Bioware RPG In the Works for the DS

[CorvusE]

Bioware RPG In the Works for the DS

In what has to be one of the biggest surprise announcements of the year, Bioware announces its first project for the Nintendo DS. If you're eager to fall to the dark side on Correscant or wander the seas of the Forgotten Realms, you might be in for a bit of a shock.

As part of their move to focus more on a western market, Sega has contracted Bioware to produce the as-yet-untitled RPG featuring none other than Sonic the Hedgehog. Little more is known, other than it is expected to have a 2008 release date.

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[CorvusE]

I'm still scratching my head over this one...

 

[Joe]

I think it's hilarious. Way to continue diluting your only strong brand.

 

[CorvusE]

That statement might just cut both ways, Joe.

 

[Ajar]

What the...?

I saw "BioWare RPG for the DS" and thought "sweet, BioWare goodness on the go!" But... Sonic?

 

[Bongo Bill]

Interestingly, this is entirely consistent with the direction that the Sonic franchise has taken. Many characters, melodramatic stories, deliberate pacing....

 

[Sorcerer Arcane]

I find myself slightly optimistic over this. I throughly enjoyed Sonic Adventure on the dreamcast, and I would look forward to this if they make an action RPG where you only control sonic(or Shadow, and no, I don't have that inane hate of shadow; he's just a recolor of sonic to me) in large enviornments like sonic adventure(which I also liked; I loved running aimlessly throgh busy streets and the jungle). I can see that working as practically all of bioware's RPGs have been realtime(which I acutely noticed as I prefer turnbased combat). It's possible, but has a strong possibility of failure.

 

[Goofonian]

Interestingly, this is entirely consistent with the direction that the Sonic franchise has taken. Many characters, melodramatic stories, deliberate pacing....

really? has it been THAT long since I paid any attention to sonic?!?!

 

[Bongo Bill]

Interestingly, this is entirely consistent with the direction that the Sonic franchise has taken. Many characters, melodramatic stories, deliberate pacing....

really? has it been THAT long since I paid any attention to sonic?!?!

They're trying to put more fast in it but it's not working too well.

 

[Blaxton]

Yeah, I have to say, sonic has been moving into RPG territory. Though the story for Secret Rings was God-awful, some RPG type elements were put in there. There were skills and upgrades that you could unlock and utilize to make sonic more able.

I tried playing the old sonic games again, and I just don't see any future in the "hold forward till it hurts" formula. Short of something drastic like changing the genre, I don't see sega being successful with future sonic games. Secret Rings gave me the most sonic fun I've had in years, but thats not saying much.

 

[Goofonian]

Yeah, I have to say, sonic has been moving into RPG territory. Though the story for Secret Rings was God-awful, some RPG type elements were put in there. There were skills and upgrades that you could unlock and utilize to make sonic more able.

The impressions I read (I'm looking at you Russ) seemed to suggest that this was what killed secret rings. That the game only got fun after you had acquired all of sonics upgrades.

I'm still struggling to see how bioware are planning to squeeze a full RPG worth of material out of this franchise. Perhaps they are hoping that by making it for the DS is won't need to be as deep as what we expect from current console and PC RPG's.

 

[Arbre]

Aww... Gee.

I never clicked on the thread's link. I though, woah, cool, a Bioware RPG on the DS.

Then I looked at the other thread, Sonic RPG, and... huh.

Why don't they (re)do a super boosted Crash Bandicoot style game instead? Too old school?

 

[Tarmanydyn]

Just to quote myself:

Just imagine, 40+ hours of this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iNwTVbLsBik

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ACSoDvoYvhg

The simple thought that they're wasting time and resources on that garbage sickens me, as opposed to devoting more time to Dragon Age, the new Star Wars MMO, or even a new IP.

 

[Russ Pitts]

I'm of two minds on this. One of which agrees with my wife, that this would be the best possible way to save Sonic. Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast was fun. Unbelievable fun, and adding RPG elements to that kind of world exploration would make a great game.

My other mind, however, remembers how horribly awful Secret Rings was, and what a complete trainwreck Sonic Team currently is.

If they completely sign over the license to Bioware this might work. Might. But I'm not putting money on it.

 

[Goofonian]

One of which agrees with my wife,

Does this mean you've gotten married since radio ended and your personal life became less public again?

Congratulations!

 

[aegis7]

Just to quote myself:

Just imagine, 40+ hours of this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iNwTVbLsBik

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ACSoDvoYvhg

The simple thought that they're wasting time and resources on that garbage sickens me, as opposed to devoting more time to Dragon Age, the new Star Wars MMO, or even a new IP.

I must have had my head in the sand. New Star Wars MMO?

 

[Echolocating]

At first, I was a little disappointed because the Sonic brand does nothing for me. If anything, it's too juvenile for my tastes. However, after playing Rocket Slime for the DS, I know that fun comes in all shapes and sizes. If the game is amazingly fun, who cares?

I'm not saying that I wouldn't have preferred a mature brand for their first foray on the DS, but I don't blame them for entering the market while catering to a larger, younger audience. I absolutely loved Hotel Dusk, but I don't think it sold as well as other poorly produced titles geared for kids. Again, Bioware is taking a safe and logical step, I think. Who knows what they'll make after this.

 

[Arbre]

Eventually, we can believe that Sonic is in good hands with Bioware.

I hope it won't go into darker stuff as it did lately, with people pulling guns left and right. That wasn't really Sonic to me.
It just as evolved so much, in all sorts of directions, not all good.
Why repair it when it ain't broken?

Maybe the Sonic topic would need an issue of its own (if it hasn't been done).

 

[Russ Pitts]

One of which agrees with my wife,

Does this mean you've gotten married since radio ended and your personal life became less public again?

Figure of speech.

Also, you guys creep me right out sometimes. If I see pictures of myself in a bathrobe show up on the internet, I'll know who to call.

 

[rdeegvainl [deprecated]]

Well at least they aren't making sonic an MMO. cept that kinda sounds a little cool. everyone having there own hedgehog or fox or echidna. They would probably slaughter it though.