I'm I the only one who liked the concept of a casino level mixed with ancient ruins one? It seems from what I have seen so far that zones are not just one trope but two mixed in. As if there's a gradual progression between zones instead of being separate zones. It's an interesting concept that's for sure.
It's an interesting concept, absolutely, but it's being 'explored' (I use that term incredibly loosely.) just about as shallowly as can be. There's really no chemistry between the 2 tropes; they only mix visually, and not in terms of gameplay gimmicks, badniks, and so on. The level also comes across as way too short, and the level that has been displayed doesn't leave much of an impression on me. In a word, it's bland, and only marginally more appealing than this game's classic Sonic Green Hill Zone gameplay. Also, the physics of different level elements do not seem to flow comfortably. Looks like quite a bit of jarring momentum-like shifts into stiff movement and inconsistent controls going on here.
If anything at least the music isn't ducks. But this level honestly looks like a joke after mania, especially with levels like press garden that take two different tropes and mix them together amazingly. The shading looks good but it feels like they literally just put a casino on top of a forest, and this game seems to love to throw rings and points at you with no care, the lack of enemies or really any hazards make it feel like this level is just rings and points. The classic sonic physics seem worse then in generations, which where almost unacceptable, and after seeing how good the physics are in mania it honestly makes me mad how bad they've gotten.
Exactly! You'd think that releasing this game after Sonic Mania is released (And heck, after Sonic 3 & Knuckles has existed for so long for that matter!) + - on top of Classic Sonic being the same Classic Sonic from Sonic Mania, that they would at least try to improve upon Sonic Generations' Classic Sonic gameplay, but the opposite appears to be the case. It's a big let down. I want to like this game, I seriously do. There are elements of it that can work, cheesy dialogue and custom character creation included too, but it simply isn't 'clicking' with me. Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Sonic Generations and Sonic Mania all resonate with me (In varying amounts, mind, but still.) and come across as sure-of-themselves games. Sonic Forces, frankly, doesn't. It's annoying to see SEGA appears to be already back-pedalling from their 'consistent quality and direction' statements, especially after their recent Sonic-related blunders in the form of hot shite Sonic Boom: Rise Of Lyric, and the way that they completely fucked up Sonic Runners, which started out looking promising as a fun little game. Top that with Sonic Lost World's also considerable lack of a solid direction with bland level design, and it brings me such disappointment to see that SEGA seems to fail to refine a successful formula and instead change things up too much yet again for the worse.
It's a bit Lego in the sense that it's been cobbled together from existing assets but I actually quite like this level - I think it's my favourite thing of everything we've seen of Forces so far.
Most people have talked about the level design already (which does look better compared to Green Hill Zone), but my issue is with how it's incorporated into the environment. It looks they made the level design, and just slapped a background on there - and didn't think about making it look like it's actually supposed to be an environment. Like at 0:08 on the official gameplay - it feels like the little pinball bit should be in a building or something (which could be interesting) due to the wall on the left, but instead it's outside with what looks like some pillars holding it up (?). I'm being unfair towards it, as some parts look really good, but other parts just seem like they need someone to look over it and ask themselves "how would this work?". I suppose I'm just being nitpicky, but details like that can help the game a bunch.
If anyone from the Sonic Forces dev team or anyone with a connection with them is on this board. My advice to you for the next Modern Sonic game is: Make yourselves a proper physics engine. It's clear at this point that the Hedgehog Engine doesn't have a proper physics engine which is why everything Classic Sonic does is so janky. And don't tell me that "Boost Sonic doesn't need one" because Sonic Rush and Rush Adventure had BOTH boosting and slope physics.
This game looks appalling - I implore you not to buy it. We were making better looking games than this as under-graduates. The quality (or lack thereof) in this footage is indefensible, only matched by the level of contempt the game has for its audience. If you're absolutely desperate to spend money on blue hedgehogs this christmas, buy another copy of Sonic Mania. Or maybe take a punt on some indie game you've never heard of - they're all more deserving of your investment than this.
