[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Sp4HdRE3q4[/youtube]
As E3 continues through the week, more and more gameplay is coming forward from our two upcoming Sonic titles this year. Most notably, Gamespot decided to showcase Rise of Lyric (Wii U) in their livestream for an extended period and now are uploading the footage to their YouTube in HD glory with full audio. How nice of them! A total of three videos have been released so far for your viewing pleasure.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LFjDlhTNGY[/youtube]
Most of these videos contains areas we’ve seen the team explore previously – however what we do get to see (and hear) in these videos are two of the cutscenes. It gives us a nice look at how the dynamic of the team is, and how they’re being characterised. There aren’t that many story hints but it’s always nice to see Sonic and Knuckles have their little banter. Amy Rose has gone through one of the biggest transformations in terms of character, having a confident approach to situations and is seemingly no longer fawning for Sonic’s love and attention. You go girl!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoQtr7QFIy0[/youtube]
You can also sample some of the voice acting in the game. The whole cast is sounding a little better to me with seemingly better direction for all four voice actors. This goes especially for Amy who has dropped the infamous “Minnie Mouse” tone we heard in Sonic Lost World. That’s enough of what I think though – how about you? Let us know in the comments. Stay with TSS for the remainder of E3 so you don’t miss any news regarding our spiky blue hero. Also – did you see the new TV trailer yet? Because that’s looking pretty fantastic too amid all this gaming news.
Whoever’s writing the dialogue for this game, I have to pat them on the back. This is how a Sonic game should be written.
Amy’s voice sounds much better now. But I hope that there’s some pining for Sonic in there somewhere. That was my favourite part of mainstream Amy’s character.
Also, I STILL think the gameplay for this looks like a Lego game.
glad you’re happy, but I still feel that Sonic’s narrative was strongest in the Adventure games. Obviously the dialogue needs to be polished from a modern standpoint, but I always liked the seriousness mixed with humor.
Yeah, the narrative was good, but I think it was let down by poor translations. The dialogue was either directly translated from Japanese, which sounded clumsy at times, or trying to shoehorn in American sayings to make it sound more local. I swear, whenever I hear Sonic say “Aw yeah! This is happenin’!” I die a little inside…
Don’t get me wrong, Ryan Drummond was clearly giving it his all, but the script he was handed gave him little to work with. Can you really make a line like this one sound natural?
“If I wasn’t just dreaming… That monster… Is a real menace!”
What you said was literally my point haha. I liked the style..just not the script overall for the reasons you listed.
The new direction is terms of atmosphere is not so much my thing, but it’s a different universe and looks interesting enough. I just hope sticks isn’t in the game lol.
The scenarios and part of the gameplay style are just like the Jak and Daxter saga. Love it.
This looks like a LEGO came! AWESOME!
Loving the more story focused game as well!
So true.
Sooo…in order for Amy Rose to stop setting back feminism every second she’s pining over Sonic, they gave her a…very bland personality. How is this any better? I mean, I’m glad Cindy Robertson is using her Makoto Nanaya voice now, but without that infectious energy Amy usually brings, any improvement is pointless. This is what some people have predicted when they said they where going to make Amy into an action girl arch-type but maybe it’s just the medium: She sounds much more better on the trailer for the TV Show. And if not, she can always juggle some balls…..:D
The overall writing sounds better in the show, so maybe this is just another symptom of being a terrible tie-in game…along with bland combat, bland backgrounds, bland music, bland puzzles….just blandness across the board.
I’ve see Nickelodeon games with better art direction than this, but now’s about the time I’ll get blasted for being “a cancerous retro fiend who is against change for the better”. Yeah, i should be ashamed for wanting something closer to this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrwGsjEIaHw) and this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy0oNbunF30) and this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY1xH6frYxs) rather than a LEGO wannabe. Who can possibly hate a LEGO game?! (seriously…it’s very hard to hate a LEGO game, but then again LEGO games are good)
I hate all 3 of the games you posted. You clearly didn’t get the point I was trying to make, did you?
