Sonic the Hedgehog

[Mr. Bananagrabber]

I have caved in and preordered the game with the metallic finish slipcase from Gameplay. I know it's going to suck but I'm just a great big fucking tool.

 

Yeah you are. But so am I.

I'm getting it on Thursday. Worst comes to worst it's shit and I trade it for Viva Pinata.

[Cubechris]

Both of you, fools.

[SimonM7]

Well, if you could stomach either of Heroes or Shadow you're prolly fine. Though I suppose Heroes did have vastly more likeable presentation. :/

[Guest Jordan]

Heroes looked horrible, the Renderware engine was the most stupid choice i've ever seen.

[gaggle64]

I think we need a boycott on Sonic games until SEGA start making games that at least do the potential of the character justice. Don't feed the evil!

[SimonM7]

Well, getting almost entirely into nerd territory, while the games themselves might not tap the potential of the character, the story in this one reflects the sensibilities in the Sonic X anime (blasphemily dubbed in the west) of running as a concept of freedom more than any of the past Sonic games. In fact, the relationship between Sonic and Elise here is pretty similar to the one with Chris in the series, although her femaleness puts sexual associations further within reach, unfortunately.

 

Strip away all the filler episodes and there's quite a touching connection made in the series that doesn't fully - but partially - translate to the story here.

 

Of course that's all part of my sometimes disturbing obsession with Sonic, and something I don't really use when I judge the games at all. It is sort of why I bother with them sometimes though. Let's not forget that I gave it 6.7, which is hardly unreasonable, and has gotten the PERFECT 10!1! people to smear my name with 3/7 recommendations for the review.

[Tailzo]

^

Your review seemed fine to me. It's great that you can judge a game fairly, (It certainly sounds like it, although I haven'tr tried the full game yet) even if you're such a huge Sonic fan.

[CoolFunkMan]

Well, Gamespot's review is up, and it seems a tad unfair.... http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/sonicthehedgehog/review.html

 

That's a lower score than Shadow the Hedgehog, ffs! How can this game be worse than that?! I don't hate the Shadow game or anything, it's just that the concept and presentation of this new Sonic surely has to be better, as it's more suitable for the Sonic "universe" (in other words, no guns.)

 

Takeo was right, Gamespot aren't reliable. *Waits for the IGN review and more magazine reviews.*

[The3rdChildren]

My copy is being picked at Gameplay and will apparently also be sent today, so it -should- get here tomorrow. I'll let you folks know how horrible it is sometime then.

[Tailzo]

Apparently some members of the original Sonic Xtreme (cancelled Saturn project) dev team have been working on finishing development of the game for the PC using the original engine. Here's a sample video I stumbled across yesterday:

You can read more about it and watch some more videos over at this forum.

http://www.senntient.com/cgi-local/Ultimate.cgi

 

from nincompoop at Neogaf

 

 

 

[CompSci]

gamespot review 4.4

 

http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/sonicthehedgehog/review.html?sid=6162205&tag=reviews;title;0

 

tis is a sad day for sonic fans

[Mr. Bananagrabber]

I always thought Sonic Xtreme looked intersting, albeit not particularly suited to Sonic's speed.

[CoolFunkMan]

gamespot review 4.4

 

http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/sonicthehedgehog/review.html?sid=6162205&tag=reviews;title;0

 

tis is a sad day for sonic fans

 

Erm.... I posted that earlier. lol. As I said, that review seems a tad unfair to me, it almost seems as if the reviewer didn't even play it properly.

 

Here's another review, this time from GamesMaster, and it's actually FAIR; http://img162.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picturecbn2.jpg

 

They don't over-rate it, or say it sucks just because of the camera, and they actually mention features such as the story. All Gamespot's review did was shoot the game down, without giving it's decent features a fair chance.

 

I'm not trying to sound like a fanboy, or calling this Sonic the best ever. However, I do think that the other reviews have been a tad too harsh.

[SimonM7]

Apart from the score being perhaps a little high, I won't argue with that review at all. That's exactly how I feel - for every fault there's something about it that makes you wanna forgive it. And likewise, for every burst of joy, there's a reminder that it's got a long way to go to be great.

 

I miss the goofier Eggman though, and it's prolly a bad idea to make the humans so human, because it makes Sonic look like a midget in a costume.

 

Oh well, maybe next time.

 

Actually, in regards to Gamespot, I find that the reliability obviously differs from reviewer to reviewer, but by and large they're usually pretty accurate. There are two things to consider here though. 3D Sonic games - evident by some comments in this thread even - have fallen so greatly in stock with people, you see those without even having played any of them complain about camera and controls and how we'd be better off with a new 2D game. It's just fallen off the radar, and it's been out since the 16th and nobody's even reviewing it. They just don't care, because so few people do.

 

So when you read a review of it it's like reading a review of a dumb action movie - Blade or whatever - by some revered movie critic. You just know he won't score it highly, but that's beside the point because it's so much about what you want from it. These games have long ways to go before they're likely to win any awards for game design, so what we can ask for is that they're fun and give us that nice Sonic vibe of coolness. Some bits of Sonic The Hedgehog do, and when it works it's fun. That's not gonna cut it for one Jeff "I just reviewed Gears of War" Gerstmann, but it might be just enough for normal, human punters with a keen eye for Sonic games.

