Sonic: The lost world - Sega - WiiU/3DS Exclusive

[Sprite Machine]

but rarely have mistakes been so costly or heavily punished, and it says much that one retailers preorder bonus consists solely of 25 additional lives.

Buh?! Extra lives as pre-order DLC?! Fucking hell, games industry!

[Elseb]

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/10/18/sonic-lost-world-review

IGN review, think it's fair to say that the game isn't going to be fantastic. I can't say i'm surprised though, the video's I watched on youtube beforehand didn't exactly look great.

[NEG]

I'm up to the 4th level of the first Act.

The controls feel very unintuitive, and rather then display on-screen how it expects you to control the game/explain the mechanics, you instead have to press the ? circle on the GamePad itself, which of course puts your gameplay to a standstill.

You need to hold down run (right trigger) to go at a non-snails pace, but you need to go at snails pace for when you want to be precise in some places eg: 2D platforming sections, if you are holding down run you'll run up walls by mistake, wasting time.

There are 2 jump buttons and it's right now simply confusing/you can forget pretty easily which to use. One is a normal bounce and the other does the auto 'kill 5 badniks in one hop' move (which hasn't worked quite great for me yet, it might get 2 and not the other 3 in some cases, I'm guessing it's a approximity issue or I'm meant to actually bash the button 5 times when doing it). The other jump also kills badniks in a different way in one case I noticed = Catterkiller. Autokill hits each ball individually. Whilst the normal jump splits Catterkiller up just as he did in Sonic 1.

The NiGHTS level (which is sadly, on-disc dlc) is simply a boss rush mode of the main game with NiGHTS visuals, which I wouldn't recommend doing from the get-go because you'd be getting spoiled, obviously.

All levels have a time trial and co-op mode, however the latter works I wouldn't know.

Visuals and cutscenes are fantastic in my view, Badniks are actually called Badniks right from the get-go, and theres a sense of nostalgia it's actually going for, whilst keeping with the sense of humor Colors had. (the two sidekick robots Robotnik had make a return, though they haven't had much dialogue yet, thankfully). Deadly Six certainly seem annoying however, and 2 bosses across 4 levels of an Act is, to me, annoying/not very good pacing if it continues that way. Music so far is okay but nothing outstanding.

It's rare that I say this but a lack of tutorial really lets this game down. The 25 extra lives and robot thing you get given? I've no idea how to even add them to my total, deleted a few because I was 'lacking space' in the inventory. The fact I did the first level 3-4 times (time trial, for the latter times) to get to grip with the controls speaks for itself. Even the Y button does something (rolling).

I'm sure I'll end up more forgiving then most the further I play, and it does feel like theres some actual depth to this to get good, but I can't blame others getting frustrated from the get-go. A Sonic game that requires you to learn 4 face buttons and a trigger to do platforming properly?

[Paulando]

Oh Sega

There's clearly some talented people working on these games, so why are they so shit?

[DarhkFox]

It looked pretty frustrating to play from the e3 videos. Way too much stop/start - it was plainly obvious something wasn't quite right.

I'm sure it will sell well enough but certainly is no Galaxy beater.

[DC Lemon]

Hmmm. Dunno if it's some kind of Stockholm syndrome after paying £30 or a contrary reaction to the scathing reviews, but I can't see anything wrong with it so far. Brief, non-irritating cut scenes, no massive hub world to waste time in, no gimmicks to compare to that werehog, just good old Sonic action with a surprising amount of variety.

I agree with Neg that it doesn't do the best job of teaching you about all the stuff that's going on but as soon as I found my own way it was ALL GOOD.

Up to now it's been as fun as any recent Sonic game I've played. Not a patch on Super Mario Galaxy, needless to say, but it uses the inspiration well. I particularly liked the stage where you have to make the fruit juice (so to speak).

Haven't had to consider using that free lives code from Amazon yet either!

[Keyboard Koala]

Obviously, Sega can't what Nintendoes...

[Not Thread Owner]

Up to now it's been as fun as any recent Sonic game I've played.

