Topic: User Impressions/Reviews Thread

@RogerRoger nice review of sonic generations! I think I really liked the 2.5d demake versions of modern levels too. It was actually really cool to see them interpreted that way! I'm not sure if I finished this game actually, whether I got stuck on a boss or was overwhelmed by all that extra stuff that's non standard levels. Is there any content locked behind the completion of the extra challenges in the non standard level bits?

Also I think the 3ds version is a different game entirely. I think one style it uses is that of Sonic Rush. Check this info out first before you go and track it down though because I might be wrong but I do own the PS3 and 3ds versions and probably wouldn't have bought both unless they were different games....probably lol.

@ralphdibny Yeah, the 3DS version is both brilliant and a different game!

@RogerRoger ah damn! You were literally like 6 -12 months too late when you were looking. I bought 2 New 2DS XLs from tesco last year for £50 each, I guess they were clearing stock. I did travel many miles to find one in stock though (making excuses to do other stuff that far away when really my main agenda was to buy New 2ds XLs haha). I posted it over on NL because I thought it would be more relevant but I wish I posted it here now too :/

@RogerRoger that's fair enough, I barely play the 3ds any more. I used to play it loads for like the first 5 years or so of it being out but even with great looking games coming out in the last few years, my energy to actually play them has massively dwindled even with the better "New" hardware I bought a few years back (I mainly got it because it was SNES themed).

My favourite games on it were ocarina of time 3D (having never played the original before), it's one of the most 3D games on it in my opinion, I literally felt like I was inside Hyrule but then I used to do a lot of drugs back then so maybe that helped lol (alas, no longer!). Project X Zone was another I played all the way through and Resident Evil Revelations was pretty good. I used to do streetpass a lot as well, collecting puzzle pieces from hits and stuff.

More recently, the only games I played were WarioWare Gold which was actually brilliant because I love those games and Arkham Origins Blackgate because I'd just played regular Arkham origins

I've been playing paper Mario sticker Star for like 4 years too lol, one day I'll go back to finish it!

@ralphdibny Project X Zone is my guilty pleasure, it’s just so fun. I am a big Super Robot Wars fan though so it’s recognisable gameplay for me.

@nessisonett it was pretty good wasn't it? Just like super simple game play with a hokey enough storyline for a crossover to be entertaining. It got me quite interested in playing certain things like Valkyria Chronicles (I own 1+4 but still haven't played them lol) and also the original PS2 Namco X Capcom crossovers. I picked up project X Zone 2 for quite cheap a while back but never got around to it because I think the first one was about 20 hours long which is quite a long time to spend in front of a 3ds lol

I am a bit confused about the genre though because I thought it was a tactical RPG, but I've been playing the fairly but not exactly similar Gears Tactics and that's described as a turn based strategy so I dunno 🤷‍♂️, seems like turn based strategy is kind of an umbrella term that incorporates sub genres like tactical rpg

@ralphdibny I never did play the sequel either, definitely worth revisiting considering it has Yakuza and Fire Emblem Awakening characters!

@RogerRoger That's a really delightful anecdote to start your Sonic Generations review with, Rog! Very cool that you managed to form a connection, however slight, with the finished product. I can tell it's a source of joy for you as a Sonic superfan.

In general, the review was peak RogerRoger: conversational and jovial, but never straying off-topic; witty, but in a mostly self-effacing manner. One thing I really love about these hedgehog game reviews is that you're clearly highly knowledgeable about the history and design of the blue blur's various interactive adventures, and it really shows well in the way you're able to discuss games in the context of the entire series. I also appreciate genuine passion, which you provide in spades.

As for the game itself, I remember playing it when it first came out (there was a lot of buzz around it when it first released, and it remains one of the few 3D games that, as far as I can tell, is univerally beloved by Sonic fans), but my memories on it are hazy. It's one of those Steam backlog games I have to get to one day. The screenshots are excellent as always (what do you use to snap caps on your PC, btw?).

It's good to hear the game is newcomer-friendly. That seems fairly on-brand for this game, which, by the sound of it, is designed to walk a thin line between nostalgia and innovation, old and new. It's an interesting balancing act to try and appeal to two sets of fans simultaneously, although, judging by the ecstatic tone of your discussion, it seems to work.

It's surprising to hear the praise for a track based heavily in vocal work. The music sounds decent. I guess it'd have to be, seeing as how Sonic games are filled with rather iconic pieces to draw from. At that point, I guess, it's all about the quality of the remixes employed. I seem to remember the game employing different styles for levels between classic and modern Sonic.

The challenge gates sound fun. They might be padding, but I'm not sure that matters too much in a non-story driven experience. By the sound of it, they provide a level of gameplay variety. I'm guessing your tone would be more negative if the minigames in them didn't work well.

I actually avoided the 3DS version of Generations when I heard people panning it for being inferior to the console release, but maybe I should pick it up. I'm, well, not a 3DS game collector, but I'm very slowly trying to build a physical collection of all the 3DS games I want. It actually seems to be a launch year title, which I never realized.

Awesome writing as always! What games do you think you'll be focusing on next now that your time in hedgehog memory lane has reached its end?

@nessisonett I had a difficult time getting into Project X Zone, unfortunately, although I do want to revisit it at some point. It's a pity the vocal opening in the Japanese version was replaced with a more generic instrumental track.