I think the only reason you hate this game is because it’s different. Why is different so wrong with gamers these days? Why do people hate innovation, and would rather play the same thing 20,000 times over?
And I know what you’re thinking, “Oh, you’re just exaggerating” But no, I did some research, and found out the sequel games that repeat the same stuff they did before sell more than games that do something new and different. I am not making this up, but Mario Party 8, the weakest entry in that series, sold almost 10x more than both Okami and Shadow of the Colossus combined. Why do you think something as dull and repetitive as COD sells more than something original and brilliant like Portal?
So here, in a series like Sonic, where themes, tones, gameplay, and practically everything, changes with each game, we find the absolute worse that humanity has to offer. People who instantly hate on whatever happens, and torment those who think differently. It’s a sad, sad existence…
These “fans” only ever seem to like older games. Games like Sonic 1 and Sonic Adventure are praised as masterpieces, while anything else is considered garbage. Well here’s a newsflash for you: Sonic 1 and Sonic Adventure aren’t even that good!
But the fact is that this game, Sonic Boom, is different because they WANT to do something different, that’s the whole point. Your precious retro games are still there. They still exist, and they’ll always exist since Sega’s going to keep making new games that aren’t Sonic Boom related. But it’s time for something new, something different. It’s time for a fresh way of looking at a series that has been going for 20 years.
Change is not something to be feared. It is something to be experienced. People should be excited at the prospect of change, not terrified by it, because it gives the chance for new, original adventures for everyone.
So go ahead and hate on change all you want, but it will only solidify the fact that you want things to never change, and be exactly the same forever and ever. That’s a child’s way of thinking…
Anyways, rant over. I really needed to get all that off my chest.
Have you been watching Game Theory?
Yes I have! And I agree completely with that episode!
From what I read, people don’t dislike it because it’s “new”. Many people are debating that the game is either too bland or similar to other games. To call some of the gameplay here new would be to completely ignore games such as Ratchet and Clank. And while I agree that there are many who seem to desperately cling on to Sonic of the 90’s, I also see a large Sonic fanbase that wants to move on and enter new grounds. Seeing that Sonic’s recent, well-acclaimed track record includes very new concepts is proof that Sonic Boom’s criticism doesn’t sprout from a reaction to something different. Sonic Colors’ heavy use of new gameplay via wisps, Sonic Transformed’s innovative use of vehicles and level progression, and Sonic Generations’ refined 3D gameplay (worked on the NEW Unleashed style and no more boost to win) are all proof that fans are up for something new.
In fact there seems to be a fear amongst fans regarding Sonic trying to be retro. Sonic 4 Episode 2 and Sonic Lost World were cited negatively for their bland performance and lack of creativity. As I said before, I agree that there are people who remain stuck to a vague idea of what Sonic can or can’t be, but I doubt that plays in part to Sonic Boom’s criticism. From what I’ve seen so far, the combat looks dry, uninspired, and lackluster. I sincerely hope that the demo shows only a real small portion of the final product, but for now, all I see is mediocrity. I sincerely hope it isn’t in the end though. And these thoughts aren’t from a fear of change, but from a rational look at the game
wow that was a long rant first sonic 1 and sonic adventure where awesome and I am embracing this game cause I like sonic and games like those so I think its my sonic game heaven
I think there are a few ways they could make amy normal but add some quirk to her maybe she could have a really short temper causing her to get angry at the littlest things and bring out some inner sass, imagine sonic accidentally calling amy fat or something following with her chasing him with her hammer, that would be hilarious.
We haven’t seen enough of amy to see her true personality
im okay with the voice acting and dialogue. but all the bitches of the sonic community keep dragging it down.
yes knuckles said something humouring “hey there are things inside these things” apparently that makes him stupid and comedic … dont you ever open something to see another thing inside and think the same to yourself?
It is called molecules.
explain?
– that seems out of nowhere
AW, YEAH, THIS GAME IS GONNA BE SWEEEEEET!
