Future Sonic Heroes and Mario & Sonic Titles confirmed?

[Agent York]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=239411

A new interview with Mike Hayes, the president of SEGA of Europe and America (right?) went in an interview with CVG today, Anyways, it seems in the interview SEGA thinks Sonic is split up into 4 parts. First you have the Mario & Sonic component, which though strange I kinda' guess makes sense. He then says the other parts of Sonic are Sonic solo titles, like Unleashed, Secret Rings, and Sonic 4 I guess. Then there's the All-Star Titles, another weird inclusion but I guess it makes sense. Finally, he says something we haven't seen in a while, but team-centric games like Sonic Heroes.

SEGA says those are the four type of games they want to develop, but they don't want to overdo Sonic so they are laying them out separately and apart in a marketing strategy. He also hints that we may see something E3 and talks about the core of Sonic and finding it in Sonic 4 while delivering to hardcore fans in the DLC market since DLC games are usually more hardcore audiences and they can appeal more through that medium.

Interesting, to say the least.

[Glenn]

So, to be a proper hardcore Sonic fan, I have to have unlimited high-speed broadband? Thanks a bunch.

I'll go along with another Sonic Heroes, mind, especially since I never properly finished the first one and have always wanted to go back and do so. News of a forthcoming, for want of a better title, Sonic Heroes 2 might spur me on to return and get all those damned Chaos Emeralds!

[JezMM]

Sonic Heroes was fine as a concept but goddamn they better learn from their mistakes if they're making another one. No more health bars on enemies (if you want minibosses have minibosses but the easiest enemy to beat should not have a health bar), and be a bit more creative than just simply assigning level gimmicks to different formations. Let us think a little if you must mix up the gameplay a bit.

[Vic Boss]

Wow, that's a rather nice find you've got there.

I'd be all for a Heroes 2 if they find a team play system that doesn't suck. Saying that, Heroes was a pretty decent game and had a wonderful "retro, but in 3D" feel to it. Hopefully they'd carry that over, y'know IF a Heroes 2 comes around.

Speaking of upcoming Sonic games though, I'm far more interested in a Sonic Rush 3.

[Marcello]

Not to sound like an asshole, but who wanted them to bring back team work gameplay? I only see complaining about it ...

And I'd also rather see a Sonic Rush 3, because of Blaze...

[JezMM]

Not to sound like an asshole, but who wanted them to bring back team work gameplay? I only see complaining about it ...

It wasn't the teamplay that was the problem but the general quality - particularly control and level design. All the levels were set over vast bottomless pits and could often be overly long or repetitive, not to mention flow breaking with all the enemies that took ages to beat - sometimes even after leveling up. Combine all the hazards with cumbersome controls (the characters often handled like they were on ice, turned too sharply to control, and grinding was horrendous) and it makes for a very exhausting game to squeeze fun out of.

I think many would agree that the first few levels were the best - they were forgiving. Later on in the game the levels were just too difficult to manage along with the silly controls.

[Agent York]

Besides, they just say Team Centric like Heroes, it doesn't mean this is exactly Heroes 2, just for all intents and purposes what we can call it. If they fixed up the gameplay style, a Heroes 2 could be potentially great, since the idea of teamwork, while we have seen to produce cheesy lines, is not that bad of a mechanic. It actually felt natural once you got the hang of it, they could even change the gameplay style up. It has been 6 years.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Dusk the Biohazard Keeper

[Flyboy Fox]

I'd be all for a Heroes 2. I loved that game - my favourite 'modern' Sonic title even, I'd say. I loved the way the teams worked.

[SykoTech]

That was a really good read.

It was quite cool to hear him mention Streets of Rage first when asked about which IP to "bring out of the locker". Wish Jet Set Radio would have gotten a mention.

As for a new "teamwork" Sonic game, I really hope they fix their mistakes with Heroes. The concept was fine with me, but I hated how they tried to cram in so many characters and have them go through the same levels in virtually the same way. I'd hope they just stick with Team Sonic (or whoever Sonic is with), concentrate on polishing them to perfection, and make more levels.

And more interesting things to do please. Flight to go up a hill and Power to break a rock is hardly inspiring.

