Sonic Unleashed Sequel: What Could Be Added?

[Blueknight V2.0]

I know there will probably not be a Sonic Unleashed sequel. But what if Sega announced a new Sonic game, with footage. And it was going to be more like Unleashed, with longer and more real-world Modern Sonic stages. And maybe the additional playable options of Shadow, Silver and Blaze.

Now if the next game was to be closer to Unleashed (in terms of daytime level length and real-world inspired locations) than Forces. What do you think they should add?

I'm thinking the addition of weather and environments changing throughout the levels, depending on the location of course. Like instances where quick-stepping is required to dodge lightning strikes or Sonic (or other playable characters if there is any) needs to escape a flash-flood in a canyon. Or even escaping sand-storms, blizzards, avalanches and cave-ins (even to avoid falling rocks with quick-step). Now I would say lava (or magma) and volcanoes, but I think those have been used enough (mostly Crisis City, Chaotic Inferno Zone, Flame Core, etc.).

Now the weather wouldn't have to change constantly, like at a certain point these events would be triggered (like Escape from the City with the truck for instance). Like with the blizzard idea above, the start of the level could be clear. Then the further you progress the snow starts falling more and more until it becomes a blizzard. Which would reduce visibility, mix that with ice and that could provide some challenge at Sonic's (and Shadow's if he's playable) speeds. Then at some point it would also include an avalanche (which would probably be caused by Sonic's sonic boom). Now if Blaze was playable in a snowy section, it'd be an obvious move to allow her abilities to melt snow and ice.

But that's just what I think would make a really good addition to the next Modern Sonic game in the style of Unleashed. What do you guys think? Does this sound like a good idea for the next game?

[BlueSpeedster]

Spoiler

If Sega will ever do it again (which is never)

but I think that it could have some nice stuff on Switch like amiibo support (like if you use a Sonic amiibo, then you can have unlimited boost energy for the day)

[Blueknight V2.0]

2 minutes ago, MarioAmigosYT said:

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If Sega will ever do it again (which is never)

but I think that it could have some nice stuff on Switch like amiibo support (like if you use a Sonic amiibo, then you can have unlimited boost energy for the day)

That is an interesting idea, but is Amiibo even still being supported anymore?

[BlueSpeedster]

Just now, Blue Knight/Bluestreak said:

That is an interesting idea, but is Amiibo even still being supported anymore?

On the Switch? yeah!

[Blueknight V2.0]

5 minutes ago, MarioAmigosYT said:

On the Switch? yeah!

Okay just checking, because with all the Toys to Life disappearing one after the other (first Lego, then Disney Infinity and maybe Skylanders). I'm surprised Nintendo is still making them.

[BlueSpeedster]

6 minutes ago, Blue Knight/Bluestreak said:

I'm surprised Nintendo is still making them.

Did you not even notice E3/the final Smash Ultimate Direct?

Anyhow, another addition will be that the game could contain a bulit-in real-time function that will make the game be played at around the same time as the real world in the stages/cutscenes/hub worlds

[Sonic Fan J]

For me dynamic stage progression is a must if the Boost formula is to return. Considering how fast Sonic is it just always feels unrealistic that for an entire level it is the exact same terrain without any change. It's a problem I have with any Sonic game where the stages last for minutes and one of the reasons I love Jungle Joyride as the level just keeps changing the longer you're in it. That dynamism makes it feel like you are actually going somewhere and keeps the level from feeling too long and repetitive and is something that even at slower speeds I think needs to be implemented into the franchise as a whole.  

[Blueknight V2.0]

25 minutes ago, MarioAmigosYT said:

Did you not even notice E3/the final Smash Ultimate Direct?

Anyhow, another addition will be that the game could contain a bulit-in real-time function that will make the game be played at around the same time as the real world in the stages/cutscenes/hub worlds

Well I don't keep up with Smash Bros. So I don't have any interest in it outside of Sonic. Plus I'm not into that gameplay style.

That's another great idea, that way levels can be either day or night without having to select just one for a specific character.

2 minutes ago, Sonic Fan J said:

For me dynamic stage progression is a must if the Boost formula is to return. Considering how fast Sonic is it just always feels unrealistic that for an entire level it is the exact same terrain without any change. It's a problem I have with any Sonic game where the stages last for minutes and one of the reasons I love Jungle Joyride as the level just keeps changing the longer you're in it. That dynamism makes it feel like you are actually going somewhere and keeps the level from feeling too long and repetitive and is something that even at slower speeds I think needs to be implemented into the franchise as a whole.  

