Sonic and the Black Knight Is Actually Really Good
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- Опубліковано 15 кві 2021
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I somehow managed to get this one out, less than two weeks after the previous one. This time, we are looking at the final main series 'Dark Age' game, Sonic and the Black Knight, a rather infamous game that I think...is quite nice.
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The Art in the thumbnail is from Tyler Mcgrath on Twitter! / tyler_j_mcgrath - Ігри
Honestly, Sonic having all of these random, unconnected adventures in which he gets involved in these ridiculous stories makes so much sense for his character. Sonic is LITERALLY always on the go. It makes sense that he'd come across people in need of help and dealing with their own weird troubles, and then stop to help them. Let's get more games where Eggman plays no part in what's going on. Lets get steampunk Sonic. Give me Sonic the Dragonrider. Idk, he's a blue, anthropomorphic, fast hedgehog. Get a little weird with his adventures
"B-But...what about Green Hill Zone?" - Some Random Gatekeeper
Please no steampunk.
@@Ronan34753 But for real, I wish SEGA stopped milking Green Hill or Classic Sonic to death. It's even got to the point where I outright hate Classic Sonic now.
@@tiruliru1189 Well I don't know if the new game will be good, but I think Sega has finally taken notice of how fans feel about GHZ's current usage.
@@Ronan34753 Does that mean we will get more Green Hill zones than Forces in the next game? 0:-)
I like how sonic doesn't care if you're a knight, king or even a god. If he thinks you're doing something wrong he will stop you.
That's sounds exactly like a shounen anime MC
@@jordancromwell
Of course, during that time he was a unofficial shonen. It was pretty obvious, someone even made a video about it. All of their points on why Sonic is basically shonen is pretty accurate.
Average RPG protagonist
@@jordancromwell Exactly. And that's what he's meant to be. Too bad Free Riders and Colors (good game though) ruined him.
@@Hoopryfien Your average RPG protagonist just does whatever they're told to do
Apparently the scene where Gawain attempts to kill himself is due to a misunderstanding from the Japanese writers. In Japan, it seems that knights are widely thought of as being just European equivalents to samurai. Because of this, they thought that European knights also had an equivalent to the custom of commiting seppuku (when a samurai commits suicide to atone for dishonouring themselves). That's why Gawain talks about being disgraced and says "only death can remove this stain upon my honour" before attempting to kill himself as a way of restoring his honour to King Arthur. The writers weren't trying to be edgy. They were simply misinformed and consequently wrote a samurai custom into a story about knights.
That's not Knight code?! 🤯
@@RosheenQuynh in the actual king arthur legends a good knight would fight to the death, committing suicide by proxy. But a great knight would not kill his opponent, especially if the fight was not fair, unless it was necessary to prevent further treachery. Gawain in Black Knight should have fought until he lost consciousness. Then he could be rescued and learn a moral lesson from the knight that spared him or double down on his quest to destroy Sonic. The only thing a knight in the legends of King Arthur would kill himself for is a woman.
@@Supersctar Fascinating 🤔
@@Supersctar Yeah the story of king Arthur has a kinda strange version of a Knights Chivalric code.
Hey man, I've never met a legitimate knight, have you? Who knows how they went out?
A shame this game gets so much flack for it's concept alone and few look further.
It's great.
Indeed, I would honestly love if they do remasters of the two Storybook games that patch up the issues both had, and then subsequently release a third game. That would be a great idea, if done right of course
_"A shame this game gets so much flack for it's concept alone and few look further."_
Blame IGN, GameGrumps and ScrewAttack (not ProJared because I don't know about his SatBK review).
Tbh, from a gameplay standpoint... it’s really nothing more than a Mindless Flick-Fest with some of the laziest level design in Sonic History.
My biggest gripe was the missed potential for the multiplayer...it would’ve been better if was split screen in order to make use of better use of the sword combat
I love your animations and your way of humor man😃😃
How sonic and the black knight starts: trying to overthrow a corrupted king.
How it ends: therapy.
Dang, Sonic and the Black Knight is literally just my favorite Yu gi oh-storyarc.
Like all good heros
Better than Steven Universe
@@Polychi1998 Everything is better executed than Steven Universe
The real Lostbelt
That little bit at the end is extremely true.
These games didn't _"Suddenly become popular",_ the early 2000s Sonic fans finally have a platform where their thoughts on the franchise can be heard and validated through others who've shared the same experiences.
The same will happen to every single era Sonic goes through, whether you grow up with 2010s Sonic, the movie, etc, your perspective matters in shaping that specific media's identity, and that's how we can appreciate a piece of art to the fullest amount.
Games like Shadow, Unleashed 06, Black Knight and Secret Rings clearly were liked more than people let on because their legacy lives on today and they clearly had a following back then if they sold well. The reason we get bland sonic games today is because people don't want to admit they liked Sonic better when it experimented with it's gameplay and wasn't afraid to have something to lose.
@@deathlock9979 The 2nd problem: People just want everything to be Sonic 1.
The 3rd problem: They literally disrespect any characters (even Sonic and Eggman themselves), while giving the Deadly Six and Classic Sonic a scot free. They literally want only Sonic being playable.
And the 4th problem: They love when games are filled with nostalgia-bait and characters being flanderized to hell (since Free Riders/Colors).
@@tiruliru1189 I think another problem to add on is that alot of people seem to don’t try work with the games. As in like, when they run into an issue in the game they don’t try to find a work around to it to make less of a problem. I’m not saying glitches and stuff in these games should be ignored or get a pass, but people do like to constantly fumble arounds with Sonic games to make it glitch out even more. That way they can say “Oh look see, these games are glitchy and bad. They’re like 06 remember 06”. Even 06 had work arounds if you knew what you’re doing.
