Since we're talkin' OST atm, figured would share this dumb thing I did after listening to Mania's version of Stardust Speedway and also a certain Mr. Astley's other music. Because I am a sucker for dumb mashups that sound catchy. :v: https://soundcloud.com/ancara-weegee/slippin-stardust-speedway
The OST sounds pretty good to me, but so far I don't think it has any chance of being better than S3&K's soundtrack. However, Mania does only have one real composer...so I'd say it's pretty impressive. Also, I don't understand why so many of you care about the exact minute of the release. You already know the day - what's a few more hours?
Kinda going off that point, I think that's a huge thing to point out. A lot of these tracks so far have been presented out of context, and unlike the classics we don't have 20 years of these songs ingrained in our minds. So yea, while the Hard Boiled Heavy theme may seem like some crazy beats on the dance floor, maybe that energy really works with the boss battles. Once we play the game maybe everything will gel together beautifully. That being said I already think these songs are great and they'll at least make a great soundtrack to go on runs to :specialed:
One distinctive disadvantage that the Mania soundtrack has compared to the classic games (at least 1+2) is that they can't get away with ripping off successful pop songs anymore, either.
Well, ever since the whole budokai trilogy incident, it's nearly impossible for anyone to do so since people are too good at pointing such out the instant they hear similarities.
Music is the one thing I think Sonic has almost always done well, with perhaps a few exceptions (06's soundtrack isn't particularly memorable to me, which was actually one of my biggest disappointments, but there are a few standouts among the songs still. 4e1 did retro in all the wrong ways, but 4e2 had a few more tunes I liked). Mania's OST isn't classic style by any means, but it is well composed and fits more in line with most of the non-genesis CD titles. It reminds me of a mix of JPN CD and Adventure 1 styles, and I very much am okay with that.
I'm not easy to please, I had given up on Sonic for years up until now and I've aged in to a cynical grouch. I finally felt like I could call my self a Sonic fan again after the Mania pre-order animation released and made me tear up. Prior, I would just tell people I was a fan up until I was about 19. That said, I've loved every song so far and each one has been getting stuck in my head due to different reasons. The isolated cymbal and meaty bass drums of the Mini-Boss are perfect compliments to the sinister sharp sound later in the song. The energetic Hard-Boiled Heavies tune has a lot going on in it, offering a lot of dissecting while listening. For instance, there's the very subtle hand-style drums that are so easy to miss without quality cans and already looking. Studiopolis is low-hanging fruit because it's a solid all-around dance tune with a memorable melody. I wasn't sold on Dimension Heist at first until I had context of the special stage. After seeing the special stage in action it felt like it was a song plucked right out of my subconscious, as if this is exactly how I'd have crafted this stages song if I were asked (and had the ability of course). I find Mirage Saloon is the weakest, but still worthy in context of stage atmosphere.
I love the mini boss theme! It's so much better than Sonic 3's mini boss theme, but then again I don't even like that song. :P It needs to be the 15th already!
So according to various posters on NeoGAF (one of which directly contacted a YouTuber who has review code) the review embargo ends August 14 with reviews expected to come out on the same day. So August 14 for reviews right before launch. Guess that's when we'll see how Sonic Mania fares critically. Expecting around an ~85 Metacritic score.
Despite the fantastic word of mouth, I'm still expecting a lot of 70-75 score reviews. "Too much like the classics, doesn't innovate enough, Sonic was never good, too much nostalgia pandering"
It's incredibly bad form to openly post that you have a review/early copy of a video game. Please be smarter. Thanks.
You sure he really has it :p You can just go to steamdb and hit the install button to get that window :p
Psshh, it's not like I have a review copy. You can do this with any unreleased Steam game easily, it just doesn't get you anywhere. Throw steam://install/584400 into your browser. I was just having fun :v:/>