Damning indeed.

[JPickford]

Oh Sega

There's clearly some talented people working on these games, so why are they so shit?

I think the honest answer is Sonic is a hard nut to crack. The original game was incredibly stylish but made little sense in gameplay terms. Every subsequent game has either been chasing the myth of the first or trying to make sense of it.

[NEG]

Second session tonight faired a bit better.

Left trigger is spin attack which I didn't discover this morning. Stuff in your inventory you have to use once your actually in a level. Multi-hit is automatic for some badniks and you have to multi-press for others. Continuing to love the visuals and cutscenes. Although it would seem Amy's voice actor has now become Minnie Mouse.

It's interesting that Robotnik would actually care for the 'quality' of animals put inside Badniks in one cutscene. Wants/demands 'better' animals. Certainly adds a interesting element to think about, though I doubt if it'll be even mentioned again. The 'Who you calling fat?' 'I'll give you an even bigger sandwich!' scene still has me giggling. Robotnik voice actor is just the best.

[Keyboard Koala]

I still can't believe this game only got a 4 in Edge and Eurogamer...

[DC Lemon]

Up to the Silent Forest world and still genuinely enjoying it. Even the snowball stage wasn't too bad despite a few 'fuck right off' cheap deaths.

I'm not regretting my purchase. Even at full price. Crazy.

The bosses have all been a bit wimpy so far but I'm not a masochist. All the talk in reviews of high difficulty, bad design and slow pace is lost on me.

[NEG]

I was writing a large post last night but fell asleep.

The biggest issue (I'm up to Silent Forest too now) and one that's actually making me angry is that the game is trying it's hardest to be Mario, but worse in every way.

This is the first Sonic game with 'the player can't fail' difficulty modern games have. Die on a level a few times and you can hit a wings power up to skip that part of the level. Except 1) If you're on a speeding/moving level it's often hard to hit. 2) No way to disable it. 3) The loss of lives actually carries on to NEW levels meaning eg: You've just gotten to a new level after a couple of attempts in the last one, you die once on the new level and get access to wings. You hit it by mistake giving you no chance to learn that part of the level.

Traditionally Sonic games go up to 10mins (far more in some of the recent Sonics) displayed as 00:00:00, what does Lost World do? Display it the way Mario games do. A counting down timer from 900 or whatever. This change alone is simply insulting as a Sonic fan.

Bosses on spheres very much carbon copies of Galaxy bosses but done worse, hit detection being a common problem.

Casino level is oddly and criminally short.

Level where you change into a ball: Nice but if I wanted to play Monkey Ball I'd play that and not Sonic. You could make it a bonus level (this game has one per world) but this one counts as a proper one. Nice music at least.

Cloud hopping mechanic that again feels stolen scenery-wise from Mario. This is Sonic, why on earth am I trodding forwards up and down slowly as if I'm in a porky plumber platformer? Sonic's shadow is near non-existant, too. So expect to fall off easily if no concentration.

Cutscenes continue to amuse

Tails gets sat on by Robotnik, hoho

but after I've gotten used to the controls, I'm getting far more annoyed at everything else. The review that said they threw in everything hoping something to stick is turning out true. The game has retro badniks by the hundreds but as pretty and lovely as they look they don't make the game play any better.

Edit: This is nowhere near the level quality design Colours had, we're back in Unleashed territory, except with no Warehog.

Edit 2: The game not only has a Green Hill clone at the start but a Emerald Hill one later on as well. Silent Forest is the third bloody forest themed Zone as a result. Just plain odd because I don't think they're creatively bankcrupt as these carbon copy zones make themselves out to be. Like DC mentioned above, the fruit level is so pretty you'll want to lick the TV.

[SMD]

Sonic 2 had Emerald Hill Zone, Hill Top Zone and Aquatic Ruin Zone.

Also didn't Sky Sanctuary have clouds, as well as them being in Sonic 2 on the Master System?

