Devil's Advocate: Sonic Unleashed is MUCH better then Sonic Adventure

[Cortez]

Unleashed is very polished, SA not so much.

I think you're confusing polish with good graphics, because I think of numerous instances where Unleashed's lack of polish GLARES through. You can't tell me that the frame rate dropping to near unplayable levels in Empire City's Hub is polish, same goes for Adabat day. There are more but I cba to remember them.

[XavierRussell]

People aren't going to or at least shouldn't overdo the boost in the beginning because they simply don't know the level layout; Illegality aside, you will be less willing to going to speed down a road you're unfamiliar with as opposed to one you drive everyday. We've more than established at this point that Sonic is exceedingly fast. Weighing this level of power against one's ability to react accordingly to obstacles the first time through should naturally steer people in a more cautious direction. Sure, obstacles are less inclined to kill you in the beginning, but when the ultimate goal is to keep your speed up as long as possible for at least the reward of catharsis, a forced stop can be as valid and severe and punishment as losing a life altogether because they ultimately do the same thing-- break flow. Case in point are the enclosed pathways in Apotos that you must slide under, or even that little piece of architecture after the first railing that'll make Sonic trip. They're not lethal obstacles, but the extent that they become aggravating when missed at top speed was more than enough to make me step off of the gas a little for the rest of the level. Ironically, this led to a greater amount of success in avoiding future obstacles, and it was only until I went back a few times to learn Apotos' layout that I became comfortable enough to hold X and win.

I believe this partly explains why there's a severe lack of indication of many of the upcoming obstacles throughout the game-- You should not be in a mindset where you want to play like a pro in the beginning anyways, because you will have undoubtedly hit obstacles throughout any attempt to do so, and those constant breaks in the flow of the level will eventually piss you off enough to stop spamming the boost.

Pretty much the same reason why you don't blindly hold right and know exactly when to make jumps in the original Sonic games, you don't know the level layout so you don't try to beat the levels as fast as possible yet. Once you know what you're doing, that's when you pull out all the stops.

Perfect I couldn't have said it better myself (obviously). That also brings us back to trial and error I talked about before. It's always been there.

[Solid SOAP]

Honestly, there were more than enough instances in the classics where blindly holding right killed or harmed you in some way. In Aquatic Ruins Zone where Grounder randomly pops out of walls if you're not too careful, in Metropolis Zone where those fucking green cunts with the boomerang claws throw their claws at you at near unavoidable areas, etc. The classics were more or less just as guilty of trial and error as Unleashed was, honestly.

[Arrow]

I heard that the PS2 version is actually better than the real version. It's also what I've got.

Does anyone here who LIKES THE GAME have the PS2 version/played it?

[Octarine]

I heard that the PS2 version is actually better than the real version. It's also what I've got.

Does anyone here who LIKES THE GAME have the PS2 version/played it?

*raises hand* ...well, the Wii version, anyway.

Apart from the obvious difference in graphics and the variation in available levels, I'd call them pretty even in quality. The only thing that really irks me about the WiiS2 version is the lack of true hubs.

The WiiS2 version's day stages weren't nearly as "cheap" as the HD version, but at the expense of feeling a lot less lively. They were pretty empty-feeling, but they were still fun in a different way. The combat in the night stages was less complex than in the HD version, but the stages themselves didn't rely on combat as extensively anyway and were a much more tolerable length, with the trade-off that there were a greater quantity of them. The WiiS2 version of Dark Gaia also sucks slightly less, but that's not saying much. It's still one of my least favourite final bosses in the series.

Short version: to me, they've both got plenty of individual elements of a great game; I just wish there could've been a single development team with the insight to combine the good bits from each.

[JezMM]

Does anyone here who LIKES THE GAME have the PS2 version/played it?

I bought both the Wii and the 360 versions (and plan to pick up the PS2 and PS3 versions at some point because I am a nurd).

I think the Wii version was a fine game, it's downfall being they should have made the longer ones of the bonus Sonic stages as mandatory to beat the game. They are SO tucked away, but if you play them all alongside the Werehog levels, the balance is a little evened out. Still more night levels overall, but still.

I do think the reason the WiiS2 version got higher scores is because it was completely lacking in the twitchy reaction time gameplay of 360. And as a result I found the day stages WAY too easy. The true challenge in Unleashed Wii came from speed running. Getting S ranks requires you to truly analyse each level, find the best route, and perform flawlessly with using your boost and drift (since the former is a lot more limited, and the latter a lot more essential). Unlike on 360 where it's simply a case of performing flawlessly on the stage set out for you.

