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Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Wii/PS3/360; downloadable episodic release - [Update: $15?]

F

Firestorm

Member
It's kinda decent if you don't remember the fact that it makes you play through the same levels but with varying lengths 4 times before actually letting you beat the game.
 
B

BlazeHedgehog

Member
Rez said:
i'm fairly sure the majority of people had real issues with the water section in that level as kids.

yeah, it's easy now, but when I was ~eight years old, ick
Click to expand...

Even as a kid, I don't remember having any problems with the water sections. They give you generous opportunities to refill on air. By the time one air station leaves the left side of the screen, the next one is scrolling in on the right.

As long as you stop at each one, it's not a problem. And considering how slow you move while underwater, it's not as though you can just go running past it.
 
T

Ten-Song

Member
I would say Sonic Heroes was somewhat decent, but its mechanics bogged it down in such a way that it didn't feel like a good Sonic game, nor a good platformer, so it just kind of fell into mediocrity. I suppose the addition of the fucking horrific story, awful theme song, and needlessly expanded cast with shitty voice over drags it down to a level lower than mediocre, but it's not the blatant insult that games like Sonic 2K6 and Shadow the Hedgehog were.

It is in NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, remotely close to being as good as Sonic 1 though. I'm pretty sure this is a scientific fact at this point.
 
D

Danthrax

Batteries the CRISIS!
Sega1991 said:
Even as a kid, I don't remember having any problems with the water sections. They give you generous opportunities to refill on air. By the time one air station leaves the left side of the screen, the next one is scrolling in on the right.

As long as you stop at each one, it's not a problem. And considering how slow you move while underwater, it's not as though you can just go running past it.
Click to expand...

Isn't he talking about Chemical Plant Zone though? CPZ has no air bubbles in it due to the chemicals choking out all the oxygen from the water.
 
S

SCULLIBUNDO

Banned
ndr9mg.jpg
 
B

BlazeHedgehog

Member
Danthrax said:
Isn't he talking about Chemical Plant Zone though? CPZ has no air bubbles in it due to the chemicals choking out all the oxygen from the water.
Click to expand...

Well, I guess. But everybody seems to have a problem with all forced underwater sections in all Sonic games. Even in Chemical Plant Zone, you're given ample time to platform up the shaft before your air starts to run out.

The only time any underwater section in Sonic gave me problems was in Sonic Adventure 2 - Aquatic Mine as Knuckles. There weren't enough opportunities to refill for air and the few that existed were difficult to locate. You really needed the snorkel or whatever that let you swim forever.
 
D

Deleted member 30609

Unconfirmed Member
I had no problem with any of the other underwater sections, just that chemical plant zone. sometimes you'd just fall into a bottomless pool if you missed a moving platform. it was traumatizing.
 
S

SuperAngelo64

Banned
Firestorm said:
It's kinda decent if you don't remember the fact that it makes you play through the same levels but with varying lengths 4 times before actually letting you beat the game.
Click to expand...

This ^

I also hate scavenger hunts. So the Team Chaotix segments were just a river of shit.
 
B

BlazeHedgehog

Member
Rez said:
I had no problem with any of the other underwater sections, just that chemical plant zone. sometimes you'd just fall into a bottomless pool if you missed a moving platform. it was traumatizing.
Click to expand...

Okay, yeah, I guess I'll confess and say that did happen to me a number of times.
 
HUELEN10

HUELEN10

Member
Wrath2X said:
Lets start a fucking petition!
Click to expand...
It's been done...
Petition I found said:
Dear SEGA,

The design of your most iconic character, Sonic the Hedgehog, has changed drastically over the years. The new Sonic – slim, green-eyed and with long quills - is a far cry from the old, chubby, black-eyed Sonic of days gone by. This is of course the nature of character evolution, and we accept this.

We welcome the recent announcement that, after 16 years, Sonic 3 & Knuckles (arguably the pinnacle of the Sonic the Hedgehog series) is to get a sequel in the form of the downloadable game, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I. We are happy to see Sonic returning to his roots, but one detail in this retro revival is something that we cannot agree with – the use of Sonic’s new design.

We accept the modern mechanics of the game such as the homing attack – one could argue this is natural progression, with each 2D Sonic game of the past introducing a new ability for Sonic.

