Yuji Naka's Latest game: Rodea the Sky Soldier (Fall 2015)

[WhoWhatMan]

 

We finally got a proper Wii trailer for Rodea. I was getting so tired of explaining the differences between the versions lol.

[mikeblastdude]

So, this game just came out in North America. Has anyone else picked it up yet?

I just purchased this game myself since it looked interesting enough, although, I’m unsure which version I should try out first. The general consensus seems to be that the Wii version is superior to the Wii U one, so I’m thinking that maybe I should start off with that one.

[Sean]

Doesn't seem like many people here are playing this... I'll be picking it up today and posting my thoughts on the Wii version. If nothing else, I really hope the world and characters suck me in like Solatorobo's.

[PC the Hedgehog]

Doesn't seem like many people here are playing this... I'll be picking it up today and posting my thoughts on the Wii version. If nothing else, I really hope the world and characters suck me in like Solatorobo's.

That's kinda how I was looking at it with the whole "lands in the sky" theme it has going on. The characters look pretty fun, too.

I plan on picking it up, but I'm too bogged down by other games right now. Gotta get it before they release a version that doesn't contain the Wii disc, as apparently that's the only version of the game worth playing.

[WhoWhatMan]

I have been playing the Japanese Wii version through an emulator and it's extremely fun! A thing I don't think people know that you don't have to flick the Wiimote to make Rodea fly. You can just simply point and press B and Rodea will easily fly to the object. It's pretty helpful if you want a better camera angle while still keep on moving.

[Sean]

Yeah I've only played the first chapter so far, but so far my impressions of the controls are mixed to positive. I appreciate how simple they are (you can tell that Naka is a huge fan of simplistic control schemes), but camera control might have been better regulated to the nunchuk, and I can't for the life of me figure out how to reliably chain yellow gems. By the way, when people say this game feels like a mixture between NiGHTS and Sonic Adventure, they weren't kidding. There's quite a bit of familiar Sonic aesthetic to be seen, especially the use of item capsules and Rodea's gameplay essentially being a souped-up flight version of the homing attack. I'm really looking forward to playing more tomorrow.

[Sean]

This game is amazing for an especially unique reason.

So, the game has no invisible walls. No masses of land in the background that have no hitboxes. You can fly anywhere in the game, just as long as your cursor can reach it. It's pretty incredible just how open the game is at times, even though the path toward the goal is always clear to follow. You can beat the levels quickly if you like, but if you want to explore the surrounding area, you can go ahead and do whatever you want! You want to climb that mountain? If you're close enough, there's no stopping you. There may not be any collectibles or secrets to find (sometimes there are, in the form of medals and bonus levels), but that's not the point.

The first instance I noticed the game's sense of openness was near the end of chapter 2, where Rodea flies toward the huge tree on that massive floating island. You can fly around the tree, explore the ground below the smaller islands, and even head up to the treetops where there's nothing but a little lake. It's such a cozy piece of detail. The developers seemed to have taken extreme care of developing the game's world beyond the normal path you are expected to follow.

I think this is exactly the sort of thing I would want from a more open 3D Sonic game. A lot of areas in Rodea aren't just "highways in the sky" despite the premise. It's very clear what path you're meant to take and you're usually not required to branch off from it, but the option is there, and it feels like a very fleshed out world because of it.

It feels like a proper spiritual successor to both NiGHTS into Dreams and the first Sonic Adventure, and playing it makes me miss Naka's influence on the Sonic series. Not that I haven't enjoyed recent Sonic games, but Rodea Wii makes me wonder about the possibilities had the franchise taken a different direction after SA1.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Sean

[WhoWhatMan]

Yeah I've only played the first chapter so far, but so far my impressions of the controls are mixed to positive. I appreciate how simple they are (you can tell that Naka is a huge fan of simplistic control schemes), but camera control might have been better regulated to the nunchuk, and I can't for the life of me figure out how to reliably chain yellow gems. By the way, when people say this game feels like a mixture between NiGHTS and Sonic Adventure, they weren't kidding. There's quite a bit of familiar Sonic aesthetic to be seen, especially the use of item capsules and Rodea's gameplay essentially being a souped-up flight version of the homing attack. I'm really looking forward to playing more tomorrow.

In order to chain the Yellow Gems, you have to be boosting and also properly face the direction the chain is going as well.

[Sean]

I realized that boosting actually isn't necessary for light dashi... uhh I mean gem chaining. Does make it a lot snappier though

[DBZHedgy]

You don't have to be boosting, you just need to be facing the path that the Yellow Gems make when flying towards it.

[Sean]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9fYGCqvubI

This is your reward for beating Rodea Wii. Not only did NIS America omit the Japanese credits, but after the final results screen it freezes your system and you have to unplug it. Thankfully, it still saves your progress, and beating the final boss a second time on a completed save file does not trigger the crash.

