E3 2013: Hopes, Fears, and Projections

[Hawki]

Because until very, very, very recently (2009 or 2011 depending on who you ask) the SA games were the only good 3D sonic games. I've frequented Sonic forums and posed on a lot of Sonic news article comments related to releases. Never have I seen someone who prefers the SA "style and tone" to the classics. The "style and tone" of SA onward is pretty much just a crappy Saturday mornign cartooon from the 80's, complete with dozens of superfluous characters that no one cares about. SA might as well be the He-Man cartoons and the classics might as well be the real, deal Conan the Barbarian for all the silliness introduced in the SA games. No, Hawki, people driving cars down San Francisco do not belong in a Sonic game.

I'd actually include Sonic Heroes as a "good" 3D Sonic game. Course we get ones of...varying quality between then and Sonic Colours (or so goes the current consensus, Unleashed was the last 3D STH game I bought), but certainly SH was very enjoyable.

But those comments themselves, I've seen them, but I've never seen them attributed to the SA games. Usually it's been directed to the 3D games in-between them and Unleashed, and mostly due to gameplay elements. And this includes YouTube and message boards which I've visited frequently, and the worst I've seen are criticisms of gameplay elements.

Ask anyone what they think is wrong with the Sonic universe today and they'll list a bunch of things that were added in SA. Especially the characters. I've even seen a view YouTube videos on this, you should look them up if you really care.

It's kind of a moot point though. The STH universe (or more specifically style and tone) is not the same today as it once was. But most seem to attribute that to gameplay. I've never seen many comments on the 'stories' of Colours (enjoyable at the end of the day, but nothing special) or Generations (which basically has no story), bar wishes that they'd give stories the same focus as they did back in the SA days.

But at the end of the day, to each their own. It was gameplay more than tone that prompted me to stop purchasing the games. I'm certainly glad that Sonic seems to have broken out of the "Sonic Cycle," but it's more nostalgia than anything else that keeps me hanging around.

[TheEconomist]

During the classic days, Sonic had some alright story hidden within the games (Sonic 3) and the comics. Although that very, very likely could just be the fact that I was about five and *gasp* hadn't even played StarCraft or heard of WarCraft at that time.

I even once thought Final Fantasy VII's story was mind-blowing. Poor me.

[Hawki]

During the classic days, Sonic had some alright story hidden within the games (Sonic 3) and the comics. Although that very, very likely could just be the fact that I was about five and *gasp* hadn't even played StarCraft or heard of WarCraft at that time.

True. It's probably part of why I like Sonic Adventure and consider it to have the best overall story in the series (STH3&K having best overall gameplay IMO). It capitalized on the plot points hinted back in STH3 (fall of the echidna civilization) and, something I felt was lacking in more recent games, had high stakes and an 'epic' feel to it (Chaos, how Eggman constantly outmanauvered Sonic and co. until the end of the game, etc.). Course that might be a negative to some, but I enjoyed it back in the day, and can still reflect fondly on it.

[TheEconomist]

It turned SH3's story into a saturday morning cartoon. Not that it wasn't before, but it was made worse. Say, Samurai Jack into Spongebob.

[Hawki]

Not sure what to make of that. If you're making the argument that "less is more," then maybe - certainly Samurai Jack uses minimilistic story and storytelling from what I understand (only seen one episode directly). But I don't see how one can prefer the 'story' of STH3&K to SA1 when its "story" barely exists, and is barely relevant.

[DemolitionSquid]

Totally side-tracked by Samurai Jack; but Genndy Tartakovsky needs to be put in charge of every cartoon ever. The man is a bloody genius.

[TheEconomist]

Okay, let me put this another way. Classic Sonic's story is like a dimly lit room with lots of candles and beautiful decoriation. The music and the ambiance blend together perfectly, wrapping you in its warmth.

Then the lights come on, and omfg, so many cockroaches.

@Squid: Hmmm, I take Samurai Jack is as impressive as I remember. Surprising. Maybe I need to torrent it and relive the old memories.

[Alex06]

Xbox One Lineup at E3:
http://www.xbox360achievements.org/n...V--Halo-5.html

[TheEconomist]

fake and gay.

Wish that weren't the case.

[Hawki]

Okay, let me put this another way. Classic Sonic's story is like a dimly lit room with lots of candles and beautiful decoriation. The music and the ambiance blend together perfectly, wrapping you in its warmth.

Then the lights come on, and omfg, so many cockroaches.

Cockroaches? Surely you mean motobugs?

But anyway, fair enough. I guess when the lights go on, some of us find cockroaches, others find butterflies.

Xbox One Lineup at E3:

I've seen the image before at IGN. I'm skeptical in some areas, but that Spartan Assault is listed, a game that was only revealed a few days ago, I'm inclined to believe it's legit. Anyway, random thoughts that are in no way objective, but of course, come one come all in voicing them. Not that I plan to get an Xbox One anytime soon, and my next console will likely be the PS3 once the PS4 release likely drives its price down, but anyway:

-I can't help but be "meh" about the prospect of Halo 5 and Spartan Assault, something I wouldn't have said in the 'good ol days.' Spartan Assault looks okay, but even assuming its brought onto XBLA, it's basically a mix of Halo Wars units, Dawn of War ambience, and Army Men gameplay. Oh, and Sarah "Eggheads" Palmer is the protagonist. Yay. Honestly, given how much 343 is pushing her, I wouldn't be surprised if she's the protagonist of Halo 5.

-I'll give Rare the thumbs up for bringing back the Banjo-Kazooie series (admittedly only played the first two games) and Killer Instinct. a game I played once back on the SNES and didn't enjoy much, but hey, lots of people love it, so all the best to them. Rare franchises I'd love to see return personally would be Perfect Dark and Conker's Bad Fur Day, but hey, beggers can't be choosers.

-Quantum Break has caught my attention, but having never played Alan Wake, I can't speak too much from personal experience. Kind of put off by the use of live-action, but hey, gameplay might make up for it.

-Ryse = "bleh."

-Only played the first Fable game (and read The Balvarine Order), but I like the Fable series overall (at least as far as charm/aesthetics go, can't comment on gameplay), so I'm all for Fable IV. Still, I have to wonder how far Albion can develop technologically before it reaches modern times, and how long Teresa can play wry.

-I've no great love for the Call of Duty series, but having only played some of the WWII games, I can't comment on much directly. Still, I'll give Infinity Ward credit for at least doing something a bit different than the Modern Warfare series.

-Battlefield 4 is, unless it convinces me otherwise, spunkgargleweewee. And when CoD of all things is trying to get out of this territory...well, anyway, just a thought.

-The Witcher is a series I'd like to get into, but I suspect I'm too dirty a console peasant to break into it. But hey, certainly its caught my attention, so all the best for The Witcher 3.

-Beyond Good and Evil 2 = game that I'll probably never play, but given its history and its predecessor, one I wish all the best for, if only for the sake of its fans. Mirror's Edge 2 falls into a similar boat.

-Rainbow 6: Patriots is a game that caught my attention back in the day, but I have to wonder if the themes it dealt with are relevant enough now for it to have an impact.

-By way of games I'd like to see on the list, I'm most missing Titan (Respawn Entertainment's game, not Blizzard's), unless it's no longer an Xbox exclusive. I guess also part of me wants a Gears of War game, but with there being no way to continue the story after Gears of War 3, and Judgement being quite "meh" IMO, it's a part that's huddled away somewhere.

Anyway, just me. Respond, flame, discuss, etc.