@Ralizah PXZ is essentially the same gameplay as Super Robot Wars: Endless Frontier so I do think it’s an acquired taste, with crossover characters in there to grab new players. There’s plenty wrong with it but I found it to be just enough dumb fun to enjoy. Also worth getting Sonic Generations 3DS, it might be inferior to the console versions but that’s to be expected given the difference in scope and in fact, the 3DS version is extremely good for what it is. It also omits Chemical Plant Zone which is a massive plus imo 😂😂

@nessisonett Nice, thanks for chiming in on that. I'll probably get it if the opportunity is ripe, then.

I've never played a SRW game, unfortunately. I'm always tempted whenever I see one with a character from an old anime I like, though (like the most recent one's inclusion of Magic Knight Rayearth). Are they actually decent games, or do you just play for the fanservice element of seeing characters from your favorite anime interact?

@RogerRoger Sonic Generations is my favourite Sonic game. I'd just broken up with my ex and luckily it was during uni holiday so I spent days locked away in my room playing this game. Will always be a memorable game to me. It was also one of the first platinums I achieved. Thanks for helping me Sonic!

@Ralizah They’re rather complicated and deciding which weapons are best to put in your mechs is a bit hard but I do think they’re better than average strategy games. Turn based strategy is a niche primarily filled by Fire Emblem at this point but SRW is a middle ground between Fire Emblem and Advance Wars. The GBA games are great, still pretty funny that SRW OG came out in 2002 in Japan but only reached Europe on December 31st 2007, by which point the DS had been around for a couple of years.

@nessisonett oh right I had no idea it had fire emblem characters in it! I guess that's just because it's on a Nintendo because the main crossover is Sega Namco and Capcom. I bought another similar but more of the 3d style of these games from Argos for a pound or two recentishly called codename steam. I haven't played it yet but you can unlock fire emblem characters with the relevant amiibos. I was going to sell my fire emblem amiibos but maybe I'll try and unlock the characters in this game first!

@Ralizah PXZ isn't for everyone for sure but I think it is quite simple, I remember it seeming a bit complicated at first but i ended up not having to put much thought into it to be honest. Quite thankfully as well because I don't have a huge headspace for RPG elements in games, I always end up using whatever works best instead of faffing about with stats and the like

@RogerRoger oh yeah I forgot another 3ds game that I obviously love on every platform that I played was metal gear solid 3! I used the circle pad pro on the original 3ds for dual analog. I remember playing it while I was waiting around to be used when I was doing film extras jobs years ago (there's a lot of waiting around to be used on those sorts of jobs!)

Also a Link between worlds was pretty good and I also played a lot of Pokémon black on it even though that was an original DS game

@RogerRoger I'm not sure how good splinter cell 3d was to be honest as I never owned it. I think it was a port of Chaos Theory but i think it was a launch window release so it probably doesn't have circle pad pro support. I did have the original DS version though but I really can't remember much of it, just going through air vents in first person view. I also seemed to have lost my DS copy so god knows

@RogerRoger I've never played the GBA ones but I do remember them reviewing well at the time (I used to get the magazines). It's probably one for emulation as a curiosity to be honest. I don't think they really touted these ports as side stories or alternate versions back then, it was just splinter cell on game boy. Luckily the internet helps us find out more these days!

@RogerRoger 3DS isn't a "you had to be there" console, considering how many fantastic exclusives it has (and will likely forever have, because a lot of those games can't be easily ported to non-dual screen hardware), but it's also not something I'd recommend to a person like yourself who only cares about a handful of games that are also available in some form on other platforms.

I wasn't aware W10 had a baked in screenshotting tool. I know Steam does if Steam overlay is working, but I want something convenient for emulators and non-Steam releases in general. I'll have to look into that.

Ni no Kuni is going to take awhile to beat, I think. It's... a title I'm very conflicted about: incredibly charming, but some of the game design choices are annoying the hell out of me.

I'm actually not sure what I'll be discussing next. Probably either DOOM 2016 or Catherine: Full Body, if I had to guess.

I remember playing a demo for Ni No Kuni on PS3 aaaaaaaages ago @Ralizah and I really didn't get along with the battle system in the slightest

It's a bit late but that a real nice review of Sonic Generations there @RogerRoger! Sounds like a perfect little celebration of all things relating to the blue blur.

I'm surprised they haven't done another sonic collection and ported some of the PS3 era games over to the PS4 to be honest... I'd have probably given Sonic Generations a look then! Hell I'd even give the fabled Sonic '06 a go

That's a neat little easter egg too that you and a bunch of other sonic fans are in the game at the end Rog!

@Ralizah My print screen button wasn’t working for a bit but W10 has Snipping Tool pre-installed which can cut out a portion of your screen and save it.

@Foxy-Goddess-Scotchy They REALLY should have opted for either a traditional turn-based experience that gives player control over the entire party or an action system. The current combat system combines the worst aspects of traditional JRPG combat (digging through menus, long battle transitions/victory animations, etc.) with the worst aspect of action rpg combat (lack of full control over party).

The only game I've ever seen make such a hybrid system work well was FFVII Remake, which threaded the needle properly and created probably the best RPG combat system I've ever seen.

The game also has an absurdly zoomed out viewpoint on the world map, really barren world map design in general, forgettable monster designs, and the frequency with which this game springs tough encounters on the player without warning is getting old. I had to restart and lose $1000 recently because I opened a cauldron and some savage genie boss happened to pop out and attack me.

It's a BEAUTIFUL game, though. The presentation saves it in general. I'm also invested enough in Oliver's quest to resurrect his mother that I'll probably see it through to the end.

Probably.

@nessisonett I installed a third-party program that does that, but I just want a screenshot tool for non-Steam games that captures shots instantaneously when a single key is pressed, like on Steam. I'm sure it's out there.