Wow, loving the atmosphere in this game and I’m really glad they brough back the Sonic and Knuckles rivalry, knuckles kinda droppedthat role after shadow, silver, jet, blaze and many others were introduced
I like the dialogue.
The in-game cut scene in the second video looked awful though. The animations are really bad and ugly.
The cut scene in the first video is noticeably better so i’m guessing that it’s pre-rendered. They should make them all like that to keep it consistent.
That… was painful.
Glad I’m not the only one who thought this.
I like the writing and the atmosphere… but why is it so slow?
How hard would it be to make Sonic a little faster than the others?
“You really think you can keep up with me?”
“I’ve been doing it all day!”
There’s something wrong here.
Looking promising to me so far. As much as I love how Amy’s main motivation isn’t Sonic anymore, I hope she still shows some sign of her feelings towards Sonic in the series. It was basically her reason for being created. I’m not saying that should be all she is (like in previous games), but it should still be one of the building blocks of her personality. It’s not that difficult to make a strong, confident, independent, and capable female character have a bit of a softer romantic side. If it was more hidden or subtle, that would be awesome. Anyway, I’m liking what I see so far. Gameplay wise, it might get tiring after a bit, but the last few Sonic games have been making me pine for some more focused storytelling, and this game looks to do just that. The gameplay at the very least looks decent and doable, and I’m fine having to give up a little of what I’m familiar with if it means regaining a stronger narrative. And the best part is that I still get the regular Sonic the following year, with hopefully a much more speed-centered and well-put-together gameplay. So yeah, no loss on my end, sorry for the rest of you who don’t feel the same. :3
I don’t know why, but this game reminds me of Spongebob: Truth Or Square. O-o
Looks awesome. I was very unsettled when I first heard of the Sonic Boom rumor, but this game, its visual approach, the dialogue, and the plot have me sold. I’m looking forward to this branch of the franchise.
Are they purposely cutting out Music and Sound effects or something?
Its super quite for most of the gameplay. Its very wierd not having a Sonic game with Blaring Level music everywhere you go.
The first cutscene was humorous. The second one I also liked – I didn’t view Knuckles as being dumb, necessarily, as just not wanting to take orders from Amy – reissuing the same order to try and save grace. You could view it the other way around, but frankly, I didn’t feel it as being that way.
One thing I do not like is how Amy’s face looks puckered. It just…I don’t know. It annoys me. It feels unnatural for a standard lip pose.
The game play looks fun. Somewhat repetitive but, honestly, that’s because I’m watching it and not actually playing it 😛 Love the dialogue between the characters for the most part. Sonic sure is a chatterbox though, isn’t he? It’s both refreshing and annoying at the same time, ha ha.
I should say the second picture, I know this sounds awkward but, AWWWW.<—my thoughts talkin'.
I know it stinks that I can't resist Sonic and Amy together, UGH!
You know what also stinks, im a boy.
A BOY!
But I dont care, what that one man said you are who you are.
And im not talking about the classic sonic the hedgehog, now thats not planned for. 😛
Whoops I mean 🙁
But im still not lying, it is just that I that : P meant pfft.
Ok now im confused.
(Reminder:reply my first chat: my thoughts talking about sonic and amy together.)
As much as I would like to see Sonic Boom succeed as a game, I do agree with the sentiments that so much of this reeks of “kiddy cash in game” and that Sega simply doesn’t care about making a good Sonic game, rather making something colorful that kids will buy, because after all, kids are stupid and parents will buy them anything to shut them up for a couple hours. I really see Sega doing to Sonic what Activision did with Spyro, basically redesigning and repurposing him into something they can turn into easy cash by marketing towards dumb kids with a show designed to sell toys.
I wrote a blog about this: http://hardcorzgamer.blogspot.com/2014/06/sonic-is-new-spyro.html
Sure Sega says this is just a spinoff and we all are holding out that the next Sonic will some spectacular thing on the PS4/X1 but mark my words, if this makes a lot of money, like Skylanders, this will be the Sonic of the future.
IM SO PLAYING THE GAME, HECK YES!!!