Categories #Games, News

Custom Character Creator Revealed For Sonic Forces

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Author Dave Luty
98 Comments

The third character for Sonic Forces has been announced and the rumours were true – you can now create your own playable custom character!

In a trailer published by SEGA, a spectacled red wolf id shown running alongside Classic & Modern Sonic, as the sequence continues the character changes design and expression, the new hero then uses a grappling hook to attack a group of giant robots.

The trailer continues by showing off some of the character’s gameplay, including how the character creation system will work, that both male and female characters are available, and that there appears to be a significant amount of options available for customising appearance.

According to reports from other outlets, there are a number of different species to choose from, each with their own abilities.

  • Rabbit — Has longer invincible time after receiving damage
  • Wolf — Automatically draws in rings when near them
  • Cat — Keeps one ring after being hit
  • Dog — Restarts with five rings after the player dies
  • Bear — Blows away enemies with a homing attack
  • Bird — Flies high with double jump abilities
  • Hedgehog — Collects rings when getting damaged

Alongside the character creation details, the trailer also demonstrated some extended gameplay of the created character in ‘Park Avenue’.

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98 Comments

      1. I already know, LOVE IT. This is exactly what I was asking for ever since that 3rd character teaser. It really is the only way you can justify a bare-bones design like that. Can’t wait to see options we can get (really hoping for hedgehog species, naturally). X3

        1. *Literally just looked up at the list seconds ago* OH, guess we CAN use hedgehogs after all! Alright then, then I guess all I have left to hope for is that I can have various options with things like quill/hair/fur designs. Maybe nothing too sophisticated (this is a Sonic game after all), but I would definitely like to add a lot more layers of tinier spikes on my character’s head. Like if Sonic’s hair was closer to Raditz’s, lol. X)”

        2. You’re getting Hedgehogs. They confirmed Hedgehogs, Cats, Dogs, Wolves, Rabbits, Bears, and Birds.

          No, I’m not making any of this up. Sega did a press release that explains it and how they play.

          1. I know, I seriously just actually read the article after watching the video and commenting, lol. Really happy about the variety we’re getting with options. X)”

    3. I guess we are. But this is a really creative idea, and encourages fans who like to draw their own characters and write fanfiction to be creative. It seems like Sega was thinking of them when they did this. This could also be a starting point for future dlc, which Sega rarely takes advantage of.

      1. That would be nice, the only few times they’ve ever done that lately were in Generations (like, once) and Lost World, and those got old pretty fast. Unleashed, yet again, proves to be the better example of how to handle a more modern Sonic title, the DLC they had for that game was expansive and gave plenty of variety and things to do for the player even after clearing the story. It’s hard not to praise that game when so many features it has are worth praising. Yeah yeah, you didn’t like the Werehog, big deal, the rest of the game wasn’t dead to you now was it? I really wish they did more of their titles this way, in terms of story, gameplay, humor, drama, content, length, and DLC. But all of that pretty much flew out the door as soon as Iizuka took over. 😛

    1. Finally, somebody who’s not completely in-hate with the idea! I’m not alone!! XD

  3. Sounds like an interesting feature. I wonder if you can make your custom character look like Boom Sonic or Sally Acorn.

    1. I really hope they have enough options open where you could mostly make them look however you want. That is the thing with character creators, how well they work out depends on how many options you allow the player. I’m not exactly expecting something for Sonic of all things to be that sophisticated, but something that’s at least 2nd place to Dragon Ball Xenoverse’s character creation system would be nice. Give me plenty of choices of race, different hair/fur designs for each race, clothing/accessories, and other little features/details that would really make each character truly “yours”, and I’ll pretty much be satisfied.

    2. I seriously hope you can’t. Those are the very last characters I want to see in a main Sonic game.

        1. I don’t want to see screens on the net with Sally Acorn in an official, unmodded Sonic game. It’s bad enough that there will now be loads of screens with fan characters, who are just as bad.

          1. Well too bad, fans will do what fans do, if you don’t want to see stuff like that, don’t search for it. If you still see it anyway, big deal, it’s the internet, there’s loads of stuff you probably upload or comment about, Sonic or otherwise, that millions of other people don’t agree with either. Just have to get used to the idea that other people will do things that you don’t agree with, it’s not up to you how the rest of us have fun with this game. 😛

          2. I don’t need to refrain from searching for it, because Sega isn’t dumb enough to implement Sally lookalikes as a race. Just like they’ve shown so far that they aren’t dumb enough to add her to a main game.

