There were four stories, but each were basically identical except for 10 minutes of cutscenes. What that meant is you might as well have played as Knuckles at all times instead of Sonic – not a good look. It added a bit of busywork, changing characters to match the situation instead of having characters that felt well-rounded. But the gimmick of having three characters at one time put each of them into boxes that didn’t quite make sense. It recycled ideas from the Adventure games, right down to the music. Why this game in particular ended up as such an important turning point to the franchise we’ll never know. Sonic Heroes sold around 3m units, less than half what the Adventure games ended up selling. So much of the ridiculousness of modern Sonic came from this game. And the most minor thing can throw it off. It can be very right and very wrong, all within the same game. The Adventure games taught us that 3D Sonic is something that is delicate. It’s a bad game with moments of brilliance. If you’d have asked me as a kid which game I preferred, I’d have probably said Adventure 2. They mushed together all the friend missions, and the level design was even worse. Sonic Adventure 2, in fine tradition, cocked all that up. Except Big, who at least could be finished in all of an hour. Viewing them as basically optional works quite well (although not getting the Super Sonic mission without them makes them more important). That’s a controversial opinion, I know, but with the exception of Big, the other characters gave a new view of the world you’re inhabiting. I think it was on both counts, when things worked, but I understand why mileage may vary.Īdditional characters had short stories that added to Sonic’s adventure. And because it was accurate doesn’t mean it was necessarily easy or fun. And you can argue about level design and lack of choice, but the actual movement was pretty spot on. It transferred a fairly accurate version of 2D Sonic into the third dimension. For some time it has been getting “hindsight” criticism from people who just weren’t there. Maybe just chucking some extra friends at the problem will solve it? Adventure 1 and 2 It came out in 1996, so I’m not quite sure what it’ll take to make the guys at Sonic Team realise this. The second that stops, the second it starts to feel nothing like Sonic. Sonic is about moving forward as quickly and as cooly as possible. As much as Sonic Team has tried to make us believe that killing squads of enemies or finding switches is a key part of his MO, it’s just not true. Sonic’s first 3D title taught us an important lesson: Sonic is not about busywork. It’s not a Sonic game in the traditional sense, but it still has its charm. The Traveller’s Tales developed title has you collecting flickies before transporting on a magic ring to the next level. Sonic 3D is better than it gets credit for.Īnd maybe it’s the nostalgia talking, or maybe I’ve just been playing 06 for too long, but it’s actually pretty fun. Sonic’s first 3D adventure (if you don’t count the abysmal Labyrinth).įind me an awful spin-off game from a major 90s video game hero and I’ll find you a pack of loyal fans who count it higher than it deserves. And, hopefully, we’ll find a solution for how it needs to move forward. Between that and this new look at Sonic Frontiers, I thought we’d take a look back at how the franchise has developed. Yes, 16 years ago Sonic’s worst 3D entry was released. And as a man knee-deep in Sonic 06, I think I’m entitled to be concerned about the future of the franchise. Long-time readers (Hi Mom) will know my wife and I are in the middle of an immense playthrough of every single Sonic game. I feel slightly more expert than most on this topic. Personally, I hope this one bucks the trend, but we’ll have to wait and see. The disappointment traditionally comes with every subsequent trailer. The first look at Sonic Frontiers has proven to be quietly popular with fans – it is a Sonic game after all. Author: Mat Growcott Category: Articles, PS4 News, PS5 News, XBox One News, Xbox Series X News, Date: 1st June, 2022
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |