Zero Punctuation: Sonic Unleashed

[Super Racer Z]

Sonic Rush for the DS proves that there is life in Sonic yet. I have a lot of nostalgia for Sonic, but had given up on the franchise early into there attempts at 3D. But Rush was great. It may be the only good Sonic game this millennium (Havn't played the second Rush game, though apparently it got good reviews). Before you lump this gem into the the rest of the garbage, Sonic Rush was, in fact, a proper, high speed, uncomplicated 2D scroller, and the semi-3d boss battles actually worked. And, I have actually broken out my DS just so I could listen to parts of the soundtrack, broken out the game again entirely for that purpose. Of course, it appears like some other group had more say in the games creation, so I suppose you could just say that the Sonic Team is the problem.

Unlike most sonic fans, I didn't like sonic rush all that much(meaning I don't praise it as the god of sonic for the 2000's). Sure it was 2D, and for some of you guys who can't take off your nostalgia glasses for one second this was solid gold, but it had many problems the classics didn't. The level design was basically the main problem. I'm sorry, but my idea of platforming is not being hurled off a cliff boosting too fast to see it right after I get a checkpoint. That was basically my one problem with the game. the level design was horrendous sometimes. I know there was some other stuff that was annoying, but I don't remember them and I have no idea where the game is.

 

[RazgrizInferno]

I long for the day when Sonic is turned over to people who can make good games.

The only good game Sonic's been in in this generation is Brawl. That makes the Sonic fanboy in me want to cry and cut himself.

 

[Patrizzle]

Good stuff, good stuff.

 

[ShogunGino]

Hilarious review(rant). One of the best in weeks.

That said, I keep getting the feeling that Sonic Team CAN make a new, GOOD Sonic game, they just get all the worst ideas of the pot and execute them horribly. I believe that a new good Sonic game is possible, but those responsible for the gameplay concepts must be pants-on-head retarded.

I mean, I liked Sonic Rush, and the two Adventure games, hell, I even thought Heroes was an entertaining romp, despite all the flaws of all these games, but COME ON!!

Also, from my research, game critics from websites and magazines have all stated that they think the Wii version is best because of its differences, and that the motion controls were actually intuitive. Then again, the individual is truly the only one who can decide if he likes the game or not.

And one other point, of course the dialog and acting in recent Sonic games is garbage, its produced by 4KIDS!!! Ever since they got their hands on the Sonic X anime, they've swept up all the Sonic games with their terrible scriptwriting and voice acting, replacing all the decent cast members ever since Heroes and Advance 3. I wish Sonic Team would take the licensing rights away from them...

 

[scienceguy8]

Allow me to derail the topic ever so slightly, then tie it all back together at the very end.

I am a big fan of science fiction, but definitely not Star Trek. Too clean, too organized. Life in space should not be like that. Instead, I became a fan of the Stargate franchise, which started with a movie by the same name in the mid '90s. Shortly after the movie came Stargate SG-1, a television series continuing the Stargate mythos for a good 10 years. Shortly after the 200th episode of SG-1, it was announced that the series would soon be canceled. I will admit, I was disappointed, but let's look at the numbers here. Over 200 episodes, ten seasons over ten years with no sabbaticals, breaking a Guinness Book of World Records record for longest running sci-fi television series (continuous). It had a great run and it was time to retire the old work horse and hand off the fame to its younger sister Stargate Atlantis.

Would I have been happy if the show kept running? Yes, but for how long? How long would it take for the magic to be gone? How long would it take until the show became unbelievable (well, more unbelievable than aliens, super-heavy nuclear material, and two story tall rings that ship you halfway across the galaxy)?

I don't know who said it, but it pretty much sums up this little tangential comment: "Always leave the audience wanting more."

 

[Xanadu84]

Nah, I was ready to call Rush terrible. But I really liked it. Sonic games have always kinda played themselves to a certain degree, and you sit back and enjoy the spectacle. This one was just faster then the others, and was focused on evoking a certain, well, Rush. And for some reason I don't entirely understand myself, I honestly enjoyed playing Blaze the Cat. I enjoyed the multiple paths through each level, always felt like I was striveing for the best route, thought the levels were distinctive and unique, the bosses were all very well executed, and with the stylus, it was the first time ever that Ive actually enjoyed the Chaos emerald stages. I would have liked it even without the nostalgia. I think people may not like it for what it was trying to do, but I think its a matter of taste, not the game being bad. It's like when Yahtzee reviews a Fighter, or talks about an MMO: We all certainly enjoy him ripping into the game, and can understand his perspective on them at times, but also understand that his tastes are just contrary to what fighters of MMOs try to do.