Jungle Joyride is also one of my favorite levels and I think it is for this particular reason (and the fact it's the longest day stage in the game). And I do think more levels deserve that kind of treatment, not just Unleashed though but other Sonic game, especially Forces with it's short levels. Now Generations did it with the Planet Wisp level from Colors in Generations, going from forest to factory. But that's still not as good as Jungle Joyride's example of dynamic stage progression. So this is a great idea.

[Tracker_TD]

Unleashed doesn't need adding to, it needs taking away from. It's one of the most annoyingly bloated games I've played, and generally said bloating is done through extremely tedious means. By the time I'd be done, it wouldn't even be much of an Unleashed sequel - just "a better, less fatty boost game than Unleashed" - which Generations already was. 

But, for the hell of it -

• Remove the Werehog. I mean, duh. 
• At the very least, streamline the hubs more. Having to constantly revisit Prof. Pickle after every damn stage was a pain in the arse and just resulted in an ungodly slew of load screens. I'd argue the 'main' hubs and the 'action' hubs should just be merged.
• Medals can fuck off. Or at least be completely optional. 
• Quick-Time Events suck. And they really suck in Unleashed, where they're almost broken by the endgame (the timer's already halfway down before the bloody button graphics have loaded!)
• Shift focus away from being "the prettiest game evaaaar" and back to responsive, fluid gameplay. Sonic Forces may suck, but damn am I glad they prioritised 60fps. I'd even take a consistent 30 - Unleashed is only really pretty in still images, because it spends plenty of the time actually being played firmly wedged in Powerpoint mode, with input responses suffering as a result. There's a few side acts in particular where this is painful.
• Speaking of which - the side act level designs were bollocks. I'm fine with having them, but add... someone who can design less crap levels. 

As I've said - Generations already did most of this. So rather than an Unleashed sequel, I'd rather have a Generations sequel - just with all original levels and no Classic Sonic. Or just remove being a 'sequel' from the equation entirely and just call it what it would be - a better boost game. 

[Wraith]

Since you specified a sequel to Sonic Unleashed, let's focus on expanding on Sonic Unleashed's mechanics and mission statement: beautiful locales that are huge in scale and based. Day and Night stages with a different sense of flow and progression. A sort of "road trip" type narrative that is focused on the the people and places you visit over an overarching "epic" narrative. 

 

A lot of people are suggesting the removal of the werehog and the expansion of the day stages, but that's boring to me. To be honest, Sonic Unleashed without the Werehog isn't really Sonic Unleashed to me. Instead I'd tweak the gameplay styles of both to bring them closer together. This might, in theory, end up cutting back a bit on the scale of the day stages, but if there was any real beef I had with Sonic Unleashed it's that the main gameplay style goes at odds with the way everything else in the game was telling me to get more intimate with these locales. It was a type of game that a slower pace would have suited beautifully. 

The Boost style wouldn't be "gone". It'd be scaled back to be less binary and more focused on the types of stylish things Sonic can do when he interacts with the environment. Think less the boost games proper and more Sonic Adventure 2's speed stages. A bigger emphasis on interacting with the level gimmicks and the environment. I think Sonic Unleashed is a genuinely great Sonic game but falters a little when it comes to having mechanics unique to each level. Slowing the pacing down and putting the pacing back on that along with a more robust "style" system along the lines of the tricks in Sonic Rush. Imagine boosting off a ramp, doing a couple of tricks like you would in Sonic Rush, sticking the landing on a grind rail and having the scores of crowds and civilians that show up in Unleashed levels cheering you on the whole way.  

This refocusing would mostly depend on rebalancing the boost gauge. I think in Unleashed it's simply too easy of a thing to fill and maintain. The work to maintain the flow should be emphasized a bit more without turning the level design into awkward, blocky platforming segments like Colors and Gens try to do. This just means more curves and more ramps. Just because it's a boost game doesn't mean it has absolutely nothing to learn from the Classics. Ramps and vertical level design should be emphasized a bit more in general over long, linear romps. 

