Did Sonic Mania Get It Right?
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- Опубліковано 30 лип 2024
- I've honestly tried my best to be as genuinely critical of it as I can, forcing down my screams of joy.
This game is an absolute gem, not to be forgotten.
It is absolutely fantastic, but did it get everything right?
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TRACK LISTING
0:04 - Stardust Speedway Act 2: Sonic Mania
0:19 - Titanic Tower Act 1 - Sonic BTS
2:31 - Dimension Heist: Sonic Mania
2:54 - Sonic R: Menu
3:48 - Tabloid Jargon: Sonic Mania
4:40 - Fortress Flow Act 1 - Sonic BTS
5:10 - Prime Time: Sonic Mania
5:36 - Title Screen: Sonic BTS
5:57 - Green Hill Act 2: Sonic Mania
8:08 - Chemical Plant Act 2: Sonic Mania
9:07 - Stardust Speedway Bad Future (US): Sonic CD
10:19 - Mushroom Hill Act 2: Sonic & Knuckles
11:26 - Stardust Speedway Act 2: Sonic Mania
12:15 - Act 1 Boss: Sonic Mania
12:58 - Lava Reef Act 1: Sonic Mania
14:15 - Cosmic Eternity: Sonic CD - Фільми й анімація
While I can agree that the other characters may have Sonic's speed, the dropdash made it to where he is still the king of speed. Knuckles can float forward, but it's slow, the Armadillo goes down, Tails goes up and the squirrel... that one is a bit of a mixed bag but his rewards you already being fast rather than becoming fast. Sonic is, in a game where the top speed is relatively the same, the one with the best acceleration. That's a very important feature to have, because the others have to build it up with a spin dash and stop, even for just a second, where Sonic had already hit the turbo 2 to 3 seconds ago and is already on his way to the goal.
Not to mention, Sonic gets the additional moves from the elemental shields, and he can use unlockable abilities, like the Insta-Shield, or the Super Peel Out.
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Mighty, and Ray
Armadillo is Mighty
Squirrel is Ray
They're names are MIGHTY the Armadillo and RAY the flying sqirrel you heATHNEN-
(Jk, you make good points lol)
Definitely gives a more distinct feel than the Insta Shield in S3, though I do appreciate the idea of making Sonic the "Bot Smashing expert" of the bunch, being able to hit enemies without actually exposing himself to danger. Regardless, being able to literally hit the ground running not only lets Sonic hit top speed more frequently than other characters, it also puts him in a state that lets him KEEP that speed, since rolling is both an efficient movement option AND an effective attack. As a result, Sonic's gameplay identity is one of "don't stop, just go", where you never really NEED to bring your flow to a dead stop
Short answer: yes.
Mish Koz I was gonna say that
Daniel Maia
Sir, are you okay? Do you need me to call an ambulance?
Shorter answer, no
@Hotobu
How so?
Video Game Animation Study I guess we’ll never get an answer
Finally someone with an actual animated avatar for a review. not just some static image
Hehe ;-)
You must love Hotdiggetydemon
Well it would take long to animate just a few minute review video
Shedding any 16-bit sound? Tee Lopes literally uses sampled instruments from the original games in his songs. This isn't a bad thing - the soundtrack is awesome. However, it is an incorrect statement by the video creator
That's quite true, I guess. At least, he's enhanced the 16-bit samples in his remixes, and not lifted them straight from the original track. When you listen to them back to back you can hear a cleaner sound in his renditions.
I suppose you can hear this most in Flying Battery or Lava Reef.
Thanks for watching!
The music in sonic mania is top notch
One thing I'd note about the OST is, there's not enough substance in terms of emotions in my opinion, with the Tee Lopes tracks anyway. None of the tracks seem particularly calm, joyful or even determined; the several tracks that just radiate joy, determination and other emotions, were composed by Hyper Potions and used nowhere the game. The best Tee Lopes tracks just radiate "F U N K" which is okay, I guess, but when the funk is toned down in an attempt to show some sort of other emotion, the substance just doesn't seem to be there... That doesn't happen very often anyway though, which is the biggest problem I have with the soundtrack. My favorite 2D Sonic OSTs were Sonic Advance 1 and Sonic CD, both of which were a lot more dynamic with very clear-feeling, unique emotions coming from various tracks. I'd point out examples, but despite what some might think, this is a comment, not an essay; My main point is, I wish that either Tee Lopes would have given his OST that sort of dynamic-ness, or that maybe the OST would be more of a collab like in Team Sonic Racing, to make it more dynamic.
which sonic CD
I can't see the difference between 16 bit and modern instrumen 😆
3:40 Not a beta, just a demo. Or a prototype.