          3. And just for the record, I didn’t say it was up to me “how the rest of us have fun with this game”. I said it was a terrible idea. They shouldn’t use character designs that don’t fit the main game universe, like Sally or Sonic Boom Sonic. Otherwise they could as well add random designs that look like ripoffs of Mario, Zelda, Mega Man, Metal Gear, or Halo characters.

  4. Alright I’ve been a fan of this franchise for a loooong time. I stuck through all the different lows and few highs… but this. I’m done guys, I don’t think I can do this anymore. It’s over. It’s all over. This has to be the worst idea I have ever seen. Why?? Why?! Why was this something they sat down and said “yes this will work” good god… I want this game to succeed I really really do. But if it fails I’m out. Mania will be the last game I purchase. I’m out

      1. Suddenly throw in a feature that plenty of other franchises out there have successfully tried already and suddenly it’s “the end of the franchise”.

        Yeah, I remember when Dragon Ball tried to make a game where you could make your own “original the character, do not steal”, that totally didn’t sell well at all. It certainly wasn’t successful enough to make a sequel, no sir. And even if it was, the fact that it’s a franchise that isn’t Sonic somehow makes it immune to the clearly obvious reasons (so obvious I don’t even feel the need to elaborate what they are, I’ll just make more DeviantART and OC jokes as if everyone knows exactly what I’m talking about) that this would never work, so this idea is only bad when it applies to Sonic because Sonic should only be done in the way that I think is best.

        Or you know, I could actually be rational and just see how this actually feels when I play it instead of declaring the end of the line right before even reaching the first stop on the way there. But then I couldn’t talk sarcastically like I did in the paragraph above.

  5. AH-HA! CALLED IT! FUCKING CALLED IT! IN YOUR FACES ALL WHO DOUBTED MY INSIGHT! X’D

    On a serious note though, this does have me a bit more hopeful for how this all turns out, after having this filled with so much familiar mechanics it’s refreshing to see a new twist thrown in, and one that I and I feel many others have been open to seeing. Can’t wait to see the possibilities this brings. And yeah, guilty as charged, I am hoping there’s at least a hedgehog option so my fan character can be truly brought to life. If Dragon Ball and Kingdom Hearts can be proud of that, why can’t we!? X)”

    1. Nevermind, there definitely IS a hedgehog option, so yeah, still hope I can at least make the spikes look however I want. Hero the Hedgehog, you will be made a reality…sort of, lol. X)”

      #NoMoreOCshaming

  8. Pingback: Sonic Forces’ 3rd Playable Character is a Custom Hero You Can Create « SEGADriven

  10. its interesting, im glad each species gives you different benefits.
    They’ve put a lot of work in by the looks of it, reminds me of Go-Vacation with how they handle the clothing styles.

  11. It actually happened, they made character creation a mechanic in the Sonic series, and I actually like its implementation. Forgetting the obvious DeviantArt joke that goes into this, this is the first time in a number of years we’ve had a playable character that isn’t Sonic in our game, and the way it plays actually looks good, not to mention interesting. I wasn’t sure about this but I honestly think that it could work and I honestly like what I’m seeing.

    Plus based on what I’m reading, the customisation options aren’t too out there either, keeping it within the established style of the franchise, so no drastic “original the hedgehog/character” things going on here, or I hope so at least. Carry on Sonic Team, you have my interest.

  12. My boi Donutsteal was rocking a scouter
    Those kiddies on /v/ owe me, I told them this was gonna be Sonic Xenoverse & Knuckles

    1. Like people seriously saw the slogan “Join the Resistance” and DIDN’T see this as a possibility? Come on man, even if it wouldn’t have been my most likely choice, I still at least considered it as a scenario. There’s the writing on the wall, and then there’s the writing on the wall with giant arrows pointing towards the hidden meaning written in tiny letters between the lines. This was always planned, lol.

  13. Great! Now I can play as my fan character, Xonic the Deathhog. (Original character do not steal.)

    1. Nope, not everyone’s is. Take my OC for example. Mine is a hybrid between Hedgehog and Bat. You can’t make any hybrids in the game and you can’t even choose bat or some other animals that others have chosen to make as there OC.

  18. Totally called it, the “Join the resistance” tag line and the generic looking silhouette from the teaser were the major give-aways, I actually think is kind of cool, still wished more official characters were playable though.

