Sonic Forces Reviews Thread

[ThePrinceOfSaiyans]

What the fuck even is a 6.9 score? It's just as ridiculous as that 7.8 for ORAS. Just say they're a 7 and 8 respectively. I understand scores that end in a point 5 to suggest they're between scores, but these scores are just asinine. 

[Mark1]

I did not expect a score as high as that.

What does this mean? In the grand scheme of things for Sega’s feedback? xD 

Hownstly not sure how I feel about this score.

[AdventChild]

An update from Amazon's Best Sellers Top 100. Forces now ranks at #74 (with Mario + Rabbids holding onto #66 spot and still higher):

https://www.amazon.com/best-sellers-video-games/zgbs/videogames#4

Yeah, at this rate, I could see this dropping out of the entire list within a week or so despite with Christmas on the horizon. With how poor these sales are, Sega would proclaim this as a commercial flop (and they have no one to blame but themselves for this mucky mess).

[dbzfan7]

-It's the reviewers fault for being biased. It's the fanbases fault as nothing can ever please them.-

You know that's gonna be said somewhere eventually as an excuse XD

[Sonicka]

34 minutes ago, Blue Blood said:

Kinda surprised that they're as positive as they are about it. Bit of a shame really.

Why a shame? It's good that Forces managed to get one average-->good review isn't it?

I'm as surprised as everyone else though, but at the same time good on IGN for not following the review trends - this reviewer actually admits to enjoying areas of the game and finding it fun, taking it for what it was rather than what it could have been. 

Doesn't mean Sonic Forces couldn't have been better obviously - but IMO a lot (not all) reviews out there I've read already appear make this game out to be a lot worse than it actually is, even the 4 scores don't really match up with the overall impressions (which is why I say 'review trend') buuuut, whatever. Their opinions and objectives at the end of the day.

Personally I'm still looking forward to picking this up properly, a few of my friends have this game already and told me they've had a good time with it. So not all is wrong I guess. Hopefully next time Sonic Team will get to go all out on it and realise their product to the max. 

[The Deleter]

12 minutes ago, AdventChild said:

An update from Amazon's Best Sellers Top 100. Forces now ranks at #74 (with Mario + Rabbids holding onto #66 spot and still higher):

https://www.amazon.com/best-sellers-video-games/zgbs/videogames#4

Yeah, at this rate, I could see this dropping out of the entire list within a week or so despite with Christmas on the horizon. With how poor these sales are, Sega would proclaim this as a commercial flop (and they have no one to blame but themselves for this mucky mess).

Now see this?

This is dangerous.

If there is one thing SEGA values the most out of their IPs, it's their ability to sell. The only reason Sonic has managed to live this long so far, is because he sold millions in the first place, no matter the game.

I... still think numbers like the Boom games and SLW are far fetched, but the only reason those titles didn't cause any worry was because they were console exclusive on a system that flopped. One half of them, at least.

If this game, and the series keeps up these low sales, though... Honestly?

This is why we shouldn't "put up" with mediocrity. Sonic's practically been asking for it for decades, and if his reputation actually catches up to him, it'll be more deadly than anything else there could be for the series. SEGA won't see a point in a dead-end franchise, especially in an era where mascot platformers attempted and failed to get back into the spotlight.

This is the next big "wait and see" period for this game. I don't expect anything below 500,000, personally, but... I didn't expect this low of a metacritic score, either, so I'm not making any bets on this at this point...

[speedfreak]

 Meh, if they stop making them so be it. Why should I care when they usually put in a piss poor effort anyway?

It's like getting mad that a shitty restaurant that occasionally has decent food is closing down. 

[Patron]

SomecallmeJohnny enters the ring.

TL;DW: neutral, wait for a price drop or buy Mania instead

[dbzfan7]

I disagree with nothing deserves bitter hatred. Definitely not the whole game, but I think some of it does imo. I like how he pointed out Tails apparently lost it, but not really as he appeared no different. Same with Sonic after so called torture.

Though disappointed we didn't get more rage or anything as I thought his twitter hinted at some form of lashing. Oh well.

[Razule]

45 minutes ago, speedfreak said:

 Meh, if they stop making them so be it. Why should I care when they usually put in a piss poor effort anyway?

It's like getting mad that a shitty restaurant that occasionally has decent food is closing down. 

Emotional investment?

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

39 minutes ago, Patron said:

SomecallmeJohnny enters the ring.

TL;DW: neutral, wait for a price drop or buy Mania instead

 Well,  it's not the vicious thrashing a lot of folk were hoping for. Which probably helped it out in the long run.

 Still,  good review,  he's definitely one of the more sensible ones regarding it.

Don't agree with everything there,  but he does raise good points nonetheless. 

[speedfreak]

42 minutes ago, Razule said:

Emotional investment?

