Sonic Generations Megathread II

Ironically enough, I'm actually not the biggest fan of the Emerald Beach remix. I like it, but it wasn't really as good as I expected it to be.

Let me rant for a bit, I'm good at being brief. I absolutely hate Genesis Ice Cap Zone's music. I vastly prefer the PC Collection's Ice Cap music. Genesis ICZ sounds like you are going to freeze to death and no one will save you. Keep in mind this is playing while you're supposed to be having fun snowboarding down a mountain, or exploring caves. A classic Sonic song needs to instill excitement and hope. PC Collection ICZ captures this perfectly and, even after the boarding section, manages to retain the "winter wonderland, but yes, you gotta keep moving, foil plans and shit" feel. I just really dislike the Genesis version. It's not fun at all.

 

Actually there are numerous Mega Drive samples used in the other Classic remixes...Speed Highway for instance uses lead samples that were used in Spinball (Toxic Caves). City Escape uses many similar synths (and the infamous drum samples) I would agree though that the Classic remixes seem to fall into 2 approaches - one that attempts to make the classic tracks sound truly Mega Drive-y, through similar synths/drums (GH, CP, SS, SH, CE) where other tracks (SSH, CC, RR, PW) seem like more straightforward uptempo remixes (still using retro synths if not MD samples).

They may seem altogether similar but there's a massive difference in approaches here. I fuggin LOVE Crisis City and Rooftop Run's 2D mixes...but they have a very different feel than Speed Highway and City Escape which feel far more nostalgic due to them using actual MD synths. Both worthy, just different.

The one piece I was SUPER disappointed with is Seaside Hill 2D...I'm going to assume that this is a Jun remix? It really doesn't feel any different than the Modern mix (save a more driving beat). The electric guitar should have been replaced in the classic mix with a MD/vintage synth...or at least had a different approach to the melody line. It's still a great track as a Sonic tune, but as a classic remix, it seems like a missed opportunity.

 

Personally, I think the use of the MD drum samples and synths is kind of cop-out. "SEE, THIS LITERALLY SOUNDS LIKE THE CLASSIC GAMES!"

 

Can someone tell me, without spoiling anything, does Sonic have this Colours voice? And are the cutscenes in the same humor style as Colours? I've never played Colours but last night I watched all the cutscenes on youtube and I thought it was brilliant, all future games should have that voiceover and that style.

 

Demi, you will not be disappointed. Same voice actors, same scriptwriters.

 

I'm really digging the Diamond Dust Zone mix, though my favorite tracks thus far is the boost version of Modern Sonic's Sky Sanctuary zone, and the "classic Sonic" City Escape theme. :d

 

You probably won't be disappoint. The writing seems to be of the same caliber too. I haven't seen all the cutscenes, but there seem to be less jokes this time.

Somebody correct me on that.

 

Holy christ I love Big Band Jazz.

 

Not to sound ungrateful, because I really LOVE this soundtrack and I can't wait for Tuesday... But I agree that some of the classic versions, while interesting remixes out of context, don't really work as "classic Sonic-style" versions of the songs. Just doing a modern techno version and adding Genesis snare samples for the drum fills doesn't sound anything like an early 90's Sonic game. I think Speed Highway Classic is the biggest offender in that regard.. They also left out the bassline for the main portion of the song, which is what makes it sound so cool in the original recording. City Escape is more forgivable, because it's a vocal song so there's some responsibility to make the vocals still fit in with the rest of the arrangement. I think they did a decent job with that, and of course the Endless Mine bit gets major points too.

I don't think using all-Genesis synths would be the best way to do Classic versions either, because that would sound TOO out-dated and obviously that's not what they did with the Classic remixes of the Genesis tunes anyway. They could've analyzed the style of the composition in classic Sonic music and applied that knowledge, because particularly in the later Genesis games like S3K, Chaotix and 3D Blast, a style of arranging the basslines and chords emerged that was instantly identifiable (it grew out of trying to disguise the polyphony limit inherent in the Genesis hardware). For instance, listen to the Ending Credits of the Genesis 3D Blast to hear pretty much exactly what I'm talking about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7HX8gHBS38


Anyway, enough nitpicking-- On the whole I am completely in love with this soundtrack.