I agree with others who say a truly fine game could have been made by combining the large, open, criss-crossing WiiS2 stages with the tight platforming and set-up of the PS360 version.

As for Werehog, at first I liked him more on WiiS2 due to all the platforming, but by the time I'd 100%'d both games, I decided I did prefer 360 after all. The combat and combos are much more streamlined and satisfying on 360, as are the acrobatics. Everything about Werehog is slow paced on WiiS2. Every move you make feels heavy and seperate from the last, unlike 360 where you really can chain together some fancy moves instantly after one another, be it fighting ones or jumpy/runny/swingy/climby ones.

[Aquaslash]

in Metropolis Zone where those fucking green cunts with the boomerang claws throw their claws at you at near unavoidable areas, etc.

You mean this guy?

You are now raging.

[Chooch]

I heard that the PS2 version is actually better than the real version. It's also what I've got.

Does anyone here who LIKES THE GAME have the PS2 version/played it?

I played the Wii version with a Classic Controller for an extended period of time, so I'd say close enough.

The problem with the Wii/PS2 version is that it takes a lot of what made the 360/PS3 version awesome and just strips it down so much it feels like incomplete game when you compare it to the 360/PS3 version. Skyscraper Scamper? My favorite day level? LOL NOT THERE. I still have no idea why they would just rip out an entire fucking level like that. It's dumb. The whole game just feels so bare and unfinished.

The people who prefer the Wii/PS2 just don't like collecting medals (I never could not continue because of medals, but people whine about it all the time), 'OMG super cheap QTEs', and being able to continuously boost (unlike the Wii/PS2 version) which in turn leads to them getting fucked up due to having too much confidence.

The Wii/PS2 version is.. okay, but 360/PS3 is a much better game.

[Djawed]

I heard that the PS2 version is actually better than the real version. It's also what I've got.

Does anyone here who LIKES THE GAME have the PS2 version/played it?

I think this is the whole reason why you think unleashed is better than sa1

I got both versions and the 360 version is the one to have all those flaws being mentioned. Allthough the Wii version has more werehog segments and easy daytime stages. Believe me... or maybe better i think, you would rather have that than any flaw that has been mentioned.

IMO the werehog is also more fun on the wii. They couldve made a whole werehog game out of it with more werehog stages and i'd still wouldnt complain. The HD versions on the other hand are slow, repetitive and unforigivable.

Everything that makes the werehog bad on the wii is far more worse in the 360 version. Killing enemies with large health bars for a minute each part is no fun while giving you only some seconds of platforming as a pause for the werehog battle music. This all is dumbed down on the wii version. The platforming bit is actuallu darn good in the wii version IMO. And killing the obstacles(enemies) i thought was actually perfect, not too long, no long health bars. The pace was perfect.

This is all just my opinion, I played the 360 version after the wii version. I expected it to be better in every way. After i got it my brother kept asking "so is it better". I couldnt give a quick answer and stayed skeptical untill i finished it.

Meh it is not for me.

Unleashed wii for me is slightly better then sa1. Just slightly.

Edited January 18, 2010 by Jaouad

[JezMM]

^ One of the major reasons I prefer PS360 to WiiS2 is that on PS360, not every fight is forced. On WiiS2 you're caged in for EVERY fight, and can't progress until every enemy is beaten. On PS360 there are some which are optional, and the player can sneak past them if they don't wish to fight. Yet another thing that makes the WiiS2 version seem way more slow and clunky to me.

Edited January 18, 2010 by JezMM

[azoo]

I would've agreed with Unleashed's gameplay 100% if it would've done at least these four things:

. replaced the trial-and-error level design from the PS360 version and replace it with the multi-routed stages from the WiiS2 version (except more lively and detailed)

.made the drift non-snakable, more like the speed boost powerslides from OutRun (and like how drifting will supposedly be in SaSASR)

. gave the tighter and better PS360 controls the WiiS2 boost (seriously, it felt more gratifying to get ring energy with the boost on that version)

.replaced the slide with the roll and incorporated the ball physics a little more in it

If they would've done this, I would've been much happier with Unleashed, and maybe it would've been better than SA1 in my eyes. Not saying I wasn't happy with Unleashed (it's a pretty dang good game), it's just that it would've been much more enjoyable if these things were in it instead. The WiiS2 boost and the ball physics together would heighten the work/risk/reward system of the game, and the usage of more open and explorable stages with multiple routes would allow more replayability and much less frustration. It's too bad that both the WiiS2 level design and boost were put in with odd and wonky gameplay. Plus, drifting constantly thanks to snaking feels incredibly cheap and game-breaking, and is something they should've touched on when in development.