I said I'd keep the Werehog and I'm standing by it. I think that Sonic's stretchy arms have too many interesting physics applications to just drop the idea. You'd have to retool his kit entirely for this to work though. Cut one of the attack buttons and put a bigger emphasis on his grapple to  hook on to pieces of the environment and grab objects and enemies. Let the werehog gain inertia that he can release and roll around to knock enemies and objects around. Let him keep one attack button as a general way to defend himself and put some pause combos on it for variety's sake but otherwise emphasize the big, sweeping movements and attacks you can do with the grapple. I like the idea of attacks that can only come out after you've gotten enough momentum going. Most, if not all combat encounters would be optional with a bigger emphasis on movement and dense, layered design. Think Sekiro, Bionic Commando, and Overwatch's wrecking ball mechanic over God of War. 

So, yeah. The game would essentially be cut into two halves again, but bringing the halves closer together and making more meaningful interactions happen with the day and night cycle would present an interesting gameplay concept, imo. Imagine a few more levels like Eggman land where you have to switch styles on the fly, or levels that take place in the same location for day and night, so paths you can take in the day stage are affected by something you did at Night. say a wall you break down as the Werehog becomes a shortcut for when you revisit the level as Sonic. 

The hubs are the last bit and I'll stick my neck out here and say this part needs to be emphasized more. The idea of streamlining them is a good one but in general I'd like the majority of the story to take place here. More meaningful side missions and interactions would suit the game's roadtrip feel more than trying to go for something grand and epic. I think it'd be easy to implement the extended cast here along with plenty of new characters that represent the locales in the game. 

I'm most excited about a sequel because I loved the idea of using the real world to build platforming levels around. A couple of ideas I had included Venice, with Sonic being able to use the waterway as a shortcut if he can maintain his boost and the Werehog rowing the boats around. A castle in Scotland. A dense, layered Favela in Brazil. Hell, the usual Sonic Metropolis level could be based more in Tokyo instead of an american city. You could have a lot of fun with this. 

Medals come back since they're a good incentive to explore but they shouldn't affect progression at all. I agree with other suggestions in the thread like weather affects, streamlining the hub and the dynamic level progression that made a lot of the levels in Unleashed a treat. 

 

 

[Scar]

More of a question of what should be taken away. That being the Werehog. I'd love to have night stages where you play as regular daytime Sonic. Some of the stages like Cool Edge, look beautiful at night. 

 

[Blueknight V2.0]

4 hours ago, Wraith said:

A lot of people are suggesting the removal of the werehog

I don't have a problem with the werehog gameplay, I think it's something that can be improved upon. But the werehog being in the next game would depend on the story and if they choose to add other playable characters like Shadow, Silver and Blaze instead.

4 hours ago, Wraith said:

So, yeah. The game would essentially be cut into two halves again, but bringing the halves closer together and making more meaningful interactions happen with the day and night cycle would present an interesting gameplay concept, imo. Imagine a few more levels like Eggman land where you have to switch styles on the fly, or levels that take place in the same location for day and night, so paths you can take in the day stage are affected by something you did at Night. say a wall you break down as the Werehog becomes a shortcut for when you revisit the level as Sonic. 

I did like how they did that in Eggmanland, where you was able to switch between Hedgehog and Werehog. If there were more levels like that, then they could do two paths in the same levels, one for werehog and the other for Hedgehog. Therefore making any level to be completed by using only one or a mixture of both, not to mention the number of different possibilities that come with that. Plus I like the idea of doing something at night affects something during daytime gameplay or vise versa, that right there could add replay value for collectibles or additional paths for speedruns.

4 hours ago, Wraith said:

More meaningful side missions and interactions would suit the game's roadtrip feel more than trying to go for something grand and epic. I think it'd be easy to implement the extended cast here along with plenty of new characters that represent the locales in the game. 

Yeah when I go back through the game I never really do the side missions, mostly because of their short length or are under a very short time limit or no damage required. Now the hub worlds, I would say they could be able to include the other Sonic characters to specific locations. Like Silver or Shadow for the city, Rouge for desert, Blaze for an icy location, etc.