    And I have the feeling his gameplay will be similar to the Sonic Adventure formula.

  19. If I can’t create Sanic- I’m out.

    Otherwise this is a ballsy move. I’m really interested in the possibilities how people can make their characters. I’m just turned down by the fact that it’s mimicking Modern Sonic’s gameplay.

  21. Not that it’s a big deal, but why no foxes or echidnas? You would think Sega would add these species, what with Tails and Knuckles among the most popular characters in the franchise.

    1. First off, one: There are officially no other Foxes, save for Zooey of Sonic Boom to rectify the need for another fox. And second: Knuckles is the LAST of the Echidnas! Any more Echidnas, and Ken Penders will sue, and we’d be stuck with more forced mandates, so bad that the Sonic Movie will be CANCELLED, and the series will end, and we’d all be converted to Bronies!

      1. Oh, right, I forgot about the thing of Knuckles being the last of his species. That’s a fair point. But I’m pretty sure Penders doesn’t have the rights to the whole Echidna species.

        1. He doesn’t.
          SEGA basically went “I’ll let you keep those characters if you go away, okay? Okay.”

  22. Hah! Screw Bubsy, I knew it was a custom character from the first time they revealed the silhouette.

  23. Sonic meets Attack on Titan. I’ll give my opinion when the game comes out.

    One last thought, maybe Tails is behind Custom’s (the name I’m using for the new character for now) gear?

  28. I’m fine with this, but personally I hope there are options for clothes and looks that are reminiscent of canon characters. I’ve never been a fan of making OC’s for any media franchise and I’d rather play as Amy or Shadow or at least characters that look like them then being forced to make OC’s.

    Also, how the hell are the gonna do cutscenes?

  29. I wanna see the Sonic Team dartboard, I have a feeling we’d see a couple interesting things on it.

    1. Actually, Knuckles is the last of his kind.
      More echidnas would contradict that.

  31. I dunno, I kinda agree with SCMJ, from a marketing standpoint and the like, it’s fucking genius. On the fandom side of things, the jokes just write themselves. But as someone kind of trying to be on the outside from the toxicity that surrounds this fanbase and seeing this?… I mean, I guess the idea’s kinda cool. Here’s the thing though, don’t make it the uber main focus where your character gets the last hit and saves the day, the story has its hero already.

    From what I can see as someone trying to understand gaming culture and storytelling artforms, Forces is certainly painting it’s own picture outside from previous games with this. I don’t think it’s the end all be all of things. I mean, look at it like this. If we’re gonna take the sort of “Cycle of Sonic” look at it, this is now the point of, say, the Werehog or the infamous Iblis Trigger trailer. Now back then, these characters were revealed with no/very little gameplay and instant we were up in arms. But the difference here, we see the gameplay. And here’s what I think some of the arguing commenters are missing… Exactly what about it is bad? The character’s moving fast, they’re interacting with different abilities to set them apart, they aren’t hunting down the Insanity Sapphires, piloting mechs or freaking fishing… They’re moving fast, using gadgets and gear to aid in platforming and keeping momentum, and let’s face it, Forces kind of hinted at a whole sort of rebellion thing with the reveal, we’re literally “Joining the fight”.

    Kind of wish maybe with the abilities you could just have that list to choose from rather than limiting character selection, I mean, it’s not an RPG or anything, stats aren’t playing much of a role here, but otherwise, this has done the one thing the game has sorely needed. Hype.

    …
    Now please, PLEASE don’t make extra species and put them behind paid DLC Sega. Don’t be that guy.

    1. Omfg… I haven’t thought about that video for 6 years. This needs to happen. XD

  35. Congratulations SEGA. You just had to bring something stupid called the character creator. I hope you’ll learn not to do another character creator again. I say that because creating characters is bullshit. So you’re basically already telling me that I can only play as the two Sonics since I won’t be creating a character. And that makes me hate the game even more now. So FUCK YOU SEGA!!!!!!!!

    1. So… why exactly is the Character Creator bad? You kind of forgot that part.

  36. I know these kinds of character editors from ModNation Racers and the WWE games. This could be really fun.

  37. So the character creation system wasn’t specific enough if we give our character a voice for males and females as well as our characters name to type in the game.

    It better not be something stupid like “give your character a name and voice all made up in your head”

  39. Wow, 3D Sonic games have massively evolved since SA. I must admit I don’t like what they have become.

    I feel I must now play Sonic Heroes for several hours until I can cleanse my mind of this reveal trailer. Iizuka has failed me. Long live Yuji Naka!

