Sonic & The Secret Rings

[AndrewTS 0]

Ship date: Feb 20th.

 

If nothing else, it appears that finally it's a 3D Sonic that isn't terrible:

 

EGM In-depth preview Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86q392lxLEo

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gAIaNaVmJ8

 

Although it appears there are worthwhile gripes--missions that sound like they're not fun in the slightest (and there are enough of them to really lower somebody's opinion of the game overall). However, the core gameplay seems really solid.

 

Looks like at least a great rental, though.

[LJSexay 0]

I *really* want to play this game. IGM is saying it's the best Sonic game since Sonic Adventure - made back in 1999.

 

Of course I'd need a wii first..

[Angles Broken Fricken Neck 0]

The PAL version hits our shelves in march, and i cant wait, its one of the few sonic games ive been excited about.

[BUTT 0]

Did I miss when it became internet canon that the Sonic Adventure games were horrible? You know, IGN and Gamespot gave those games great scores when they first game out. But now there's supposedly never been a good 3D Sonic.

 

IGN gave this game a 6.9. Another winner from Sega!

[Insanity 0]

Did I miss when it became internet canon that the Sonic Adventure games were horrible? You know, IGN and Gamespot gave those games great scores when they first game out. But now there's supposedly never been a good 3D Sonic.

 

IGN gave this game a 6.9. Another winner from Sega!

 

Surprise, another critically panned Sonic game.

 

Anyway, the first Sonic Adventure is good. Everything following..not so much.

[AndrewTS 0]

I wouldn't say critically panned. IGN is the absolute lowest score it's gotten: http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/...onicwildfire?q=

[Black Lushus 0]

forgive me for this question, guys, I haven't played a Sonic game since Sonic 2: have the ever explained the reason why he collects rings? In the first two, I just figured he collected them just because, but surely by now they've come up with some goofy ass reason why.

[daileyxplanet 0]

Wikipedia

Rings

 

One distinctive and recurring feature of Sonic games are the collectible golden Rings (sometimes referred to as Gold Rings or Power Rings) spread throughout the levels. This gameplay device allows players possessing at least one ring to survive upon sustaining damage from an enemy or hazardous object. Instead of dying, the player's rings are sacrificed; in most Sonic games, a hit will cause the player to lose all of their rings, although in certain situations (such as the Special Stages in Sonic the Hedgehog 2) and throughout certain games (such as Sonic Triple Trouble, Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic Blast) a hit only costs a set number of rings rather than the entire collection.

 

Upon colliding with a hazard, the on-screen character is thrown backwards and given a momentary period of invulnerability (represented by a rapid flashing between visible and invisible). The dropped rings burst out of the character in a circular pattern and bounce around the environment, flashing for a few seconds before disappearing entirely. During this brief period, it is possible for the player to recover some of the rings they lost. Generally fewer "recoverable" rings are displayed on-screen than the number actually lost (usually a maximum of around 20; fewer in Sonic games on 8-bit consoles, about 50 in Sonic Rush).

 

Certain causes of death cannot be prevented by holding a ring, including being crushed, falling into a bottomless pit, and drowning.

 

In line with many platform games, collecting 100 of these common collectibles will usually reward Sonic with an extra life. Certain titles in the series often reward the collection of other quantities of rings, often in conjunction with the Chaos Emeralds; usually, at least fifty Rings are required to access the Special Stages in which the Chaos Emeralds may be obtained, or to utilize a character's super transformation.

 

The origin of the rings, like the Chaos Emeralds, is never revealed during the game series. They are not often referenced by characters during gameplay, but they are used as currency in Chao Black Markets and and in shops in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). In Shadow the Hedgehog, Dr. Eggman collects them for prizes in his game-filled carnival base, and is distressed when Shadow takes them from him during the "Egg Dealer" boss battle. In Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow and Sonic will take turns fighting the final boss, the reason being one stays to keep fighting the boss, while the other says he will go to collect more Rings from an unknown source.