More M&S games is pretty obvious. But with the Olympics over, here's hoping the next game is something more interesting.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Tentomon

[Detective Shadzter]

Only just noticed you posted this interview here Dusk, I went and posted it in the Sonic 4 board for the Sonic 4 bits of the interview without knowing you had posted it here

[Eternlo]

Ooooooooooooooooo, Sonic Heroes 2, maybe they could add Silver and Blaze, like a story of the two of them finaly meeting (since Sonic 06 doesnt exist in the normal time line), and someone else. i had a story idea for Silver and Blaze, but it spand across Adventure 1, 2, Heroes, and a Shadow the Hedgehog that actually made sense and didnt suck.

Hmm who would be Silver, and Blazes 3rd team mate?

Edited March 17, 2010 by Eternlo

[Guest]

I'd rather have not a Heroes 2, but another game that has many playable characters with some emphasis on team-work.

[Ruby Havoc]

I wouldnt mind a Heroes 2. Or a Heroes-esque game. As long as they fixed up everything that was wrong with Heroes.

Level design, script, gameplay, ect.

[Indigo Rush]

I always thought the series should be split into 4 main categories, plus spinoffs...

1 - 2D Retro (Classic games)

2 - 2D Rush (2D Boosting games)

3 - 3D Adventure (3D platforming games)

4 - 3D Unleashed (3D Boosting games)

Spinoffs...

1 - Mario and Sonic (minigames)

2 - Spinoffs (Like Shadow, or Knuckles)

3 - Riders (racing games)

4 - Sonic and SEGA All Stars (sports games)

5 - Spinball (You know you want another one...)

6 - Chronicles (RPG games)

7 - Storybook Series (misc. trash ware)

[Marcello]

As for a new "teamwork" Sonic game, I really hope they fix their mistakes with Heroes. The concept was fine with me, but I hated how they tried to cram in so many characters and have them go through the same levels in virtually the same way. I'd hope they just stick with Team Sonic (or whoever Sonic is with), concentrate on polishing them to perfection, and make more levels.

But, I want my Team Chaotix :-/. I'd like to have all the teams from Heroes, besides maybe Rose, even though I like all three characters there, but the other 3 are a bit more interesting when they are together.

Ooooooooooooooooo, Sonic Heroes 2, maybe they could add Silver and Blaze, like a story of the two of them finaly meeting (since Sonic 06 doesnt exist in the normal time line), and someone else. i had a story idea for Silver and Blaze, but it spand across Adventure 1, 2, Heroes, and a Shadow the Hedgehog that actually made sense and didnt suck.

Hmm who would be Silver, and Blazes 3rd team mate?

NOOOOOOO. Please no . I don'T want Silver and Blaze to know each other.

I'm sure your idea isn't bad, but I just want Blaze to be Blaze from Rush, without Silver, but with Marine and stuff. Blaz shoud stick to her game series for now.

[ilcane87]

Then you've got something we haven't seen for a while, which is like Sonic Heroes, multiplay-type game.

Uhm, by the way he worded it, I don't think he specifically refers to the teamwork system of Sonic Heroes, but rather to the multiple playing styles of different characters in the same game, reminding me of the Sonic Adventure/Sonic'06 games.

Obviously Sonic Heroes applies as well, having 3 different gameplay styles; you happen to have them at the same time, but it doesn't look like he was refering to that feature.

Edited March 17, 2010 by ilcane87

[Eternlo]

NOOOOOOO. Please no . I don'T want Silver and Blaze to know each other.

I'm sure your idea isn't bad, but I just want Blaze to be Blaze from Rush, without Silver, but with Marine and stuff. Blaz shoud stick to her game series for now.

I can understand why you wouldent want them to meet, but I ment like she would still be the blaze from rush, but silver would be a little more chearful, and alot less anoying at least my silver would.

Think the guy that came from the future to save sarah in trminator,or his obvious source of insperation, future trunks.

[Solly]

Sonic Heroes was fine as a concept but goddamn they better learn from their mistakes if they're making another one. No more health bars on enemies (if you want minibosses have minibosses but the easiest enemy to beat should not have a health bar), and be a bit more creative than just simply assigning level gimmicks to different formations. Let us think a little if you must mix up the gameplay a bit.

Yes. God knows we don't want to beat the same game 4 times with the only thing changing is a degree of difficulty.

But he never said Sonic Heroes 2- he just said it was a multiplay-type game like Sonic Heroes, which is enough to frighten me, but it's not a confirmed Heroes 2. Still, I can't help but find this worrying.