9:35 Well, you could just jump higher.
11:48 Well, characters already have some differences. Sonic can use the shields and dropdash, Tails can fly but can't use the shields, Knuckles can't jump as high or use the shields but can glide, climb and go through some normally unbreakable walls.
13:42 The bad ending is supposed to feel like there's something missing.
And you can prevent the "running into an enemy from off-screen" by rolling. Pressing down on the D-pad puts Sonic into a ball state where you can go faster when rolling down slopes but you're also invincible against enemies.
A Blob
Ah, thanks for clearing that up!
You're welcome! Also, I edited my original comment because I forgot to add some things.
See, I'm not on board with feeling like there's something missing from a main story without 100% things. It should feel like when you have 100% things, the new ending should feel like it's extra.
And yes, rolling is of course the main thing to do. But still.
Rolling isn't invincible. You can still get hurt if you run into spikes or that enemy from the start of Metallic Madness. But it's a hell of a lot safer than running normally. Most enemies won't hurt you when rolling.
Yeah, the exploding eggbot in Metallic Madness is just, like, unnecessarily invincible to attacks.
Sonic Generations and Sonic Mania were examples of Sonic done right. Both were built around speed and momentum. Which make it fun to play and quite and enjoyable to watch. Especially skilled players.
Great take on a great game. You made some really great points. The only thing I could disagree with to a point is your take on some of the "breaks" in speed, like in Metallic Madness. The game can't be too easy, and you have to have some traps, and yes, even ones that require memorization and/or quick reflexes. As long as it's not on the level of Sonic Advance 1 that is.
Personally, I'm still in love with Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and I don't think it'll be dethroned any time soon, if ever. However, this game is pretty great, and I'll forgive it for playing it so safe with recycling Green Hill and Chemical Plant yet again. I hope they are allowed to do a sequel, and every level gets to be original. As much as I loved having Flying Battery come back, and think Ice Cap would have been a better choice for an ice stage than Press Garden (keep Press Garden, but drop the ice aspects) I think they deserve to go 100% brand new in a sequel.
Hey thanks for your feedback!
Yeah, I don't think I used a good example for my dissatisfaction with Metallic Madness, but that and Titanic Monarch, though are the last stages, still don't handle difficulty well. There's a difference between challenge and frustration, I find. I just think there are better ways than just crushing you to slow you down.
I agree, Sonic 3K is still my definitive Sonic game, for its gameplay and story arc. You should check out my Death Egg video, where I try to convince everyone that all four Genesis games are all part of the same story.
I also agree with Ice Cap over Press Garden Act 2. And I seriously think they'll do Mania 2, with more original zones (though expect this to take longer to make, in that respect).
Yeah, I agree with you on that to a point, specifically with Titanic Monarch. It felt frustrating at times, instead of challenging. I never felt frustrated with the classic games levels, and still think Sonic 3 & Knuckles have some of the best level design.
I saw that video actually, I liked the theory. It makes sense, and I think if they were to go back and officially revise Sonic 1 (like add the 7th chaos emerald finally) they would probably at least allude to it being built. Sonic 2 never shows how it got into space, he just flies up to it at the end, and serves as a cool setting to end the game really, compared to being a real level in Sonic 3.
Great minds think alike my friend! It could take longer, but then again, SEGA may actually throw more resources behind Mania 2 or whatever, and it could help them speed it up a bit. Who knows.
Huh, personally never found it frustrating
"you have to have some traps, and yes, even ones that require memorization and/or quick reflexes."
Do you really have to though? Quick reflexes I totally agree with, but "gotcha" moments that require memorization feel really cheap.
Agree with you on Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and would also love to see a sequel with completely original zones.
@@TJ-ck3fp It all depends on what kind of game you prefer. Some people prefer skill through memorization, some prefer skill through reflex.
This is a very nice and coherent video on Sonic Mania without too many skits that other game review UA-camrs do... it's so refreshing to watch a video on a game without forced humor, I'm subbing
That's incredibly kind, thank you!
I tried humour in a video once. It didn't work out. Haha! Well, forced humour anyway. If I think it feels natural I'll add it.
I really like your mixture of animation and game discussions. 2 of my favorite things! Keep up the good work. 👍
Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoy it!
