Is the Sonic Cycle a Myth?

[Betamax001]

I thought the cycle of bad Sonic games started in 1991 and still continues to this day oh what better go to the burn unit because nothing takes out laughter in a person like going to the burn victims unit say whaaaaaaaaaaa

[TheRev]

Portable sonic games in that time frame were very good.

"Very good" is subjective, but either way Sonic games are like Zelda in one respect: the portable games very much take a back seat to the main entries. The GBA and DS games don't make up for Shadow or Sonic '06, not even close.

Well, You can't really say any portable Sonic from that time really sucks besides Sonic Genesis. Can you?

Am I in the minority of people that actually liked Shadow? Great music, Branching paths, interesting story (As far as Sonic games go anyway) Who cares that Shadow had a Glock and was bustin caps like a Gangsta. I still enjoyed the game. Shadow gets a bum rap.

Sonic '06 however. Shit needed more time in the oven. Silver's story was damn near unplayable. Sonic was glitch filled and I can't say too many bad things about Shadow's side of the story.

Sonic Heroes could have been great. But I think Sonic Team hired a level designer that flunked his Level Design class in College.

[dsheinem]

Console-based Sonic games sucked hard from 1996-2010. That's a long time in the wilderness. The games got progressively worse, the "Sonic Universe" got entirely more juvenile and asinine, and the gameplay elements (music, level design, control, etc.) deteriorated more and more from one entry to the next. The 2006/2008 games are the absolute nadir.

Since 2010 (Sonic Colors), the series has been basically rebounding. Sonic Colors<Sonic 4.1<Sonic 4.2<Generations. All these games are decent and do well to return to the series' roots, fix control issues, emphasize the right speed/exploration mix, etc. I've enjoyed Sonic games for the past few years, even after having abandoned all hope at one point that I'd ever enjoy one again.

So the cycle is broken, but it was VERY true for a VERY long time.

It is also worth noting that the handheld games/spin-offs from the main series have always been exempt from this cycle...there's more quality to be found there, but even those releases have some inconsistency.

[Nemoide]

Am I in the minority of people that actually liked Shadow? Great music, Branching paths, interesting story (As far as Sonic games go anyway) Who cares that Shadow had a Glock and was bustin caps like a Gangsta. I still enjoyed the game. Shadow gets a bum rap.

I actually liked Shadow too. I remember falling off the levels a LOT LESS than I did in Sonic Heroes. I got all the different endings, so clearly it managed to hold my interest pretty well! It's not one of the greats of the series, but IMO it was definitely a step up from Sonic Heroes and Sonic Adventure 2.

On the topic of more recent Sonic games being good, Sonic 4 was Sega's last chance. I was so let down by episode one that I haven't bothered with a Sonic game since. I don't care anymore, I want to play GREAT GAMES no "so-so at best games that have Sonic in them".

I did like Sonic Rush a lot. I never played Sonic Rush Adventure though, mostly due to the lack of Hideki Naganuma.

On topic: the cycle is dead for me. Because I have almost no interest in playing Sonic games anymore.

[3DSStrider]

[quote="TheRev"
Am I in the minority of people that actually liked Shadow? Great music, Branching paths, interesting story (As far as Sonic games go anyway) Who cares that Shadow had a Glock and was bustin caps like a Gangsta. I still enjoyed the game. Shadow gets a bum rap.
[/quote]
Granted I might have nostalgia clouding my judgement, but I enjoyed it. I thought the weapons were a nice change of pace, and the cutscenes and its attempts to be edgy went into so bad it's good territory.

[TheRev]

Console-based Sonic games sucked hard from 1996-2010. That's a long time in the wilderness. The games got progressively worse, the "Sonic Universe" got entirely more juvenile and asinine, and the gameplay elements (music, level design, control, etc.) deteriorated more and more from one entry to the next. The 2006/2008 games are the absolute nadir.

What's your Beef with Sonic Adventure 1 and 2? I understand that Maybe Sonic R wasn't a taste everyone could enjoy but Sonic Adventure was for it's time Amazing it hasn't aged as well and Big can die in a fire But the Two Sonic Adventures are good and Sonic Adventure 2 dare I call it a Masterpiece.

No 31 year old should be as hooked on Chao raising as I am.

[AppleQueso]

Am I in the minority of people that actually liked Shadow? Great music, Branching paths, interesting story (As far as Sonic games go anyway) Who cares that Shadow had a Glock and was bustin caps like a Gangsta. I still enjoyed the game. Shadow gets a bum rap.

I actually liked Shadow too. I remember falling off the levels a LOT LESS than I did in Sonic Heroes. I got all the different endings, so clearly it managed to hold my interest pretty well! It's not one of the greats of the series, but IMO it was definitely a step up from Sonic Heroes and Sonic Adventure 2.

On the topic of more recent Sonic games being good, Sonic 4 was Sega's last chance. I was so let down by episode one that I haven't bothered with a Sonic game since. I don't care anymore, I want to play GREAT GAMES no "so-so at best games that have Sonic in them".

I did like Sonic Rush a lot. I never played Sonic Rush Adventure though, mostly due to the lack of Hideki Naganuma.

On topic: the cycle is dead for me. Because I have almost no interest in playing Sonic games anymore.

I guess the fact that Colors and Generations have gotten almost universal praise wouldn't sway you at all? Because it's not like people were calling 4 a great game or anything, lots of people hated it. Virtually everyone who's a fan of Sonic seemed to enjoy Colors and Generations, especially Generations.

[AppleQueso]

Console-based Sonic games sucked hard from 1996-2010. That's a long time in the wilderness. The games got progressively worse, the "Sonic Universe" got entirely more juvenile and asinine, and the gameplay elements (music, level design, control, etc.) deteriorated more and more from one entry to the next. The 2006/2008 games are the absolute nadir.

What's your Beef with Sonic Adventure 1 and 2? I understand that Maybe Sonic R wasn't a taste everyone could enjoy but Sonic Adventure was for it's time Amazing it hasn't aged as well and Big can die in a fire But the Two Sonic Adventures are good and Sonic Adventure 2 dare I call it a Masterpiece.

No 31 year old should be as hooked on Chao raising as I am.

The Knuckles/Rouge levels alone prevent Sonic Adventure 2 from being anything close to a "masterpiece". There are plenty of problems with the rest of the game anyway.

[TheRev]

Thank the Knuckles in space level is what inspired this thread. That level is pissing me off and the timed Rouge level is REALLY pissing me off. But it doesn't hurt the game that much. Big in SA 1 was worse than anything in SA2.

[MulishaSoldier929]

I enjoyed Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 but only the Sonic/Shadow levels. Kinda wish they could have cut out all the "other" playable character garbage and just used that space for more Sonic. Or do the other characters some justice and not have Knuckles running around finding dumb emerald shards the entire game.

Haven't played Sonic 4 at all but from what I saw and heard from friends I am not interested. Not sure why Sega couldn't make a Sonic like the "Sonic Fan Remix" that has up to date graphics with that old school feel. Which IMO is what every Sonic fan at heart wants. Sonic 4 just looks so bland compared to this. With some game mechanic polish this fan game could be the best 2D Sonic put out since the Genesis days.