Sonic Mania SPOILERS/Impressions Thread

[Your Vest Friend]

8 minutes ago, Dr. Mechano said:

I really like that there's conspicuously no "4" on the elevator.

We (not specifically you though) have been through this months ago; Sonic 4 isn't in this timeline, it's in the one that leads to Adventure etc. It's not retconning it out. 

[Sean]

So where's CD on the elevator then

Spoiler

The elevator thing is just a Knux joke. Like, seriously.

 

[Chris Knopps]

8 minutes ago, Adamis said:

But what if... it wasn't "desperate" as you're implying ?

You seems to love blaming Iizuka and Sonic Team out of nowhere. Unless we hear something from Taxman or someone from the team, there's nothing to indicate who took whichever decision and it's tiresome to see multiple posts consisting of "baw Iizuka is the worst because he must have linked this game I didn't play to this other game I didn't play".

What's the problem with having two games forming a bigger story than two separate games ? Heh, it could be argued that some 8-bit games like 1 and 2 are linked to the MD games and no one sees a problem with that. And even if you don't like the connection, just play Mania. No one told you to buy Forces.

Oh, and calling Mania a "side" game just diminishes the value of the game more than it being linked to another game.

There's nothing really wrong with expanding the story at all. Like many the idea of repeatedly linking Classic and Modern characters/timelines/realities just isn't appealing for me. I like them to be kept separate and doing their own things, but as of late it keeps feeling like Modern needs Classic to succeed and that's not how it should be. Both series should have the confidence to coexist separately without the aid of the other to do so. It feels as though Classic has to come to the rescue in more ways than one and I'd like both franchises to come off as more confident than that.

If they want to expand the story of Forces it should at least be by other Modern titles, doing so with the Modern cast and locations, if not through completely new cast and locations alongside Modern Sonic. It would be nice to have Forces plot of rescuing the world spanning several Modern titles without any Classic stuff in it, but it's likely one game with a massive plot crammed into one adventure.

It would be nice to have a completely separate 2D series and a completely separate 3D series, they did this perfectly via the Adventure and Advance games and this is what I'd like to see again. Coexistence with no meddling from one or the other. Separate series with separate adventures/plots going on.

As far as calling it a side game, that's what it feels like Mania was reduced to now that we know the connection to Forces, it's like the thing on the side to draw you into the big/main thing, though that bothers me as well. I'm not saying it's any less great/important though, that's not what I mean. Mania is by far more key than Forces to me.

[Nix]

Just now, Sean said:

So where's CD on the elevator then

CD's the stairs.

[Sean]

Is the stairs made up of randomly placed boulders and springs that send you backwards?

[Dejimon11]

1 minute ago, Sean said:

Is the stairs made up of randomly placed boulders and springs that send you backwards?

Yup that's CD alright

[Kuzu]

I'm not as annoyed by the (potential) Forces` connection as I could be. Probably because Mania is still a damn good game on it's own, and nothing can really take that away.

But yea, the Forces` connection definitely feels like an Iizuka addition. Not that I think Iizuka is the devil or anything, but Taxman HAS gone on record to saying it was HIM who pushed for them to use older levels, and I'm sure he wanted to tie the games in some way.

 

I know that's going to annoy a lot of people, but it is what it is. Enjoy Mania for what it is and if it sells more, we'll get more of it.

[MainJP]

So, are we sure that the Bean that bombed the Tornado isn't the actual Bean?

Before the Heavy flies upward and leaves the screen we see Sonic turn his attention to something ahead of him, presumably at Bean.

Spoiler

 

As we see in the boss fight the Heavy goes inside that magic box before transforming into an illusion, he doesn't have that here.

I think that's actually the real one.

[JosepHenry]

So... Now we saw the full zone list... What would you want to change?

I would change Oil Ocean to Hill Top or Mystic Cave and Metallic Madness to Scrap Brain...

But if I could change into new zones...

I would change Oil Ocean into a jungle level (Like Jungle Joyride), and Metallic Madness into a mountain level. (Sorta like Hill Top but with original assets)

Spoiler

But let's be honest, I would change every old level into new.

 

[Chris Knopps]

7 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

I'm not as annoyed by the (potential) Forces` connection as I could be. Probably because Mania is still a damn good game on it's own, and nothing can really take that away.