    1. As if Sonic Heroes doesn’t have issuesm with it’s horribly slippery controls and the obnoxious use of rail grinding;

  40. Never mind, Warren Graff and Ken Pontac are confirmed to be writing for this game too. I am now legitimately worried for the fate of this game, at the very least in terms of story. -_-“

    1. Apparently Shun Nakamura is handling the story so that’s a bit of relief. so we should just worry about the writing from pontaff I guess :/

      1. What that tells me is that the best I can hope for is an average to decent to good story with really awkward or cringey dialogue with only one or two occasional genius lines worth quoting. I guess it’s better than just making it a pun fest with hardly any focus like before, but still, it’s like anything Pontac and Graff touches just turns to ash by the time it reaches the players. They should seriously just get the people from the Sonic Boom cartoon to write the dialogue for these games…or Ian Flynn from the comics…or literally anyone else.

  41. Hey guys, I brought some preparation H for all the hurt butts in here. Lmao

    Character Creation has been a successful and welcomed feature in a lot of games and I’m definitely looking forward to what FORCES does with it. Though, I will admit, the OC looks and plays seems very “Boom” and that’s a tad bit off putting..

  42. Wow. I’m actually quite excited about this. I’ve been playing Dragon ball fusions which also has a create your own character thing and enjoying that.

    Only problem I can’t decide what type of character I want to create in sonic forces. Guess I’ll wait to see the options they allow.=)

  43. Hum, I hope the character creator is powerful enough to make some “resurrections”.

  44. Omfg I did not see this coming. Now my two hedgehogs (circa 2002 when I was on deviantart) Sabrina and Sabre can finally truly exist! Hope they allow super long spines.

  45. You know, the only thing missing is online co-op so people can roleplay with their OCs. *cringes*

  46. Really disappointed to see that all the different races are just bad versions of Sonic, only one gets a homing attack and it looks like by the way these race traits are described only the hedgehog’s rings spew when they get hit, some of the rest just automatically “keep one ring” (which sounds really broken.) or respawn with 5 rings, which personally I am not a fan of. (although, all footage we’ve got of this game is pretty much the game playing itself for you so maybe you don’t have to worry about being hit.), It really sucks to see the lack of powers similar to the likes of Knuckles (No Echidna race? Seriously? I understand Knuckles is the last of his kind but.. when was the last time Knuckles has actually been shown guarding the master emerald or being anything like he’s said to be? his lore is pretty much abandoned.), Silver, Blaze, Robot (No E-Series race feels like a missed opportunity , especially since this looks projectile-weapon orientated.), or by a stretch: tails. This is very disappointing and I will probably dread the times I have to play as my Toon Town character to progress in the game, here’s to hoping Mania sells more than this so Sega gets it’s head out of it’s butt.

  47. There was something about this that was strange but couldn’t put my finger on until now I realise this is like boom with that grappling hook, does that mean all animals have it?

  48. I figured out a way this could work.

    1. Let me name him after a canon character.

    2. Let me make him look like a canon character.

    3. When Sonic meets him for the first time have him say something along the lines of this, “Sonic the hedgehog huh? I’ve never heard of you.”

  49. Well, it’s the first non-underwhelming thing they’ve shown for this game.

    Still have quite a ways to go before this game is actually back in the green for me, though. I’m still not terribly hopeful at this stage.

  50. Not sure why all the hate for this. I guess alot of fans aren’t that creative. But for those of us who are I’m glad sega thought of us. Sure there will be no end of deviantart and Original The Hedgehog jokes but not like we cant just ignore them. I say sega should implement this into all future sonic games if it works well so long as it’s optional and you can still play as sonic I don’t see the problem. I say THANK YOU SEGA! For giving creative fans a chance!

  51. As far as I’m concerned, Custom the Wolf is THE character. Better than random placeholder blank slate “U.R. the Star” player avatar.

    Seriously, how is this going to work plot-wise? Is Sonic just going to call the character “Hey, you”?

  52. I totally didn’t expect this! WOAH! I love it. You can’t be a fox?! 🙁 I wanna create a fox character. Goodbye to the former Sonic fans who have gotten butthurt over this! Hah!

  53. why not a chipmunk character?!?! I might make a rabbit (bunnie rabbot) but not sally acorn :(? I wanted to make the leader of the freedom fighters!!

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