Does Sonic Forces have you awaiting the next 3D game announcement?

[Whatever the WhoCares]

I don’t care much for Sonic Forces. It’s bland and forgettable, but what kills it for me is how disappointing it was upon release. Ironically, though, this has made me more eager than usual for the next game to be announced. That’s because Forces was such a letdown, it actually gives me negative feelings to think that it’s the most recent game in the series. I don’t have any faith that the next one will be better, but even an announcement to take my mind off of Forces... I mean, I’d welcome it with open arms. 

 

Anyone else feel this way?

[Multikaris]

It leaves me unsure if there will be a next main game announcement. 

[blueblur98]

i just sort of go along with whenever they announce anything.

 

i expect a new 3D sonic game to happen... soon-ish. possibly 2019/2020.

[Diogenes]

Only in an ironic, masochistic sense; after Forces I have so little faith in Sonic Team that I'm mostly looking forward to the next game to see what new way they'll find to fuck it up.

[SaturnWolf]

1 hour ago, Diogenes said:

Only in an ironic, masochistic sense; after Forces I have so little faith in Sonic Team that I'm mostly looking forward to the next game to see what new way they'll find to fuck it up.

Basically this.

With the past 5 years of Sonic in mind, Mania feels like an honest to God fluke. Sonic Team manages to screw up everything they touch, between poor controls, annoying mechanics and terrible storytelling amongst several other problems. At this point, I'm just here to see how bad it'll be. They are of course, welcome to prove me wrong and knock it out of the park but I sincerely doubt it.

[Blueknight V2.0]

1 hour ago, Whatever the WhoCares said:

I don’t care much for Sonic Forces. It’s bland and forgettable, but what kills it for me is how disappointing it was upon release. Ironically, though, this has made me more eager than usual for the next game to be announced. That’s because Forces was such a letdown, it actually gives me negative feelings to think that it’s the most recent game in the series. I don’t have any faith that the next one will be better, but even an announcement to take my mind off of Forces... I mean, I’d welcome it with open arms. 

 

Anyone else feel this way?

I'm always looking forward to a new 3D Modern Sonic game. I just don't see why Forces' story has so much criticism when it was a Lot better than Generations and Lost World's. Plus there was the introduction of Infinite which is a great character, I just think he needs some more plot details explained. Even having Shadow and Silver as more important roles than they did in Generations.

Now I could see the criticism for the gameplay (I still haven't played it, again because of no Switch) and mechanics.

Now as for the next 3D Modern Sonic game, I'd prefer like an expanded Unleashed (minus the Werehog sections). With quite a few branching paths and only 3 playable characters Sonic, Shadow and Blaze (as all 3 are capable of boosting). I would say Silver but he would be harder to do since he can levitate, which could add a new style of gameplay.

As for the next games story, I think it could have the complexity of either Shadow or the Black Knight. Now Forces had a dark story, but nowhere near Shadow's level and Forces still had the series humor intact. But I think it should be leveled out like what Unleashed did. But since the Movie is happening, chances of the next main series Modern Sonic game being delayed are higher. Because of the high chances of a Sonic film tie-in video game.

[SonicWind]

Seeing as I enjoyed my time with Forces, I'm actually looking forward to the next 3D game.

I'm not saying the game is perfect, by any means, but I liked it for what it was and hope Sonic Team can fix what they did wrong.

[Blueknight V2.0]

33 minutes ago, SonicWind said:

Seeing as I enjoyed my time with Forces, I'm actually looking forward to the next 3D game.

I'm not saying the game is perfect, by any means, but I liked it for what it was and hope Sonic Team can fix what they did wrong.

After all it was the first 3D Modern Sonic game since Lost World. And I liked what I've seen from Forces, especially the story and Episode Shadow (which might be more of a problem if I ever get a Switch due to the online service). The custom avatar I'm not all that into, as with other games with custom character features like Lego and Skylanders Imaginators.

Other than that I think the game was good, better than 2006 and Rise of Lyric (which I don't get why it's criticized from what I seen). In some ways it was an improvement over Lost World, even featuring Lost World like sections.

Hopefully they can just add onto Forces and perfect some of it's problems. Like the double jump and unlimited lives could be carried over, but the rings need to be re-collectible and what fills the boost gauge (in addition to defeating enemies). The white wisps should fill the boost gauge just not as frequently as they were used in Forces. The other wisps should be usable by every character instead of just one like in Forces. And of course longer levels.

Anyways, it'll be a while for the next game to arrive. Hopefully the wait will be worth it.

[dbzfan7]

Honestly am feeling like Sonic Generations was a fluke they somehow got lucky with. Then the blue moon went away and suddenly game design was back to the usual uninspired dung heap.

I don't feel Mania was a fluke as after hearing who was making it, I knew for sure it'd be good. Taxman and Stealth are names to trust. Sonic Team is not a name to trust anymore. I ain't really optimistic or anything for another game. It's more dread of how will they fuck things up this time in the gameplay and characters department.