I freaking love Unleashed. Despite the flaws it has.
Good to see you here, AL. Can't wait for you to be free from school because it feels like you have a lot to say about these games and characters
In that last scene it seems like Griffith was mixing his real voice with his sonic voice because I've never heard him with that specific tone before.
When he said “that’s what I figure” it sounds like his normal sonic voice, but also a hint of a smile as well
dudes Sonic voice went to a 6.8/10 on average in-game to a 9.7/10 for me in this game alone. The various voice actors in this franchise don't deserve all the flack they get as they all can do an amazing job at bringing the characters to life, even the kids that voiced Tails did fine and you could forget the obvious script reading deliveries.
@@TheEmeraldSword04 It's not just Jason. Dan Green's Knuckles is at his peak in this game.
I really loved it in this yeah.
Time stamp?
Dear lord, this video helped me remember just how far sonic stories have fallen over the past decade or so. I miss the days where a sonic story could acknowledge how ridiculous it was while still taking itself seriously. And when they tried to make sonic cool and badass instead of funny and memeable
That wasn't even ridiculous, they made that AWESOME !!!!
Sonic: *literally cuts through a sorceress’ giant monster with Excalibur and causes the monster and the sorceress to blow up*
Also Sonic: 👍
Mood.
Well he did the 👍 after killing the god of the sun whho had the power to destroy every timeline in existance and the god of time after also destroying time itself.
Merlina: screams in pain
Sonic: 👍
@@ahmadkazan217 Not just every timeline, every verse. Oh and also the thing had the power to transcend fate, cause, effect and possibly death.
@@zestytriss5282 When I was like 10 I had the exact same thought process, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who noticed how almost comically hilarious it was
"Every World has its end. I know that's kinda sad, but... That's why we gotta live life to the fullest in the time we have. At least, that's what i figure"
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2009
"That tornado's carrying a car!"
-Sonic the Hedgehog 2006
"Baldy nosehair" - Sonic 2010
@Darrel Cedrick Artil -23 2007
@@jennisgurung2760 Sonic! Help Me!-Tails 2017
"No copyright law is going to stop me!" is the last great line ever from Sonic ever since Black Knight
Kind of poetic that his words to Merlina would also be the last time Sonic was done correctly as a character before they bastardized him into an annoying one-liner spouting Saturday morning cartoon character
You got me so emotional. This “dark age” of sonic was never that dark for me. Growing up with these games, experiencing them along with the games prior, was such a wonderful time in my life. My first Sonic game was Sonic Heroes, and through it I was able to revisit the adventures and Sonic 1 and 2 (3 was something I couldn’t get my hands on until Mega collection). Even a game like Shadow that I can laugh at now was so exhilarating back in the day. Joining the community (my first real dive into the internet), drawing fan art and discussing the games and comics with fans... reading sprite comics and (im)patiently waiting for Sonic Unleashed to come out so I could rent it day one.. my childhood was made great by the perceived Dark Age of Sonic.
I used to misinterpret the name as well. The real reason it is called the "Dark Age" is because most of the games made around that time had dark and gritty themes.
Sonic BlackKnight is actually a game I grew up with and it seemed so great.
Agree with everything here. My childhood was made by the sonic "dark ages". Its what sonic was to me, and i love all of those games no matter how buggy,
Because the storys, the characterizations are so good imo. Sonic felt like sonic in those games.
Like sonic and the black knight felt badass to me haha
@@pogpogpurinn True.
I grew up during the modern age of sonic, but I low-key prefer the "dark age" games a lot more. idk there's just something so special about them y'know?
Just wanna say I respect bringing forth the idea that Black Knight can be good even if Secret Rings is bad (even though I personally think Secret Rings is vastly underrated).
I always felt like Sonic and the secret rings could be better if the controls and level design were a bit more tuned.
@@Slippypippy270 That's literally all I'd say as well on it, I never got to play Black Knight as a kid (currently setting up an emulator for it after this video though), but Secret Rings was a very cool game for me as a kid, I just remember sucking at it so much because I couldn't get the hang of the controls at all and I'd fall off edges all the time. (would be emulating that as well if I still had my wiimote around)
@@moosecannibal8224 I played both when I was a kid and enjoyed the fuck out of them, but the controls on Secret Rings made it harder for sure. I was stuck on that turbo thing for ages and falling off stuff too.
@@avzarathustra6164 i had both too!! I played black knight more especially because it was one i bought specifically, but i never hated either of them and genuienly liked them, especially the storys and art direction
@@pogpogpurinn Same !
Can we all agree that this game has the best depiction of Sonic as a character? He’s still cocky and confident, but knows when it’s time to get serious and tone down the jokes and snarky attitude. Not to mention the game’s ending where he gets a bit philosophical with his views on mortality. It felt like Sonic was growing up alongside the fans that started with the Adventure era
For sure. Don't understand why they made him such an unlikeable douche in later games.
@@megaman15ish Because the writers didn't do their research.
@@smashmaster521 I think it was more that they tried to recalibrate the series to mostly also to very young children, but forgot that many of the best kids' media address extremely serious topics in such a way as to appeal to even adults.
Also that just because it's made for children doesn't mean that you should let kindergartners write the dialogue.
@@lnsflare1 Well, that too, but it's mostly because the writers didn't do any research in order to understand how the Sonic cast is supposed to be written.
Ehem "no copyright law in the universe is gonna stop me". Yeah that sounds less kindergarten and more of a depressed UA-camr
One of the characters in BK that is pretty underrated is Merlina Her motives in the end are actually really relatable to People who are a afraid of Death and think the world should last forever But after the final battle with sonic she learns that She needs to appreciate life in the small time she has which is a lesson everyone should take
Also This might be an unpopular opinion but Her theme song With Me is the best sonic track of all time
Definitely up there, and agreed
Hell yeah! With Me is a savage banger. Especially the Crush 40 version.
