Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (3DS)

[Blue Blood]

Just making a new topic here so we can discuss the two games separately as they're completely different beasts. 

 

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Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal

 

 

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal is a standalone adventure that shares key characters, events and lore of the Sonic Boom universe with exclusive environments and characters. For the first time ever, gamers will be able to take on the role of Sticks, the newest member of the team who will play an integral role in the story after her best friend Amy gets kidnapped by the ancient villain Lyric. While the Wii U version is focused on action-adventure and exploration, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal will place a bigger emphasis on platforming and puzzles. Additionally, unique collectibles featured in the Nintendo 3DS version will unlock special content on Wii U via Wi-Fi connectivity.

 

 

So it's story revolves around Lyric kidnapping everyone, and then keeping ahold of Amy in particular because she's the one who know about the titular crystal. And in her place we have Sticks to play as. Not sure I'm really happy about that. Amy getting kidnapped is the last thing I'd have expected of this new version on her. Why not Sticks instead? She's the native to this new world. Surely something could have been written in to make her the kidnapped party because she knows the history, while Amy is key to saving her because she also has knowledge as she's an archaeologist. I'm hardly going to say that Sticks' gameplay looks like it's a fun alternative, because standing still while slowly guiding that boomerang seems to be anything but engaging.

 

And moving on to the gameplay, what the fuck is this?

 

 

It's slow, it's clunky and it's made up purely of blocks. I don't know if a Sonic game has ever been this flat, which is weird because this apparently the more normal Sonic game of the two versions. I think it looks bloody awful. GameXplain seem to like it though. I'll wait to see more. At the very least this one has a run button to counter the dreadfully slow pace, and none of the button mashing *ahem* I mean none of the combat of the Wii U Game.

 

Anyway, let's talk.

[Tara]

Speak for yourself.  I think it looks really good, actually.  It doesn't come across as clunky to me at all.  Slower, maybe, but not to a detriment.  I can see why others might not find it appealing but I don't think it looks horrible in any meaning of the word.

[Chaos Incarnate]

I'm sorry, but this just looks dull as all hell. 

 

For a Sonic game that's trying to focus on 2D platforming, I would have expected it to be a hell of a lot more easier to polish than the Wii U version. But alas, it'a looking to me that the level design is bland, and the characters move much slower than expected. 

 

I expected so much more of this, and it's a shame because after Lost World 3DS, I thought it would have been easy to simply polish from that, remove some of the unnecessary baggage, and make it look somewhat visually appealing. This is looking like a massive downgrade, and I get the feeling it was made on the fly like Generations 3DS.

[Detective Shadzter]

I think it looks great. It doesn't look amazing, but it looks fun and at least looks like a Sonic game. I don't think it looks very slow at all. 

[Cyrus]

While it's a bit too blocky for a Sonic game, it does look more pick-up-and-playable than Rise of Lyric. It's got simple platforming, speed, simple combat and exploration. I wish the running speed wasn't so OP though, that shit looks like the boost, and it looks like it'll be easy to run into things. There should at least be another running speed that isn't so powerful. The graphics could use work too. I mean, the textures and animation look good, but the game feels empty. Perhaps it's the camera angle?

[Lady Soniko]

Wow the bias in the OP is really fun to read and not awkward at all.

I honestly think it looks fine, a Metroidvania Sonic could work just like Tail's Adventure did, and it also looks like it's got stellar animation work to boot. Think I'll definitely be picking both up.

[Blue Blood]

Wow the bias in the OP is really fun to read.

 

What bias? I've seen the same as everyone else, and don't like what I'm seeing. And then I pointed out that the preview itself is actually positive, and that I want to see more yet. 

[Cyrus]

I also like Sonic's new multi-directional air dash. It looks as useful as the mid air dashing in the tiny sections of Rayman Origins.

[MamboCat]

Not that I will get to play it, but I'm a little bit peeved that Amy is once again the damsel in distress, when I thought in Boom she was meant to be all kinds of badass?

 

*sulks in the corner*

[Willsy]

I think it looks really good so far! I'm loving the premise of the story though with only Amy knowing the location of these Crystals, and Lyric kidnapping her. The gameplay does look really fun too.

[TCB]

It DOES remind me of an updated Generations 3DS...game-engine wise anyway.

 

Regardless, and since this is the version I'm focusing on getting, I don't entirely mind this style of gameplay. It does look vibrant, and what you call dull looks to have some enjoyment out of it personally. I don't entirely mind the blocky platforming, as on its own merits it does look like quite the simple, yet enjoyable platformer I can get the hang of. t does look to be the more 'speed-oriented' of the two versions, so there's that for a personal plus.

 

With all of that said, I shall remain cautiously optimistic.

[Sean]

I'm a lot more interested in the 3DS version, although I would much rather try a demo first 'cause I won't be getting it before I know it's worth putting 40 dollars down. Sure as heck looks like a step above Generations 3DS and Lost World 3DS.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Just gonna repeat my initial reaction from the other topic.