[Djawed]

^ One of the major reasons I prefer PS360 to WiiS2 is that on PS360, not every fight is forced. On WiiS2 you're caged in for EVERY fight, and can't progress until every enemy is beaten. On PS360 there are some which are optional, and the player can sneak past them if they don't wish to fight. Yet another thing that makes the WiiS2 version seem way more slow and clunky to me.

Yea i think that's true. But it still doesnt compensate. The levels are still long, platforming is still badly implemented and you die a lot because of bad level design. Reminds me of spagonia night in the clocktower. I missed a ledge and fell down. I expected to try it all over again, i wouldnt really have a problem with that, but you actually die. I was thinking to my self "wtf?? did that just really happen?"

And stages like empire city, the watterfalls in adabat just to name a few. All in comparison to the wii levels are just full with bad level design. The wii IMO has better level design, better and more platforming and a better pace of progression. Even though a barrier stops you from continuing. Enemies never really frustrated me.

I never had a problem with the small move set, IMO it was actually better since you dont use them anyway in the 360 version. At least i dont. That together with everything i mentioned makes wii version the only version that i consider to be a bit better than sa1.

Edited January 18, 2010 by Jaouad

[Arrow]

Someone said I prefer Unleashed to SA1, er, no. I think the day levels in Unleashed are decent, and if they existed in a better story and setting minus the werehog the game would be better.

The thing that ruins even the day levels for me is the bland scenery. There's just... nothing. And EVERY level in varying lands looks the same painted a new colour. There doesn't feel like there is any variation in what you have to do based on the environment. The environment could be brutalist concrete platforms and it would make no difference.

Every Sonic game in the last 10 years has been half arsed. It's really disappointing, because they'll be onto a good story and forget gameplay, or be onto good gameplay and forget story. It's like, every time they fix a previous mistake, the let go of something they fixed and watch it smash to the ground. It's just retarded.

Edited January 18, 2010 by Arrow

[Djawed]

Oww I apoligize. Must have mistaken you with ssomeone else in the first few pages:p.

I never played the ps2 version but i have seen some gameplay footages. But also for the wii version I agree that the scenery is boring but it wasn't that big of a deal for me.

They got the gameplay to be decent but I do agree that visually the game didn't get everything out of the systems hardware. It might even be worse on the ps2 because i sometimes was surprised how good the werehog stages looked. Daytime levels were indeed awfully bland with a few exceptions like holoska or eggmanland.

[Chooch]

The thing that ruins even the day levels for me is the bland scenery. There's just... nothing. And EVERY level in varying lands looks the same painted a new colour. There doesn't feel like there is any variation in what you have to do based on the environment. The environment could be brutalist concrete platforms and it would make no difference.

If you're talking about the just Wii/PS2 version then I wholeheartedly agree with you.

Edited January 18, 2010 by Chooch

[JezMM]

Yea i think that's true. But it still doesnt compensate. The levels are still long, platforming is still badly implemented and you die a lot because of bad level design. Reminds me of spagonia night in the clocktower. I missed a ledge and fell down. I expected to try it all over again, i wouldnt really have a problem with that, but you actually die. I was thinking to my self "wtf?? did that just really happen?"

And stages like empire city, the watterfalls in adabat just to name a few. All in comparison to the wii levels are just full with bad level design. The wii IMO has better level design, better and more platforming and a better pace of progression. Even though a barrier stops you from continuing. Enemies never really frustrated me.

I never had a problem with the small move set, IMO it was actually better since you dont use them anyway in the 360 version. At least i dont. That together with everything i mentioned makes wii version the only version that i consider to be a bit better than sa1.

I love all the levels you mentioned, but oh well. I think I'd rather die in the Clock Tower than start from the bottom again.

Nowadays I love the Clock Tower though. I can scale it without ever stopping, chaining one movement into the next and getting up the whole thing in under a minute. Damn satisfying. Can never do anything that swiftly on the Wii, not that the level design ever really allows for it anyway.

Other than that, if you didn't use all the fighting combos in the PS360 version, no wonder you found the combat boring, lol. In fact I find it annoying that the combos take so long to unlock, really.