Aw, the little dance you did at the beginning with the giggle joy was just so adorable ♥ I think so far this is my favorite iteration of your animated avatar. also the one that sits on the sofa.
Thanks so much! I did really like that avatar. Unfortunately he's just a bit too much work to do all the time at the moment.
Man felt like i was back i the 90s playig this game
The intro was just sublime - I did a Let's Play for this with a good friend of mine and we were stunned by how good it looked, and how it covered the characters nicely.
Only got better from there.
Also, really liking your animation style :)
Yeah, the intro was just what the whole thing needed. It's just the most passionate thing I've ever experienced.
Ahw, thanks!
Great analysis! The bit of polish in regards to the animation frames and pixel rotation was a great catch
Red Alchemy
Thanks so much! Your support is very much appreciated, and your feedback very kind!
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Gosh I love your videos so much, Dan. This video was no exception to the rest as it showed hard work and effort mixed with passion can make an amazing creative video on game design. Loved this video and can't wait to see more.
BluRosa
Thank you so much, that's lovely!
I'm glad I'm able to turn my skill and hobby into something entertaining 😍
we really do need a channel like this, that appreciates the smaller detail that normally goes unnoticed
I'm your man!
Great job on the animation! (Slight New style?) Loved the intro with you dancing.
ProTayToe Gamer
Thanks! It's a slight updated animation, yeah. Always evolving 😉
I would've watched this video back in august, but it took me forever to get my hands on Sonic Mania and I didn't want spoilers. Having said that: I love it! It's great. You bring out some tougher/fairer criticisms than I noticed, but I think your general impression was the same as mine. Thanks again for the videos!
Hey there!
Yeah, I'm the same with some games, I have to avoid certain videos until I've played the game.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you continue to enjoy my videos in future 😃
Bro where are your subscribers!!! This is such an amazing review and looks like you have put a lot of effort in your animation honestly I wish there were more content creators like you i don't see good content nowadays I'm glad this was recommended to me you just earned a new subscriber :) please continue to make more good content ☆☆☆☆☆
Funny that you review the intro of SM since the style and vibrant colors remind me of your videos' animated segments and general aesthetic.
Glad to see your channel growing. :)
Ahw, thanks! This was certainly one of my favourite videos to produce!
Wonderful analysis.
Btw, your editing and animation style is glorious!
I've been the early sub of many UA-camrs that are huge now, and I can tell you that you are exactly the type of UA-camr that will surpass at least a hundred-thousand subscribers. Just keep being awesome, your videos are amazing.
UltraJordanGaming
Thank you so much, that's incredibly encouraging to hear 😍
I'm glad you enjoy my videos!
Another brilliant video, Dan! As you know I'm not a huge Sonic nut, but you still make these interesting enough for the likes of me. It's a good history lesson if anything else! The cows should be proud- have you let them in yet?
The cows have come home, so now I can stop defending Green Hill Zone.
And thanks Ben, I'm glad I can make a not-so-interesting subject for you interesting!
Ben Williams
Looks like you're first, so you get a Crown: 👑
Come on Cows, wait, why are you watching me?! QUICK COWS, LETS RUN!
Wow, I like the new style, it's awesome!
Bloxed
Thanks very much!
I think this gets overlooked a lot: the original Sonic Mania stages all reference the 90s in some way. For example, Studiopolis is about movies and cable TV, which were huge throughout the 90s. Press Garden has the obvious newspaper theme, and while those are practically relics today they used to be huge. And Titanic Monarch... come on, the stage literally starts with a dial-up noise...
Interesting ideas!
Excellent video! Your work is always of high quality! : D
T2norway
Thank you 😃
How do you not have more subs? Your channel is amazing! Nice animations too!
Pass the Bleachaboo
Thank you! 😃
What a great video, I really love your animations as well. Thanks for another video :)
Edit: I'm talking as if this is the first video I've seen from you lol Awesome!
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy them! I try make them as often as I can without sacrificing quality. Was this the first video you've seen?
It was either your "Why We Love Classic Sonic" or "How Super Metroid Gets It Right" a few months ago.
Wow, this video is awesome! You deserver way more subscribers!
Thank you so much! 😃
Guy's voice - background music = perfection. Thank you for not shouting into the mic like the most. No distortion. Ah, my ears.
Oh, and I subscribed. Great formula :)
Thank you so much 😃
You're ever so welcome :D Not every day someone with loads of views replies to a comment. Major appreciate it :D
I love how this video about Mania is full of music from Before the Sequel. Subtle suggestion to give those a try?