However, if this game truly is to be the sequel to Sonic 3 & Knuckles, we feel that it should feature the same Sonic design as was featured in Sonic 3 & Knuckles and its predecessors. We believe that the addition of the modern Sonic design does not make sense in terms of the continuity – it would be illogical to change the design of the main character in an immediate sequel to this game. We believe that it is a very good idea to make a retro Sonic game, but without the original design, this might as well be Sonic Advance 4 or Sonic Rush 3; whilst the Sonic Advance and Rush series were games that many people enjoyed, but they were not retro.

We are not asking you to remove the modern Sonic design from Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

We, the undersigned, simply request that you give us the option to play as the Classic Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (Episode I and all other future Episodes) – as downloadable content, unlockable content, or through any other means that you see fit.

We believe this would make the game appeal to more of a mass market, as the new fans would be able to play as the modern Sonic that they know and love, and the old fans would be able to play as the classic Sonic that they grew up with and cherish.

We believe that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 should be true to its predecessors in spirit, and that the character design is a huge part of this.
Click to expand...
Up to 334 signatures.

Also, update on the sprites/models digging. After hours of pixel-by-pixel overlaying, one of my friends thinks he's close. All in good time though, we just gotta know!
 
A

Alphahawk

Member
I really disliked Sonic Heroes, I felt it was just a shitty beat-em-up that they tried to tie in to the Sonic universe. It is the only Sonic game I know of where regular enemys have a health bar. Think about that for a minute...

To me Heroes was the point the series let me down, say what you want about Adventure 2, but for all that game did wrong it did a lot of things right (Point blank: Final Rush is how you do a 3D Sonic right :ditto for Final Hazard, that's one of the best Sonic bosses even if it is 3D)
 
T

Ten-Song

Member
Alphahawk said:
I really disliked Sonic Heroes, I felt it was just a shitty beat-em-up that they tried to tie in to the Sonic universe. It is the only Sonic game I know of where regular enemys have a health bar. Think about that for a minute...
Click to expand...

That's because if they didn't, there would literally be no point in having the strength based characters. Take away those enemies, and you can take away an entire character on each team.

Of course rather than admit they were just shoehorning in a pointless mechanic... enemies get health bars.
 
B

BlazeHedgehog

Member
Jet Grind Radio! said:
=O Is there a higher res of that? I need it as a wallpaper.
Click to expand...

Here you go. It's super blurry, I know, but I didn't make it and I don't think there's much that can be done to make it clearer (there's no high-res version of the logo art or the classic Sonic edit).
 
M

Mama Robotnik

Member
Petition's do nothing.

Make some noise on the forums of the internet if you want Classic Sonic, SEGA has already indicating they are paying attention.

SuperAngelo64 said:
I decided to make one of the heaven/hell things.

Let me throw out my bias/pov before you slam it:

This is the opinion of someone who started playing all the Sonic games in 2002 and has no deep sentimental or childhood attachment to the franchise
2gy0ql1.jpg
Click to expand...

Sonic Advenure 2 is the HIGHEST PEAK OF GAMING HEAVEN?

SONIC ADVENTURE 2?!

With its inconsistent gameplay, badly-paced fetch quests, terribly-designed chracters (titbats), appaling voice acting, criminally bad story, atrocious dialogue, obnoxious poorly-made cutscenes and loathesome music?

The majortity of levels are bland, boring mech or "emerald hunting" quests. The "good" levels (the minority of the game) are unoriginal (being new maps for SA1 mechanics) and glitched-to-hell?

This is your idea of the HIGHEST PEAK OF GAMING HEAVEN?

Its people buying this mediocrity that taught Sonic Team that they can produce Heroes/Shadow/2006/Unleashed and sell shit-in-a-box.
 
W

wRATH2x

Banned
Ten-Song said:
Hell yeah! Left 4 Dead 2 should be free! Modern Warfare 2 needs dedicated servers! LAN Play in StarCraft 2! FIGHT THE POWER!
Click to expand...
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

You don't actually think I'm serious?
 
HUELEN10

HUELEN10

Member
Mama Robotnik said:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19681528&postcount=3475

There you go Huelen, have fun! Link to the source image I made it at the bottom.
Click to expand...
Thank you kindly. Need to make some edits though, hell is nowhere near deep enough for some of the clunkers on my list of played Sonic games...
Sega1991 said:
Here you go. It's super blurry, I know, but I didn't make it and I don't think there's much that can be done to make it clearer (there's no high-res version of the logo art or the classic Sonic edit).
Click to expand...
My friend thanks you for this!
 