I liked Sonic Generations a lot. I'd happily welcome a "same thing, but better" style sequel to Generations. (Or failing that, "same thing, of equal quality".) It's really disappointing how this entire game looks to be a weaker, sloppier version of Generations. I can understand games like Sonic Heroes and Sonic Lost World, where they try something different and it doesn't pan out. I struggle to understand how they can go back to a tried and tested formula a relatively short time later and still botch it up. Sonic Forces has "low budget rush job" written all over it, which really makes me wonder what they've been doing since Lost World development wrapped up. I can only hope that Forces is just a misguided schedule filler and that we'll get the real big Sonic game in 2018.
Even Lost World was ok in that sense. The geometry on the first level was amazing! The tubes not so much but it was still pretty. Generations had some beautiful geometry too.
Enjoy it. If it's your cup of tea and you really want to play it, more power to you. I myself am on the fence. I don't know why exactly but my standards are much lower when it comes to enjoying a Sonic game vs any other game. I'm not saying that's a good thing, just a thing. BTW Zoney's pointing out some really awful hidden springs that have been used to hide flaws. Take these for example: https://twitter.com/TwilightZoney/status/912756297271005190 https://twitter.com/TwilightZoney/status/912758518985510912 Oof, those are pretty bad.
I had to watch again to realize what the concern was here. It's literally a spring inside a monitor box that you can see from the outside. So sloppy and lazy, how can anyone be proud to put their name on the credits of this?
I swear the classics have done this exact thing before. It's ugly but it's not like it's unheard of. Of course they could have just decided not to put a monitor there and it would have been fine. Like I think Zoney's examples of hidden springs are far more offensive than this.
Yes but you couldn't see the spring until after you destroyed the monitor. Why can't Forces have the same effect?...Oh right.
I think he's talking visually. The classics absolutely hide springs in monitors, but they aren't visually clipping inside of them before they're even broken.
(Kudos to RagnarokX from GAF for the gif) Great level object placement, innit (snapshot taken by a guy from Reddit) If you don't really care either way about how Forces is shaping up or think the game looks great, you're free to buy Forces brand new and/or at full price. It's your money. But keep in mind that supporting Forces supports Sonic Team's work, and all of the respective strengths and faults that come with it. It doesn't matter how much you feel disappointed or complain about Forces, if you still buy the game you're telling Sonic Team/Sega "you didn't need to improve, you can still have my money anyway." For those who feel they need to play the game while also making a statement that you're not entirely happy with Forces, I'd suggest buying it used / secondhand, giving it a rental, or just waiting for the game to go on sale or go down in price.
I think it has to do with how their monitor model works. The inside space that ring floats in is a transparent void, so when it's placed on top of a spring, the spring shows up in the nothingness. This isn't usually an issue, except for here, where they could have also just put the monitor slightly above the spring.
The new classic level game play video was alright in my opinion. Definitely better than classic Green Hill zone. However the level didn't feel very 'vast', and honestly a ruins casino level is a good idea for a level, but since it's still being built, it would make sense to have some construction elements, however there is nothing. Only gimmick are the ones from casino night zone (bumpers and the things that throw Sonic into the air). Also as I have seen some posts mad by Twilight Zoney on Twitter, The level is so scripted that it might as well be made by DIMPS. There are dash pads everywhere, springs on the edge of ramps and so on. This may have something to do with the fact that the game seems to be built on top of Sonic Lost World (just speculation). But I don't know, it just doesn't seem fun and seems a bit too scripted in my opinion. Classic Sonic's levels don't seem that great from what I've seen but I won't judge the game until I played it. Who knows, maybe the actual game won't be bad and will be good. I will be heading in with zero expectations in hope that the game will surprise me. One thing that I do like about the game, is the way that Sonic's air boost seems to handle. It looks like it can be a very useful speed running tool (a bit over powered).
It can have the same effect. But they didn't use it there. They used it everywhere else on the level BUT there. It is chock full of hidden springs, which would work fine enough in that spot.