Definitely!
That giddy animation at the beginning you gave yourself was adorable. XD
That Sonic Mania stream was a prelude to a party. I knew it. Great video!
Philip J. Fry II
Hehe, nothing gets past old Fry II
this is awesome man!
a perfect sonic game doesnt exi-
sonic mania: allow us to introduce ourselves
Hm, well, Mania was a good game, but in my opinion, it definitely wasn't that perfect.
It certainly had its flaws, and didn't quite hit the highs of Sonic 3K, but it sits there nicely with 1, 2 & CD
Good to see you off the couch finally lol!
Your final words in this video ring true.
I can truly hope Modern Sonic can also find his footing so both inerations of the character can shine together.
#Hopeatthespeedofsound
0:00 Did you draw that your self also that eeeeh you did was so adorable keep up with your animations they get better every vid
Thanks! Yeah I draw everything myself ☺️
Obviously yes. The only thing I wouldn't mind changed is the music during the Mean Bean boss fight because that one was really fun and plus I'm the Bean King! 😁😁😁
YAY! More Dan Root content!
mersunarytigre
😁
If this was Robotnik's greatest plan then why didn't he use the death egg again?
Hey man. I have been an early watcher of your channel and i have to say your videos are getting much better and concise, you used to take a little too long to get your point across. This vid was really enjoyable though, good job and keep learning!
Thanks ever so much! It's good to hear feedback, and glad you're enjoying the videos!
Why don't you have more subscribers? I mean, I seems like you put a good amount of effort into you're videos, good topics that's keep me interested the whole time.
GD JihN
Thanks so much! Well, I guess it's all about exposure in the right places 😁
This is a really good review! and sonic mania is a great game! Though Metallic Madness was always annoying and deadly. Really great review! The act 2s were always my favorite, but i'm pretty sure almost everyone does! Keep up the great work!
The music is perfect.
All I need to say.
Hey thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Stick around for more things coming soon!
Dan you really do deserve more subscribers. You put in way to much effort to only have 5k.
Thank you so much! I'll get there one day!
And now I'm on nearly at 75k subs!
Great Video!
It take AGES for sega to realize they really needed fans help making new Sonic games.
And it too you a "read more" to realize AGES is SEGA back spelled. Lol
Your animation is looking better Dan. I noticed that hand swish. As for mania, it's awesome, but I sort of hoped for more in the unlockables aspect. Still, great game that reminds older fans like us what made us love Sonic in the first place.
Logan001
Thanks! Yep, always trying to better myself every time!
Yeah, it's not a perfect game, but it's certainly the most passionate!!
Awesome Study!!
Great analysis dude. I like how unlike most reviewers, you went into how the Mania team evolved the core classic gameplay while keeping the spirit the same. Honestly, great job man.
Super Gamer61499
Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it! 😄
I absolutely loved this video. My only problem was the 3-4 second animation...transitions/skits(?). Now, this video IS three years old, so it's highly likely you've changed your style a bit. But please keep in mind how these tiny segments effect the video. They misdirect and confuse the pacing of the video.
Now, I love animation; I dream of being involved in animation in the foreseeable future. So please, don't take this comment as on a negative note. I just wanted to point something out to make your videos better (at least in my opinion).
Besides that, this video was very pleasant to watch. Hope you keep making awesome content, bud.
Thanks for your thoughts.
I'm not sure how the segments confuse the pacing, as they are part of the pacing, acting as review chapters, how you might find in TV reviews.
Ideally I'd have kept animating but it took up too much time
I am really enjoying Sonic Mania, so much to the point that multiple zones are fighting for spots as my favorite zone in the game. Something about this game just feels so right to me, not just because it's the first good 2D Sonic game we've had in years (or even decades if you pretend Sonic 4 didn't exist)
This is also probably the reason why a lot of the zone act two levels are my favorites, because they completely reinvent the classic stages we grew up with and throw fun and memorable gimmicks at us. For example, the great focus on forward momentum and the bouncy slime gimmicks are why Chemical Plant Zone Act 2 is my favorite. I might actually boot up Mania right now and replay it in Time Attack mode just to see how fast I can clear it.
One of the details that makes this game's Green Hill Zone so great: It offers something both for veteran players and newer players, for veteran players; picks up the pace fast; and as for newer players too, gives us a sort of level that has a bit more meat to it for players who are more used to the sort of newschool platformers.