T

Ten-Song

Member
Mama Robotnik said:
Petition's do nothing.

Make some noise on the forums of the internet if you want Classic Sonic, SEGA has already indicating they are paying attention.



Sonic Advenure 2 is the HIGHEST PEAK OF GAMING HEAVEN?

SONIC ADVENTURE 2?!

With its inconsistent gameplay, badly-paced fetch quests, terribly-designed chracters (titbats), appaling voice acting, criminally bad story, atrocious dialogue, obnoxious poorly-made cutscenes and loathesome music?

The majortity of levels are bland, boring mech or "emerald hunting" quests. The "good" levels (the minority of the game) are unoriginal (being new maps for SA1 mechanics) and glitched-to-hell?

This is your idea of the HIGHEST PEAK OF GAMING HEAVEN?

Its people buying this mediocrity that taught Sonic Team that they can produce Heroes/Shadow/2006/Unleashed and sell shit-in-a-box.
Click to expand...

I would also like to address the people that say Final Rush is a good example of how to design a 3D Sonic level. It is not. It is the polar opposite. Final Rush is nothing but grind heaven bullshit. Rail grinds are not what this series needs, and Final Rush is one of the prime examples of how they have poisoned the series and shown Sonic Team that they don't actually need to design levels. With that kind of philosophy they can just draw a bunch of squiggly lines with transitions here and there and call it a day.

HUELEN10 said:
Thank you kindly. Need to make some edits though, hell is nowhere near deep enough for some of the clunkers on my list of played Sonic games...
Click to expand...

What on earth is worse than IGN.com though?

Oh, wait. Forgot about Kotaku.

Wrath2X said:
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

You don't actually think I'm serious?
Click to expand...

No, just running with the gag. :lol
 
W

wRATH2x

Banned
SuperAngelo64 said:
I would tell you, but I don't want to get in trouble for encouraging you.

Edit: Fuck.
Click to expand...
You think Sonic Heroes is better than the original Sonic The Hedgehog.

Even HUELEN ain't that crazy.
 
Rewrite

Rewrite

Not as deep as he thinks
Rez said:
I had no problem with any of the other underwater sections, just that chemical plant zone. sometimes you'd just fall into a bottomless pool if you missed a moving platform. it was traumatizing.
Click to expand...
It was scary now that I think about it. There wasn't any air bubbles in Chemical Plant Zone. There's this one part in the second act where the water rises and if you take the underground path, you quickly have to climb your way upwards before you drown. I remember always feeling desperate as a kid because I thought I'd drown before reaching the top.

11gsj79.png


shitty quality picture.
 
B

Brobzoid

how do I slip unnoticed out of a gloryhole booth?
Rewrite said:
It was scary now that I think about it. There wasn't any air bubbles in Chemical Plant Zone. There's this one part in the second act where the water rises and if you take the underground path, you quickly have to climb your way upwards before you drown. I remember always feeling desperate as a kid because I thought I'd drown before reaching the top.

11gsj79.png


shitty quality picture.
Click to expand...
that part was scary, but these days I feel like a total failure if the water even touches me when I'm going through that part. :lol

I really should play CD... 2 is more or less the only sonic game I've played since the nineties. :p
 
J

Jet Grind Radio!

Banned
All of this Sonic CD talk makes me want to play it. If only I could find a copy of the Sonic Gems Collection.

That or if SEGA released the damn thing on VC, XBL or PSN. =/
 
G

grandjedi6

Master of the Google Search
Wrath2X said:
You think Sonic Heroes is better than the original Sonic The Hedgehog.

Even HUELEN ain't that crazy.
Click to expand...
*nods*

SuperAngelo64's listing is about as shitty as you can get without going into joke post status.
 
B

BlazeHedgehog

Member
Jet Grind Radio! said:
All of this Sonic CD talk makes me want to play it. If only I could find a copy of the Sonic Gems Collection.

That or if SEGA released the damn thing on VC, XBL or PSN. =/
Click to expand...

The version on Gems Collection is the worst port of the game. I guess they ported it from the PC version, but they didn't do a very good job. Certain effects aren't properly emulated (transparent water) and they completely destroyed the intro and credits sequences. And since the PC version is from like, 1994, all the game's sound effects are 22khz WAV files and it sounds awful. Whoever ported the game didn't bother replacing them with high quality versions, either.