 

[Rahnzan]

Yay rage! Sonic is a dead horse but the Sonic Team just keeps beating him...with baseball bats made out of active grenades that were glued together. Also they're on fire.

 

[Mighty Oxide]

Angry angry review....me like!

And for f#cks sake Yahtzee will you please review Far Cry 2 and pour sweet sweet angry love all over it.

 

[Kain87]

Wow that was the harshest videos I have seen him do. And one of the most hilarious ones at the same time. Yahtzee is the man.

 

[drkotaku]

Yes Yahtzee the Wii version sucks! Thats because it's the only version not running on the new hedgehog engine!
Go play the spankingly ace 360 or ps3 versions!

 

[drkotaku]

Nah, I was ready to call Rush terrible. But I really liked it. Sonic games have always kinda played themselves to a certain degree, and you sit back and enjoy the spectacle. This one was just faster then the others, and was focused on evoking a certain, well, Rush. And for some reason I don't entirely understand myself, I honestly enjoyed playing Blaze the Cat. I enjoyed the multiple paths through each level, always felt like I was striveing for the best route, thought the levels were distinctive and unique, the bosses were all very well executed, and with the stylus, it was the first time ever that Ive actually enjoyed the Chaos emerald stages. I would have liked it even without the nostalgia. I think people may not like it for what it was trying to do, but I think its a matter of taste, not the game being bad. It's like when Yahtzee reviews a Fighter, or talks about an MMO: We all certainly enjoy him ripping into the game, and can understand his perspective on them at times, but also understand that his tastes are just contrary to what fighters of MMOs try to do.

Thats because Rush was ace and the music was by the same genius that mixed the Jet set radio ost

 

[Lord_Seth]

.

Yes Yahtzee the Wii version sucks! Thats because it's the only version not running on the new hedgehog engine!
Go play the spankingly ace 360 or ps3 versions!

You mean the "spankingly ace" versions that are receiving worse reviews than the Wii version?

 

[Velios]

Oh yeah, like we didn't see this coming. Sonic seriously does need to be taken behind a shed, along with Crash Bandicoot & Spyro.

 

[Yahtzee Croshaw]

This was one of the better ones, nearly makes up for the last, blantly fanboy driven Left4Dead review.

 

[Shanice]

Yeah, he seemed especially pissed off for some reason. I prefer Yahtzee as the smug cynic, instead of the really really pissed off white guy in the funny hat.

 

[Master Kuja]

Wow...I actually felt the hate in this one, makes up quite nicely for the Left 4 Dead review.

 

[keithburgun]

Yo. Yahtzee.

I've been a fan of you for a long time and I have to say this "gamedamage" thing is WAY below you, man. Far far below you. The master chief walking around town? What am I, 12? Oh good here's a Duke Nukem Forever joke this has all kinds of potential... oh... they didn't write a joke... oh well.

Also having the guys laughing at you on the couch? Dude, I love you and I watch your ZP videos every week and will continue to do so, but this gameDamage thing is NOT working out.

 

[Beanobits]

Yes Yahtzee the Wii version sucks! Thats because it's the only version not running on the new hedgehog engine!
Go play the spankingly ace 360 or ps3 versions!

To you and everyone else who says "he should go play the 360/PS3 version", he WAS playing the 360/PS3 version. In his review he stated he was able to change the voice language to Japanese, explore complicated hubs and collect medals in them and levels, have enemies regain their health after failing a QTE move. All of that was different or absent in the Wii/PS2 versions. I'm confused why his review showed the Wii boxart, reguardless. Guess he assumed it was the same in all versions...?*shrugs*

That said this was one the angriest ZP reviews I saw and yet the most entertaining. While I thought the game was simply mediocre, I couldn't help but nod and laugh after every comment Yahtzee made. Kudos!

 

[MasterCheifn]

So, what do you guys think? Would it be humanly possible to breathe new life into the Sonic series?

 

[Hiroshi Mishima]

Actually, now I'm left with another question.. why the heck to people keep praising Sonic Rush? I personally couldn't stand the game. I think someone else in here already pegged the main reason, which was the horrendous level design that sent you flying off into death at a moment's notice or the confusing level design itself that left you wondering where the hell you were for half of the stage. The Sonic Advance games were like that.

The Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 games.. were not like that, which is quite possibly one of the reasons I enjoyed them on the Dreamcast so much. Sonic Heroes.. eh.. Shadow.. good music, interesting idea, but it just felt like they were running Shadow's character through a meat grinder and wrecking his character more than they did Knuckles' by making him listen to Rap constantly (which was stupid).

I still think that it's possible to make a good Sonic game, I'm just not sure where the true fault lies. The people making the games for making them poorly, the fans for buying them regardless, or the company for not LISTENING to what people are saying are making the games unfun.