To be fair, Sonic Mania did its story better than Sonic Generations at least. Generations had the whole level-remix thing for no reason besides the expected 20th anniversary, and we were given actual justification and plot reason as to why we're revisiting old levels in Mania.
Also, yeah, Tee Lopes rocked on the OST is almost all I can say. His music is so catchy and a lot of his work is so good that I can't pick a favorite track from the game's music and he totally captured that vibe with the boss themes...it's almost like the Michael-influenced Genesis ones where you had that catchy mini-boss theme that had Michael's signature vocal shouts. Though, the second you played that bit of music from Sonic 4, my almost-literal reaction was to scream "OH GOD NO TURN IT OFF"
Yeah, Sonic 4 just got it wrong in every way Sonic Mania got it right.
It's certainly my favourite 2D Sonic game next to Sonic 3K, as I'm sure it is for a lot of fans.
I think Chemical Plant Act 2 also has to be my favourite for the same reasons 😊
I'd argue that Generation's story was more coherent than Mania's. Generations had that monster who tore rips in space, and Mania's has that stone. But I don't know why he has the stone or what he wants with it.
Yeah man, Tee Lopes absolutely smashed it!
I've now cleared every zone except for Titanic Monarch Zone Act 2. That place is so fucking giant and threw me in for a loop, I got lost so many times.
Going back, I'm going to...agree on the enemies for Metallic Madness Zone. Not that they're intentionally horrid in gameplay design but they're so counter-intuitive (it's good, though, as it challenges you on how you typically handle enemies) to what most players are used to, logic wise and encountering them for the first time made me go "yep, these enemies are garbage and/or yep, these are gonna be THOSE kind of problem enemies'.
I get what you see about the other characters being the same speed as Sonic, but making them slow down will, in my opinion, ruin the charm of those characters as the whole design of the Sonic franchise is going fast. And if the other characters are slower than Sonic, less people would play as them / they might be seen as an "easy mode" of sort, kinda like how Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz got criticised for being too friendly.
When I saw the deluxe edition trailer last year I knew that this game was going to be good, so much heart and soul has been put on this masterpiece and I really appreciate the references to older games like Dr. Robotniks mean bean machine, Sonic triple trouble and so on. This game was made by fans for fans and I love it and I also love the fact that the developers behind this game worked on Sonic fan games back in the day. I hope that Taxman and his team will work on more 16 bit Sonic games in the future.
I think it established both a solid foundation to return to the 2D series, hire more fans in the future, and ultimately gives Sega the resources to revive other series using similar tactics.
SonicMaster Sword
It's certainly the best PR move Sega have ever done. Many could learn from this.
Absolutely. This is a true sonic remaster/upgrade. I don't think the people behind the sonic games from '06 to Sonic Boom understood this is what we've been wanting. Take what was already great, put all three Sonic games together, add new play and higher res graphics, add new types of stage obstacles and voila. You have a true game we've asked for. This is an amazing take on an old game but improving it dramatically. I can say nothing bad about this game. I hope with the new Sonic game coming to consoles in near future we see this passion and love for Sonic in it. I give this a 5/5 absolutely.
at around 9 minutes, i feel like "avoiding the intended punishment" is rewarding to a seasoned player, for replayability reasons. but yeah, those traps are very irritating, but its fun to know how to avoid them
Love the video and the animation for you're yourself is better then those storytime "animators"
Thanks. Which ones do you mean?
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy like theout1sout,jaidenanimations,and others unlike your animation witch shows movement between positions but sometimes they just squash there character then shows the other position
(I don't really know how to explain it)
Oh right, well thanks for the kind words. I'd suggest you watch this video though:
ua-cam.com/video/KmyINJvclhc/v-deo.html
He gives a good breakdown on those animators and their animations.
@@VideoGameAnimationStudy thanks!
Good shit as usual!
I'm glad that Sonic Mania_ is taking the web by storm! We haven't had a very good Sonic game in a while, so this is could help the series regain some more solid glory!
Happy 6K dude! :D
Thanks so much! 😃
No problem, and thank you for making amazing content! :D
Ahw, thanks!
I love the classic Sonic games but I agree that sometimes they can be cheap; especially Sonic 2. It's still a great game, but some of the enemy placement and the entire Oil Ocean zone are absolutely aggravating. You earned a sub! :D
Thank you! And yeah, I love the classic games, but they have problems.
I never was intrested in sonic before,but I really want play this game and it looks like so much fun.
