Sonic Mania (August 15th 2017, Christian Whitehead, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch) - The New Classic

[molul]

I'm with you, Cinossu. Both tracks are cool. They won't prevent me from buying the game, but I think it's good we point out this in order to try to make the game even better. It's not a game-breaker thing, just something that can be improved.

[expansivelovestories]

It is exciting that there is new music belonging to the first game in the traditional style for over twenty years to analyze!  I think that Tee is probably really happy that people are already listening to and paying as much attention to the soundtrack as they are!!  It is basically like if we were hearing a few Sonic 2 or 3K songs ahead of the game and became very enchanted by them. 

Studiopolis may already be nearing the level of appreciation and enjoyment that comes from Escape from the City and other peak moments in Sonic music, where knowing that many other people enjoy a song adds to your own enjoyment of it!.    There are everyones' personal favorites and then there are those songs that are while not universally, very much seen as special moments by most of the fan communities around the world!!

i do certainly think that Mirage Saloon may be either the zone right before Studiopolis, or there are one or two in between the two; that either way it is meant to reference Studiopolis!  It would definitely make sense if they are taking place on the same island/continent! 

[Zippo]

Is it true that Sega confirmed in their Halloween stream that all of the classic Sonic promotional art we've seen this past year was all made by fans?

[JezMM]

I have to say, a small fear - Tee Lopes' original music is so good, and Studiopolis and Mirage Saloon both totally sound like they come from the same aural landscape... but then the game is gonna be filled with classic remixes too.  I really hope he manages to keep his signature clean, funky style throughout the whole experience, because it would be a shame to have a jarring, inconsistent soundtrack for the game.  All the musical styles of the games the retro stages come from are quite wildly different, so I'll be super impressed if he manages to make them all fit together, and among his new compositions, seamlessly.

The comparison is definitely worthless though, I'm sure you could do this with all manner of Sonic soundtracks.  It could easily be that just these two have a similar pattern while the other new zones are wildly different, but since these two zones basically ARE Sonic Mania right now, it's hard to imagine how the rest will be.  It's been stated that Mirage Saloon is quite far into the game - there's bound to be other new and old zones inbetween.

[EmmBee]

It would be kind of cool if this was intentional in order to mix all of the music together for a credits roll.

[TheOcelot]

Mania's soundtrack is shaping up to be fascinating in terms of how different each track will sound.

Will be interesting to see if the music for the other new zones have similarities like Mirage Saloon and Studiopolis does. Then there's the remixed music for the re-imagined levels to think about. Green Hill's remix is good. Definitely a tamer remix and perhaps understandably so with how Green Hill is the tamest of the re-imagined stages (according to Stealth and Taxman). So, does that mean the other remade levels with have music far more remixed from the original versions? If so, it will be interesting to see if the remixed music is brought more in line with Mirage Saloon and Studiopolis' tracks. 

I'm also looking forward to hearing music for the Sonic 3 re-imagined levels. Especially if they have chosen stages like Ice Cap which is believed to be part the music legal-issues surrounding Sonic 3. I wonder if Tee Lopes will be allowed to remix the original tracks or whether SEGA will ask him to provide a totally new piece?

It certainly sounds like a challenging (and exciting) soundtrack to compose! We know music plays such a big part in Sonic games (and has been consistently excellent throughout the years). So, no pressure, Tee Lopes! 

I'm liking the other music such as the level select, title screen and remixed act-clear jingle. Although it's taken me a while to warm to the invincibility theme. I just want to hear more of the soundtrack!

Spring 2017 hurry up already!

 

Also, DID KNUCKLES JUST CHUCKLE? 

EDIT: Here's the Mania footage from the stream: 

https://www.twitch.tv/sonicofficial/v/99187603?t=11h52m45s

 

Knuckles chuckles at 12:03:45! Checkout Knuckles animation

when he climbs down a wall at 12:02:41. Very cool.

[Jango]

I hope each act have its own variant, Tee can make a soft remix for act 1, and go nuts on act 2. Talking about the re-imagined zones. If Green Hill act 2 is in fact inside a cavern, it would be totaly awesome to hear pieces from Mystic Cave or Marble (similar tropes), you know, like what Generations did with City Escape act 1, adding DAT ENDLESS MINE melody to the remix (but in that case Endless Mine had anything to do with City Escape aestheticaly speaking, but still!).