Edited January 18, 2010 by JezMM

[Phos]

I was going to post this yesterday night, but the site went down:

People aren't going to or at least shouldn't overdo the boost in the beginning because they simply don't know the level layout; Illegality aside, you will be less willing to going to speed down a road you're unfamiliar with as opposed to one you drive everyday. We've more than established at this point that Sonic is exceedingly fast. Weighing this level of power against one's ability to react accordingly to obstacles the first time through should naturally steer people in a more cautious direction. Sure, obstacles are less inclined to kill you in the beginning, but when the ultimate goal is to keep your speed up as long as possible for at least the reward of catharsis, a forced stop can be as valid and severe and punishment as losing a life altogether because they ultimately do the same thing-- break flow. Case in point are the enclosed pathways in Apotos that you must slide under, or even that little piece of architecture after the first railing that'll make Sonic trip. They're not lethal obstacles, but the extent that they become aggravating when missed at top speed was more than enough to make me step off of the gas a little for the rest of the level. Ironically, this led to a greater amount of success in avoiding future obstacles, and it was only until I went back a few times to learn Apotos' layout that I became comfortable enough to hold X and win.

I believe this partly explains why there's a severe lack of indication of many of the upcoming obstacles throughout the game-- You should not be in a mindset where you want to play like a pro in the beginning anyways, because you will have undoubtedly hit obstacles throughout any attempt to do so, and those constant breaks in the flow of the level will eventually piss you off enough to stop spamming the boost.

Pretty much the same reason why you don't blindly hold right and know exactly when to make jumps in the original Sonic games, you don't know the level layout so you don't try to beat the levels as fast as possible yet. Once you know what you're doing, that's when you pull out all the stops.

For the most part, the classic games had subtle ways of telling you when you could safely go fast and when you couldn't. Was there any doubt in your mind the first time you played Chemical Plant Zone that you could just hold right over the undulating pathways or when going down the big ramp? No there wasn't thanks to those subtle cues. What might these cues be? In Chemical Plant Zone enemies and other hazards are never on the smooth yellow surfaces, only the grey surfaces, save for those damn rotating sections. Unleashed actually has these in the first few levels. You remember the end of the long straight at the start of Windmill Island Act 2? That vertical spring was a excellent way to get the player to asses the situation, and the pit is preceded by a higher floor you have to jump up to, and we get a brief but oh so brilliant glance at what a proper 3D Sonic game might look like. Then they kill it with another damn "Homing attack over the pit" thing, but more importantly, it's followed by a long straightaway that you can see down, and I think the game tells you to boost as well, even though it doesn't really need to, because the stage already told you to. Or, more accurately, it told you that boosting here is fine... and it doesn't stop telling you that for like a minute or whatever (via boost pads and rails and stuff), and then you get to quarter pipe that sends you straight up. Being sent up is usually an indicator that you have to actually do something instead of boosting. First time through the level, you won't have air boost, so you'll either homing attack immediately and make it to the next platform, or do nothing and land with spikes in view.

But regardless, once you've learned the levels, it's essentially just a challenge to pull off a set of choreographed moves. Repeated playthroughs of levels in, say, Sonic 3 are typically for the sake of going through the level in ways you didn't the last time. Repeated playthroughs of levels in Sonic CD typically yield finding faster discrete routes through the level, not simply optimizing one laid out for you.

I'd also like to mention that I don't like Sonic games that make going fast seem especially dangerous. It seems to me like a major source of Unleashed's exhilaration among it's fans seems to mostly be from seeing Sonic go that fast, something I can understand. If that's the case, I don't see any reason why that can't coexist with a type of difficulty that isn't based around punishing you for going fast in a Sonic game.

Honestly, there were more than enough instances in the classics where blindly holding right killed or harmed you in some way. In Aquatic Ruins Zone where Grounder randomly pops out of walls if you're not too careful, in Metropolis Zone where those fucking green cunts with the boomerang claws throw their claws at you at near unavoidable areas, etc. The classics were more or less just as guilty of trial and error as Unleashed was, honestly.

There are a few examples of stuff like that in the classics, but it's much less prevalent.

[XavierRussell]

I still haven't played the Wii version, but from what I've heard it's a totally different experience.

There are a few examples of stuff like that in the classics, but it's much less prevalent.