That's really good to hear!
Loved the video dan. So sonic forces next? Or super Mario odyssey?
Tattier Verbose456
Thanks for the feedback!
I'm afraid I have quite a few ideas lined up next, it's difficult to fit them in.
At the moment I'm only taking Patron requests, which have to take priority 😊
The teleporting rock is kinda explained in sonic forces. But it still leaves questions.
I don't think it's fair to have to play another game to understand the current one though.
Yeah.
Tattier Verbose456 & Dan Root
The "teleporting rock" is the Phantom Ruby
GOTTA GO FAAAAAAST!
The remixed hydrocity zone music is so very great.
The running so fast that the camera can't keep up moments are a great feeling of "Wheeeeeeeeeeee"
Yeah I guess you're right. Actually Hydrocity's music I felt was the least remixed in the entire game, it just felt s little meh. And Lava Reef's was pretty safe.
This is good stuff :)
Terracorrupt
Thank you!
About that boss music thing.
I believe the mini boss theme is actually called "Danger On The Dance Floor."
OK whoever came up with that name is genius.
grew up with sonic
love all zones, music characters
Encore Mode’s color scheme for GHZ is based on Sunset Hill from Advance 3, which also inspired Splash Hill from Sonic 4.
9:14 ay but u got ur rings back
Yay someone noticed!
Youre character avatar is really cute :D
Heh, thanks!
good touch
9:16 I FEEL YA DAN. EVERY. FUCKING. TIME!!!!!
I just hate Metallic Madness
Never doubt Taxman and Stealth.
yeah
First time since the Sonic 3 & Knuckles combo I enjoyed a Sonic game this much... And yeah that was a long time ago.
Recht_voor_zijn_raap
As much as this game is an absolute gem, and the most passionate thing I've ever seen, I still think Sonic 3K handled the story and the flow a bit better.
Dan Root Thats true ... This game feels a bit more like a "greatest of" collection... But what a great collection it is 😁
Just a question, Dan, but will you ever cover Modern Sonic? I know it's got a bad rep, but there's glimmers of light in the dark in it.
Perhaps. My channel is going to begin focussing on animation and aesthetics in video games now, so if I do it'll be from a totally different angle than a review.
In regards to 9:15 the enemy is not poorly placed. The game is teaching you that there are some enemies in the level that can't be rolled into and may require the use of jumping. It's Telling you that metallic madness is not going to be a level in which you can recklessly go fast into. The game even gives you rings so that you don't instantly die. Other of the times dealing with enemies simply requires you to keep ball shape and spin dashing. In that sense sonic game's are more forgiving than other platformers like mario, in that you are often given second chances if you make a mistake.
I'm also upset that they didn't implement sonic rush's or sonic CD's camera, where the game shifts the camera forward while going fast (They should have at least added it as a menu option or something)
the unpredictable insta kill hazards that kill you without any warning (particularly while going fast) is often the worst aspect of classic sonic - and seeing them return here was disappointing.
overall an excellent game and I can't wait to see what the team releases next.
I think the story is pretty great. Getting sent to different dimensions is a damn good reason why we're playing through old stages that are different than what they originally were.
True. It'd have been good if every zone had a transition though. And if the ending was satisfactory.
yeah I can agree with that. I wish the ending did have a bit more but the final super sonic fight made it more epic. Without it is very lackluster. Just wish there was a trophy/achievement for getting the real ending.
I personally found the Super Sonic fight pretty lacklustre too. Not nearly as good as Sonic 3K. And the ending was the same, aside from him entering a portal.
I have to play this.
So hyped for PC release tommorow I know I'm going to love the game
Love the video Dan! But one thing, Metallic Madness is supposed to screw you over, it gives you that mentality that robotnik isn't messing around anymore, in my opinion it puts you in the role of a player, and gives you a chance to think for yourself.
Thank you!
Hmm, while I get what you mean, I don't agree. In this day and age in a game which is celebrating a franchise's most enjoyable bits by smoothing over rough edges for clean, modern, entertaining gameplay I'm afraid it just doesn't fly.
Menace can be portrayed in other ways without hindering a player's enjoyment. I get that it's meant to be difficult, but like with Classic Sonic, arbitrarily putting hazards in the way comes across as cheap and does nothing to boast design skills that _actually_ challenge you.
I just hate Metallic Madness.
Wait is this a new video and it's not Christmas yet? What's wrong with the world! Woop woop
The animation is so god damn clean,
It really is, isn't it?
you deserve more views
Hey thanks!
