Sonic Forces' Classic Gameplay Doesn't Exactly Inspire Confidence

It looks a little better than Sonic 4, but not much. And the music is woeful.

It looks awful when you compare it to Sonic Mania especially, which continues to look incredible. Thought the same thing with Sonic Generations - the 2D sections just don't feel right as they seem to mix the worst aspects of 2D and 3D Sonic games and the physics just aren't right. Expect the 3D sections of Forces will be much better, but I'd still rather play Sonic Mania any day.

@get2sammyb that was the first thing I was gonna say that is awful.

the gameplay didn't look as bad as the music though - compared to Mania they shouldn't really bother with this.

Sonic has been rubbish since the megadrive, this is precisely why Mania has targeted that look and will likely be the first great Sonic game since that era

@get2sammyb Indeed. Also don't understand how they manage to make the 2D sections look so bad when the 3D sections at least look fairly nice graphically. Like you said it just comes across as a poor quality fangame. You look at games like Mario Odyssey/Galaxy/3D World etc and it just mystifies why Sega can't seem to modernize that classic aesthetic. Sonic Lost World on Wii U looked a lot better than this - at least it had some kind of art direction. Forces doesn't seem to be too sure whether it wants to be realistic or cartoony, and it suffers for it. And that's before you get to the gameplay itself.

Yikes...😧

I'm still optimistic tho. I gotta have faith! 😤

@SegaBlueSky Generations looked better

It sounds like the music is clipping like crazy... otherwise it probably wouldn't be too bad.

In terms of gameplay, the physics look pretty weird. I've always been more interested in the 3D sonic games (blasphemy, I am aware), so I'm hoping Forces isn't hurt too much by this.

The music is terrible. That "drop spin dash" mechanic or whatever it is called seems lifted out of Sonic Mania though.

@GlynCR Oh yeah definitely, especially the 3D levels, but the physics still prevented me from enjoying the 2D sections, personally. The music was my favourite thing about the game, which was superb throughout.

In other Sonic-related discussions...when the heck are we gonna get a new Sonic & Sega Racing game? Loved Transformed and really hope we get another one.

I haven't played a good Sonic since 3 and knuckles, and i don't see that changing. Ever.

@GlynCR no it didn't LOL. you're remembering it wrong, look it up. (or maybe you're remembering mods that made it look better)

the music is okay, definitely way better than sonic 4 and the gameplay looks standard..nothing new really.

@get2sammyb stutters worse on the YouTube app than on here

@manu0 for me personally the 2d generations levels looked nicer than that I played it on PSNow not to long ago and it looked better streaming

@SegaBlueSky I'd love another S&AS game massively underrated karter for me

The music sounds like some japan idol group theme.

@KratosMD I never played the first one but I know Ryo from Shenmue was in there and the Virtua Fighter guys never got why they were removed

The music is fine. But geez, the level design just does not inspire confidence in any way. It's too open, and the enemy positions are so awful and obvious. Also, Green Hill Zone again? Really? And Classic Sonic again? Really? Why not just make an ENTIRE GAME out of the boosting gameplay of Sonic Unleashed and Generations? The 3D levels look creative and fun! But this looks so bland in comparison.

The music does suck. Gameplay looks ok. I want Mania more than this though.

This music is 100 times better than that s?!) being played on the everybody's hotshot golf trailer.

Sonic team need to have a look why we are all hyped for mania. The aesthetic, gameplay and amateur nature of this trailer remind me of an endless runner type game.

reminds me of the classic Sonic stages in Generations and they were fine

but i agree on the music

Well good to see another wave you arent allowed to like what you want to like on the internet. Dope.

Looks better than Unity stuff and really? His legs are too far apart? Is this where we are at now people?

If ya dont like the game, bugger off and move on, PS4 isnt exactly in need of content

I'm not seeing the Unity fan project aspect part at all, and the physics look improved over Generations. The music is a little grating yeah, but it's no Sonic 4. This seems like reaching.

Funny how sister site NintendoLife posted the same video but is super positive about how good it looks.

@sketchturner With most of the comments bashing the game anyway.

They should just ditch Classic Sonic. Sonic Mania is already there to pander to nostalgia. It's not an anniversary title like Mania is, so what's the point.

this is dissapointing... Generations is one of my favorite games and I thought this was going to be as good as it but doesn't seem like it now

The music sounds like they took the music from the Scott Pilgrim game and put it through a blender.

I agree @get2sammyb, the music is horrible. At least there's Sonic Mania...

@Deadlyblack Haha that comment made my day!

Cheers! ^_^

We get it Sega, you recycle. I'm pretty sure I played this game back in 2011 :')

@RinCartwright But...Green Hill in Sonic Mania. Has recycled level layouts, a remix of Green Hill, and level mechanics from Sonic 4. But this? Nah cant have this.

Splash Hill with new music and level geometry and mechanics but an old aesthetic? Cant have that.

Hell, even the Drop Dash in Mania is functionally from Rise of Lyric.

Looks alright tbh bar the awful music.

If you see with the original Green Hill Zone song gets a bit better.

@get2sammyb I really appreciate your opinions, it's rare see a journalist speak something bad about games that may be popular (aside from rage cycles like Mass Effect Andromeda), Battleborn last year and now Sonic. May the second be much better than the first.