Despite being a gameplay feature in the video games, the Power Rings do not make as large an appearance in the animated shows. In "SatAM" and Sonic X, Sonic can absorb a ring to give him extra speed and power for a short while. In SatAM, they are found in a lake, which they are taken from by either Sonic or Tails (this is the only instance in the franchise where Sonic commonly wears a backpack for easy access). They are also used to restore free will those who were Roboticized. Also in this series similar Rings are used by Dr. Robotnik to incapacitate prisoners. In Sonic X, Rings are made from Chaos Emeralds and usually given to Sonic by Tails, apparently produced by a generator installed in the Tornado 2.

 

In the Archie Sonic the Hedgehog comics, the Power Rings are identical to those found in SatAM. However, the comics take it a step further, naming the Power Rings as a fifth element aside from the traditional ones of fire, water, air, and earth. Because of this, the Power Rings are eagerly sought after by the wizard Ixis Naugus. Massive quantities of Rings, gathered all at once or one at a time, can also produce a super transformation or other effects, such as communication with the Ancient Walkers.

 

A few children's novels and comic books claim that the rings were created by Sonic's Uncle Chuck to boost Sonic's speed and power.

[Anya 0]

Did I miss when it became internet canon that the Sonic Adventure games were horrible? You know, IGN and Gamespot gave those games great scores when they first game out. But now there's supposedly never been a good 3D Sonic.

 

 

It started a few years ago after DC had been dead for a while. When they were first coming out on DC it was during the peak of Sega internet fandom. Now most have given up and it's ok to publically bash them.

 

Plus with the first one everyone was blinded by it being a launch game.

[AndrewTS 0]

I think the Sonic Adventure gameplay seems a lot worse on Gamecube. The control feels too sensitive and it appears to have way more bugs (I'd fallen through solid areas a few times on GC).

 

Those are the versions probably most people have/are playing, though. I've finished Sonic Adventure without encountering any bugs/glitches like that.

[Guest Smues]

Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 are awesome. Everything since 2 has pretty much sucked. I have moderate hopes for Secret Rings to not suck.

[AndrewTS 0]

Well, check the link above. Reviews are in. It's a good game, but what is your tolerance for lame "challenge missions" and cock rock? If it's high and you liked the DC games, it looks like a go.

[fazzle 0]

I loved Sonic Adventure 1, but 2 was just dreadful.

 

SA2 was the start of the downfall of the series, as it turned into "Sonic and Friends, but mostly just Friends. Sonic might be in here somewhere, but we'll be damned if we let you actually play as him."

[Insanity 0]

I loved Sonic Adventure 1, but 2 was just dreadful.

 

SA2 was the start of the downfall of the series, as it turned into "Sonic and Friends, but mostly just Friends. Sonic might be in here somewhere, but we'll be damned if we let you actually play as him."

 

I wouldn't have complained about SA2's lack of Sonic if the other people you played as didn't have such awful missions. Especially the incredibly boring fetch quests with Knuckles and Rogue.

[AndrewTS 0]

I didn't mind the fetch quests in SA1. They took like a minute or two per level.

 

In SA2, your emerald detector would only find them in a random, arbitrary order. You could have started the level 5 feet away from an emerald, but you'd never know it until it was that shard's "turn" to be detected. What a stupid design decision.

[Guest Smues]

I wouldn't have minded those missions if Knuckles music wasn't so god awful. The first time I played the Aquatic Mines level it took me like half an hour to find all the damn pieces. After about 20 minutes rather than kill myself I muted the TV. The music in the rest of the game, however, is pretty damn awesome.

 

My big complaint for SA2 was tails being stuck in the robot suit. For Robotnik sure it was fine, but confining the guy who can fly to a robot suit was beyond retarded.

[Guest Queen Leelee]

The difficult side mission stuff worries me, especially since I'm really terrible at platformers.

 

Looks fun enough though, I'll probably buy it when it's in the $20 range.

[AndrewTS 0]

http://www.animelyrics.com/game/sonicadventure2

 

I sometimes hear the Pumpkin Hill theme in my nightmares.

[Invictus 0]

I rented this last night and I've played through a bit of it so far, so I'll offer some impressions.