[MadmanRB]

In reply to the topic title:

No

 

Modern Sonic can go in a corner and die for me.

 

Leave it be for a bit, it will be for the best.

 

Forces really was a downer and i think its time to let 3D sonic and sonic team rest for several years.

[PC the Hedgehog]

I look forward to what's next for 3D Sonic--not because I really liked Forces (which I did), but because of Sonic Mania.

There's no denying Sonic Mania blew everyone's expectations out of the water, including Sonic Team's. After the lukewarm reception to Forces and the insanely positive reception to Mania, I have a feeling Sonic Team is taking a step back to see what Mania did right and they did wrong and change plans accordingly.

Or they could just keep giving us subpar 3D games without learning anything. You never know with those guys. Regardless, I'm excited to see what's next.

[MetalSkulkBane]

Yes, so we can stop making topics about Sonic Forces.

Also, I'm pretty sure most of us are Sonic fans. So...um yes?

[Rowl]

Not in my case. After the disappointment that was Sonic Forces, I'm actually routing now even more for Mania 2 or a potential new spin off series like the Paper Mario games are for the Mario series. 

Sega and Sonic Team really must take a long break of modern Sonic and finally figure out, how the gameplay can be used well in a modern 3D environment. The best would be, if they will take at least a 5 year long break. I know that Sonic is kinda known for to survive anything in his career, while other series like Banjo-Kazooie or Jak and Daxter only needed one mediocre game in their lineup to kick the bucket, but also Sonic can't really pull off that many mediocre or even bad games. One day even Sonic can't survive on his cool design and his 90's popularity anymore. People, who love Sonic only because of his design, can just go on the internet and look up all of the fan creations and the die hard fans, who grew up with Sonic and kept him afloat with their fanbase will also die someday. 

Sonic really needs to have a good 3D spinoff series or a good lineup of series in general. And I don't mean like producing a very good game now and than afterwards making for 5 years long a bunch of mediocre until in the end of the 5 years lifespan we get the next good game in the series. No, Sonic needs to have one good game after the other like Mario, Zelda, Shantae, Kirby, Kingdom Hearts etc. 

[Bobnik]

The short answer is "Yes, but out of morbid curiosity more than anything".

It's really hard to expect anything good from Sonic Team nowadays. Hell, at this point I don't expect anyone to make an enjoyable, good 3D Sonic game anymore because of how little production value the franchise has been getting lately (at least when it comes to games). I'd say Boom is at fault for that, but I feel like Lost World arguably started this trend and judging from Sonic Runners, Forces, TSR and even Mania, they aren't really willing to stop cheapening out on the mascot of their company.

Yes, I know that production value isn't everything, but it's noticable how seemingly low production value hit the franchise quite hard when it comes to 3D stuff. Does that mean there won't be a good 3D Sonic game anymore in the future? No, but I wouldn't expect a good game anytime soon. So might as well jump on the "morbid curiosity" train and stay for the ride of whatever 3D game we're getting next (if we're getting one that is) while going through some detours, like the movie I don't have hopes for.

So yeah, I'm waiting for a new 3D game, but mostly to look where the franchise is gonna go. Maybe I'll be interested if the announcement just outright states "Morio Kishimoto isn't involved in the direction and game design of this game", but for now - "morbid curiosity" train, here I come!

[Tarnish]

8 hours ago, Diogenes said:

Only in an ironic, masochistic sense; after Forces I have so little faith in Sonic Team that I'm mostly looking forward to the next game to see what new way they'll find to fuck it up.

Surprised it took so long for some people. I've been like that for 10 years now. Sonic 2006 was the last Sonic Team made Sonic game I was genuinely looking forward to and was excited by.

[Salamander]

I'm interested in the next 3D Sonic game in the sense that I have absolutely no idea what it could possibly be.  Gameplay, narrative, aesthetics - Sonic Team's output is just completely unpredictable, with no consistency whatsoever except possibly in terms of (lack of) quality control.

[Red Hot Jack]

9 hours ago, Diogenes said:

Only in an ironic, masochistic sense; after Forces I have so little faith in Sonic Team that I'm mostly looking forward to the next game to see what new way they'll find to fuck it up.

So you are excited to see Sonic fail again? Way past cool.

As for me, I dunno, Forces left a lot to be desired, so... I'm not excited for the next game, but I really desire something good out of 3D Sonic, I really need it since we haven't got it in a long time.

[Diogenes]

2 hours ago, I Love Sticks said:

So you are excited to see Sonic fail again? Way past cool.

No, I expect that it will fail, and I plan to wring what little enjoyment out of that that I can.

[Marco9966]

I expect a game like Sonic Colors. Simple story, less characters. New gimmicks or enemies.

I don't expect much sadly.

[Blue Blood]

47 minutes ago, Diogenes said:

No, I expect that it will fail, and I plan to wring what little enjoyment out of that that I can.