[NEG]

Hill Top and Aquatic (and Emerald) were all being done for the first time, and thematically they were 'different enough' from Green Hill. And so was Angel Island and Marble Garden and Mushroom Hill in Sonic 3.

Edit: I suppose it does make up for having so many city themed levels in Generations, though SEGA insist they chose those out of fan demand/polls. But then we got Crisis City...from Sonic 06.

Edit 2: But at least that game was, you know, both better to control and had good level designs. Not that every single level is turd in this, mind. Theres a whole 2 I'll time trial so far, and they're both pretty much on-rails experiences which....isn't really the traditional Sonic gameplay I want either, fuck sake.

[Nespresso]

Looks pretty fast to me.

[NEG]

The person playing must have 10 hands!

Jokes aside, any 3D Sonic title can look impressive like that if you practice enough. It's like the Square Enix 'you have to play it for 30 hours first' excuse. What about the average consumer? (not that I'm classing myself as one, I'm the Sonic hardcore, I'll be playing this shit for a year), what about the 3-10year old market? You know, the age of gamers that Sonic is aimed for or used to be? Will they understand? Will they bother to?

Getting to that level of play is just not fun at the moment (mainly control-wise), nor does it feel worth it. But I did point out from the get go, yes theres some clear depth to it if you want to beat your head with it.

I can similarly post speed runs of Heroes, Sonic 06 and Unleashed levels looking amazing to play through.

Edit: I do like one point that he makes though, Sonic Adventure 2 totally did sphere platforming first! Take that, you stupid plumber!*/SEGA does what Nintendon't

*Oh the levels the fans sink to.

[NEG]

[NEG]

To quote a forum poster from Sonic Retro about the Final Boss:

It's saying something when the highlight fight is literally a repeat of the final boss from Sonic Colours with a few attack patterns taken out

[NEG]

Hasn't been mentioned but no Pro Controller support, btw.

On some good news, hearing better reports on the 3DS version, has unlockable debug mode (and sound test), and the bosses seem designed better judging by some videos. I shall, of course, get it soon.

Edit: I might be understanding it wrong and it's just sound test actually. Because it wouldn't make sense to do something cool, would it.

[NEG]

If this had 30-1minute loading times, I'd actually regard this as worse then Sonic 2006 now. Definitely the worst title since.

Later levels are pure frustration.

[NEG]

The Zelda level is out now. About 5mins, 3mins when you know what's what. Better than the Yoshi effort, even has a touch of exploration (even a Sonic chest opening animation), Skeletons, Gorons, Fairies, Time Stones, bombs to blow up walls, Triforce.

Still hate the controls.

[Keyboard Koala]

Zelda elements in a Sonic game?

Sonic's such a slut these days...

[Not Thread Owner]

Hot

[NEG]

[routeburn]

We picked this up for our Wii as there was a pre-owned copy in the store for a pretty good price, and ... I don't really know what to make of it.

Forgive me Father NEG, for I have Sinned. I've not really played a Sonic game since the Dreamcast and before that Mega Drive, so I've missed out on all the "bad bits", from what I can tell.

I seem to be flipping between "this looks amazing, the level design in this section is excellent, and it's all so fluid".. to "OMG, what a stupid design decision, why am I trudging through slime/cloud/mud, and this is just really frustrating level design". It's odd.

Also, I did really buy it for my 5 y.o. to play, but I think it's going to have to get traded in because there's no hope of him making any real progress.

[NEG]

That's one of the funny/upsetting as hell things about modern Sonic games as well. They're hardly child friendly at all. The very audience they need to win.

[BruceBruce]

I was looking up anagrams for sonic the hedgehog and the best one it seems is "Cheese Hotdog Nigh"

[NEG]

NOW COMING TO STEAM ON NOVEMBER 2ND!

http://store.steampowered.com/app/329440/

PRE-ORDER BONUSES!

Edit: I guess it was a timed exclusive where Nintendo is concerned.

[mushashi]

Or a console exclusive, PC doesn't usually matter when it comes to exclusivity agreements, as Microsoft have already proved multiple times, even where they were the ones footing the bill to make it in the first place.