[The3rdChildren]

I'm not trying to sound like a fanboy, or calling this Sonic the best ever. However, I do think that the other reviews have been a tad too harsh.

 

All will be known within the next few days. I'm personally really looking forward to the game, but I'm sure I'm just setting myself up for a big fat fall. The only Sonic game I've ever truly hated was Sonic Heroes so hopefully this is a step up from that.

[Aussie]

Sonic the Hedgehog

 

Game Review 4.6

 

 

A title that should've never sped its way into the next generation of gaming.

[The3rdChildren]

It arrived this morning. Wow, it's pretty difficult isn't it. Glitchy to some extent, and difficult. It's still Sonic, though what he's doing in Solenanananaeianlla is beyond me.

 

Not had any problems with the camera yet, nor glitches althogh loading screens are everywhere. Another funny thing about the game is the Sims 2-esque NPC characters dotted about the cityscape. Really funny to hear them grunt and wave their arms around.

 

---

 

[edit]

 

What the fuck is this love bullshit? Augh, at least the voice acting is good...

 

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[another edit]

 

Wow, the first fight with Silver is gay. Cheap and everything.

[SimonM7]

IT'S NO USE! apparently.

[The3rdChildren]

Crisis City is a fucking AWESOME level.

 

---

 

[edit]

 

Brought down by loading screens. Ouch.

[Caris]

Sonic aint half bad, few unfair deaths, but worth alot more than 5-6 for sure.

[The3rdChildren]

Sonic aint half bad' date=' few unfair deaths, but worth alot more than 5-6 for sure.[/quote']

 

This is the truth. It's probably a 7/10 in my opinion.

[Caris]

Yeah, bassicaly if theres anyone out there who doesnt know weather to buy it or not, read the Gamesmaster review, its fair.

[The3rdChildren]

So yeah, I've gotten about 80% through Sonic's story. I think I'm qualified to give some brief impressions.

 

---

 

Camera still has issues although I'm used to them by now having played pretty much all the 3D games sans Shadow. Sonic still sticks to objects in the game world which can look and feel rather weird sometimes. The controls are very loose, but you adjust to them fairly quickly and since they aren't exactly complex it's a pretty easy game to handle (most of the game pilots itself anyway). Sometimes you'll go flying off in the wrong direction if you aren't holding the stick in the right direction, which does kind of annoy but is overcome eventually.

 

Some levels have Sonic riding on a snowboard. These parts are shit. The controls are unresponsive (especially jumping) and if he becomes disoriented it takes a great deal of effort to work him around the right way again to shoot off at sonic speed.

 

Aside snowboard segments the levels sometimes incorporate speed sections which as implied send Sonic rocketing off at breakneck speeds tasking the player with avoiding obstacles and enemies. If you can pull it off without getting hurt it's great, but usually getting hit by one thing will send you into something else ahead and kill you. Practice, Luke!

 

Another thing that will need practice is the ring dash. No longer can it be executed with a playful brush of the appropriate button. Oh no. Now you'd better get your finger hammering X because half the time the goddamned dash won't even register and you'll fall to your blue doom. It may be how I play, but the ring dash just seems especially fucked this time around.

 

Other segments include branching off to side characters. Thus far I've played briefly as Tails, Knuckles and Silver. None are as crappy to control as they were in Adventure and aside Tails' slowness it's all been a bearable break from the speed.

 

Action stages are incredibly long. Far longer than any I remember in Adventure and Heroes and whilst this is generally a good thing, each act is broken up by hideously long loading screens. Hell, if I had to pick one thing about this game that ruins it I'd say the loading screens.

 

Voice acting is better than in the earlier games and Tails is still as annoying as ever. Eggman and Princess Elise are portayed well. One hilarious voice detail is that NPC characters in the overworld (in this game a seaside town - sound familiar?) all make hilarious Sims 2-esque grunts and hand gestures when you speak to them. Although this is awful from a review perspective I can't help but laugh out loud every time the generic townsfolk do anything.

 

So far I've played about 10 action stages in Sonic's story, all of which are fairly decent with some of them among the best the 3D Sonic games have had to offer in terms of speed, scale and level design. Boss fights are a lot more interesting than you'd think, with some relatively good variety on show.

 

Graphically Sonic the Hedgehog is pretty sweet. I know people have complained about these visuals and how the 360 can do better (it can), but the entire thing looks consistent and easy on the eyes. The character models are especially cute and Eggman's more realistic appearance is absolutely fantastic. It's great how his little beady eyes poke out from behind his blue spectacles.

 

---

 

So what's the deal? Is this game really as awful as everyone makes it out to be? Not really. It's definately worth a 7/10 at best. Sonic was one of my good childhood friends so I'm probably rose-tinting everything somewhat, but anyone who enjoyed the Adventure series should give this a look. It's a lot better than Heroes and will certainly give Sonic fans something to smile about.

[CoolFunkMan]

I got the game today, and I like it so far, it's decent.

 

I'm really stuck on Sonic's episode though. I need to open a door to get to the 3rd level (after defeating Siver.) I have no clue what to do, please help...

[SimonM7]

Always talk to people with red icons above their heads, and if that fails, find some blue ones that don't give you the option to say yes or no. That usually puts you on the right track.