For a moment, I thought you were referring to Burger King
I must be hungry
I like to see these kind of villains every now and then in a Sonic game. The ones who have reasonable motives.
I listen to With Me everyday! 👍 👌 song
The Storybook series is honestly such a ludicrously unexplored concept.
On top of being a great vehicle for creating imaginative setpieces, there's kind of a fun "samurai champloo" esque anachronism to placing Sonic in these quasi period settings where what he culturally represents with all his edgy 90s irreverence is at odds with that world, that's even kind of a theme in Black Knight's story.
It also makes sense for Sonic as a Mickey Mouse offshoot, as it's essentially the equivalent of putting Mickey in the Sorcerer's Apprentice or the Prince and the Pauper.
I would have loved it if they were released on the modern day consoles because then it could fix the problems of the games (mainly secret rings) and they could make a new game based on either detectives or Greek Mythology and they could call it either Sonic and the Wrath of Zeus or Sonic and the Dark Case. (Pick which one you would want).
@@SPCMovies Or a wizard game about Sonic.
@@maryafantalia8614 that's not a bad idea
@@SPCMovies Yeah, right ?!
@@maryafantalia8614 make silver like the grand wizard
That fanart montage they did coming from the actual game is the cutest thing ever. I wonder why more games don't do stuff like that
The IDW Comics do that and include fan letters
In regards to Sonic easily beating the Knights of the Round Table, I think something that makes it a lot more logical is, Sonic ISN'T a better swordsman than them. They are far more experienced. But Sonic breaks the mold. He doesn't use a traditional fighting style, he invents his own incorporating his own abilities like his speed and the homing attack, and none of them are prepared for it. How do you parry a spinning midair cartwheel? How do you block an attack coming at you at the speed of sound? In that sense, them being worse than Sonic as playable characters makes sense; they're more traditional sword fighters, charging through enemies and cutting them down without stopping isn't something that comes naturally to them. Sonic breaking tradition and forging his own path is quite fitting, given that's how the series itself had always done to this point. They COULD just follow formulas, do what they know works, and call it a day, but the Sonic series used to really challenge perspectives of what can make a good story, or more early in the series, what was technologically feasible for game consoles of the time. The theme of rejecting tradition in favor of doing what's right and creating a name for yourself is quite prevalent in this game, and if this is to be the last Sonic game that still carries that passion and courage, then I'm glad it went out on such a loud and proud note.
I liked this wall of text a lot, but never agree with making playability worse just for the sake of living up to this sort of thing.
It is the same logic which has gotten people saying that Dante in DMC5 is old so of course, he can't guard cancel or move as well in general in comparison to DMC3 or 4.
If they want the three knights to be bested because protagonist, Caliburn or something cool. Vergil in DMC5 is far more powerful when playable than as a boss though with triple the weapons and two new super moves just to start off.
@@thelastgogeta Oh yeah, it's not really a GOOD thing that they're worse for story reasons, that's just a guess as to why that's the case. Of course, it's more likely that they're worse due to having less polish and time put into them, but that's not as cool.
I would argue that it is probably more because this is heavily implied to be the Sonic from the end of Sonic Unleashed, and therefore already a world class fighter that fights his way through high tech and magical armies as well as powerful magical eldritch monsters (to say nothing of any previous adventures that version of Sonic might have had since it definitely looks like he was already an experienced high end fighter at the start of Unleashed) with relative ease, and the only reason that the Knights of the Round even stood a chance was because Sonic was just figuring out how to incorporate a sword into his fighting style since the medical properties of Caliburn were necessary to defeat not-Arthur's and Merlina's magical defenses (and because he was trying to make friends with Caliburn).
I thought I beat the black knight till I started the game again
Literally younger me
Oh hey it's you....
The person who wouldn't stop posting macrophila in my community tab.
@@radiokunio3738 you mean giant woman
@@JetblackJay macrophila = giantwoman
Bigger is better
damn man… that fan art compilation at the end genuinely had me emotional. i genuinely feel so blessed to have discovered this series as a kid and grown up with them like i have :’)
The sad part about it though is one of the top winners of the fan art contest traced over existing art. Sega only realized after the game released so it’s still crediting the incorrect person in game. Although I did hear the original creator of the art got a bunch of Sega merch which is sweet of them.
is that The roach dogg?
Man, this game deserves a port and no motion controls and it has a good emphasis of story
Just...thank you for this. I’ve always loved this game, it’s nice to see it get some love.
I agree! Black knight fans unite!
We’re knights of the wind!
Haven't changed my avatar since... Gotta play the game again soon.
See you again
@Pierce Ballard same
I’m quite surprised that you didn’t mention that sonic was supposed to be on a date with Amy, which is revealed right after he gets crowned King Arthur. That’s why he has 2 chili dogs in the opening cutscene.
Damn, I knew all that, yet never made the connection with the chili dogs. Is that why he ate one but wanted to save the other one? This game was great.
That's sweet, but wouldn't it be cold by the time he returned? O3O
@@onigames7309 I don't think sonic was planning to be summoned by merlina.
Also interestingly the game before it Unleashed there's a option just about when the game is about to end you can have Sonic talk to Amy and she asks him about going on a date once this is over and have the option to say yes.
That and the fact it has a connection with sonic unleashed.