 

The game is a lot of fun when it works, but far too often they completely screw you with the camera. For example, you're running away from some rampaging triceratops' and, for whatever reason, they put the camera directly in front of Sonic so you see the threat behind you, but because of the camera placement you cannot see anything coming at you as you run --rings, obstacles, etc. It makes the game far more frustrating than it has to be. Also, a lot of the challenges just plain suck. It's entirely trial-and-error until you figure out the lay of the course enough to get through it.

 

The music is pretty bad, but the voice acting is alright; not great, but certainly not bad. I haven't tried any of the tacked on multiplayer games yet, but I will later.

 

Anyone who is curious about it, ask away and I'll try to answer some questions.

[daileyxplanet 0]

On the topic of SA2, am I the only person who finds it infinitely retarded that the "Ultimate Lifeform" Shadow has jet boots?

[Thoth 0]

I have this Gamefly'ed. I'm tempted to keep it for $36.99, but every time I start feeling like this is a keeper, I have to do something in the game involving walking backwards, and I swear I want to murder the damn thing.

 

It's still a good game.

[CBright7831 0]

I rented this last night and I've played through a bit of it so far, so I'll offer some impressions.

 

The game is a lot of fun when it works, but far too often they completely screw you with the camera. For example, you're running away from some rampaging triceratops' and, for whatever reason, they put the camera directly in front of Sonic so you see the threat behind you, but because of the camera placement you cannot see anything coming at you as you run --rings, obstacles, etc. It makes the game far more frustrating than it has to be. Also, a lot of the challenges just plain suck. It's entirely trial-and-error until you figure out the lay of the course enough to get through it.

 

The music is pretty bad, but the voice acting is alright; not great, but certainly not bad. I haven't tried any of the tacked on multiplayer games yet, but I will later.

 

Anyone who is curious about it, ask away and I'll try to answer some questions.

Does Robotnik trick Knuckles, yet again, into thinking that Sonic is out to get the Chaos Emeralds?

[Thoth 0]

I rented this last night and I've played through a bit of it so far, so I'll offer some impressions.

 

The game is a lot of fun when it works, but far too often they completely screw you with the camera. For example, you're running away from some rampaging triceratops' and, for whatever reason, they put the camera directly in front of Sonic so you see the threat behind you, but because of the camera placement you cannot see anything coming at you as you run --rings, obstacles, etc. It makes the game far more frustrating than it has to be. Also, a lot of the challenges just plain suck. It's entirely trial-and-error until you figure out the lay of the course enough to get through it.

 

The music is pretty bad, but the voice acting is alright; not great, but certainly not bad. I haven't tried any of the tacked on multiplayer games yet, but I will later.

 

Anyone who is curious about it, ask away and I'll try to answer some questions.

Does Robotnik trick Knuckles, yet again, into thinking that Sonic is out to get the Chaos Emeralds?

 

Robotnik is the King of Persia, and Knuckles is Sinbad. So no.

[AndrewTS 0]

I have this Gamefly'ed. I'm tempted to keep it for $36.99, but every time I start feeling like this is a keeper, I have to do something in the game involving walking backwards, and I swear I want to murder the damn thing.

 

It's still a good game.

 

It seems to work for me fine if, when I pull back the wiimote, I turn it completely upside down. So, holding it the standard way, rotate it back towards you until the buttons point towards the floor.

 

It still registers strangely with the catapults, but works fine for just stepping back.

 

Anyway, I rented the game. I'm enjoying it more and more now that I'm beating lots of the challenges and acquiring more skills. Plus, there are several over-the-top setpieces, such as riding on a bullet you shot out of a giant cannon, surfing straight up a tidal wave, and racing through mid-air loops that are just too damn fun.

 

If I weren't short on cash, I'd go buy it right now.

 

Unfortunately, it's hard to really rate the game, since there's not really any recent bar of quality for a 3D Sonic to really compare it to.

 

The Speed Break is terrific. Press up on the dpad when you have enough pearls collected, and you go through a high-speed autodash that plows through nearly anything in your path. I didn't know Wii could do blast processing.