There are those devs who would like to see decent Sonic games, though. The Rush games are proof positive of that to me. Rush Adventure stepped up the level design, but at the same time, bogged the game down with extra mission and collection crap.
I dunno how much the Rush games count in this light though. Dimps handled the majority of the development, and Sonic Team was in a more advisory role.
That's nothing bad to say about that arrangement, barring the fact that the main games in the series that could be construed as good in the last few years, have only been with Dimps' involvement. That much extends to the Advance games, too.
What Sega has consistently forgotten is replay value. They bog the games down with extra menial tasks/game modes thinking it'll extend the play time, which it does, but it also kills your desire to replay it. Super forms are part of replay value which is one reason I make a big stink over it. Another is how to properly handle alternate characters (see S3&K). Character abilities which are different and useful, but do not mandate a separate stage type.
Extra characters I may agree on, but I still think that Super Forms are just a novelty, at best. You get the ability that pretty much proves your mastery of the game as a bonus, allowing you to plow through the game even faster than before. It's cute, that much goes without saying, but that's about it. The game itself doesn't change up any to respond to your new plateau of power, and so it does more to me to be a bit redundant.
If they're going to bring such a thing back, then I would really hope they do more to make it worth the while. Make a separate play mode that can be truly built around the new power you possess, or something. Or maybe make it like in DMC, VJ and Bayonetta, where you TRULY had to do the damn thing to earn that power, and by that point, there's nothing left for you to accomplish any way.
Definitely agreed that Sonic needs more in the way of replay value, to stay relevant though. A level creator, like the Flash thing that's been making the rounds on the net? That'd be a nice start...
The problem with the whole sale-motivation mentality, though, that they'll keep doing what they're doing as long as it sells, is that you don't know how they'll respond when it doesn't. As long as it sells, they keep trying, and with little exception the soundtrack at least usually justifies a Sonic purchase. It stops selling, they might not redouble their efforts. They might just figure, "people don't like Sonic anymore" and let him die. See ZX.
Well, I think of it like this: If they don't read into what is the basis beyond public outcries, then Sega's marketing team is more incompetent than what even I would be willing to give credence to. And it would just prove more that they don't know what's really best for the franchise, and maybe an "honorable death" is for the better.
There have been far more deserving franchises that have gotten the ax, instead of a sequel. And maybe, in some form of poetic justice, it may be that better that way. As far as I and many others are concerned, Sonic might as well be dead. And unless Needlemouse sincerely turns the page, I can predict only more joining that number. That's how bad of a position Sonic is in, and as a (largely estranged) fan, it saddens me.
Although I will attach the disclaimer that I have not been, nor will be in the foreseeable future, able to play Sonic '06, I must strenuously disagree with that statement. JoD is worse than Heroes, worse than Shadow, worse than any new-age Sonic game I have ever played. At least the Sonic games look good. At least they sound good. And at least their control inputs have a tendency to actually work. JoD couldn't even get the damn Wii remote pointer right. The SYSTEM MENU outperforms it in control, that is damn sadder than any Sonic I have played. The only thing that even competes with that is Sonic Genesis, which is a port quality issue and not a game design issue.
Aesthetics-wise, is a difference of opinion. For example, I thought JoD had a charming OST, even if it wasn't as godly as the original's. To say the least, it's done more for me than any recent Sonic game's OST, short of Rush's. But again, that's a matter of opinion.
And while I'll give you that the Wii-mote control interface wasn't kosher, hey, that's what I thought the GC/CC controller options were for. Hell, everybody who was raised on the Saturn classic, and wanted to make sure they got fitting, "proper" controls, wouldn't accept anything else.
To say the least, JoD at least GAVE you the option to play the game the way you felt best. That's more than can be said for either Secret Rings or Black Knight. You want a true example of questionable controls? These games possess such in spades. I like how BK has input-lag on sword swings; that's a very BAD thing to have on what is basically the entire premise you're building a game around.
Thus being a similar issue with Unleashed. The Day levels were vibrant, fun and very well put together, but when it came around to the Werehog stages it became slow and all too unappealing. And i fear Sonic Team will make the same mistakes with "Project Needlemouse". They try too hard, which ends up hurting instead of helping. Sonic games are straight-forward for the most part, and that is what Sonic Team has to understand.
Agreed.
If ST were to just get the point that "less is more", we likely would have had a decent successor to the 2D games, and likely a "true arrival" of Sonic in 3D as well, YEARS ago.
And so, thus, we're truly at a crossroads. Either Sega has to be able to see the reason to just "return Sonic to his roots" (and actually MEAN it this time, with no unnecessary gimmicks!), or they're going to have to take Sonic in such a new, outright radical direction, effectively re-building the franchise from the ground up, so that they can actually have something solid to build on.
The former, is akin to why Rockman has done a lot to stay strong all these years. The Rockman franchise has offered numerous adaptations and changes over the years, and many, many sequels, but a lot of the base things that have made the games what they are since the NES days, have stayed the same. And for the most part, people have loved the series for that.
The latter, is why franchises like Mario have done a lot to stay fresh and relevant to this day. By and large, Mario has always done something to change things up and reinvent itself throughout the years. And usually, with a more fundamental focus in mind.
Either of these directions could benefit Sonic, at this point. Going back to the MD days would at least showcase that they really want to take it back to the roots, and all that they have to offer. We could even get nice, Rockman Zero like evolution that could really make for some nice level designs and gameplay aspects. Going Mario's route could also be nice, as perhaps Sonic is due for a true formula change beyond just relying on speed-based platforming.
Whichever the case...I just hope for the best. Maybe the fact that Sonic himself might be getting a re-design (that silhouette points to such a possibility) could showcase just what might be in store.
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