Sonic as a whole holds a deep place in my heart, I grew up playing these games, 2000s games like SA, SA2, SH, Shadow, Secret rings, black knight, sonic unleashed, the rush series, riders, and the all-star racing series, only 1 I have not played is sonic 06, but I do plan on playing it, also generations, forces, colors, and mania for the 2010s, the shows as well I love, Sonic X, Sonic Boom, and Sonic Underground, and some comics, I will always love sonic and the franchise no matter what happens, cause honestly I loved playing these games, watching the shows, and reading comics of the blue blur and his pals doing what is right.
Okay, Sonic isn't at good place right now, but no one deserves to get laughed at for things they like. You actually spoke the truth.
Best parts of Sonic X were the SA2 arc and the Metarex arc.
You’re like me lol I played them all but 06
I hope the new Sonic Rangers is really good
@@danielbaran4724 Especially the Metarex arc. Because the GUN is unbearable.
I share the same sentiment as you, and I haven't even played all the games.
Black KNight really saved me when i was younger. The message stuck with me during tough times, and Live Life, the final song, is something i always put on when im feeling the darkest. i really love this game, and replaying it years later is such a jam.
26:13 Fun fact: One of the submissions that used the Hidden Palace zone was by Evan Stanley, who would go on to drawn for the Archie and IDW Sonic comics, and is now the current head writer of the IDW comics.
I never put that together holy cow
Evolution
Glad for him to become part of the Sonic series, even if its "just" the comics... that arent rly released here in europe so I cannot enjoy them D:
@@Evilriku13 JSYK, Evan is female
@@Evilriku13 Comics are just as important to Sonic as the games, honestly.
Gameplay gets too much hate, it’s alright and fun. But the voice acting, characterization, and sound track, now those are straight up beautiful.
Facts.
This game has one of the best tones in a Sonic game up there with Sonic 3 and Knuckles, Unleashed, Colors, and Adventure
Honestly, one of the reasons why i have such good childhood memories from this game is because the way the gameplay was done made young me feel like such a badass.
This was honestly the last Sonic game I cared about. When the series entered the "meta era" it went downhill in my opinion.
I have so much nostalgia for this game's story.
It’s scenes like the first and final one especially, that solidify my claim that Jason Griffith was the best sonic voice, his tone and the way he speaks is incredible. He can be cocky without being too arrogant, and serious without being over dramatic
Too bad he lost the voice
@@Starboy-3027 yea Ik, I think I was 11 or 12 when colours came out and I was in such shock that his voice was different
True.
I totally agree
Also I miss the good storytelling Sonic games used to have, this was the last one to have good story and characterization
how fitting that the last game in sonic's dark age was set in the dark ages
It's like they knew.
apparently the dark ages are not considered historical anymore. people should be more fair to medieval academia and art imo
Underrated comment
I love that Blaze is in this game; it's really unexpected. She should be in more Sonic games!
I agree. She's my favorite character.
Also sadly the last time she and Sonic shared a moment together where it feels liek they share perhaps more then just a friendhsip with each other D:
@@Evilriku13 If you haven't known about this, but theres sonic IDK comics about the "Metal Virus" where basically every sonic character is done justice and given so many awesome interactions. I didn't know about this till 6 months ago, and holy fuck when I saw blaze I freaked out. The series just ended recently, and wow I fucking loved the ending too.
Imagine blaze being in a sonic game with the same scale of sa2 or unleashed.
@@cypher838 I mean 06 was supposed to be that, but... Yeah
I genuinely have to say that this concept could've gone way farther with the idea. As you said, you could do a wild west or Greek mythology themed one, but, more importantly, this game did something very unique that didn't outright suck, and for a one off idea, that's a success on that front. Not to mention the music is great and the story (apart from the execution of the psyche out ending) is also both more complex than OG sonic games and more cohesive than games like '06 and Shadow the Hedgehog and remains one of the only games that pulled that off. This game was (for like 5 or 6 years) the only sonic game I had, and even though I haven't gotten the emulators for some of the older ones, I really want to do that after reliving this game.
Side note: I spent weeks on weeks trying to complete the gallery and unlock all the bonus stuff but I don't think I ever did, maybe I should do that too. . .
I think Sonic being in a greek mythology world would be my dream come true. I love overpowered shet more than anything. Sonic clashing with literal gods would make me die a happy man.
@@zadock6370 New game coming 2069, Sonic stars in God of War 0, where deep in the primal timea, before Kratos and the greek god's even existed, we find out that Sonic was the one who banished the titans, the gods were only taking credit. Then he realized chili dogs weren't invented 'til the days of King Arthur so he peaced out and then this game happens.
@@dbeast03 hahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeee
The ending cutscene on Sonic and the Black Knight really does make me feel emotional. The song was amazingly composed, the line what Sonic said to Merlina was beautiful.
I usually don't write comments but I have to say: Thank you for giving this game justice.
This is probably one of my favorite videos on youtube and this sonic retrospective is always a new highlight with each upload.
I'm glad to know I'm not alone in liking Black Knight too.
I like the concept of Sonic with a sword, and though it's not always implemented well, I still liked waving the Wiimote around and pulling off a chain of Perfect Hits with the Soul Surge.
Also, Knight of the Wind is my favorite Crush 40 song. ;)
Live Life is mine.
@@mechashadow Nice choice. It was a good note (pun intended) to end the game on.
@@circuitrionjuliusbreaker9924 Knight Of The Wind is still a banger for me up to this day, I remember one day playing Smash Bros with my friends in which it was a Sonic-themed stage, but ironically enough playing Mario vs Bowser (LOL) and when Knight Of The Wind played, I was hooked once again!
@@Merdicano Nice. Who won? ;)
@@circuitrionjuliusbreaker9924 Bowser, hehe
25:05 "Omega, count how many mouths he has"
I already loved Sonic but watching that last scene of Black Knight made me love him as a character too, truly made him my hero.