 

I thought it looked great. Though at the same time it reminds me of how I felt when I saw Colours & Lost World DS. Though saying that, I can't help but feel that the Wii U version left such a bad taste that then immediately going to this has made it look better than it actually is.

 

However that said, I do really like how it seems to be more colourful than the Wii U version, I like how all the stages shown look more enjoyable and interesting than U, there's actually things to do in these stages.

 

Regards to the Amy kidnapped thing.

 

I don't mind... to a point... Amy isn't a weak character and hasn't been for years, so I'd really like there to be a reason as to why she can't get away which isn't "Because the plot said so."

[Tara]

Not that I will get to play it, but I'm a little bit peeved that Amy is once again the damsel in distress, when I thought in Boom she was meant to be all kinds of badass?

 

*sulks in the corner*

Without context, we can't judge how this harms or helps her character.  I don't understand why being a hostage for the bad guys automatically makes them weak or incapable of being good characters.  Like, we've seen pretty much all the characters at one point captured and rescued by another character in at least one media.  To me, it's not a matter of rather or not she's kidnapped (though I am disappointed she won't be playable as a result) but how it's done.

[The Deleter]

 

Anybody else notice that at 3:08, there's a second character on the screen? The alternate characters are teleported into the playing field from the rest of the footage, so could this mean that there's multiplayer for this version, as well?

[DarkLight]

Well it's not like we had another case of a major character starting off as someone to rescue in the form of Knuckles in Chronicles, so consider me not phased at all here regarding Amy since we can at least expect she'll be playable upon rescue.

 

Speaking of which, was that really a big deal when details about Chronicles was revealed? That Knuckles of all people got himself kidnapped?

[Eitarou]

Amy being kidnapped is a slight disappointment.

 

But who's to say she doesn't free herself?

[Detective Shadzter]

GameInformer preview
http://www.gameinformer.com/games/sonic_boom/b/3ds/archive/2014/06/02/sonic-and-friends-explore-sonic-booms-3ds-world.aspx
 

Tails' mini-sub initiates a special gameplay sequence where you ping the bottom touchscreen to send out a sonar blast to catch a glimpse of your surroundings.

 

 

Sanzaru isn't talking about how this Sonic Boom might be tied into the Wii U version, but it is related to the TV show via Sticks. The handheld's story involves the awakening of an ancient named Lyric, who was imprisoned for seeking a powerful crystal. In modern times, Amy has found the shards of the crystal, which causes Lyric to kidnap her. Sticks – Amy's best friend – and the rest of the gang come to her rescue.

 

[Pawn]

It looks better than I was expecting, but I don't see myself buying it yet. The level design is so flat and boring and I'm not too hot on Stick's pace-breaking remote control Batarang boomerang. I do quite like that Knuckles digs in a similar way to the Drill Wisp, though.

[JBrewer]

I agree with Blue Blood. I think it looks somewhat clunky and slow. And graphically I think that Sonic Generations looks better! Although this could be an early demo of the game so that could potentially change.

[Tails spin]

So by the looks of it shattered crystals takes place after rise of lyric

[Da Blu Hedgie]

A metroidvania style Sonic game sounds fantastic and the game looks fantastic, no really. On my computer at 720p resolution the game video looks pix-elated and washed out, but on my htc one m8 it comes a bit closer to Rivals graphics, due to the smaller screen estate, I mean the 3ds is sub 360p. The tube gameplay looks a bit bland, but I like some of the main game-play, especially the fact this plays like a sonic game; just one question where's the hud? Oh and then knuckles is drill wisp. I also thought it was weird that every character can use a homing attack. I'm Also hoping this game has leader boards.

[MamboCat]

Without context, we can't judge how this harms or helps her character.  I don't understand why being a hostage for the bad guys automatically makes them weak or incapable of being good characters.  Like, we've seen pretty much all the characters at one point captured and rescued by another character in at least one media.  To me, it's not a matter of rather or not she's kidnapped (though I am disappointed she won't be playable as a result) but how it's done.

 

It's both; the fact that DS players won't get to play as her if they wanted to, and that the main female character has to be rescued by the main male characters (and the newbie)... but like others have said, I hope that it turns out when you go to rescue her, you actually meet her half way through the game and she's all like "Yeah, I got away from those guys! What? You expected me to just wait to be rescued?!" XD

[Krockhead]

I've always wanted to see a Sonic Metroidvania, so I'll be keeping an eye out on this one. I really hope that this is just a very early build; these visuals look like N64 graphics at best.

[Tara]

It's both; the fact that DS players won't get to play as her if they wanted to, and that the main female character has to be rescued by the main male characters (and the newbie)... but like others have said, I hope that it turns out when you go to rescue her, you actually meet her half way through the game and she's all like "Yeah, I got away from those guys! What? You expected me to just wait to be rescued?!" XD

I won't even mind rescuing her, really.  But I'm hoping it's something that is accomplished sooner than later, with her being playable after the fact.  I still think it's a little too early to dismiss her as a typical damsel in distress.  But that's just me.