Who's The Twitch Now?
CAGiversary!
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- 5 (100%)
(Soon to appear on www.justpressplay.net [and not to be confused with daroga's thread. Read both. We rock.])
Before I start this review, I have to confess something potentially shocking:
Despite owning all of the Sega Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog classics, I have never completed any of them by myself. This is not to say that I'm not hardcore - because I am - but it is to say that I have personal qualms with the series, and always have. I have felt for years that the games simply don't allow the player total control. For games which thrive on split-second reactions, your character is simply too Heavy--feeling. Sonic never felt any different than Mario in handling - he was just faster.
Fast-forward to a month ago. In the years past I've played many Sonic games and felt that none rose above Mediocre in quality. I've been following Secret Rings since it was entitled Sonic Wildfire, with rapidly increasing interest. I wasn't letting my guard down, though; this was one slippery hedgehog. Intrigued by positive reviews, I put my reservations aside and plunk down a couple of games to make use of the modern-day barter system we call the Game Exchange. I walk out with suspicion and just a hint of glee in a bag emblazoned with two obnoxious red letters.
I get home, do my chores, and head downstairs to utilize the awesomeness of my sleek Wii [pun absolutely not intended]. I slide the disc in and play for 2 and a half hours. I have fun.
Repeat: I have FUN. This was the one thing I was really concerned about with the game. In past Sonic titles, I've felt quite restricted, and while that issue hasn't been totally resolved with this title, a clear series of lightning-quick steps has been made in the right direction. Let's get to the nitty-gritty.
In this game, you move Really, Really Fast. You start out just Fast, then Notably Fast, then Really Fast, and finally, you move Really, Really Fast. Most of the time, though not always, you have total control over Sonic T. Hedgehog. As you progress, you get faster, as you get faster, it becomes harder to avoid obstacles before you become the Blue Berry Pancake. Never fear, though, because as your speed increases, you gain more options to augment your control, stability and abilities. These range from simple things like quicker stability times after an attack, to incredibly complex and somewhat confusing new abilities.
I think the main fault is how the new abilities are presented. While navigating the disorienting, overly complex menus, you can visit any of 7 worlds, and one tutorial stage. This “Lost Prologue,” as it’s called, accustoms the player to the controls in several boring preliminary skill tryouts. Once you pass the bar, and move onto the much more enthralling main game, you’ll be invited back to the Lost Prologue periodically. Every time you acquire a new ability, a new stage will open up. But there’s really very little reason to re-visit these stages, as the game can technically be completed 100% without your continued appearance in the Lost Prologue.
Gameplay, like I’ve been saying, is at the core of your enjoyment here. It’s actually hard for me to elaborate on the actual control, as the game moves so fast and is just so damned enjoyable that it’s hard to notice if what you’re actually doing is affecting the onscreen action. Of course, I kid, and it really does feel intuitive, tilting the Wii Remote left and right to strafe and hitting the 2 Button to jump. That the best Sonic game ever uses essentially one button for 90% of all the gameplay is a testament to the effect of dynamic game design. In fact, it makes you love the Wii even more than you probably already do, playing this game. The inclusion of Prince of Persia-style time warping really doesn’t hurt matters, but as speeding up time on anything other than a direct straight-away is madness and slowing down time is only really used effectively at maybe five points in the game, it seems unnecessary.
The visuals are, far and away, the best on the Wii. Even in the early stages, particle effects and environments look stylized, colorful and gorgeous. It really does make you question all those nay-sayers who attest to the Wii’s graphical inabilities. To say this would look much better on the 360 is definitely questionable.
While the story is mainly told in stylized (and somewhat dull) cartoon stills, there are two cut scenes, which open and close the final stage, which push the limits of how next-gen storytelling can be presented. While the disc space would obviously cop out if more of these sequences were implemented, these works of digital art truly stand out against even the beautiful in-game artwork. Gorgeous.
Now for a few grumbles. With all of this constant forward motion, Sonic Team would be hard-pressed to figure an effective manner of backwards motion. I mean, who would need it, right? Well, sadly, it is needed. Sometimes you’ll miss a crucial power-up and have to backtrack, but it’s harder than it should be to come to a complete stop and hop backwards. You almost have to trick your wrist muscles to do it, as they’re at this point totally accustomed to being immobile and twisted forward. Pulling back is really quite tricky, especially when Sonic seems to hop forward after every backwards skip, and you have to reset your motion. It’s a definite oversight, and the title would have most likely been close to perfect without it.
Another gripe is the sound design. While kids will love the punky voice work, it seems pretty archaic to one who’s used to more mature stuff. Of course, the Wii is aimed at everybody, so this isn’t the major worry in this department. No, that would be the “Theme Song.” This irritating mix of grunge and crap almost makes you want to turn the sound off while navigating the menus or after completing a stage. These one or two examples of repetitive, awful soundtrack choices really detract from an otherwise stellar selection of rhythmic tunes during gameplay.
All in all, what he have, here is an excellent launch window title. In fact, it’s the best Sonic Team-developed title in years, and perfectly utilizes the Wii’s capabilities in simplistic, intuitive control. The system-headlining visuals and – mostly – cool techno score only add to what would be an otherwise great game. Minor qualms aside, if this is what we’ll be able to consistently expect from Sega on the Wii, then I would actually advise Nintendo to strike an exclusive partnership with their one-time rival. Don’t let any of the Blue Blur’s past missteps dissuade you – if you have a Wii, you want this game.