4 hours ago, Wraith said:

I'm most excited about a sequel because I loved the idea of using the real world to build platforming levels around. A couple of ideas I had included Venice, with Sonic being able to use the waterway as a shortcut if he can maintain his boost and the Werehog rowing the boats around. A castle in Scotland. A dense, layered Favela in Brazil. Hell, the usual Sonic Metropolis level could be based more in Tokyo instead of an american city. You could have a lot of fun with this.

That's the thing I liked with Unleashed was the real-world inspired locations. While I think Venice is a good idea, but if they did bring it back it might just be Soleanna (as it is mentioned/ referenced in Unleashed during Skyscraper Scamper night). I think Paris, France would be a good one. A castle I think they used that in Black Knight. Now a swamp level, like the ones in the southern US would be a great level. But I think Australia deserves a chance in the next game, with it's various different environments. Tokyo that could be interesting, since I think that's where Sega started. But it's also a high tech location, which could make for a futuristic level where Silver could appear like in the hub world.

4 hours ago, Wraith said:

Medals come back since they're a good incentive to explore but they shouldn't affect progression at all.

Sanzaru Games with Sonic Boom Fire & Ice applied this, and I think that it shouldn't have prevented from unlocking levels. So if another game like Unleashed would be made, then the medals should be optional to collect rather than required to unlock levels.

 

16 minutes ago, Scar said:

I'd love to have night stages where you play as regular daytime Sonic. Some of the stages like Cool Edge, look beautiful at night. 

I'd like that too, as an option to choose day or night in stages. Of course that might depend on whether or not the werehog gets into the next game and they choose to add other characters like Shadow, Silver or Blaze instead.

[JosepHenry]

I don't think an Unleashed 2 needs medals, Power Point presentations, Werehog or other questionable things to be Unleashed 2 or that without them it would be a different game.

What I think about Unleashed is

Day and Night system.

Traveling through the world and visting many different countries.

That's it.

Is less Unleashed and more "World Adventure".

I think Werehog is not needed instead have a more slow paced normal Sonic at night. Or maybe another character like Knuckles. And even if he's in make him play how he would if he was normal Sonic or Knuckles.

Just keep the two aspects I listed. Everything else... Eh, just remove the obvious complaints, have more open hub worlds with more to explore and talk to (or just don't have necessary medals), keep the day and night system and different cartoony versions of real life countries. That could be still Unleashed 2. Or at least World Adventure 2 (thats such a better name).

 

A Brazil level in Rio should be the Apotos of this game just sayin. Call it something stupid like Bruzil.

[Kazhnuz]

Mmh, for me, a "sequel" to Unleashed should come with what is the "spirit" of the game for me : a "World Adventure" (rolls credits). A game with a story that lead us to a world tour. Personally, more than the werehog, or every elements like Chip, the Gaïa Temple, etc. That's what I liked with Unleashed. It was really a nice journey.

The main point that should be kept is :

- Multiple gameplays. They should maybe be streamlined, or reworked, but I feel that not having all the time Sonic that just dash everywhere is needed for a "SU2"/"SWA2". Personnally, I would use several character, because I prefer that. Maybe Sonic for "high-speed race-like levels", Tails for more plateform-y levels, and Amy for more exploration/battle levels ? It's just a possibility though. Another possibilities would be to have in the main character group a new character.

- Sonic gameplay should keep the arcade feeling of unleashed (being less "plateformy" to the player) but with some kind of ways to make the game more forgiving for new players, and add some of the cool cinematic moments that Generations (like how the Sky Sanctuary fall into pieces underneat Sonic's foots, or the epic moment) or Forces where able to add (not the too long QTE of Forces, though). Less QTE, though, or maybe improve them. Other gameplay should be a tad slower and less adrelaninesque, but for me without being as slow as the werehog.

- A story involving a small group of character travelling together (like we had with Sonic and Chip), and with the story being kinda less important. Unleashed for me had that kind of "road trip movie" feeling, and I feel that a Sonic Unleashed sequel should keep this part of the ambiance. That's why I proposed a Sonic+Tails+Amy story, because it could be nice to play with their. A new character being part of the group and evolving through contact with Sonic/Tails/other characters could be great (even if I'm not against just a nice story with existing characters too).

- Location that are from all around the world, and that have some kind of spectacular flair. Maybe instead of playing with countries this time, playing with "Natural World Wonders", or things like that ? Maybe with the presence of other characters in the hubs, in order to get side mission. It could be a way to tie a bit more such a game to the rest of the serie, without going too far. They should be visited either as night or day, but IDK exactly how it could be.

