A new interview with Big Red Button Entertainment CEO Bob Rafei has surfaced over on GameZone. Though Rafei told GameZone a lot of information you’ll have to wait for when they bring to E3 2014, he did go into detail about the inspiration for both how the combat is unique for each character in Boom, where the “Enerbeam” idea stemmed, and how it’s used to interact with the environment around you. Rafei mentions specifically Knuckles’ Chaotix, which is well know for its own use of a tether which links you to a secondary character whilst playing.
GZ: Combat appeared to be quite a bit more involved than previous Sonic games. What can we expect in terms of the combat gameplay?
BR: In combat, our goal was to allow player expression via character selection and ability to engage enemies. We wanted to enhance how players can engage enemies through different character abilities. These are some really fun characters! We’re excited to allow all four, not just Sonic, more center stage in combat and navigation.GZ: What are the uses for the energy tether, and was Knuckles Chaotix an inspiration for that idea?
BR: We looked at a lot canon titles including Knuckles Chaotix as inspiration of what would work best to establish this action adventure experience. We ultimately decided to go in a different direction for Boom. The energy tether, or “Enerbeam”, can be used in quite a few ways. Some examples are, in locomotion, such as the zip lines, to pull things like shields off of enemies and to interact with elements of the game world. Basically, it is used to some degree in all major pillars of the game and is an important character ability. It will also show up in the animation when appropriate.
You can check out the full interview over on GameZone where they discuss the founding of Big Red Button Entertainment, the Naughty Dog influence seeping into the art direction and what they believe the modern Sonic audience is. Guess E3 is where we’re going to get our next big haul of details about Boom, folks. Only a few months to wait!
Guess this pretty much confirms that the energy tether was indeed inspired by Chaotix.
Wow, so they really thought outside of the box this time, im really excited now!
You know, if Shadow will ever be in this game, I think his new power will be to control tether energy instead of chaos energy, since chaos emeralds will no longer be part of this, I think Shadow will have tether energy. What will make him more different from others is that he will have it inside him like it’s part of him and can manipulate it in many more ways than just a regular enerbeam the other characters use it for.
That would be cool. I just hope they don’t leave him behind, make him playable and keep some elements of his backstory (like his creation long time ago and his times with someone he truly cares about before something happened) while adding new ones to build upon in this game. Shadow, please come back.
It would stink since the whole game story would be takne over by him and emoptastic whiny self, just as he did with 06 thus destroying nay chance of alternate playable characters for over 6 years.
Shadow stay lost, you nearly ruined one part of the franchise in the past, so stay outta this one.
Some people over exaggerate completely, making them look undeniably stupid and childish, as well as the lack for any room for improvement.
I just started liking Shadow ever since Sonic Generations, before that, I thought the same as you. Until I realized he wasn’t meant to be like that and that he has the potential to be amazing as he should be, but they aren’t doing anything, so it is SEGA and Sonic Team who should be blamed for Shadow’s reputation. They greatly improved the Sonic franchise when they introduced him in Sonic Adventure 2, but messed him up in his own game, and then leaving him that way. If there is anyone you should be cursing at, it should be the developers, not the characters.
That would be cool. I just hope he is playable.
Yeah Shadow! SHADOW! SHADOW! SHADOW! SHADOW!
No, no Shadow ever.
That test tube born cheap knock off loser does not deserved to be include in anymore games, not since he started the sinking of the frachise by bringing us that horrible STH game and taking over the story and plot of 06.
That’s ignorance taken into a new level.
Shadow may suck, but so did Sonic. If Sonic can improve, why not Shadow? Take your ignorance and narrow mind elsewhere.
@darkgomugomu $19.9m budge ~
I’ve got a good feeling about this game. I mean, I eventually felt a little more sure about Lost World during the last month or so before it was out, but I feel way more sure about this game! …and yet, I still have caution. I don’t know why. I guess the series has tempered me enough to be both enthusiastic and cautious at the same time…not a terrible perspective I guess, but I feel like it’s keeping me from being entirely hyped. But I’ll just have to wait until more stuff gets revealed before the hype starts settling in I guess.
Yeah, I kind of agree with you though I think the Sonic cycle is restricted to Sonic Team, as much as it saddens me to say I think other studios currently working in Sonic titles are doing a better job than Sonic Team itself, studios like Sumo Digital, Stealth/Taxman and Hardlight, even Archie Comics are creating better stories and characters, and with the back story of BRB I’m more confident in this Sonic game than I have been in years, though I too remain cautiously optimistic.
Also hopefully Sonic Team will be able to amp their game if this means they will now have more time for develop Sonic games.
I’ve never been a fan of the “Sonic Cycle” term. It feels like fans purposely trying to ignore any good that ever came from any of those questionable titles for the sake of branding them as the death of the franchise. I’ll admit, there does seem to be a pattern of inconsistency in terms of quality due to a large amount of experimentation, but this shouldn’t come as a shameful surprise to everyone. All games go through this process. Even Mario had a few games that most people would like to forget, that doesn’t mean there has to be a “Mario Cycle” or anything like that. Experimentation is needed to evolve the franchise, and most things that didn’t work in the past never made it to the present. From the depths of poorly received games like 2006 and Secret Rings, we got titles like Unleashed and Colors, both of which greatly added mechanics to the franchise as classic as the Spindash itself.
When something doesn’t work, it can be frustrating, but it feels very much worth it when it leads to something better being created from its ashes. From the cinders of Lost World’s fire, I’m sure we’re going to get something great, be it in Sonic Boom or whatever the next multi-platform Sonic title is.
Fighting in a Sonic game? Meh…
Whats wrong about it?
I suppose blowing up badniks in Sonic the Hedgehog on the Genesis was never too fancied either, yes?
Tsk tsk, why does Sonic always have to resort to all this fighting nonsense in order to stop Dr. Eggman? Why can’t Sonic and his friends just peacefully negotiate with Dr. Eggman in a civil, orderly and non-violent fashion through the means of constructing a viable solution to their dilemmas?
Surely, that would make for the most entertaining video game and animated series of the year!
Seriously guys, the power of teamwork has gotten too violent and overrated. Everyone knows that this game should focus on the power of friendship and understanding. All Eggman really wants and needs is a hug, is that too much to ask?
You know what would be nice? If Sega got around to rereleasing Knuckles Chaotix for download. Seriously the 3DS has the entire crappy Game Gear library including Sonic Labyrinth and the original Genesis trilogy is available for everything with a screen, yet if you want to play the game that first introduced Vector, Charmy and Espio, you have to buy an old Genesis, a 32x and a copy of the game.
I can’t wait for Sonic Boom E3 2014 on June 11 is going to be awesome of Sonic games!
I might be a cynic here but I feel like they’re trying really hard to bury the fact that when all is said and done, this isn’t going to be a very good “Sonic” game (could still be good on its own but as a “Sonic” game it’s going to fall flat on its face, much like Unleashed did).
Unleashed was one of the best selling Sonic games, so yeah.
06 sold well enough to be a platinum hit on 360. Your point?
I think I’m the only one who wants Silver in Sonic Boom… ‘~’
Nope. I want to see him too. 😛
Ew who want’s Silver in Sonic Boom he sucks balls…