The final boss also sucks, big time. It's a massive leap in difficulty even compared to the penultimate final bosses, and it nearly soured the experience for me, but I managed to overcome them. I'll write up a proper review later, because I've been thinking a lot about this game and although it has a lot of big flaws, it's probably my favorite game of 2015, as far as pure gameplay goes.

Edited November 23, 2015 by Sean

[Agie]

I better get it as quickly as possible. Now or never!

[Sean]

Yeah I totally recommend it, although the asking price (60 bucks..) might scare off some folk. Unfortunately there's just no way for this game to succeed despite it being an overall really good game, since review copies of the Wii version weren't even submitted to reviewers. I really hope more people on this forum get the chance to play it too, due to the similarities it shares with Sonic Adventure and I think with the way a lot of people discuss Sonic level design on SSMB, there's a lot to appreciate about Rodea Wii's levels because it totally feels open and free in the best possible sense, while laying the main path out for you in a very clear way.

Edited November 23, 2015 by Sean

[PSI Wind]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9fYGCqvubI

This is your reward for beating Rodea Wii. Not only did NIS America omit the Japanese credits, but after the final results screen it freezes your system and you have to unplug it. Thankfully, it still saves your progress, and beating the final boss a second time on a completed save file does not trigger the crash.

The final boss also sucks, big time. It's a massive leap in difficulty even compared to the penultimate final bosses, and it nearly soured the experience for me, but I managed to overcome them. I'll write up a proper review later, because I've been thinking a lot about this game and although it has a lot of big flaws, it's probably my favorite game of 2015, as far as pure gameplay goes.

Ah, NISA's still putting in game-breaking bugs in their games it seems :V

[WhoWhatMan]

Sucks that the english copy of the game crashes after the boss. Most people are gonna miss that you can go into a first person view by pressing the 2 button after completing the game.

[Sean]

It does save the game though for what it's worth and otherwise has no negative repercussions. I beat the final boss a few times afterwards (mainly shooting for S-ranks, which I thankfully managed on all bosses) and the crash doesn't occur after the first time. EDIT: Just realized I already said this in my previous post, I'm too tired to think atm

The English version is also missing the Japanese credits and its theme song, which you can hear here: https://soundcloud.com/takayuki-nakamura/dino

Edited November 25, 2015 by Sean

[Conando]

Jesus Christ, can NISA ever release a localization that isn't bug ridden? I know things are going to slip through the cracks, but when consistent game breaking bugs keep making it through, it just doesn't seem like a case of missing something anymore.

[Soniman]

Why the hell does the original version of this game have  a limited pre-order release? After 5 years of waiting the game is out and I STILL cant play it. Such fucking bullshit

Edited December 29, 2015 by Soniman

[Sean]

It's not pre-order only. It comes with first-print runs; if you're hunting for a copy in a store, keep an eye out for a red sticker on the front that mentions the Wii version's inclusion

You can also emulate it if your computer is powerful enough to handle it. I hear it works pretty well with mouse controls

[PC the Hedgehog]

I've been hesitant to pick this game up, as I've reached a point in my life where I can't just plop down 60 bucks on games that I'm unsure about anymore.

Luckily, I didn't have to. Scored a new copy for 40 bucks on eBay, brand new with Wii version included. Can't wait to give it a shot!

[PC the Hedgehog]

I'm at Chapter 14, and I'm...torn.

On one hand, the game has lots of good points. A fun, lighthearted story. The characters are interesting and pretty darn funny at times. The gameplay is unique and inventive. It's basically "Homing Attack: The Game", which isn't a bad thing at all. You can definitely feel the Naka influence here.

On the other hand, the controls can be hit and miss at times, to the point where it can occasionally suck all the fun out of playing. So many times I find myself getting smacked around by enemies because the friggin' camera won't move in the direction I want it to. Other times the reticle wouldn't lock on when I had a handful of projectiles heading toward me and I got wiped out. At times I was tempted to throw my Wiimote across the room in frustration.

All in all, thus far it's been a fun experience, but the frustrations with controls and camera are considerably taking their toll on my enjoyment. Cautiously optimistic as I start the second half of the game.

[Sean]

I think the camera could easily have been mapped to the nunchuk. It's my only issue with the gameplay though.

I recommend replaying levels and trying to get grips on the controls, as that really improved my enjoyment and I got to the point where I was able to speed through nearly every level with minimal control-related fuck-ups.

[kalion]

I would like to revive this thread out of love for this game and the recent Yuji Naka transfer rekindled my love for it,

 

And yes speeding to get the S-rank is a very Sega and Sonic-like philosophy and there are even 2p modes like SA2:B but too bad I can''t find anyone to play with

[Indigo Rush]

Ashamedly, I still have yet to get my hands on it. Really sad that the Wii version was a limited release. I really want to avoid pirating it.

[MegasonicZX]

3 hours ago, Indigo Rush said:

Ashamedly, I still have yet to get my hands on it. Really sad that the Wii version was a limited release. I really want to avoid pirating it.

Could try going to any near by used game stores, I managed to swipe the wii version alone for like 5 bucks at mine.