[Guest]

[Mania Pipe]

1 hour ago, TimmiT said:

My god, can't Spring 2017 come any sooner? This game is shaping up better and better for me as time goes on (well it had already did that when it was first reveal, but either way.)

[Marcello]

3 hours ago, TimmiT said:

Knuckles doesn't chuckle. I thought Taxman and co. knew the franchise well. Pontac and Graff have a better handle on it than this.

[MegasonicZX]

3 hours ago, TimmiT said:

I love how he so proud of himself for his punches, these animations are beautiful.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Marcello said:

Knuckles doesn't chuckle. I thought Taxman and co. knew the franchise well. Pontac and Graff have a better handle on it than this.

You should play Sonic 3. :V

[Celestia]

Everyone knows what Knuclkes does in Sonic 3 and in that idle animation is clearly snickering, not chuckling. There's a huge difference.

Seriously though, I love how much personality there is in Mania's animation. You can tell there's a lot of love being put into this game.

[Indigo Rush]

Knux hasn't snickered since Sonic 3. No wonder he's such a dummy in the modern games, he's not himself when he's hungry.

Grab a Snickers™

[Menace2Society]

I wonder if that punching animation will destroy enemies, like how it did in the Advance games. I always thought that was a funny detail.

[Zippo]

That animation is rad.

With both Mania and PS17  being confirmed to have no more news for the rest of the year, who's ready for another nice, long information drought?!

...Anyone?

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Zippo said:

That animation is rad.

With both Mania and PS17  being confirmed have no more news for the rest of the year, who's ready for another nice, long information drought?!

...Anyone?

I welcome it. The biggest problem with the marketing of Sonic games is that Sega liked to show everything before release, leaving no surprises in store. I'd be okay with it if they reveal no more zones at all and just leave the rest of them as a surprise.

[Zippo]

33 minutes ago, TimmiT said:

I welcome it. The biggest problem with the marketing of Sonic games is that Sega liked to show everything before release, leaving no surprises in store. I'd be okay with it if they reveal no more zones at all and just leave the rest of them as a surprise.

I agree. Although, i wouldn't mind seeing another remastered stage, because I'm very curious to see how they've been revamped, and I'd also like to know what the Sonic 3 stage situation is.

[Mania Pipe]

12 hours ago, TimmiT said:

I welcome it. The biggest problem with the marketing of Sonic games is that Sega liked to show everything before release, leaving no surprises in store. I'd be okay with it if they reveal no more zones at all and just leave the rest of them as a surprise.

Agreed, I too would rather have a majority of the game's content be left a secret until their respective release days. They've managed to keep both of these games under wraps for so long until the live-stream party so I think they might be able to do the same for these two.

[BlueFlare]

15 hours ago, Zippo said:

That animation is rad.

With both Mania and PS17  being confirmed to have no more news for the rest of the year, who's ready for another nice, long information drought?!

...Anyone?

Me. I hope they'll show as little as possible. I would rather see a sneak peek trailer that only shows a few seconds of levels that will be in the final game, no more full stage gameplay, I can't resist watching those anyway.

[Multikaris]

As for the "info drought", I do believe that there may be Japanese info on 2017, but nothing about Mania (which is released sooner). Ah well, time to learn about the game "Sonic and the Jewel of Mystery", if anyone still cares about that obscurity.

[Mr Loopone]

I'll also feel the same with the keeping some stuff of the game a secret (I like to surprised). With full blown marketing of today, it is easy to get spoiled even when you resist.

Just had a thought though of the game. It's shaping up to be great and love what I've seen/heard but am a bit concerned regarding development. So far there have been 3 zones and 3 acts have been shown (Green Hill 1, Studiopolis 1 and a unfinished Mirage Saloon 2) with a potential of 6 levels done or at least there. The game comes out in Spring so that can be anywhere between March and May with May 31st the latest that it can out at this moment in time. There is a rumor that the game is out by April. Game has to be finished before the release date for rating systems especially PEGI and USK where they need the final game to rate and certification on consoles that takes time. The charity stream said that the build that they had is pre-alpha. If the game is indeed at that stage, then it has a long way to go and about 6 months left or less to finish the game. Since it took 3 weeks just to do the title screen that is great, it looks like it is going to take its time especially with the art and level/boss design. Why I am concerned then? One word Sega. Sega in the past were known for rushing games for deadline reasons, sometimes got lucky and still ends up being a great game with a couple of issues e.g. Sonic 2 while other times it shows that extra time is definitely needed. With Taxman's comment of more remastered stages than new, it just hit me. The remastered stages is due to deadlines and the comment of what people found about Tee Lopes music, the similar stuff could also mean deadlines. Plus with small staff working on the game, it would be harder than even Sonic 2 (seems like Sonic 1 either version in terms of staff members). There were only two times that I've known Sega to delay a game, Shinobi 3 and Sonic 4 compared to the countless many that they rushed out of the door. So it gives some possibilities...

