Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)

[MamboCat]

Hmm... something else I have noticed. Footprints which light up like Ezio's Eagle Sense and a "shiny". So what is this? Did Archie's Bean sneak into this game?!

[AlphaRuby]

No change?

 

I'm OK with this! 

[Blue Blood]

I'm not seeing much idiocy, so much as he's saying thoughts aloud. "Things inside these things." Well, duh, of course. He just feels a compulsion to state the obvious.

It sounds like he doesn't think before he acts or speaks.

 

There's him making the mistake of interviewing Sonic to be his sidekick, his "whipped cream filling", biting himself thinking he's a fortune cookie and of course that cutscene we've just seen. No, Knuckles is most definitely dumb.

 

We can only hope that we just haven't seen any of it. Amy is kind of bland in the main series (I don't think it's a coincidence she's in fifth place to Sonic, Shadow, Tails and Knuckles), so given they looked to have re-invented her, hopefully they'll follow through and show a personality shift.

 

Amy has a personality in the main series, even if it is pretty much just a one-note. Here though she doesn't seem to have any such thing. She's almost a bit robotic terms of her dialogue at the moment and while Cindy Robinson is doing a much better job with her voice here than in previous games, her delivery is almost emotionless. I'm wondering if Boom Amy is even going to have anything in common with her SEGA counterpart. Boom Amy isn't really Amy. 

[Tani Coyote]

Hmm... something else I have noticed. Footprints which light up like Ezio's Eagle Sense and a "shiny". So what is this? Did Archie's Bean sneak into this game?!

 

I had seen that being mentioned in other people's play sessions but never used it myself... I guess they were only in the underground area.

Sounds like Sonic has a sixth sense of sorts now, overall.

Which makes sense. Guy needs to avoid running into stuff.

 

There's him making the mistake of interviewing Sonic to be his sidekick, his "whipped cream filling", biting himself thinking he's a fortune cookie and of course that cutscene we've just seen. No, Knuckles is most definitely dumb.

 

I guess that's true...

At that point I guess it becomes whether one perceives him as lovably derp or irredeemably stupid. I think the former, personally.

[Willsy]

That underwater plant level looks really fun actually! The only complaints about pacing I've heard are about The Pit, though I'm guessing that could be a tutorial level or an earlier level at least.

I will say that this doesn't really succeed as a Sonic game, but as a game in general, it looks great in it's own right. I don't mind them taking a different approach to things, I mean, we did just have Lost World and there's another Sonic Team game coming next year/2016. I fine with having something different for once, it mixes things up a little.

[Cyrus]

Knuckles didn't have much of a personality before he was changed into the slow comedy relief. He had a backstory and duty, but I don't recall him having any other character traits from Sonic Adventure to Heroes. I'd rather have dumb Knuckles than bland Knuckles, not that I'm against dumb Knuckles. Except when he's a blatant idiot, of course.

[JezMM]

 

Direct feed footage, no commentary

 

 

Okay honestly?  The music is quite nice here.  It's pretty and ambient, fine for the arrival in the opening area of the level...  But I felt like it needed some percussion to come in once they were fighting robots.  I know it changes when being chased by the guardian but yeah, as soon as action starts happening, calm music no longer suits a Sonic game (the only exception would be maybe a special case of a single (near the end?) level offering dissonantly calm music to reflect some emotional state of the story etc, ala Lost Impact in Shadow).

 

And yeah just... sounds like it could come from any game blegh.

[Remynaka]

I figured the models and whatnot would be cleaned up. Now... it's up to the game and how it feels down to gameplay to win the day. I'm not sold on it myself- I don't own a WiiU- BUT I want this to win, I WANT it to be good. The story so far feels different - in contrast to SegaSonic- so I'm looking out for that and the designs ............... are actually warming up to me. Even Knuckles doesn't seem so jarring. - OMG - But honestly so far it's not looking so bad NOW. Knuckles - storywise- seems like he's jealous at times. Not so much dumb.... just pissed. But we'll learn more in the next coming months. Fuck it I'll be honest. The story is what I want to see the most.

[StaticMania]

Knuckles didn't have much of a personality before he was changed into the slow comedy relief. He had a backstory and duty, but I don't recall him having any other character traits from Sonic Adventure to Heroes. I'd rather have dumb Knuckles than bland Knuckles, not that I'm against dumb Knuckles. Except when he's a blatant idiot, of course.

Knuckles had personality...

 

He was the Serious business, Naive, Tough guy Guardian, who's main priority was completing "his" objective. He's also really opposed to being called out on his mis-steps. In Sonic Heroes he was a lot more chill in this game, which would make sense considering the story not being related to his job like Sa1 and Sa2 and not being as serious in general. 

 

From Sonic Battle onwards, he's been an Agressive Hot-headed, tough guy, who likes to boast every now and then...or..., who either plays the idiot comic relief or the unfortunate butt-monkey...he's a cool guy when he's not being a Hot-Headed idiot.

 

Knuckles has always been dumb, how does one get tricked by the same guy 4 times after the 1st time? The 1st time was reasonable, Sa1 was sort of reasonable, those other 3 times shouldn't have even happened unless he just really wanted to defeat Sonic...