Anyway, I've got a question that shouldn't be too spoiler-y for the people who HAVE played the game so far-- how's the difficulty curve? By the time you get to Planet Wisp, is it actually challenging?

 

Spoiler

Silver!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRvs9cdv0X0

 

Spoiler

Wow, you straight up murder the little bastard at the end.

 

Spoiler

THAT is how the Silver boss battle SHOULD have played in the first place.

 

So the boss battle is initiated by casually talking to him, then he suddenly goes nuts by throwing cars at you while flying?

Just like Bentley Jones and that lawsuit he had against SEGA.

 

Spoiler

Oh god, that would combine the Silver battle with a Mach Speed section and using 06's little broken physics engine, that would either be the funniest or most frustrating battle

 

Spoiler

Psst! Why are we whispering? Are there really people reading this thread with the full expectation of not having anything spoiled for them?

Also I get a peculiar feeling of satisfaction every time I see Silver's body thump off the pavement really hard.

 

I believe someone asked this before:

Spoiler

How do Modern Sonic and Tails regard the events of Sonic '06? I thought the timeline got rebooted and whatnot when Elise blew out that candle.

 

Details about the final boss, credits and secret cutscene:

Spoiler

It's actually pretty cool looking. You're playing as both Super Sonics in a dimensional-rift, chasing the Time Eater through a giant tube that resembles a mix between the Special Stage and some original level with a clock theme. There are a LOT of clocks, but it's cosmetic. The theme is the one that was used in the boss trailer.

You can switch between the Sonic's by pressing the "Y" button. Modern Super is obviously in 3D, in a similar fashion to Unleashed HD's first couple of seconds against Perfect Dark Gaia, and Classic Super is similar to Doomsday Zone. The music changes when you're Classic or Modern, but the overall pacing and melody is identical. Essentially, Time Eater Phase 1 and 2 are just Modern and Classic versions.

You spend the battle collecting rings to maintain your form, and dodging attacks. The goal is to boost into the Time Eater, of course. It was kind of difficult to get more details, because I was watching it through a pretty choppy stream. Either way, it seemed straight forward.

Once you land enough damage, Time Eater gets angry and makes a FREAKING GIANT NOVA BLAST and shoots it at the Super Sonic's, but then the Super Sonic theme (epic invincibility remix from Sonic 4) kicks in, and they retaliate full force. You have to mash the bumpers fast enough to push it back and defeat the Time Eater once and for all.

After you defeat it and get your ranking, the game immediately goes to the picnic cutscene, where the credits roll soon after. The credits can be skipped by holding a button, making them roll faster, but as the music goes along, it shows footage from the original games (ie, when Chemical Plant plays, a screen shows up with a playthrough of Sonic and Tails in that level from Sonic 2) with the name of the game in the top right corner.

Once the credits are up, there's a very amusing and fun scene with the two Eggmen trapped in a white void with no sense of time. They start blaming each other and look for a way out. Once they give up, they realize that they might never defeat Sonic. It's at that time when Classic Robotnik says "you know, I should give up and try to finish earning my teacher's degree." Where Modern Eggman says "That's a brilliant idea! I've always loved telling people what to do!"

Spoiler

(Probably a college professor if you ask me, and this kind of confirms that Eggman isn't actually a doctor yet, and the title might be self-imposed due to his enormous ego.)

After that, the game tells you that you can unlock both Super Sonic's in the Skill Shop, and then it goes back to the main screen.

Pretty cool stuff!

 

Spoiler

...Why did you put a spoiler inside a spoiler.

So, it honestly doesn't surprise me that Robotnik wasn't actually a doctor.

 

I know that nobody cares since the HD version is here but Tropical Resort (Colours) is confirmed to be in Generations 3DS.

Portable history eh Iizuka?

 

Spoiler

*Cue the Inception music*