[Agent York]

Uhm, by the way he worded it, I don't think he specifically refers to the teamwork system of Sonic Heroes, but rather to the multiple playing styles of different characters in the same game, reminding me of the Sonic Adventure/Sonic'06 games.

Obviously Sonic Heroes applies as well, having 3 different gameplay styles; you happen to have them at the same time, but it doesn't look like he was refering to that feature.

I thought that at first too, but then they didn't mention any of the other games that've done that since Sonic Heroes, and use team-based as a mechanic, not as different play styles. He says one we haven't seen in quite some time, then says Heroes, which might mean that but games like Adventure are not Team-Based, those are different characters in different gameplay styles, those don't work like teams. Sonic Heroes is a game where the characters were indeed in teams.

[ilcane87]

I thought that at first too, but then they didn't mention any of the other games that've done that since Sonic Heroes, and use team-based as a mechanic, not as different play styles. He says one we haven't seen in quite some time, then says Heroes, which might mean that but games like Adventure are not Team-Based, those are different characters in different gameplay styles, those don't work like teams. Sonic Heroes is a game where the characters were indeed in teams.

I think Heroes is the first example that came to his mind, but "multiplay-type game" doesn't mean "teamplay-type game", so I don't think we can take this interview as a hint for a possible upcoming Heroes 2.

[Eternlo]

Know what i want back the most, darker story, like in sonic adventure 2, it had a good balance of a dark story, but not too dark, and a good story.

[gato]

I'd rather have not a Heroes 2, but another game that has many playable characters with some emphasis on team-work.

Something like Marvel Ultimate Alliance comes to mind... getting some bonus if you make a team that makes sense (like Team Sonic, Team Dark and a long etc).

I wonder if this has something to do with the 20th annyversary game, maybe they are going to reveal it at E3 (and maybe we get some leaks a few days before xD ).

I will have to check this interview (don't have time right now), this could also mean a team-work gimmick implemented for the next M&S tittle (at the special olympics :V )

p.d: In b4 TSSZ posting Sonic Heroes 2 as an absolute truth. :V

[Badnik Zero]

My biggest problem with Heroes (and I really find it hard to play the game) is how the characters are sectioned off into little gameplay compartments. We really didn't play as Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles. We played as Team Sonic, the entity. I wanted to climb walls as Knuckles and fly more than 10 feet up with Tails. It seemed like a poor design choice to nerf each character in order to build levels around them. Why not create more challenging levels and give us a full range of abilities, so the switching doesn't feel artificial. It was "see x do y" over and over again, rock paper scissors Sonic. I need more options in my games, it was too limiting. The concept works in theory and even execution if you look at player 2 Tails in any classic game. So I'm for more team play, just not Heroes 2 if that's what they mean.

Edited March 17, 2010 by Cupcake Hedgehog

[Diogenes]

As much distaste as I have for Heroes, part of me wouldn't mind seeing a Heroes-ish sort of game, if only to give some of the less prominent characters more screentime (both gameplay and story). I'm still hoping for Marine to be playable in something eventually...

My biggest problem with Heroes (and I really find it hard to play the game) is how the characters are sectioned off into little gameplay compartments. We really didn't play as Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles. We played as Team Sonic, the entity.

I can't agree with you more. It's one of my biggest issues with Heroes. A lot of the other things could've been fixed with more time and polish, but this was (I'd assume) an early decision, something that shaped the game from the start, and it just does not work.

[LE CHEVAL]

We really didn't play as Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles. We played as Team Sonic, the entity.

Yes, but an entity is made up of parts. Compare Team Sonic in Sonic Heroes to the characters in the popular Japanese animation series 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱 (that's "Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu", or "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" for those less familiar with contemporary Eastern pop culture). What we find in what might be Kyoto Animation's masterpiece is a very visceral world with a compelling series of incidences surrounding what actually amounts to a very bland set of characters, limited in their archetypes. But the reinforcement of these tropes are what really allows what usually just gets swept away or overhyped to really stand out - the setting. That's key.

In the same way, yes. Heroes reduces the series protagonists to their simplest forms - Sonic runs, Tails flies, and Knuckles hits things or whatever. But isn't that exactly what they're good at? Their joy de vivre, even? I think this simplification, one that takes a step back from some of the more complex storylines of the series and simply generalizes the status quo, is what actually helps everything coalesce into something larger.

But hey, you don't have to take my word for it. And that's just my two cents. Hope they help to cover your morning coffee. Cheers.