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

So, Knuckles is hot-headed as usual. Meh, at least he doesn't come off as useless and dumb.

[StaticMania]

So, Knuckles is hot-headed as usual. Meh, at least he doesn't come off as useless and dumb.

His hot-headed...ness is what causes him to be dumb.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

His hot-headed...ness is what causes him to be dumb.

Meh, I find it makes him more so, gullible and naive. Still, either way, I guess he's really not too different mentally from his SEGA Sonic counterpart.

[Scar]

So I take it that Sonic Boom Wii U version is going to be those types of Sonic games where people will either love or really hate it cause it's too focused on storytelling then gameplay.

 

There are more reasons to potentially hate this game, beyond the fact that there is a heavy (or heavier) emphasis on storytelling. 

People will just ignore the story if needed, as they have done in the past. However, if the game around said story is bad, then they have every right to hate away.

[Doctor MK]

Wait, wait, wait - I just watched the Gamespot footage and... Sonic and friends have to go around collecting Power Crystals? Really?

 

These are basically just going to be the Chaos Emeralds, aren't they? Shiny crystal plot macguffins that can power everything and relate to an ancient race and probably cause the time travel elements in the plot too.

 

I can't help but feel, if that is the case, they're just making them something different for the sake of being different.

[Remynaka]

I think it looks better than the leaked stuff. I do want this to be good. If for no other reason but to get Sonic Team jealous so they can make a better game. They REALLY need too.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Don't miss the memo: TSS hands on impressions. http://www.sonicstadium.org/2014/06/e3-hands-on-sonic-boom-rise-of-lyric/ 

[Kuzu]

 

Direct feed footage, no commentary

• Visuals look to be a bit better in the cutscene.
• Music sucks.
• Amy's idle animation is weird.
• Lip-syncing out of cutscenes is also weird.
• Knuckles is dumb, more at 11.

 

 

 

Jesus, the music is almost non-existent. I understand it can set the atmosphere, but add something. Anyway, the game does look better than that preview video before at least, but still looks a little boring and repetitive. I still hope there are better skills you can unlock to get rid of that feeling.

 

 

That cutscene was pretty amusing; yea, Knuckles is stupid, but they're at least trying to make it into an endearing character trait rather than just to make him the butt of the joke. And no, he is not the butt of the joke here. The joke is how Knuckles tries to assert his authority(Hence why he questions when Amy takes charge), not the fact that " Lol is stoopid".

[TheLaw34]

Almost got kinda excited when i saw the boost pad but then its revealed it only a pointless 2 second boost with zero speed maintained after and not the start of a proper Controllable speedsection inside the mainstory. Instead it comes to a screetching halt the moment you're off the pad.

 

While I am trying to like this game its making it really hard since I see nothing the hooks me and mkae me think I would love trying to do that myself.

Yes i constantly rant about how its slow but I would stop if this game had any type of wow factor that would replace the uniqueness of being able to go fast. Sure the full game might I have no reason to just assume it will.

 

The games trailer was very lackluster with the "action" they showed being a few punches and amy swinging the hammer, also some speed sections but I cant get excited for it if I already know how much of a downgrade it is and them not showing me it not.

It just isnt good enough to make me want to show it to a friend for anything other than it having sonic in it.

[Dizcrybe]

The music reminds me of the US Sonic CD soundtrack with less energy. I dunno how I feel about that yet.

[Willsy]

Amazon FR have a a release date for both versions, Friday 28th November

http://www.amazon.fr/Sonic-Boom-Rise-of-Lyric/dp/B00KX3D7NQ/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_FPJW

In other news, I've pre-ordered it. But since it will probably release earlier in the US, reviews will come in before the game ships for European folk. That way, I can see if I'll like the full game or not.

I'll definitely be getting Shattered Crystal though.

[MamboCat]

Wait, wait, wait - I just watched the Gamespot footage and... Sonic and friends have to go around collecting Power Crystals? Really?

 

These are basically just going to be the Chaos Emeralds, aren't they? Shiny crystal plot macguffins that can power everything and relate to an ancient race and probably cause the time travel elements in the plot too.

 

I can't help but feel, if that is the case, they're just making them something different for the sake of being different.

 

Yeah, I was thinking this too... only I forgot to put it in my posts! XD

 

From the screenshots it would appear rings are also important in the Boom mythos, but in a more spiritual way than collectibles that stop you from dying!

 

Also the toxic underground/underwater labs bit kinda reminded me of uh, I dunno... Toxic Caves, Chemical Plant Zone.

[TheOcelot]

Tweet from Frosty

 

"A girl just isn't happy without her hammer"

 

 

 

 

 

Also the toxic underground/underwater labs bit kinda reminded me of uh, I dunno... Toxic Caves, Chemical Plant Zone.

 

 

Yeah my thoughts as well. The toxic stage - in terms of colour - kind of reminds me of Chemical Plant's modern stage in Generations.

[Blue Blood]

More direct feed footage from GameSpot!

[Willsy]

"Spindash time!"

He actually acknowledges his own abilities. That hasn't been seen in a while...

The music in that level sounds cool too, especially the chase.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

Now, I can't help but wonder if there are some more "running"-ish animations to be put in.