'll at least give it a chance.

[Diogenes]

It irritates me, because it seems SEGA still haven't gotten over the 2D as a crutch bullshit of the past.

Making a 2D game isn't using 2D as a crutch. Making a supposedly 3D game that's half 2D is using 2D as a crutch.

Why isn't the game a downscaled 3D version of the main game, using a similar engine, but with different levels to accommodate for he performance constraints? As a companion game, I feel it should be.

Now to me, that sounds like the gimped version thrown onto the higher-selling system just to make a quick buck.

[Voyant]

yeah...just gonna wait for the 2015 game from Sonic Team...not digging this at all.