Sonic and the Black Knight. The game that led to me discovering the Fate series. Also I enjoyed how this game basically tells you that not everything lasts, but that’s okay as long as you cherish each day you have. Sonic *can* be deep when the developers let it be.
You discovered fate from sonic and the black knight?
@@golddigginboi2187 Yup. I started researching the actual King Arthur story after playing and then I stumbled into Saber.
I discovered Metal Gear Rising through Sonic Chrono Adventure. Discoveries can be weird.
Knight of the Wind could be Saber's theme song (maybe also Shirou's), and With Me would fit both Gilgamesh vs. Saber, Shirou vs. Gilgamesh, or Shirou vs. Kotomine.
I discovered FMA searching melissa because Final Fantasy Sonic X5 have the song as OP. In the case of Fate because Mugen and Melty Blood.
I really wish we got more Storybook games, loved the tone and atmosphere for them.
What story/stories could be good for a sequel? We got the Arabian Nights, then the tale of King Arthur. Maybe fairytales?
@@paperluigi6132 We were originally going to get a game based off Greek Mythology, which sounds so cool.
@@paperluigi6132 I always thought something based in Asia, particularly themed in Japan, solely because I'd love to have the game's art style presented like a shounen manga with cutscenes looking liked they jumped out of an issue of Shounen Jump. I always thought that be sick but I don't about any Japanese fantasy stuff I would theme the game around.
Most of us fans wanted that & the same held true for Nintendo, unfortunately the 2010s direction for the series happened making that impossible. As a result the storybook series ended up being replaced with Boom, which we all regret happening. I still want Sonic & the Argonauts to happen personally & really it would have been great to get a Japanese Storybook game, or a storybook game based on Journey to the West & Asian Mythology. Also Horror Storybook game where Sonic got to become the Werehog again & Science Fiction Storybook Game would have both been fun.
Would be nice to see lots of the characters get counterparts in various storybook worlds. For Horror, Tails could be a mad scientist, Vector:A detective investigating things like for Scotland Yard, Cream & Vanilla could potentially be villagers with Cream having uncanny abilities, Blaze could be The Mummy, Chaos a seamonster/kaiju with a minor role, Shadow a Vampire, Rouge either a Vampiress or Witch, Amy could be whichever Rouge isn't or possibly even a Werehog herself. There are so many possibilities & that's 1 of the fun things about these games.
If Black Knight ever gets remade it would be a nice touch if Metal Sonic were added to multiplayer as Mordred. Sonic & the Argonauts would probably have Sonic sailing alongside Tails, Knuckles:Hercules, & a couple other characters & having adventures at various islands they visit. They could possibly even end up in the Trojan War or fighting the Egg Golem. Also a Cerberus Boss Battle would be cool to see as they sail into the underworld as part of their quest. Like I said there were so many awesome possibilities for the Storybook Series, it's unfortunate the 2010s Direction had to happen & end them.
Don't forget riders series as well, I'd take that over any Sega and all stars game even though that their solid in their own right
The story of this game is honestly a masterpiece.
Just within a short period of time of an hour or so we learn what makes Sonic so endearing as a character as well as commentary and conflicts regarding many interesting topics, the acceptance of death being the finale and the pinnacle
Sonic to me is more than just a video game character. He's a symbol of freedom and adventure.
A role model, Sega may not have gone all out with the gameplay of the mid to late 2000s but one thing that they knew is that this character, this franchise means so much a lot of people.
Same. Sonic is important for me too.
Yep! I love sonic and the others so much
It's the truth, Sonic is a big symbol, not a simple character. The only way to understand this is to really love him. Sincerely. Not just being a fan, but loving his interior, his depth. Sonic is someone deep, sweet, free, enthusiast, adventurous, loveable, appealing, nice, kind, brave, memorable and beautiful (while he's physically handsome too x'D). And all his personality treats make him symbolical and attaching. It's necessary to love Sonic sincerely to understand that.
I don't even play sonic but his videos are so interesting and well written I watch them anyway haha
You have to at least play Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Unleashed one day.
Or sonic color
@@Laiser I was actually planning on buying unleashed for my ps3!
@@toxicrush gonna be a real good time then
@@toxicrush Unleashed isn't exactly the best game to start out with but hey I hope you enjoy it.
Why do people always point to Knuckles trying to kill himself, but no one talks about Blaze purposely walk to the edge of a volcano preparing to kill herself? 🤔
Her name is *Blaze*, she'd probably be a'ight
@@Heavy_Orbital I don't think having that name gives her fire immunity and no, pyrokinesis doesn't mean "no fire damage" it means fire control/manipulation
I think she was walking back after a good figh to catch her breath. As you see, she was surprised when she fell, and the ground crumbled underneath her.
No, she honest to god didn't expect the cliff to fall apart.
@@etherealhatred technically in rush adventure, when you play as blaze in sky Babylon, you actually do have a sort of fire immunity
Dude I’m not even a sonic fan but I’ve watched all these Sonic retrospective videos multiple times (specifically the 06, Adventure 1/2 and Shadow ones) you’re doing some outstanding stuff. You’re great with the whole “my opinion” thing. Never letting others dictate your opinion. Keep on being a king. Can’t wait for the eventual Lost World video simply because everybody seems to have wildly different opinions on that
Idk why but I really like the Black Knight Sonic model. It looks cool af
I love the fan art and the cutscenes.
Evan Stanley actually has art in there!