Before I start this review, I have to confess something potentially shocking:
Despite owning all of the Sega Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog classics, I have never completed any of them by myself. This is not to say that I'm not hardcore - because I am - but it is to say that I have personal qualms with the series, and always have. I have felt for years that the games simply don't allow the player total control. For games which thrive on split-second reactions, your character is simply too Heavy--feeling. Sonic never felt any different than Mario in handling - he was just faster.
Fast-forward to a month ago. In the years past I've played many Sonic games and felt that none rose above Mediocre in quality. I've been following Secret Rings since it was entitled Sonic Wildfire, with rapidly increasing interest. I wasn't letting my guard down, though; this was one slippery hedgehog. Intrigued by positive reviews, I put my reservations aside and plunk down a couple of games to make use of the modern-day barter system we call the Game Exchange. I walk out with suspicion and just a hint of glee in a bag emblazoned with two obnoxious red letters.
I get home, do my chores, and head downstairs to utilize the awesomeness of my sleek Wii [pun absolutely not intended]. I slide the disc in and play for 2 and a half hours. I have fun.
Repeat: I have FUN. This was the one thing I was really concerned about with the game. In past Sonic titles, I've felt quite restricted, and while that issue hasn't been totally resolved with this title, a clear series of lightning-quick steps has been made in the right direction. Let's get to the nitty-gritty.
In this game, you move Really, Really Fast. You start out just Fast, then Notably Fast, then Really Fast, and finally, you move Really, Really Fast. Most of the time, though not always, you have total control over Sonic T. Hedgehog. As you progress, you get faster, as you get faster, it becomes harder to avoid obstacles before you become the Blue Berry Pancake. Never fear, though, because as your speed increases, you gain more options to augment your control, stability and abilities. These range from simple things like quicker stability times after an attack, to incredibly complex and somewhat confusing new abilities.
I think the main fault is how the new abilities are presented. While navigating the disorienting, overly complex menus, you can visit any of 7 worlds, and one tutorial stage. This “Lost Prologue,” as it’s called, accustoms the player to the controls in several boring preliminary skill tryouts. Once you pass the bar, and move onto the much more enthralling main game, you’ll be invited back to the Lost Prologue periodically. Every time you acquire a new ability, a new stage will open up. But there’s really very little reason to re-visit these stages, as the game can technically be completed 100% without your continued appearance in the Lost Prologue.
Gameplay, like I’ve been saying, is at the core of your enjoyment here. It’s actually hard for me to elaborate on the actual control, as the game moves so fast and is just so damned enjoyable that it’s hard to notice if what you’re actually doing is affecting the onscreen action. Of course, I kid, and it really does feel intuitive, tilting the Wii Remote left and right to strafe and hitting the 2 Button to jump. That the best Sonic game ever uses essentially one button for 90% of all the gameplay is a testament to the effect of dynamic game design. In fact, it makes you love the Wii even more than you probably already do, playing this game. The inclusion of Prince of Persia-style time warping really doesn’t hurt matters, but as speeding up time on anything other than a direct straight-away is madness and slowing down time is only really used effectively at maybe five points in the game, it seems unnecessary.
The visuals are, far and away, the best on the Wii. Even in the early stages, particle effects and environments look stylized, colorful and gorgeous. It really does make you question all those nay-sayers who attest to the Wii’s graphical inabilities. To say this would look much better on the 360 is definitely questionable.
While the story is mainly told in stylized (and somewhat dull) cartoon stills, there are two cut scenes, which open and close the final stage, which push the limits of how next-gen storytelling can be presented. While the disc space would obviously cop out if more of these sequences were implemented, these works of digital art truly stand out against even the beautiful in-game artwork. Gorgeous.
Now for a few grumbles. With all of this constant forward motion, Sonic Team would be hard-pressed to figure an effective manner of backwards motion. I mean, who would need it, right? Well, sadly, it is needed. Sometimes you’ll miss a crucial power-up and have to backtrack, but it’s harder than it should be to come to a complete stop and hop backwards. You almost have to trick your wrist muscles to do it, as they’re at this point totally accustomed to being immobile and twisted forward. Pulling back is really quite tricky, especially when Sonic seems to hop forward after every backwards skip, and you have to reset your motion. It’s a definite oversight, and the title would have most likely been close to perfect without it.
Another gripe is the sound design. While kids will love the punky voice work, it seems pretty archaic to one who’s used to more mature stuff. Of course, the Wii is aimed at everybody, so this isn’t the major worry in this department. No, that would be the “Theme Song.” This irritating mix of grunge and crap almost makes you want to turn the sound off while navigating the menus or after completing a stage. These one or two examples of repetitive, awful soundtrack choices really detract from an otherwise stellar selection of rhythmic tunes during gameplay.
All in all, what he have, here is an excellent launch window title. In fact, it’s the best Sonic Team-developed title in years, and perfectly utilizes the Wii’s capabilities in simplistic, intuitive control. The system-headlining visuals and – mostly – cool techno score only add to what would be an otherwise great game. Minor qualms aside, if this is what we’ll be able to consistently expect from Sega on the Wii, then I would actually advise Nintendo to strike an exclusive partnership with their one-time rival. Don’t let any of the Blue Blur’s past missteps dissuade you – if you have a Wii, you want this game.