It is remarkably sloppy. Playable, but sloppy.
 
Rewrite

Rewrite

Not as deep as he thinks
Did we scare RubyEclipse from posting here?

The Gems Collection port of Sonic CD was okay. As long as it's playable, that's all that really matters.
 
B

BlazeHedgehog

Member
Rewrite said:
The Gems Collection port of Sonic CD was okay. As long as it's playable, that's all that really matters.
Click to expand...

It's this sort of opinion that keeps guys like Backbone Entertainment employed. When porting a game from one platform to another, "Good enough" is not acceptable - especially when you're porting a 10 year old game from vastly inferior hardware. There are no excuses for failing to get a game running 100% perfectly on hardware that is orders of magnitude more powerful.
 
J

jetsetfluken

Member
Interesting the port quality of Sonic CD on Sonic Gens Collection is being brought up, I popped that in the other day with all this classic Sonic talk - I never played much of Sonic CD when I had it on SEGA CD, so I can't pinpoint most of the things wrong with the port.
So what exactly makes it worse besides some effects and such? It does look pretty sloppy to me. The SEGA CD version is superior to the PC version, yes? And then there's the complication of the US version having a separate soundtrack to the JP version, both which have some very, very well made music, so that's another reason emulation may then be preferable.

On topic: I think it's getting sad how much better fan edits of the designs are than the actual official design of Sonic. Hopefully the fan outcry will make them (will it be BACKBONE? lol) realize the error in their ways and at the very least have an optional "Classic" skin for Sonic.
 
C

Chao

Member
Scullibundo said:
ndr9mg.jpg
Click to expand...
I've tried to express how I feel about this picture like three times in this reply but I don't know what to say. I can't make up my mind. It's so OBVIOUS, it's so PERFECT, it's so THE RIGHT THING TO DO, and yet we get that terrible design which gets even worse game after game.

At least give us the option to choose the good or the devilish Sonic one at the beginning of the game, like skins. That would be a good start, you hear me Sega?
 
B

BlazeHedgehog

Member
jetsetfluken said:
Interesting the port quality of Sonic CD on Sonic Gens Collection is being brought up, I popped that in the other day with all this classic Sonic talk - I never played much of Sonic CD when I had it on SEGA CD, so I can't pinpoint most of the things wrong with the port.
So what exactly makes it worse besides some effects and such? It does look pretty sloppy to me. The SEGA CD version is superior to the PC version, yes? And then there's the complication of the US version having a separate soundtrack to the JP version, both which have some very, very well made music, so that's another reason emulation may then be preferable.

On topic: I think it's getting sad how much better fan edits of the designs are than the actual official design of Sonic. Hopefully the fan outcry will make them (will it be BACKBONE? lol) realize the error in their ways and at the very least have an optional "Classic" skin for Sonic.
Click to expand...

I'm actually considering making a comparison video just for the hell of it, but:

- The intro and ending FMVs are stretched to be full screen, and are re-timed to match the lengths of the american songs. The ending FMV was never intended to be in full screen OR last the entire 5 minute duration of "Sonic Boom". As such, the game's credits sequence is completely missing and the ending FMV plays at around 3fps.

- All of the sound effects in Sonic CD in both Gems Collection and on the PC are 22khz WAV files. They're full of hissing and all of the other problems that come with a lower sampling rate.

- The transparent water effect is missing from Tidal Tempest Zone. It was present in the PC version, so its absence in the Gems port is a mystery.

- Special Stages in the Gems version of Sonic CD run at 125% speed, making them much more difficult to complete.

I could've sworn there was more than that, but that's all I can remember off the top of my head.
 
Yoshi

Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
Alphahawk said:
I really disliked Sonic Heroes, I felt it was just a shitty beat-em-up that they tried to tie in to the Sonic universe. It is the only Sonic game I know of where regular enemys have a health bar. Think about that for a minute...

To me Heroes was the point the series let me down, say what you want about Adventure 2, but for all that game did wrong it did a lot of things right (Point blank: Final Rush is how you do a 3D Sonic right :ditto for Final Hazard, that's one of the best Sonic bosses even if it is 3D)
Click to expand...
Sonic 06, Sonic & Black Knight and Shadow have health bars, too. They are shit, but they should count as Sonic games. Sonic Heroes is the only good Sonic game with health bars :).
 
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