Sonic Mania (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC...Netflix?)

She acted exactly the same in classic era. The only difference is that she didn't talk but neither did everyone else.

 

Good point. It made her slightly more annoying, would be a more correct complain, but then again, that arguably might also apply to everybody else.

 

I can't even begin to describe how psyched I am right now. The desert level is amazing. I love the wanted posters scattered around the level! The bumpers, badniks, etc, look amazing. Not 100% sold on Knuckles sprites but I am totally on board with Tails. That's such a minor personal thing though, doesn't detract from the level design at all. All three of the characters play the way I'd expect. Just amazing. Well done guys - absolutely terrific thing to wake up to this morning.

 

Loving everything I've seen so far... I only have one negative thing to say...

Green Hill act 2 was listed, why are they all ignoring it?! :specialed:

 

Probably because it's either unavailable to play in the current build or it's still in development.

In the video with the producer of Mania asked to play a specific act of Studiopolis.

 

This honestly looks like the best Sonic game ever made.

 

The Studiopolis playthrough thankfully shows quite a bit more of the level that past playthroughs with Sonic haven't been able to reach, namely the upper path at the beginning. We also see that the seemingly-bottomless pit at the ramp near the end of the level has some red springs and spikes, which cover up most of the gap. Tails when flying, now seems to destroy monitors outright, rather than the monitors acting as solid objects.

Now that I've gotten a good listen to it, I'm really loving Mirage Saloon's music. It's jazzy, but unlike the upbeat Studiopolis (which it's been compared to), it sounds considerably more laid back and melancholy in comparison. Reminds me a lot of Spring Yard (one of my favorite tunes from the Genesis games). And the size of the level is really huge as well. In terms of exploration it looks like a absolute playground. So much stuff to see and do. This type of level design has been sorely missing in Sonic games for years.

Also, I'm rather unsure about this, but the Red Roller badniks also seems programmed to be aware of its surroundings? When it jumps and rolls around, it makes sure to land on platforms and avoid spikes? Maybe I'm looking into it too much but that would be amazing if that is the case. Badniks that are designed to be more integrated into the level design is something that needs to be explored more for Sonic games IMO. The red Rollers also the jump sound effect from Sonic CD. Interesting touch.

Very confident that Sonic Team will have their work cut out for them for sure with Project 2017, because Mania looks to be one hell of a tough act to follow.

EDIT: Another playthrough of Mirage Saloon, with Sonic and Tails.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvNQw9MROns

 

Loving the new music. It's upbeat without being too saccharine and has this awesome melancholic vibe to it.

Knuckles kind of looks like a sassy gay man with his walking animation. Not crazy about it. There are a lot of frames of his hands moving which gives him a bit of a effeminate touch. Nothing against homosexuals, but that's just not how I see his character.
I think the animations would actually be improved if a frame was trimmed here and there. Overall it just looks amazing though, so don't get me wrong. Literally brought a tear to my eye: )

 

A few things after watching those videos:

-The angle used for Tails' tails while flying contradicts the game's perspective (the formed "rotor blades" should be more parallel with the ground, as in previous games and actual helicopters).
-Tails can break stuff with his feet while flying, which shouldn't happen.
-The music in Mirage Salloon is awesome, but I can't really say it fits the level theme as it is right now... I'd say it kinda feels like a "Studiopolis Mix" of the actual level's tune. Also, it may be a bit too short for such a long level?


Everything else: Wow.

 

I think the music fits really well. The whistling and the melancholy is a bit of a trope in western films, but it still adds a bit of that jazzy 90's vibe to it as well. So for me it was good match :D

 

I didn't actually see it at first but now I can't unsee it. :P
Makes me think of the Titans from Attack on Titan. XD

The music from Mirage Saloon is pretty awesome, loving the nod to the Good the Bad and the Ugly with the little whistle. I hope that if Archie does an adaption with that zone that it has Knuckles in a poncho, that look suited him so well in "The Good, the Bad and the Echidna". :D

I'm glad that they did re-do everything with Knuckles, thought they might.

Unless we're really lucky, it seems that there won't be any playable Amy... It's sad but I gues we knew from the first trailer that there was only three playable characters. Her gameplay allows for a total change of experience. />

Also, just want to say how awesome it is that Taxman and Stealth are taking the time to reply and clear up various things. That's pretty rare outside the Indie scene so yeah... You two rock. ^_^

 

Another video from GameSpot, which has spliced gameplay footage all three characters (Sonic + Tails, Tails, Knuckles). Some slight buzzing in the left audio channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoIVo6M0Pdg

 

Now that I saw the missing characters as easter egg in Mirage Saloon, I really wanted Fang to be as playable character. At least a secret character.

 

It's Mirage Saloon Act 2. I bet we're hearing Act 2's music.

 

I'm thinking you are referencing something else by, “classic era”, but my interpretation of Classic Amy, is built almost exclusively off of Sonic CD. During that time Amy was a typical damsel-in-distress type, as opposed to her current modern-independent-female type. Not that I'm anti-feminist or anything, but I too prefer the meeker Amy to the focus-tested strain. I feel the same way about Tails, frankly. Modern Tails, mechanical genius on par with Robotnik, bothers me. But I adore classic cutesy Tails.
I suppose this is what makes me a typical crazy Sonic fan, but playable classic Amy = yes please. Playable modern-Amy = horrible bastardization.

I would feel the same way about Princess Peach if she was redone with a pair of sneakers and Capri-pants, and a modern bob-hairdo, and a cell-phone.

I'll take my Malibu Stacey over Lisa Lionheart, thank you very much.

 

I'm absolutely adoring the reference to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly at the beginning of the Mirage Saloon song... but then, didn't Aquatic Ruin Zone do the same thing?

 

Heh, y'know it's kinda funny. With that video being played through speakers, and if you turn down the quality a little. It almost looks like one of those game play preview things recorded through a VHS in the 90's.

 

Wasn't she supposed to be a tarot reading-obsessed Sonic fangirl? There may be more to her personality than "damsel in distress" in the Japanese Sonic CD manual.

 

I crack up every time I see Tails carrying Sonic. He looks like he's going to poop himself.