Come on Sonic giving merlina a thumbs up as she’s falling is BAD ASS! 22:13
Hahaha XD
It would’ve been funny if he slowly turned it into a thumbs down lol
@@cookieblobber just so you know if he did that he'd pretty much be telling merlina to go to hell
@@dragonmaster3030 This game had Knuckles nearly offing himself, I think Sonic implying Merlina should go to hell is the least of anyone’s concerns
@@cookieblobber I never said it was a concern, just simply providing context
One of the best soundtracks
I’m looking at you “with me”
J's Reviews, thanks for covering this game along with all the other games within the "Dark Age of Sonic". Even if there are flaws in these games, I appreciate that you have been able to recongize the good aspects of the games and celebrate them wholeheartedly. "Sonic and the Black Knight" is a personal favorite and the last console game that was able to stay true to the characterization of Sonic and Co. during the Adventure and "Dark Age" eras, as well tell a enjoyable story. I wish you the best of luck of the success of your channel and I hope your able to enjoy the rest of the Sonic the Hedgehog Series as you continue your crusade of reviewing the series.
I teared up when you let the music play for that fan art collection. Some real heart went into this game.
More heart than Forces
@@onigames7309 fuck forces
@@RyanKirkland05 For sure
@@windandfireproductions5358 yes
The 'Dark Age' of Sonic is my favourite era of Sonic games! So many iconic and fun games released, and I enjoyed each and every one of them for what they were.
It shouldn't even be called the "dark age". If anything the real dark age was from 2013-2019.
@@megaman15ish Honestly, I'm fine with it being called the Dark Age, because the tone of the games were more 'dark' than the current modern games. That's why I refer to it as the 'dark age', not because the games are bad, or Sonic was going through a rough patch...
@@megaman15ish
Actually, the 2010's were the third dark age.
The first was from 1995-1997, and the second was from 2005-2009
@@SteveCrafts2k Eh, I think Unleashed ended the 2nd Dark Age.
@@tiruliru1189
The 2nd Dark Age lasted from 2005 all the way to 2009 because of it's reception and, admittingly, some questionable gameplay decisions (Sword gameplay needed polishing out on a different console).
Sonic And The Black Knight is honestly one of or maybe even my favourite Sonic game and possibly even one of my favourite video games in general. This game is so underrated.
Seeing all that fan art was so heartwarming man
And Jason as Sonic was so unbelievably good oh man
Agreed !
Last game with my favorite voice actor, Jason Griffith
He's my favorite voice for Sonic!
@@michia3765 Same.
@@michia3765 Agreed. I feel like Jason Griffith, Ryan Drummond, Ben Schwartz and Martin Burke really hit the nail on the head.
I dislike Roger's voice.
He IS the definitive Sonic voice.
And everyone else to
So you like Sonic and the black knight?
Me,him and probably others: Yes and I'm sick of pretending I'm not.
All I have to say about this game is when I think of Sonic, this is the Sonic I think of. As a kid him throwing the chili dog in the air and beating all the enemies and still catching the dog was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I love this version of him
You know I think this storybook series has a chance to make a great comeback if handled properly. This leads into my idea that I think the series going forward should be separated into 3 styles to appease all main groups of the franchise. Long comment incoming be warned.
The boost gameplay of modern games would, I think, be a nice transition for these games. Of course I would hope for unleashed levels of detail when it comes to the stages. The adventure games did a great job taking the way sonic worked in 2d and what made it special and putting it into 3d. Unleashed made what was special about classic sonic it's own flavor with game familiarity and mechanical mastery of the game lending to quicker run times through levels with alternative yet harder paths but I digress. On the storytelling end I think these self contained character oriented tales told through the lens of sonic and a companion also translates well into how modern games handle the supporting cast (which by that I mean they take a back seat and the story is focused on sonic and his characterization more). I think roger craig smith has a great performance in him he just needs a good script a la the writers from the storybook games and unleashed.
The second style of games can be the adventure style games which are more plot oriented stories. Not to mention having a sense of continuity and maybe even overarching plots through sequel games contrary to the self contained nature of the boost games to fully feel like that adventure flavor. These games naturally present more serious tones so that would be covered in the story end. As for gameplay we can see multiple characters return again with different gameplay styles to offer different perspectives and angles on the unraveling plot. With of course sonic and shadow controlling like they did back then.
Lastly this is something already being done sort of. Classic sonic getting regular releases as well. My only suggestion would be to make completely original stages from now on. I also would like the games to move forward in their own right, instead of relying on nostalgia, they introduce new characters (or reintroduce forgotten ones) and use them to tell the subtle stories classic sonic is known for which made them special. It wasn't all gameplay after all. The classic side of things can have it's world expanded too in it's own more subdued way.
With the movie being a hit and a series on it's way sonic is already doing well in media and I'm happy for that. Anyway I don't know why I wrote down my dream direction for sonic in a comment section as if this was some sort of feedback forum on sonic team's website that they would read somehow. Regardless to anyone that read this far thanks and hope you enjoyed my rambling lol.
Beautiful ramble lol
@@21tangtang72 Hey! Thank you very much!
@@blues4509 🐿🧡👋
Always love the implied continuity from the last cutscene from Black night and that one dialogue option from Unleashed
What do you mean? Can you explain?
Please lmao
@@thegeth4293 he's talking about the option to go on a date with Amy.
Great story, great visuals utilized multiple characters, multiplayer party games and amazing music. The gameplay wasn't even that bad considering it was on the Wii. Black knight really is underrated.
Sonic and the Black Knight is actually canon to the main series it’s not a spin-off because this game takes place after Unleashed and Secret Rings. In Generations Sonic references Secret Rings since Black Knight is a sequel to Secret Rings, that would make the story book games canon but I do agree with everything else you said.
Is it really a spin off?
@@BitchChill No it’s not Black Knight is actually canon to the main series.
Okay I'll fix it
True ! The gameplay were classical of GOOD Wii games !
