Yuji Naka and Sonic Team interviewed by Eurogamer TV

I actually thought the character-specific cutscenes were a brilliant decision. Ever heard the same story told by two different people who were both there? Ever noticed how each version is slightly altered to make the storyteller seem more prominent than the role they actually played?

But yes, a retooling of the original game is definitely in order. The gameplay and physics were basically perfect in that game, the only major problems were hardware limitations that have since been blown away. Oh and the lighting portion of the game engine could use a complete re-write. Most of the major technical problems were fixed for sa2... but alot of the open-ended feeling of the controls and levels was lost in the transition.

 

I really don't understand why they don't make a Sonic 4, there is a huge market for it and they make tons of Sonic games as it is, why not make a quality 2D platformer instead of this Black Knight and Werewolf bullshit (Despite the fact that I liked Unleashed :P)?

 

If they make a 2D game, it's likely to be something along the lines of Rush (in the sense that it'll be boost boost boost boost boost boost). So if I was you, I wouldn't ask for Sonic 4 at all. Unless it's outsourced, that is, as there may be a chance somebody else may do it properly, but definitely not from Sega.

 

If any of you pricks MOVE, I'll execute every last motherfucking one of you.

Yes, Pulp Fiction did this thing on purpose and beautifully, for the same exact reason. Sega's storytellers need to learn both some literary and film-making conventions and devices before the write another word.

Unleashed was a step in the right direction with it's beautifully-directed intro. Now they have started to learn, finally.

 

I've had some time to think about it and I don't think Sega should make Sonic 4 as much as they should make a game in the vein of Sonic 4. If Sonic Team decided to make an official sequel to the Genesis games, they could put anything in it. You just don't know. To go from Black Knight to Sonic the Hedgehog 4 would be like going from 1 to 100. Sonic Team still hasn't kicked their habit of introducing new gameplay additions to otherwise decent formulas, so you can see why I don't trust them at the moment.

But they are free to experiment and make a new 2D Sonic that emulates the qualities of the classic games as much as possible. Just don't call it Sonic 4.

 

There already have been a couple of games in the vein of Sonic 4, though. Sonic Pocket Adventure and Sonic Advance, while hardly the most original or encompassing Sonic games ever, took a brilliant approach towards bringing together various bits and bobs of what made the classic games great—both in design and artistic appeal—and re-invented them in a brand new package. You're able to tell where the influence for each level came from, but especially in the case of Sonic Advance, the levels still feel fresh, new, and original. And the music is great, too!

A lot of people bash Dimps and their level design practices by directly referencing everything they've made past Sonic Advance 2, but the fact of the matter is that Dimps has probably come closer than anyone to achieving the kind of fantastic level design that Yasuhara used to pump out back in the day. In fact, I dare you to tell me that you couldn't put Sonic Advance on a console-based system like the Genesis and tell me it wouldn't feel right at home. It just does.

I think if Dimps and the Unleashed team got together and seriously studied Yasuhara's level designs in the classic games, they could definitely come out with a game in the vein of Sonic 4 without too much trouble. The problem thus far is that it seems they don't want to create such a game, which is where I think a lot of misconceptions lay as to why they haven't. Maybe SEGA simply hasn't seen the appeal of such a title until very, very recently. In any case, now that they're somewhat hinting towards it, there's a chance that they can work towards such a goal. And I honestly have no doubt that they can pull it off, as long as the geniuses at Dimps behind Sonic Advance have a say in things.

 

I'm up for etiher Sonic Adventure 3, or Sonic 4. Please Sega, stop sucking.

 

I think there should be a joint collaboration with Sonic Team and Dimps. This could result in the closest we'd probably ever get to Sonic 4 in design and gameplay. Before critisizing it and saying that DIMPS made a crappy version of Unleashed, I think they did a pretty damn good job on the level design, I looked up some videos of Eggman land. And it somewhat works better than the Next Gen version in some level design aspects, at least it doesn't have all of the non stop switching.

 

oh

Recycling literally every asset from a previous game in the series, giving them 8-bit downgrades, slapping them together in a haphazard (And oftentimes downright baffling) manner, with the only truly original content being presented in the form of collectable puzzle pieces, is your idea of a brilliant approach?

Also, Dimps are geniuses? Really?

 

I don't know, that depends; what do you consider a brilliant approach to creating a fun 2D Sonic game post-Sonic 3 & Knuckles? Because I played Sonic Pocket Adventure and I enjoyed myself thoroughly—or at least moreso than I did when playing Sonic Advance 2. There was a more interactive element to the game than any of the recent 2D Sonic efforts, despite using rehashed music and art with new layouts.

The fact of the matter is, though, Sonic Pocket Adventure showed a great attention to detail when it came to classic Sonic design which Dimps would put into better practice with Sonic Advance. It may have reused elements, but it was still a fun game. That's what counts to me; I don't know what counts for you.

Really! They blew chunks when it came to Unleashed for WiiS2, certainly, but I'm fairly confident that was an imposed design choice rather than a concious one. Take Dimps and have them make another game like Sonic Advance and I'm sure you'll think at least slightly differently. If you don't, though, that's okay—I'll likely still enjoy whatever game that comes out. And the last time I checked, a game relevant to my interests matters just a tad bit more to myself than what remains relevant to your interests.

You're free to believe whatever you want when it comes to those two particular games—I'm not stopping you. But I do find it rather amusing that you're challenging my opinion, because it's nothing more than that—an opinion. But even in terms of design those two games reign over a lot of recent 2D Sonic efforts—that much I'm fairly confident saying.

Then again, Megamix is largely based on existing Sonic concepts, and as far as I know you're not terribly fond of it... so I guess it's just a matter of taste. Fancy that!

 

I guess SPA was fun in that Sonic 2 was also fun, but it wasn't a game that was really distinct from it for the most part. A lot of the levels were taken directly from it with only minor modifications, and the few that weren't had rather cheap traps. The Chemical Plant Zone clone is an example of the latter. A couple bottomless pits were rather annoying in that one.

 

OL has a hatred of such download services because they tend to be linked to specific computers or user identities. An XBLAH game is a game for the 360, which if I have this right should be able to do anything the other 360 games can.

 

For those who don't know, OL is of the thought a physical copy is much better than a digital copy since with a digital copy, you own it until the DRM shuts it off. With a tangible copy, its yours to do whatever you wish with it.

That's the gist of it, anyway.

 

Remember DRM is still present on most games even with physical copies (100% of them except homebrew requiring a firmware patch in the case of consoles). So that basically means Overlord won't accept it unless it's on a non-DRM'd console or it's on PC.

 

When the day comes in 10+ years of your DRM being turned off someone out there in internet land will crack it, they crack everything else already.

 

I seen the interview, and all that I have to say is, WHAT A LOAD OF BULLSHIT!
It's okay to Y.Naka being tired of making a Sonic game after another, now to say he's happy because he left it in "good hands", that's a total diplomatic lie.
I don't believe Naka could be happy with 2k6, SatR, heck even Unleashed, and now with S&BK, that looks almost like SatR. Im sure Naka or doesn't care or is disgusted by this games.