Basically this. But if SEGA plan on pleasantly surprising us with a good game, I'm obviously up for that.

[Mr Loopone]

No. While it wasn't just Sonic Forces, it was pretty much the seed that the series isn't really much for me anymore. The tone isn't for me, the level design is designed as simply as possible (not quite straight line zone but really hand holding) and the engine is getting worse, not quite Heroes-06 level of awfulness but one that isn't fun to play and more annoying because its not quite right. It is why I haven't bought the game and even Lost World the last game that I played started to fall apart half way through even though I sort of like the game. With Sega being on penny pinching mode, I would expect the next game to recycle assets from Forces just like their Yakuza series and even that Fist of the North Star game. I am even weary of a Mania 2 due to this (as in reuse of zones or retouched versions like using the foreground of an existing zone with a background of something else).

As mentioned its not just the main series anymore but also the spinoffs such as Team Sonic Racing. I mean 10 years ago, I would have followed it like anything due to Sumo Digital who at the time was my favourite developer but even then that is putting me off. Not the same Sumo literally (who themselves have been struggling since Transformed), development problems, gameplay doesn't look quite right, hard to explain mechanics that is the opposite to the Sonic philosophy as in pick up and play.

The last time that this happened where I was put off from modern 3D games was from Shadow to Generations thanks to playing Heroes, liked Generations then going backwards getting Allstars Racing, Sega Superstars Tennis, Colours and Unleashed even though did play the DS versions of the former 3 before then.

Will I be excited over a future Sonic game in general? I don't know but until that day comes, really on the sideline and wait until people have played the next games to find out.

[Dr. Mechano]

I've pretty much given up on modern Sonic.

Unless Sonic Team completely changes how they make games in this series, I see nothing to look forward to. I hate the boost gameplay, I hate the overly linear level design, I hate the aesthetic direction of the series, and I love to hate the so-bad-it's-hilarious story.

I guess if I'm already expecting the next game to be bad, then I want it to be spectacularly bad. Gimme something huge and memetically awful like Shadow, 2006, or Rise of Lyric. The unintentional comedy of this franchise is perhaps the one thing I can consistently look forward to.

So as an observer, a part of me looks forward to the next 3D Sonic. But as a player, I'm strictly 2D Sonic (i.e. Mania sequels) only, unless Sonic Team seriously gets their act together and surprises me.

[Rowl]

It is actually not that easy to come up with new ideas for Sonic's gameplay before it get's tiring and dull. Their is not that much you can pull of with a concept of running really fast. Running fast is not really a gameplay mechanic that you can play much around with. I personally think they should try to use the parkour system from Lost World again. This concept actually could work with a running fast gameplay.

[Blueknight V2.0]

9 minutes ago, Rowl said:

I personally think they should try to use the parkour system from Lost World again. This concept actually could work with a running fast gameplay.

That could work if they were to expand and blend it with the speed. Look at Spider-Man PS4 for example where parkour was used to keep momentum going, no matter the type of obstacle in the way. The same thing could be utilized in the next Sonic game. Of course they should give you a variety of ways to get past obstacles be it boosting, parkour or by other ways. But they do need to bring back Sonic's spin-kick ability from 2006 and Unleashed, at least it brought a little more variety than the usual boosting and spin attacks.

Plus another thing I overlooked and that was enemy toughness, because it seems that the newer the Sonic game is the easier they get. At least in Unleashed's Day stages enemies took more than one hit and were tougher, usually the first one (if they have shields) will just knock you away. Then the 2nd sometimes rids the enemies of shields or defeats them. That's another thing too after playing Unleashed, then switching over to Generation's Unleashed level. The toughness is downgraded. In Lost World they required being stunned before defeating them, which I guess was better than Generations and Forces in terms of toughness. But Unleashed's Day enemies were the best and probably the most challenging enemies to defeat.

So tougher enemies is a must for the next game.

[Scar]

I want them to do better. But I seriously doubt they will.

Morbid curiosity will have me keep track of any new Modern Sonic game that gets announced, but like Dio and Blue Blood before me, I will not expect anything amazing to come from it.

At this point, I've come to somehow enjoy the inevitable arguments and analysis that will take place over various minutia in teaser/gameplay footage given to us prior to release. Then I'll probably watch the BSC and/or FTCR playthrough of the game and wonder why my childhood's favourite franchise can't reach the potential I know its formula intrinsically possesses. 

If it turns out to be the second coming of Mario Galaxy (except with Sonic), I will gladly participate in the revelry. But that ain't happening son. 

Frankly the best news for me would be that the 3D Modern Sonic games will be going on hiatus until 2021 at the earliest. At least it gives me the impression that they're fucking thinking about the franchise's future instead of chucking out random garbage that needlessly gimps the gameplay of previously successful (if limited) formulae for no adequately defined reason - and then chucks in a pointless gimmick for....banter I guess.