But yea, the Forces` connection definitely feels like an Iizuka addition. Not that I think Iizuka is the devil or anything, but Taxman HAS gone on record to saying it was HIM who pushed for them to use older levels, and I'm sure he wanted to tie the games in some way.

 

I know that's going to annoy a lot of people, but it is what it is. Enjoy Mania for what it is and if it sells more, we'll get more of it.

Much appreciated.

What has been done, has been done however, there's no changing that and there's certainly no changing that Mania is by far the most superior title I've seen since S3&K back in the day despite what poor decisions may have been "Forced" into it along the way. Whitehead Team still gave us something delicious no matter the old content that returned and no matter the tie-in it's making.

The only thing to do now is hope for another 2D title from them and next time a completely new, original experience from beginning to end.

[Dejimon11]

I said this on my status last night: Even tho Mania was pretty much a tie into Forces it doesn't really bother me that much. The game still looks like a lot of fun and I'm excited to play it. I don't think it's gonna be the best game ever or the game of the year or anything of that caliber but I think it's gonna be a damn good game at the end of the day that looks fun. And really that's really all I ask for in this series. 

Edit

Spoiler

Plus I was still gonna pick up Forces regardless 

 

[JosepHenry]

Guys

That gem is what Infinite has in his chest (or a piece of it)

Did anyone saw that?

So that means Infinite is from Angel Island? Or he got the gem there? Or Eggman implemented that on him? So many questions

[Chris Knopps]

Just now, Joseph Henry said:

Guys

That gem is what Infinite has in his chest

Did anyone saw that?

Everyone has been over that many times now. lol

Even the sound used is the same as Infinite's sounds in Mania.

[JosepHenry]

2 minutes ago, Chris Knopps said:

Everyone has been over that many times now. lol

Even the sound used is the same as Infinite's sounds in Mania.

I saw people trying to connect the gem to Infinite, but no one suggested that the gem on Infinite's chest is the gem from Angel Island.

[Dr. Mechano]

1 minute ago, Joseph Henry said:

Guys

That gem is what Infinite has in his chest

Did anyone saw that?

I'm wondering.

If Infinite is the gem, maybe he's still loyal to Eggman, the person who either discovered or possibly created him. And perhaps he doesn't realize modern Eggman is a different person than classic Eggman? Or if he does, he just figures, "Eh, he's an Eggman. Close enough" and thus starts working for him to help him warp time and space much like classic Eggman did in Mania.

Like, I'm still expecting a betrayal, but what if Infinite is actually a well-behaved minion who follows Eggman's orders, and just sees modern Eggman as this world's equivalent to the Eggman that initially brought him into being? It's not totally improbable.

[JosepHenry]

4 minutes ago, Dr. Mechano said:

I'm wondering.

If Infinite is the gem, maybe he's still loyal to Eggman, the person who either discovered or possibly created him. And perhaps he doesn't realize modern Eggman is a different person than classic Eggman? Or if he does, he just figures, "Eh, he's an Eggman. Close enough" and thus starts working for him to help him warp time and space much like classic Eggman did in Mania.

Like, I'm still expecting a betrayal, but what if Infinite is actually a well-behaved minion who follows Eggman's orders, and just sees modern Eggman as this world's equivalent to the Eggman that initially brought him into being? It's not totally improbable.

I'm hoping that's the case since the Forces E3 trailer. Leader Heavy and Infinite being loyal to Eggman until the end would be really refreshing after all of those betrayals.

[A super No.1 washedupgamer]

So mania= classic infinite

Forces= modern infinite

I'm not that bothered by the time in thi.

I just hope there will be more mania games.

[Chris Knopps]

Just now, Dr. Mechano said:

I'm wondering.

If Infinite is the gem, maybe he's still loyal to Eggman, the person who either discovered or possibly created him. And perhaps he doesn't realize modern Eggman is a different person than classic Eggman? Or if he does, he just figures, "Eh, he's an Eggman. Close enough" and thus starts working for him to help him warp time and space much like classic Eggman did in Mania.

Like, I'm still expecting a betrayal, but what if Infinite is actually a well-behaved minion who follows Eggman's orders, and just sees modern Eggman as this world's equivalent to the Eggman that initially brought him into being? It's not totally improbable.