I love Sonic. The first Sonic for the Genesis is the first game I can remember beating on my own. I was 8 and untill then I didn't even know games had endings. From that moment onward I felt a special connection with the series. Seeing the downward spiral the series went on was tough but then a few games (Colors, Generations) gave me some hope. Now Forces comes along and feels incredibly phoned in. It's like they weren't even trying with the level design in this one. I don't want to go through that bullshit with the series again. Especially when Mania COMPLETELY shamed the so called "Sonic Team". If Forces is the best they can do, or are willing to do then fuck em. 

[SonicLegends]

I pretty much agree with Johnny. The game is definitely not 06 or Boom levels of horrible especially since what dragged those games down were the ludicrous glitches that ended up hindering them. Forces doesn't have that kind of issue, but as he said the game is certainly sorely lacking and doesn't feel like a complete package as to how this is 4 years in development is beyond me.

Was probably just a lie anyway just as much so with the whole from the team that brought you Colors and Generations shtick and even the Shadow fighting for his own reasons when his so called reasons are the same as the rest of the Resistance.

[CottonCandy]

Gotta agree with johnny at the end. It really does feel like Sonic Team is completely brunt out of making sonic games. Yeah, Forces isn't a terrible game but I fear that its sign that future sonic games will just be average at best, lacking creativity or anything memorable. They really need some new blood. Maybe a break from the series might help. 

I know it might be silly but I would love to see a adventure style game done in a similar way to how Sonic Mania was created.  Hey, it's old enough for a another revival. 

[Harkofthewaa]

3 hours ago, Dee Dude said:

Game Grumps like it. (So far.)

Jim Sterling likes it.

And now IGN gave it an average score...

What timeline is this???

@Radiant Hero Ike Wouldn't a 6.9 be close to a 7? I say it's almost positive.

SomeCallMeJohnny pretty much spelled Forces out for what it is in his review, so we aren't in the Bizzaro world yet.

[Baconjack]

2 hours ago, The Deleter said:

Now see this?

This is dangerous.

If there is one thing SEGA values the most out of their IPs, it's their ability to sell. The only reason Sonic has managed to live this long so far, is because he sold millions in the first place, no matter the game.

I... still think numbers like the Boom games and SLW are far fetched, but the only reason those titles didn't cause any worry was because they were console exclusive on a system that flopped. One half of them, at least.

If this game, and the series keeps up these low sales, though... Honestly?

This is why we shouldn't "put up" with mediocrity. Sonic's practically been asking for it for decades, and if his reputation actually catches up to him, it'll be more deadly than anything else there could be for the series. SEGA won't see a point in a dead-end franchise, especially in an era where mascot platformers attempted and failed to get back into the spotlight.

This is the next big "wait and see" period for this game. I don't expect anything below 500,000, personally, but... I didn't expect this low of a metacritic score, either, so I'm not making any bets on this at this point...

Just for show, this is how much the PC version sold as of today, according to steamspy. 14K as of me posting. Fairly disappointing, but not many people have bought it at launch for a good reason. Most are waiting for a price drop. This game will probably sell better than Boom's pathetic 360,000 units though.

[Radiant Hero Ike]

I didn't see it in the main post, here's Gamespot's review.

https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sonic-forces-review/1900-6416808/

5/10

[Nicky Nicardo]

Based on all of the reviews that I've seen for the game, it doesn't seem like it'll go down in history as one of the 'bad' ones like Boom or '06. I feel like it'll have plenty of people who love it, plenty who hate it, and far more who're just indifferent to it - the general consensus probably won't be that it's doom and gloom and garbage, which I personally would be very happy about.

Of course, no one can predict the future. All I know is that I gotta get my hands on it to see for myself, because I think I'll have a fun (albeit disappointingly short) time with it based on the footage I've seen. I'm still trying to keep myself as spoiler-free as possible, which is becoming more and more difficult. xDD

[Kuzu]

The fact that this game is going to be swept under the rug and forgotten about is probably the worst reception it can get. Because it basically means nobody will have any incentive to buy it. Because let's be perfectly honest. If you are not already a fan of Sonic, what does this game actually offer over it's competition? If you had to sell this game to the casual consumer, what about them would compell them to buy it?

 

And that's the main issue here; it's not the game is a dumpster fire, it's the fact that it is completely barren and bland as it can get. This is the type of game that comes out when the creators simply do not care.

[Nicky Nicardo]

18 minutes ago, Kuzu the Boloedge said:

The fact that this game is going to be swept under the rug and forgotten about is probably the worst reception it can get. Because it basically means nobody will have any incentive to buy it. Because let's be perfectly honest. If you are not already a fan of Sonic, what does this game actually offer over it's competition? If you had to sell this game to the casual consumer, what about them would compell them to buy it?

 

And that's the main issue here; it's not the game is a dumpster fire, it's the fact that it is completely barren and bland as it can get. This is the type of game that comes out when the creators simply do not care.

Eh, I dunno about that. I think that if it'd come out and was absolutely terrible, the situation would've been a lot worse. That's just how I see it, though.