- Medals should be kept amha (because I love reward tokens xD), but as an option. Maybe something to unlock things ?

 

And that's everything I can think right now xD

[Rowl]

The only thing I can think off, are more levels based on real earth locations. Like the Australian outback, the mountains from Switzerland, Seychellen etc. Storywise you can not bring Chip back and also not the Wherehog. 

[Sonictrainer]

8 minutes ago, Rowl said:

Storywise you can not bring Chip back and also not the Werehog. 

Well, Eggman only split the Human World's Planet into pieces...

If he tried the same thing in Sonic's World...

[Rowl]

1 hour ago, Sonictrainer said:

Well, Eggman only split the Human World's Planet into pieces...

If he tried the same thing in Sonic's World...

I actually do not really get this two world idea to be honest. So... Sonic Adventure - Sonic Unleashed plays in the human world and from Sonic Colors onwards we have another alternative timeline, where the story takes place in a world filled with Sonic like characters. Is that the case here?

[Kazhnuz]

Not an alternative timeline, more some kind of "parallel world" like in Sonic X. ( How characters would travel between worlds being still to discover. Aaron mentionned some kind of portals IIRC, but it might just be his educated guess. )

 

And tbh, I don't think a World Adventure 2 / Unleashed 2 should happens in the Animal World... For me the use of earth-like but a bit more cartoony location was really a part of Unleashed's charm, a part of this impression of a "World Tour". (and I would like a "World Adventure 2" to mention GUN, the United Federation and other. Not make them overly important, but just some mention would be nice :p. At first I wanted to say "flesh out", but I think that for the moment, the Human World is way more fleshed out than the Animal World xD). Not to mention that I think that having the last ~7 years entirely in this world is enough, having at least one game with humans would please me.

[Sonic Fan J]

I have to say that I actually like to think that one of the ways that an Unleashed 2 could be approached is to finally use the Japanese title of "Sonic World Adventure" as it would help alleviate any Werehog concerns and put emphasis on the type of adventure taking place.

[Sega DogTagz]

15 hours ago, Sonictrainer said:

Well, Eggman only split the Human World's Planet into pieces...

If he tried the same thing in Sonic's World...

you mean like he did in Sonic Advance 3?

 

[Razule]

7 hours ago, Kazhnuz said:

Not an alternative timeline, more some kind of "parallel world" like in Sonic X. ( How characters would travel between worlds being still to discover. Aaron mentionned some kind of portals IIRC, but it might just be his educated guess. )

 

And tbh, I don't think a World Adventure 2 / Unleashed 2 should happens in the Animal World... For me the use of earth-like but a bit more cartoony location was really a part of Unleashed's charm, a part of this impression of a "World Tour". (and I would like a "World Adventure 2" to mention GUN, the United Federation and other. Not make them overly important, but just some mention would be nice :p. At first I wanted to say "flesh out", but I think that for the moment, the Human World is way more fleshed out than the Animal World xD). Not to mention that I think that having the last ~7 years entirely in this world is enough, having at least one game with humans would please me.

But we've only actually been on the Animal Planet in one game (Forces). Everything else was off-planet or other dimensions.

[Kazhnuz]

That's a good point, I didn't thought of it like that (I thought of it as "we didn't see the human world in 7 years", but in this respect, it's true that we only really saw once the Animal World and have been off-world in every other games during this time).

[Darth InVaders]

Well... Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations are both sequels to Sonic Unleashed.

Anyway, I'd drop Adventure Fields, Town Stages, whatever-they're-called and drop Werehog. However a few elements from Werehog can be introduced to Knuckles gameplay (the combo system really) - but make it faster paced: really do not have to stop to beat all enemies with emphasis on getting to the goal as fast as possible (like Sonic) and hoards of enemies are one-hit only

And take the mapping of Sonic's Homing Attack to a second press of the jump button from Colors, Generations, etc and apply it to Unleashed (using Boost button to Homing Attack was a bad idea)

 

Overall though I'd prefer if Sonic Team did a new type of game that has a momentum based gameplay more along the lines of Green Hill Paradise Act 2 (not the open world part of that though, that's ridiculously in need of resources Sonic Team would not be able to realistically do)