I would like to say that the Sonic Mania team wasn't just inspired by other Sonic Games but by Fan Games as well...
Thanks
gotta advance swiftly
‘I’m not saying it’
Gotta Go Fast...!
at least the blue sphere guy is finally happy
But, there is a story. I’m pretty sure the hard boiled heavys we’re digging up the phantom ruby/pink rock to power egg and weapon which then accidentally teleports you into new zones. But really, this is a great review and i think you need more attention.
Hey thanks so much!
Yeah, well the fact you had to say "I'm pretty sure" means the story didn't do its job. It needed to be clearer without any prior or additional research.
Still, it's a minor criticism.
Personally I've only had trouble with some of the flying camera wielding enemies in studiopolis so far when it comes to cheap hits, that I can remember. I wouldn't have problems with reacting to the enemy in the example you showed unless at max speed. It seems they always put you in a semi-automatic segment when you're allowed to go max speed so you don't really get hit at those points.
Yeah that's true, I probably could have used better examples of cheap hits. I think it's just because I don't like Metallic Madness.
Nice review, like the fact that you put in animation work to it. I don't agree with all of your points , especially about enemy placement in level design. When you cite later levels and say that they have more difficult reaction times required to avoid enemies, that is kind of intentional. It would be boring if we could just sail through the level before the final Zone and it felt like some effortless Joyride. I can't say there was anything really cheap in the game, but then again I've been playing these games far too much since I was a little kid. None-the-less that's just a minor gripe everything else was pretty solid.
Hey thanks for the feedback!
Well I've mentioned this to similar points in other comments, but 'harder' stages later in the game can be made more menacing and difficult without including cheap shots.
Yeah the game is meant to increase challenge as it goes on, but that's meant to test your skill surely? I don't see how taking away an enemy's disadvantage of being destroyed by Sonic's spin attack (I'm looking at you, Walking Egg Bombs) is meant to test your skill?
I'm just saying that level and enemy design shouldn't be copied and pasted from games from 20 years ago when the rest of this game has shown such brilliant stage design.
Dan Root improving your ability to react appropriately to an enemy is not an expectation I find to be a cheap shot. Over all enemies in the final stages tend to require a more precise approach to avoid damage. Areas also require better analysis before approaching them at a high speed. For instance, whenever you see spikes on a elevator that you are heading to and you don't know what's ahead, to me that's a big sign that says slow the fuck down and look at this. I will say that some of the elevators clipping together in the final Zone were a little bit annoying with squish deaths that felt unwarranted. But honestly none of the other enemies felt cheap to me in any way as much as they just expected you to either react to them quickly if you are running, which isn't hard since it's just a matter of jumping, or calculate your approach a little bit better. As for enemy design being copied from previous games, it's a mix of old and new, you know it as well as I do. I get the impression you just got annoyed by getting hit by these enemies so that combination of old of new became obnoxious for you in that part. Don't get me wrong I like your overall review, I just don't agree with your assessment of some of the enemies being cheap shots.
That's fair enough. I don't think I was entirely fair or showed enough appropriate examples. I just don't like Metallic Madness. Though it was more refined here than in CD by far.
Oh yeah no, the re-used enemy was a good thing. But yeah, I think I may have been a bit too harsh, but I'm just anchoring myself and giving the game proper critique and trying not to mindlessly love it (even though I really do) ❤️
ayy another vid
it is animated....
dang you must put so much work in your content.
Hey thanks! Yep, I certainly do 😊
Splash hill: Green hill zone again
Green hill zone (Sonic mania): New Green hill with water
Hmm...
I think that what Sonic needs are four things.
1. Sonic needs many more levels to play on in the game. Look at a Mario game and then look at a Sonic game. Sonic games have what, maybe 16-20 levels, a.k.a., Acts, in a typical Sonic title versus like about 90-100 levels in eight or nine worlds in quite a few of the Mario titles? Yes, the Mario levels might be shorter, but there are also more of them to play versus what you will typically find in a Sonic game. Could you honestly imagine a Sonic game that has as big of levels as Sonic 1, 2, 3, 4, CD, Mania, Advance 1, Advance 2, Advance 3, DS, Adventure, Adventure 2, Boom, and Boom: Rise of Lyric with the sheer number of them that are found in a Mario game? That alone would make replay value a good idea. Yes, people will also want to have a save feature as well, so I surprisingly agree with them, and it needs to be put into the game.
