where will sonic team go from here

[Multikaris]

13 hours ago, Razule said:

What we need is a Sonic Oddyssey. A Sonic Breath of the Wild. But it just seems so bleak.. Sonic Team as it is may never be able to deliver a truly great Sonic game.

Or at least something like SF5, DooM, or US/UM that simply keeps on giving without being a shake-up (MO isn’t much of a shake-up rather, just a return to form plus a gimmick).

[Milo]

On 1/17/2018 at 11:44 AM, Tarnish said:

Tho what other kind of direction could they take it in? We had 2 main directions, a direction based on the 2D games which was using physics as part of the gameplay (Adventure 1, 2) and a direction which pretty much ignored physics in exchange for constant speed and spectacle (boost formula). What else could they do?

The Adventure games were the point where the original gameplay got heavily demolished in favor of Sonic gameplay where constant forced inputs of speed was the only important factor in the game's design. I'll always give Adventure 1 some credit for decent rolling physics and not having completely pigeonholed level design, but Adventure 2 was when Sonic Team threw the baby out of the bathwater. From that point the 3D Sonic gameplay that was in place until Unleashed was virtually a precursor to what eventually became the Boost gameplay when you take a hard look at the level design philosophy and gameplay focus.

[LBomb]

On 1/16/2018 at 1:35 PM, ClassicKnuckles said:

We need another Unleashed, because let's face it, Sonic Forces (while I don't agree) is another 06. We need a game that takes Sonic in a completely new direction, like Unleashed did.

I totally see what you mean. While Unleashed's gameplay is flawed, it does have some beautiful levels, a new gameplay style, a large scope, and a whole lot of passion from the developers part. As a side note it's uncannily similar to Mario Odyssey too. Think about it for five minutes and you'll see what I mean. I think all the Unleashed people who moved from Sega are now working on Odyssey!

[A person, that exists]

Well, let's be real here: they'll go the Mania route. Classic games are cheap to make and sell well because of nostalgia, of course Sega will turn them into a never-ending line of increasingly more boring and pandering sequels, until people will get tired of Classic Sonic, ruining Classic's legacy once and for all. That'd be sad, dont'cha think? 

Or, they could abandon the main console/PC market and move on to phone games and merch. Once again: Cheap to make, sell well. 

[Milo]

41 minutes ago, A person, that exists said:

Well, let's be real here: they'll go the Mania route. Classic games are cheap to make and sell well because of nostalgia, of course Sega will turn them into a never-ending line of increasingly more boring and pandering sequels, until people will get tired of Classic Sonic, ruining Classic's legacy once and for all. That'd be sad, dont'cha think? 

Or, they could abandon the main console/PC market and move on to phone games and merch. Once again: Cheap to make, sell well. 

If milking nostalgia was all it took to get sales, we'd be up to our ears with more Dimps' styled "classic" games like Sonic 4 and Mania wouldn't exist.

Forces would had also been a commercial sales hit too. I mean, it's got classic Sonic, Green Hill, Chemical Plant, and Death Egg? That should had been more than enough to propel Sonic Team to success.

Maybe, just maybe, the classic games and Mania (continue to) sell compared to other Sonic titles, because they are actually quality games?

[Multikaris]

51 minutes ago, Space☆Yeow said:

If milking nostalgia was all it took to get sales, we'd be up to our ears with more Dimps' styled "classic" games like Sonic 4 and Mania wouldn't exist.

Forces would had also been a commercial sales hit too. I mean, it's got classic Sonic, Green Hill, Chemical Plant, and Death Egg? That should had been more than enough to propel Sonic Team to success.

Maybe, just maybe, the classic games and Mania (continue to) sell compared to other Sonic titles, because they are actually quality games?

But in the end, see the NSMB games. Unless Taxman successfully spices things up...

[A person, that exists]

1 hour ago, Space☆Yeow said:

If milking nostalgia was all it took to get sales, we'd be up to our ears with more Dimps' styled "classic" games like Sonic 4 

Sonic 4 had green eyes and a homing attack, therefore it doesn't count. 

Although, the second episode was pretty good tho.

1 hour ago, Space☆Yeow said:

I mean, it's got classic Sonic, Green Hill, Chemical Plant, and Death Egg? That should had been more than enough to propel Sonic Team to success.

But it also has these "Useless carboard tagalongs", "OW THE ANNOYANCE", "DeviantArt" and "Vocal Shit", that classic fans kinda seem to dislike in a lot of ways.

1 hour ago, Space☆Yeow said:

Maybe, just maybe, the classic games and Mania (continue to) sell compared to other Sonic titles, because they are actually quality games?

Yes, but it doesn't give them the excuse to make 85% of the game old zones. Sure, it will work for now, but if it will continue down the "Old zones, old enemies, new money" path,  it will become just like Sonic 4 or NSMB: people will get sick of it, and will demand more new zones/a completely different Sonic altogether.

[Milo]

47 minutes ago, A person, that exists said:

Sonic 4 had green eyes and a homing attack, therefore it doesn't count. 

Although, the second episode was pretty good tho.

---

But it also has these "Useless carboard tagalongs", "OW THE ANNOYANCE", "DeviantArt" and "Vocal Shit", that classic fans kinda seem to dislike in a lot of ways.

 

1 hour ago, Miragnarok said:

But in the end, see the NSMB games. Unless Taxman successfully spices things up...

47 minutes ago, A person, that exists said:

Yes, but it doesn't give them the excuse to make 85% of the game old zones. Sure, it will work for now, but if it will continue down the "Old zones, old enemies, new money" path,  it will become just like Sonic 4 or NSMB: people will get sick of it, and will demand more new zones/a completely different Sonic altogether.

On one hand, as much flak as the NSMB games got for being static in presentation and content, they're still relatively well-received by critics as well-designed games, and virtually each and every one of them has sold way, way much more than Sonic could ever hope to over the past two decades. In that regard (financial, reception, and quality standpoint), it's far from the worst thing that could happen to the series from a financial, reception, and quality standpoint. That's not to say I'm personally vouching for Sonic to go down that exact same path though.

On the other hand, pretty much everyone (reviewers and fans alike; myself included) is in agreement that Mania should have had more new zones to it, and that a followup to it should either have either a minority of remixed zones or be a completely original game. I really doubt there's really a ton of people out there specifically crying for the next game to be filled with remixed zones once more. The ball is in Sega's court to actually realize that and let the development team cut loose with the necessary resources (since having remixed games in Mania as it is wasn't the dev team's call), or miss the point and proceed to bungle whatever potential a sequel could have.

Though honestly, while people are wondering if a Mania sequel would be an original game or another game (mostly) filled with remixed levels, I'm wondering if Sega would even make a sequel at all; especially so if management of the series is still structured towards Iizuka/Sonic Team calling the shots. I frankly still think there is a high probability of chance that TaxStealth and Friends and/or another team could express interest in making another classic Sonic game, only for Sega to inexplicably shoot the idea down.

[Nicky Nicardo]

As someone who's primary reason for becoming interested in Forces was the custom character creation, I personally hope that Sega/Sonic Team will implement that in a future game.

I'm well aware that the chances of that happening are incredibly slim, but if they did that in a game with longer levels, more refined controls, and a more in-depth story with far longer and more numerous cutscenes? I'd be sold immediately - it'd basically be Sonic heaven for me.