Years later after this video was made I still relate to a lot of stuff you have said here, while I didn't exactly grow up around the time Jason Griffith was at his peak, I can still say that message is very heart warming, no matter who says it. Thank you for this video
I played this game so much as a kid. Playing Silver in multiplayer with my brothers were fun and hawk was basically another Knuckles. I loved upgrading all the characters and unlocking all the swords. All the best swords of the trio unlocked new abilities. Shadow even was able to stop time and I found that so cool as a kid. And the Shadow Rematch was awesome and took me a while to beat.
Same, I also played this so much when I was, well, even younger. But still, I loved playing black knight, it was so fun.
fun fact: this game happen after unleashed because in unleashed if you finish the game you can to choose to date amy and in this game sonic was going in a date with her thats why he had 2 chili dogs
Wow that is really cool
gald am not the only person who notice that
And Amy was pissed at the end
Bruh I must’ve died a million time on the King Arthur fight because I couldn’t get the timing right for the shakes
Same. Amazing music tho.
Yo, same! What’s really frustrating is when you’re sure you got the timing right but King Arthur still gets you.
I know I had that problem.
I used to rewatch that fanart compilation over and over again as a kid, I loved the music over it. Good video man, thanks for putting this in words. Loved this game.
Sonic and the Black Knight is a great game with some good tracks. Its about damn time it got some attention and love. I played this game so much as a kid.
the art in the thumbnail is brilliant as usual
Just like the historical European Dark Age that it's named after, the Dark Age of Sonic wasn't all negative even if it seems like it to some people. How unintentionally fitting that a piece of Dark Age literature should serve as the capstone for Sonic's Dark Age, and that these times coincide with the series' teenage years...
games like unleashed and black knight weren't bad to begin with back then people were still throwing a temper tantrum over 06 and just wanted to hate sonic.
@@jdawson7877 Exactly. Just like the "dark ages" of Europe weren't about universal unenlightenment, but basically just a descriptor of a roughly 500~ year period between the fall of the Roman Empire and some other things changing to go from the iron age to what we now call the middle age.
Fall of the Roman Empire: The big dramatic thing that marks the start of the Dark Ages that somewhat taints some peoples' perception of those following centuries collectively
Sonic '06: The low point of the Dark Age of Sonic that tainted a lot of peoples' perceptions of the other games immediately before and after
@@RoninCatholic It's insane how true that actually is, even minus the negative impact for the entire series. The games directly before and after the fallout were just nuked. Shadow was never liked to begin with, but 06's reputation slapped it in the face because "this is the one that caused it!" in people's eyes. And Unleashed was blasted for trying to use some of the same concepts, because "that means it is just as rotten and needs to die!"
I never thought that I would almost cry with nostalgia from a Sonic and the Black Night review.
The ending was a great recap of what I felt playing those games and be a sonic fan at that time. I've been watching more reviews of yours and I really enjoy them, keep up the great work and thank you for reminding me how fun those games and my memories were
Sonic and the Black Knight is still one of my favorite Sonic games, but that’s probably because it’s one of the only Sonic games I owned back then and I played the hell out of it. And of course, the soundtrack slaps, like it always seems to.
A bit sad I didn’t hear you bring up the song “Live Life”, because it’s a beautiful song, but I digress.
The storybook games and unleashed has the best sonic storys ever
Don’t forget the Adventure games especially Adventure 2.
I couldn't agree more, I can understand the complaints of Secret Rings in its gameplay, but their stories are so beautifully captured and well-told.
@@jaydenlenzy3487 SA 2's story hasn't really aged so well, but at the time it was amazing.
@@sanicmovie4894 Even today the story is still amazing sure it has some plot holes and unanswered questions but other than that the story is still entertaining and interesting.
@@jaydenlenzy3487 Yeah I perfectly agree. I hate how people love to diss on Sa2's story for these problems, but no one ever disses on Star Fox 64 or Resident Evil's stories. People always review the adventure games by today's standard just to make fun of Sonic.
There are things to appreciate but Black Knight is just a game I was never able to get behind at all. Beat it on a rental, was disappointed with it, and never had a desire to return to it. It's mostly just how the game sticks to being on rails despite that not making sense anymore with it now having normal analog control. The level design was also just too bland for me. Shame this was one of the last mainline Sonic games with multiple playable characters and how even that feature was heavily restricted for no real reason.
My assumption is that it is restricted due to contextual animations that only Sonic has at most or because of voice lines (though they can be turned off by players - just throwing it out there). I think I heard of people using Action Replay or something similar to get around the limitations but I don't know of any quirks.
Devil May Cry 4 and 5 have a similar thing where bosses have contextual death animations in select cases, there is character specific platforming/gimmicks and didn't design throws for Nero against every boss since the campaign is 50% or less of him. I'd like to have every level that works without an issue even if the boss is skipped personally, but that isn't how it goes sometimes.
Those games have also been modded to have co-op, versus and "divergence mode" (our term for when any character can play any mission) and it seems to work well enough Nero grabs aside.
It makes sense since both 4 and 5 have special editions with characters that we either design to get through all gimmicks or the gimmicks were shaved away. One DMC5 problem is cameos which are like replays of other characters from other players but you only see other characters as if it is trying to maintain canon rather than fun.
Game sucks
Griffith was phenomenal in this game
Yeah !
I really wished they would have continued the Story Book series. I mean there is so much stuff they could have did,like Sonic in Ancient Greece with Zeus,or maybe Ancient Egypt with Cleopatra.
Or a wizard game !
Thank god someone got behind this game. The story on this game really hit me like no other sonic did before, and Merlina is bar none my favourite Sonic antagonist. I really liked the 2000s era of sonic deeper themes, and this was the deepest cut, with commentary on mortality and the passage of time.