2. Sonic needs a wider variety of enemies to face in the game, and that also goes for bosses and sub-bosses/mid-bosses as well in the game. (The Kirby games would be a good idea to learn how to do that in a Sonic game.) Look at the vast hordes of enemies that Mario and company face in a typical Mario game and then look at how many different types of enemies that Sonic faces in the game. Super Mario Brothers 3 and the Yoshi's Island/Story games are good examples of this in action.
3. Tying into the previous point, Sonic needs more power ups in his game, and who better to teach him about it than Mario. Sonic typically has four different types of shields, a regular Shield, a Bubble Shield, a Lava/Fire Shield, and an Electric Shield, he has his knight armor, which only made one appearance in the entire Sonic franchise, he can turn into a monster of sorts, which was also a single game appearance, and he has his Super Sonic and Hyper Sonic forms in addition to jumping and various types of dash attacks. Yes, other players can help assist Sonic, but they are also nowhere near as versatile as Yoshi is in the Mario universe. Also, speaking of who Sonic needs to look up to when it comes to power ups, Mario would also be good to learn from in that regard and, as I said before, Super Mario Brothers 3 and the Yoshi's Island/Story games are a good place to learn how to do power ups properly in an action platforming game, REGARDLESS of it being 2D, 2.5D, or 3D, or if said game is pixelated, polygonal, or a mashup of both, as is the case with Minecraft. Maybe Sonic does not need to go so nuts as Mario did in that regard, but at least those games had practical power ups (and so do other Mario games) and, as such, they also adapted to enemies far better than Sonic does to the enemies in this game. Sonic, on the other hand, rarely goes beyond either spin dashing into his enemies, jumping on top of them in order to take them down, or avoiding traps, and that is pretty much 99% of how you play a Sonic game in a nut shell, and Sonic could, should, and honestly NEEDS to do better than that in a Sonic game. Sonic can also learn to use said power ups to make more puzzles that can be used like the old trilogy of video games starring the characters that are known as The Lost Vikings. While being as slow as that game is most certainly NOT an option for Sonic, at least it CAN make people that want to play the game think a bit more on how to play said Sonic games and it could also make Sonic games a bit more fun, as well as challenging, to play in the end.
4. Sonic honestly needs the Knothole Gang to make an official appearance in a main story Sonic game. I liked the characters from the cartoons and Archie/Fleetway Comics, but Sega Sammy, for some reason, is loathe and/orreluctant to put them into a proper Sonic title and that, to be honest, is damn shameful and disgraceful, as some of them have awesome personalities as well, such as Sally Acorn, for example. I also like the team aspect of the Sonic games that happened on the PC, PS2, Xbox Original, GameCube, Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360, so why not simply add in more team players into the game? Also, and this is somewhat ironic, but, as with Sonic in the game that is called LEGO Dimensions, what Sonic and company can do is simply implement more, shall we say, unique characteristics into different players and then have them be able to have things that only they can unlock in the style of LEGO video game characters.
The bottom line is that, while I do not wish for Sonic to turn into another carbon copy of Mario, Kirby, The Lost Vikings, or LEGO games, I DO wish for him to learn a few things from such franchises in order to make his games better in the future. What do you all think of my words here? Are they truly legitimate problems that were properly addressed concerning the state of the series or not? Thank you for your responses to my comments.
I'm gonna need a while to take all that in
I'd like to argue on the level design comments on Titanic Monarch Zone.
While that first enemy is bull things like the springs sending you back show how Eggman built it with the sheer purpose of throwing Sonic off his game. While that's not the Strongest excuse the fact that with hard work it can work out for you shows that it's designed better than say Sonic Unleashed's Eggman Land.
Also I've been working on making a UA-cam channel of my own & seeing you starting one in all the UA-cam controversy us very inspiring I find.
Matt K.
Thanks Matt! Yeah, it's been tough, but enjoyable.
I'll have to think of a full and proper answer on the Titanic Monarch thing
"Got to go quickly!"
🏃🏻💨
I'd like to see them make a second Sonic game with the art style from the opening video instead of the pixel art.
That'd be pretty rad. If you check our my other Sonic Mania video, at the end I show a fan game in the works that is doing just that.
Dan Root: Video Game Animation Study Nice! I'll check it out. 👍
I saw this video and immediately clicked out of another one I was watching to watch this. Not disappointed.
Meta Knight
I'm glad I didn't disappoint you!