I just replayed Sonic 1 and 2 today for the hell of it and no, it's plenty prevalent. Green Hill lets you go fast and plow through pretty easily, almost every other level doesn't. Marble garden is full of those caterpillars and fireballs, along with those slow cement ride segments. I couldn't run through that level quickly because I'd hit a trap everywhere I went. The same can be said for Sonic 2.

And get this, I was only able to do as well i did because I knew these stages going in. Sonic Unleashed is exactly the same, Sonic Adventure is exactly the same.

Edited January 19, 2010 by XavierRussell

[Phos]

I just replayed Sonic 1 and 2 today for the hell of it and no, it's plenty prevalent. Green Hill lets you go fast and plow through pretty easily, almost every other level doesn't. Marble garden is full of those caterpillars and fireballs, along with those slow cement ride segments. I couldn't run through that level quickly because I'd hit a trap everywhere I went. The same can be said for Sonic 2.

And get this, I was only able to do as well i did because I knew these stages going in. Sonic Unleashed is exactly the same, Sonic Adventure is exactly the same.

I think you're confusing general obstacles with surprise hazards. Marble Zone makes it obvious that you can't go fast through it, stuff doesn't pop out at you out of nowhere. The irregular terrain makes it obvious that you can't go fast.

[XavierRussell]

I think you're confusing general obstacles with surprise hazards. Marble Zone makes it obvious that you can't go fast through it, stuff doesn't pop out at you out of nowhere. The irregular terrain makes it obvious that you can't go fast.

Touche.

In my case it did pop out at me though, because I always wanna go fast in Marble Garden and it makes me mad that I can't XD

[Super Yoshi]

I would have to say that SA is better than Sonic Unleashed because of the game play and story. But there was the problem of playing the same stages for the same characters in SA. It just made more sense then Sonic Unleashed did. But this is just my opinion. There were things about Unleashed that were great like the DLC and stages, but that is about it.

[JezMM]

This isn't really to prove any points, just something I did out of curiosity. As said, I went through the first two stages, boosting without a care in the world, and counted how many problems I hit (seperated into three categories, Obstacles, Hazards and Deaths.

Obstacles do not harm, but break flow and cause unsatisfaction, hazards deal damage but do not kill, and deaths of course, are instant deaths as punishment for failure.

I awarded a full point for something I feel had not much in terms of prior warning, and half a point for something I believe there was plenty of warning for. I have explained why I awarded a half point beneath the offending items in the details.

APOTOS - WINDMILL ISLE DAY ACT 1

Results:

2 Obstacles (1 Full, 2 Halves = 3 in general)

2.5 Hazards (1 Full, 3 Halves = 4 in general)

0 Deaths (0 Full, 0 Halves = 0 in general)

DETAILS:

O - Wall Before Pots (0.5 due to the springs directly before negating boost)

O - Homing Attack Pit (0.5 due to 90 degree corner beforehand)

O - Wall After First Batch Of Enemies

H - Spikes On Last Road

H - More Spikes (0.5 due to previous spikes acting as warning)

H - More Spikes (0.5 for same reason)

H - More Spikes (0.5 for same reason)

APOTOS - WINDMILL ISLE DAY ACT 2

Results:

5 Obstacles (2 Full, 6 Halves = 8 in general)

3 Hazards (2 Full, 2 Halves = 4 in general)

1.5 Deaths (0 Full, 3 Halves = 3 in general)

DETAILS:

O - Rubble near start

D - Drop below first homing attack chain (0.5 due to being easy to see)

O - First crouch wall

O - Second crouch wall (0.5 due to coming right after previous one)

H - Spikes on rail (0.5 due to quick step controls display)

H - Spikes on next rail (0.5 due to previous spikes serving as warning)

O - Trip spot before first launcher (0.5 due to barely affecting flow)

H - Spikes before platforming segment by Eggman spring

O - Pit in next platforming segment (0.5 due to first segment implying slowness required)

O - Crouch wall (0.5 due to crouching controls display appearing way ahead of time)

O - Pit below homing attack chain in 2D section before first QTE (0.5 due to easiness to see)

O - Another crouch wall (0.5 due to display appearing way ahead of time again)

D - Drop after checkpoint (0.5 due to wall before halting boost)

D - Second drop after checkpoint (0.5 due to warning from first drop, as well as homing attackable enemies)

H - Spikes at end of level below rainbow ring

Feel free to add bonus points as I went the best possible route through, including sucessful QTEs and the left path after the first QTE. I know the alternative routes have a fair few more spikes and rubble.