Well, the only thing I'm thinking is we might be getting into gore territory with Forces plot where Eggman forced the gem into some poor sap corrupting whoever this person is while doing something to make this person subservient to him.

...Can you hear the tormented screaming from the doctors laboratory as a soul is ripped to shreds by the evil from within...?

"Don't worry, if it kills you I have many more waiting in line..." - Eggman in Forces

-insane laughter as a gruesome cutscene plays-

[ThePrinceOfSaiyans]

Lol, I hear Mania is tied to Forces. I'm not sifting through 47 pages to find out if that's true, so can someone confirm? If so, in what way is it tied? Is Infinite in it or something?

[Dr. Mechano]

Just now, Chris Knopps said:

Well, the only thing I'm thinking is we might be getting into gore territory with Forces plot where Eggman forced the gem into some poor sap corrupting whoever this person is while doing something to make this person subservient to him.

...Can you hear the tormented screaming from the doctors laboratory as a soul is ripped to shreds by the evil from within...?

"Don't worry, if it kills you I have many more waiting in line..." - Eggman in Forces

-insane laughter as a gruesome cutscene plays-

Infinite looks a lot like the custom hero characters.

So I kinda wonder if Eggman used the gem to somehow create his own "custom villain" instead.

[expansivelovestories]

32 minutes ago, Joseph Henry said:

So... Now we saw the full zone list... What would you want to change?

I would change Oil Ocean to Hill Top or Mystic Cave and Metallic Madness to Scrap Brain...

But if I could change into new zones...

I would change Oil Ocean into a jungle level (Like Jungle Joyride), and Metallic Madness into a mountain level. (Sorta like Hill Top but with original assets)

  Hide contents

But let's be honest, I would change every old level into new.

 

I understand now basically why Hydrocity, Flying Battery and Lava Reef do not have second Acts that diverge as much musically and structurally from the originals; so that there can be some amazing tribute paid to the original "reimagined zones" including the music, rather than replacing those special moments from Sonic history (and present day for everyone still revisiting S3K) with something too different!

I wish that Studiopolis was a later zone as it seems to be one of many highlights of the game.  Of course once clearing the game, the zone order is up to us via the select screen!  i might end up using this sequence!

Green Hill -> Hydrocity -> Press Garden -> Flying Battery -> Mirage Saloon -> Lava Reef -> Metallic Madness -> Chemical Plant -> Studiopolis -> Stardust Speedway    

[Chris Knopps]

Just now, Dr. Mechano said:

Infinite looks a lot like the custom hero characters.

So I kinda wonder if Eggman used the gem to somehow create his own "custom villain" instead.

Well...

That's certainly not as fun. XD

[MainJP]

4 minutes ago, サイヤ人の王子 said:

Lol, I hear Mania is tied to Forces. I'm not sifting through 47 pages to find out if that's true, so can someone confirm? If so, in what way is it tied? Is Infinite in it or something?

The purple gem that Eggman acquires produces the same sound effect as Infinite from the Forces trailer:

http://sys.4chan.org/derefer?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstreamable.com%2Fyxast

And in the good ending Sonic (along with Little Planet) gets sucked into a purple vortex produced by said gem, presumibly bringing him to the Forces timeline.

[Kuzu]

11 minutes ago, Dr. Mechano said:

I'm wondering.

If Infinite is the gem, maybe he's still loyal to Eggman, the person who either discovered or possibly created him. And perhaps he doesn't realize modern Eggman is a different person than classic Eggman? Or if he does, he just figures, "Eh, he's an Eggman. Close enough" and thus starts working for him to help him warp time and space much like classic Eggman did in Mania.

Like, I'm still expecting a betrayal, but what if Infinite is actually a well-behaved minion who follows Eggman's orders, and just sees modern Eggman as this world's equivalent to the Eggman that initially brought him into being? It's not totally improbable.

Man, you REALLY don't want Eggman to be upstaged do you lol.

[ThePrinceOfSaiyans]

1 minute ago, MainJP said:

The purple gem that Eggman aquires produces the same sound effect as Infinite from the Forces trailer:

http://sys.4chan.org/derefer?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstreamable.com%2Fyxast

And in the good ending Sonic gets sucked into a purple vortex produced by said gem, presumibly bringing him to the Forces timeline.

Oh come on, that's a rather innocuous connection.