And I haven't played it yet, but from what I've seen... I don't see this 'lack of care' that a lot of people talk about. I don't see a lack of effort or talent. Perhaps not ENOUGH for some people's tastes, which is fine... but I just don't see Forces as a half-assed attempt made by people who don't care at all. I just don't. To me, it seemed like there was a lot of excitement and energy surrounding and leading up to the release of the game.

[KHCast]

6 minutes ago, FriesWithoutKetchup said:

Eh, I dunno about that. I think that if it'd come out and was absolutely terrible, the situation would've been a lot worse. That's just how I see it, though.

And I haven't played it yet, but from what I've seen... I don't see this 'lack of care' that a lot of people talk about. I don't see a lack of effort or talent. Perhaps not ENOUGH for some people's tastes, which is fine... but I just don't see Forces as a half-assed attempt made by people who don't care at all. I just don't. To me, it seemed like there was a lot of excitement and energy surrounding and leading up to the release of the game.

Classic Sonic being shoe horned in and NOWHERE near as good as he was in Mania (and Gens)both control and level design wise sure feels lazy and done with no care. Boost Sonic being linear as shit despite the last boost game actually having more to it than just that seems like it's done out of sheer lack of talent vs genuine effort to build on the formula. Four years being spent on a game that came out severely average doesn't come off like a love letter or passion project, especially when looking at games like Unleashed and Gens.

[Nicky Nicardo]

3 minutes ago, KHCast said:

Classic Sonic being shoe horned in and NOWHERE near as good as he was in Mania (and Gens)both control and level design wise sure feels lazy and done with no care. Boost Sonic being linear as shit despite the last boost game actually having more to it than just that seems like it's done out of sheer lack of talent vs genuine effort to build on the formula. Four years being spent on a game that came out severely average doesn't come off like a love letter or passion project, especially when looking at games like Unleashed and Gens.

Hey, if that's the way you see things, that's fine. I just don't see Forces not being as good as those older titles in some ways as equaling a lack of care and talent. It just seems like a very extreme, all-or-nothing way to look at it - either it was made with love and care and passion, or it wasn't and it was just shat out by people who don't give a damn. And that, to me, doesn't make sense.

[KHCast]

7 minutes ago, FriesWithoutKetchup said:

Hey, if that's the way you see things, that's fine. I just don't see Forces not being as good as those older titles in some ways as equaling a lack of care and talent. It just seems like a very extreme, all-or-nothing way to look at it - either it was made with love and care and passion, or it wasn't and it was just shat out by people who don't give a damn. And that, to me, doesn't make sense.

If they cared and wanted to produce a game that showed they loved the series, wouldn't they build on the existing gameplays? Wouldn't Modern not be the very thing people made fun of the boost games for? Wouldn't they see people appreciated the 3D sections in Gens, take that criticism and work that into the next boost game? Wouldn't they try to mimic well Mania for classic, the thing everyone just played, loved, and are used to? If they're not incompetent, then why the shallow back step taking gameplay? What intentional, actually smart and we don't realize it, reason would there be for objectively worse gameplays?

[Nicky Nicardo]

1 minute ago, KHCast said:

If they cared and wanted to produce a game that showed they loved the series, wouldn't they build on the existing gameplays? Wouldn't Modern not be the very thing people made fun of the boost games for? Wouldn't they see people appreciated the 3D sections in Gens, take that criticism and work that into the next boost game? Wouldn't they try to mimic well Mania for classic, the thing everyone just played, loved, and are used to? If they're not incompetent, then why the shallow back step taking gameplay? 

Well, as far as taking criticism... I'm not sure they'd really know which criticism to take. From what I've seen, there are no Modern Sonic games that don't come with a whole lot of fan criticism about what should've been done and what shouldn't have been done. I kinda feel like they're in a damned if they do/damned if they don't situation. No matter what, they're gonna get criticism for their choices.

[MegasonicZX]

5 hours ago, FriesWithoutKetchup said:

Well, as far as taking criticism... I'm not sure they'd really know which criticism to take. From what I've seen, there are no Modern Sonic games that don't come with a whole lot of fan criticism about what should've been done and what shouldn't have been done. I kinda feel like they're in a damned if they do/damned if they don't situation. No matter what, they're gonna get criticism for their choices.

Eh, I feel like this is dodging the responsibility though. Even if they don't know what criticism to take (which, normally you'd just take the large majority consensus from critics and fans) that doesn't mean that the effort they put into the game has to be so low. Like this game as is could be better as a whole (such as tightening up modern and avatar's controls, literally leaving classic sonic as he was in gens cause he somehow controls worse in this game, giving the levels more meat at least in the 3D sections since they are basically autorunners with the skill ripped out at this point, etc.) even if the gameplay wasn't changed if they had put forth the effort to at least make some small and somewhat major tweaks we could've had something better and it really wouldn't have been much.