The game did feel like it needed more time in the oven to iron out the other playable characters and make the campaign bigger, but with the music and the story the game gave us, it's one of my favourite Sonic games regardless, if not my personal favourite!
Sonic and the black Knight is my favourite sonic game, not the best, but my favourite. Style, story, voices, characterization, music, and overall feel. It’s the only sonic game I’ve 100%. This is also my favourite Sonic, He is literally written and acted perfectly. Cocky and sarcastic but a genuinely good person who cares about stuff. Also the last time Sonic would feel like “just a guy that loves adventure.” I loved Sonic before but THIS is what keeps me attached to this franchise. I genuinely adore and admire the character and everything he represents and everything I still look up to. Cool, compassionate and sincere, something I feel has been lost post this game.
Yknow when he brought up how sonic in this game is a bit more energetic than unleashed, it makes sense. I know out of universe it was most likely bc Griffith had a sore throat, but in universe he was surrounded by hopeless people in despair, the world was at stake and chip was by his side who needed his help. So him being more serious and only really displaying his playful attitude when fighting eggman makes sense, and even then it wasn’t it wasn’t as much as he usually does. In black knight, due to him being partnered with someone more serious, inside the serious world, he takes a more laid back approach, bc the rigid world clashes with his views on freedom. I also like how sonic takes it 100% seriously as well. Despite all them being just book characters and potentially not even real, he still treats them with compassion. Even his enemy
Facts.
I personally loved both installments of the Storybook Series, and I genuinely hope they both return next year looking extremely beautiful with polished controls and mechanics.
The ending of this video really took me back I'll never stop being a sonic fan
I can’t believe IGN have the balls to give this a lower score than Sonic Free Riders and Chronicles
well what you expect from people who hate sonic
@@jdawson7877 Yet they give Free Riders a good score
@@theminecraft2516 I still can't believe they gave that unplayable trash a 7 🤦🏾♂️
@@jordancromwell they gave sonic 4 a higher score than unleashed if that doesn't say something wrong with ign then i don't know what will
@@jdawson7877 They also gave Generations a lower score than Sonic 4
I'm sad that I never got to play Sonic and The Black Knight, but this video should be titled..."Why Sonic and The Black Knight Succeeds where Secret Rings Failed"
I would by and ply it now since my local GS has it. But I need to get my Wii fixed. Disc drive doesn't spin anymore.
@@KingmegadonThat sucks man. I totally would if I still had a Wii. I sold it years ago and have regretted it since. I set up Dolphin but have had some problems with it
Wouldn't a title like that be too long?
@@Jahlil.W I don't think so, but that's just me
woah man towards the end there i got a lil emotional from sega acknowledging the vast fan community and their experiences in an official game
Sonic and the Black Knight it's one of my childhood games, I loved it.
J your reviews just keep getting better and better every time!
And they come out more active too right?
@@michia3765 yeah you’re right they do.
Way better than IGN
The art style in black knight is spectacular
This game had the best characterization of Sonic himself.
Yo i found your channel about a year or so ago & from watching your older videos to present day it's awesome to see how much your presentations/commentary has improved over the years. Cheers, keep it up
Finally, someone who actually loves this game. The soundtracks, gameplay, cutscenes, artstyle, and voice acting in this game was amazing. I especially loved the bonus content when you get to see a bunch of fanart that people had sent to Sega throughout the years.
This is one of my favorite games from childhood and I still play.
Sonic is forever known as THE KNIGHT OF THE WIND
Tons of people already praised this game for years
@@kamsienyioha4574 not really dude, this game and Secret Rings are underrated because people consider them weird Sonic games.
Secret Rings I can understand that because it had a terrible control design and it took awhile to handle.
Some fans skipped on this because they thought it was odd for Sonic to use a sword.
Nowadays in Hindsight, I felt like using a Sword would make more sense for Sonic if the ideas are done right. Using Guns in a Sonic game had lots of potential, but no, they got wasted.
@@mastertjt56 True.
@@maxleon61702 Guns in Shadow were facultative.
It's funny that we both uploaded a video on this game in the same day, it's really underrated ‼️
16:20 K.O and Ben: Think we can escape, Sonic?
Sonic: you bet you do. Ya gotta try hard
Spot my cameo at 26:25 ! haha
Nice retrospective video, man! As always!
This is one of the most UNDERRATED sonic games
The most imo
Since outside of the community it's still seen as bad
Seeing the list of games for future videos made me smile from ear to ear.
Black Knight will always go down as one of my all time guilty pleasures.
still to this day my fav game it really got me into knight styled stuff and is a big part of my childhood
amazing video man!
Ok the transition from the cutscene from Unleashed to Black Knight near the end of the video was seamless
J'S SPITTIN LATELY!
I'm not joking but I cried at the art gallery part. it felt like I was being hit by my entire childhood
I loved Sonic and the Black Knight, and I remember loving that intro song when selecting the game so much that it was worth listening to every time. It holds a close place to my heart compared all the other Sonic games. Loved playing it with my little brother
Fun Fact: This game had a crossover with NeoPets, a virtual pet web game. That's why there are apples in the first level!
I always wondered if there was a point to the apples
OH WOW, thats kinda cool and strange because I didnt feel it was connected in ANY way xD
Don't forget that you can have sonic as your pet animal buddy in Gaia online Zomg. So two promotions
Sadly the first Sonic v Shadow drawing at 26:23 turned out to be a tracing of someone else’s drawing and the Tracer was disqualified but still had their artwork shown in the game 😔
That ending was really beautiful J! Keep up the good uploads! 👍
Of all the days to be recommended this video, it had to be when I had a major existential crisis about mortality, only to have sonic tell me about the beauty of life. What a way to end my day.