1. The game comes out in Spring but only has about 8-9 zones (5 classics from each game and 3-4 originals). People complain since Taxman promised bigger than Generations while it looks like less and some feel like putting too many classic zones in their reviews.

2. The game comes out in Spring, has plenty of zones to play but its unpolished with some bugs and some not so good looking graphics as well as PC issues. People complain since the game isn't polished enough and Taxman's rep gets lowered. Patches depend on Sega, Sony and Microsoft's policies.

3. The game is delayed after Spring to make the best 2D Sonic game that Taxman and co can make. People complain since it gets delayed.

4. (My preferred option) The game is out on time, has plenty of zones and is a polished game. Yay!

Unless Taxman and co gave Sega a really old build and a lot of the levels are already there with the finishing touches as well as other stuff to do later (final levels, bosses, special stage, ending, etc). Then again so far there have been two builds to be shown to the public, the first one shown in Summer of Sonic among other places with the menu (2 levels with Sonic) and the one that has Mirage Saloon in with the Sonic 2 menus (3, possibly 6 levels with all 3 characters). Even then 3 months for a extra zone and two extra characters...

[JezMM]

10 minutes ago, King Koopone said:

Just had a thought though of the game. It's shaping up to be great and love what I've seen/heard but am a bit concerned regarding development.

The demo builds literally mean NOTHING regarding the completeness of the game behind the scenes.  That's pretty much all that needs to be said regarding all your fears in that post.  Simply... the amount in these demos or even the fact that they said they were playing a pre-alpha build just isn't evidence to be concerned over.  They probably have multiple levels completed and working at this point, but they're not gonna just leave them out in the open on menus for us to see if they don't want to reveal them yet.  While they probably EXIST in the game's code, it is very easy to just design a level select menu where they don't appear for demoing purposes (since these demos aren't being released into the wild for the public, there is no fear of data-mining, they can just not show what else is currently in the game).

They have already confirmed that the larger number of Classic Stages than new was a specific request of SEGA, not a compromise due to deadlines and budget.  The 3 weeks to create the title screen animation was likely the work of a single artist, not the entire team working on that one thing for three weeks.

[Blue Speedster]

I find that Knuckles design is somewhat similar to what he looks like in Knuckles Chaotix and Sonic 3. The animations are something to be marveled at, which makes me appreciate this game so much more. SEGA are really going back to what made Sonic great in the 2D era and amping it up for the modern generation of gaming for PS4 and Xbox One. 

Keep up the good work SEGA, hope you can make more games like this if possible

[Salamander]

My understanding of demo code specifically is that it's often very outdated by the time the public actually sets eyes on it.

Furthermore, I don't think there's anything to suggest that they aren't at an equal point in development with all zones - i.e. that just because we've only seen three zones does not mean that there are only three zones ready for public consumption.  We've seen that the physics and gameplay are at the very least complete enough to fool us, along with player character graphics.  The music similarities I think are frankly irrelevant, a combination of a single composer with identifiable tastes plus a considerable amount of editing undertaken to expose those tastes in all of two examples.

If SEGA were intent on rushing the game to meet a deadline, I think there's a good chance it would be out by now - a flagship multiplatform title to accompany a lone 3DS title that is otherwise their Sonic output for the year.  (They could even have pushed to go for the Sonic 4 episodic approach.)  The fact that Mania is a 2017 game I think is in and of itself a positive sign.

I understand being paranoid about this game, though; it sets all my "too good to be true" alarms off.  (I'd consider nine zones to be a good haul, frankly.)  But there is a lot that's different right now to what we would expect of the SEGA of past times; we're now talking about a SEGA that was willing to delay Fire & Ice by a full year.