So yeah. Is that enough to claim Apotos (for example) as discouraging carefree boosting? You, the readers decide! (And I will argue if I disagree 8I lol).

Edited January 19, 2010 by JezMM

[Nepenthe]

Unleashed actually has these in the first few levels. You remember the end of the long straight at the start of Windmill Island Act 2? That vertical spring was a excellent way to get the player to asses the situation, and the pit is preceded by a higher floor you have to jump up to, and we get a brief but oh so brilliant glance at what a proper 3D Sonic game might look like. Then they kill it with another damn "Homing attack over the pit" thing, but more importantly, it's followed by a long straightaway that you can see down, and I think the game tells you to boost as well, even though it doesn't really need to, because the stage already told you to. Or, more accurately, it told you that boosting here is fine... and it doesn't stop telling you that for like a minute or whatever (via boost pads and rails and stuff), and then you get to quarter pipe that sends you straight up. Being sent up is usually an indicator that you have to actually do something instead of boosting. First time through the level, you won't have air boost, so you'll either homing attack immediately and make it to the next platform, or do nothing and land with spikes in view.

The first straightaway in Windmill Isle has that aforementioned bump in the road that'll trip Sonic if you don't hop over it, practically unseen when gunning it, boost or no boost. Following the first pit and the next straightaway where you're told to boost, it eventually leads to the obstacles you have to slide under that you'll most likely run smack dab into. The small pit that must be traversed using the two platforms has a spike bed that becomes unavoidable when you homing attack after being launched in the air, simply because you lack the air boost to shoot far enough ahead. Rails have spikeballs and end abruptly. There's a series of spikebeds right at the end. And I'm sure JezMM covered anymore I may have missed.

Windmill Isle has more than enough obstacles that can stop, hurt, or potentially instakill a new player if they proceed to try and mindlessly boost through it without being knowledgeable of its design, and as most everyone in this topic has noted and proven, the proliferation and risk factor of such hazards only proceeds to go up from there as you progress through the game. All of this should be enough to blatantly tell anyone that you are more likely to hit something your first time through any level as a resultant combination of boosting and ignorance. But whatever the person proceeds to do with this indication is on them.

But regardless, once you've learned the levels, it's essentially just a challenge to pull off a set of choreographed moves. Repeated playthroughs of levels in, say, Sonic 3 are typically for the sake of going through the level in ways you didn't the last time. Repeated playthroughs of levels in Sonic CD typically yield finding faster discrete routes through the level, not simply optimizing one laid out for you.

I won't argue that, although I don't really utilize these games' non-linearity anyways. I figure that the main goal of the game is to finish each level successfully within the egregious time limit, and that's what I commit myself to doing. Sure, I could explore, and it's nice to have that option, but I have absolutely no desire to. Now, Unleashed's linearity isn't an outright negative, but merely plays to the advantage of exemplifying it's twitchy nature and emphasis on performance optimization which, to me, is fun. The fallibility and liveliness of the grandiose environments coupled with the theatricality and satisfaction of overcoming obstacles and finding shortcuts smoothly at top speed is very thrilling; A hell of a lot more fun than speedrunning the classics.

I'd also like to mention that I don't like Sonic games that make going fast seem especially dangerous. It seems to me like a major source of Unleashed's exhilaration among it's fans seems to mostly be from seeing Sonic go that fast, something I can understand. If that's the case, I don't see any reason why that can't coexist with a type of difficulty that isn't based around punishing you for going fast in a Sonic game.

I don't know; Speed in itself is inherently a very dangerous concept. The faster you go, the greater the chance you'll screw up and the greater the potential of destruction. Now that speed has the dual purpose of being both rewarding and a necessary tool for maneuvering, there should naturally be risks in using it unwisely. Of course, how well the boost was implemented in Unleashed is very arguable, but I don't find the overall philosophy to be a bad one at all.

[JezMM]

I couldn't agree more with you Nepethene.

I think what this arguement comes down to is... whether you like Unleashed's gameplay philosophy or not. Maybe it is a bit simple-minded but... yeah I'm okay with the game giving me one major route with a few variations and letting me master it. I'd LIKE the option to explore simply because the envioronments are so gorgeous, but from a pureply gameplay point of view, yes, I think practicing a course to be able to do it as good as Sonic would naturally is pretty damn fun, and a nice choice of gameplay, even if it isn't quite as explory as the classics.

[XavierRussell]

Jezmm and Nepenthe speak the truth v_v