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Sonic Lost World |OT| Too X-treme for the Galaxy

I think it's fair since naturally it's going to be drowned out in the NPD thread we should discuss it here, the game did 30k combined this month.

BUT, one person kindly pointed out that Gens 3DS did 20k in its first month and naturally went on to do 400k.

Pass judgement when we traditionally get numbers in March from Sega for the total then.

Also, sans Yakuza HD in JP, this is the only Wii U game from Sega (M&S is 100% Nintendo this time) so we might get a narrowed down look at how the game did in NA and EU on Wii U (unless Transformed sales will bleed into that number? Do Sega ever consider sales of games from the previous year in their reports?).
 

Zonic

Gives all the fucks
Trying the 3DS demo. Wow, you guys weren't kidding about the cutscenes being really compressed.

Sonic feels a bit faster and had some decent fun with the stages. I like there's differences to separate it from the console version like the different move, levels, and there being materials to collect (I guess in exchange of doing missions). Think I might pick it up if it ever drops to $20 or so.
 

LOLDSFAN

Member
Yeah I too played the 3DS demo. I almost fell off of one of those floating platforms. The parkour kept me on it so that was cool. Wish the demo was a little longer so I could get a better grasp of what to expect.

I'll probably keep it on the backburner and buy it once there's a fire sale or something.
 

MrXavier

Member
I'm about 3/4ths done with the 3DS version. I'm glad I didn't pay more than $18 for this game, it isn't worth the full price. As already said and a warning to anyone eye-ing this version, the first couple of levels are the best. From the 2nd and onward it's such a pain. Some of these levels are so tedious lasting 10-15 minutes during the first run. Frozen Factory is absolute HELL, I can't play more than two or three levels without getting fed up and needing to rest due to my hands cramping (I should get a 3ds xl).
 
Call me a masochist, but I actually loved Tropical Coast Zone 3? and Lava Mountain Zone 2. Those two grinding levels are the only levels that feel like good design and would just need to be tweaked for Lava Mountain Zone 2 for those specific jumps near the end.

The rest of the game is a bit of a chore to go and do the levels again. Except Ice Factory Zone 4 that one is alright once you get used to the ice physics and how you can't spindash on it.

I was always confused on how the Wall Running/Jumping worked. You couldn't wall run up and spindash up it right away. It has some timer on it that you have to wait before you can spindash upwards or else you just cancel the wallrun in general.

The game isn't bad, it just has flaws in the levels designs itself that make it a chore to play.
 

MarkusRJR

Member
God Damn. The quality drop is insane in this game. The first 2 worlds makes you think it's going to be good or at the very least alright, and then it slowly gets worse and worse until you get mad at the controls and poor level design.

So disappointed right now. As a major fan of 2D Sonics and the Unleashed/Colors/Generations style gameplay I hope they don't stick with this formula.

Also, what the hell is up with the momentum in the jumps? Sometimes I have no control in the air and other times I move too much. So inconsistent.
 

qq more

Member
Call me a masochist, but I actually loved Tropical Coast Zone 3? and Lava Mountain Zone 2. Those two grinding levels are the only levels that feel like good design and would just need to be tweaked for Lava Mountain Zone 2 for those specific jumps near the end.
I enjoyed Tropical Coast Zone 3, it was a fun little grinding stage, but I really do wish the rail lane switching mechanic from the boost games were there, it feels like a massive step down jumping and carefully landing on each rail. Granted, I never really died from rail switching, but it just doesn't feel that comfortable.

I hated Lava Mountain Zone 2 because of those damn minecart bombs that instantly kills you no matter what (rings, invincibility, etc are completely useless, you'll die if you touch the bombs, no matter what). I did like the concept of

God Damn. The quality drop is insane in this game. The first 2 worlds makes you think it's going to be good or at the very least alright, and then it slowly gets worse and worse until you get mad at the controls and poor level design.

So disappointed right now. As a major fan of 2D Sonics and the Unleashed/Colors/Generations style gameplay I hope they don't stick with this formula.

Also, what the hell is up with the momentum in the jumps? Sometimes I have no control in the air and other times I move too much. So inconsistent.

Which version are you playing? But yeah, I agree that the game really drops in quality a few worlds in. It's a very disappointing game :( I do however think they should revisit this concept again someday and really refine the heck out of it, it has tons of potential and the parkour thing is honestly fun to do when it's done right. But I hate how Iizuka (or someone else?) straight out said they're done with the boost games... I wouldn't mind if they go back to back to each gameplay style. Colors and Generations are some of my favorite platformers last generation.
 

MarkusRJR

Member
Which version are you playing? But yeah, I agree that the game really drops in quality a few worlds in. It's a very disappointing game :( I do however think they should revisit this concept again someday and really refine the heck out of it, it has tons of potential and the parkour thing is honestly fun to do when it's done right. But I hate how Iizuka (or someone else?) straight out said they're done with the boost games... I wouldn't mind if they go back to back to each gameplay style. Colors and Generations are some of my favorite platformers last generation.
Wii U version. I watched a full play through of the 3DS version and it looks like a hot steamy mess. The snow ball levels were the most insulting parts. The AI for the snowball looked like garbage and for some reason it would flicker around the screen.

The problem is that the whole concept is like they looked at Mario Galaxy and said they wanted to do that, then incorporated Sonic mechanics and Sonic Team quality. If this - the future of the franchise I'm out.

Oh and yeah, Sonic Colors and Generations were incredible.
 

qq more

Member
Wii U version. I watched a full play through of the 3DS version and it looks like a hot steamy mess. The snow ball levels were the most insulting parts. The AI for the snowball looked like garbage and for some reason it would flicker around the screen.

The problem is that the whole concept is like they looked at Mario Galaxy and said they wanted to do that, then incorporated Sonic mechanics and Sonic Team quality. If this - the future of the franchise I'm out.

Oh and yeah, Sonic Colors and Generations were incredible.

Ah yeah, I saw the 3DS version too and yikes it looks incredibly awful. I'm glad I skipped it because I definitely stopped liking the Wii U version after a while.
 
Wii U version. I watched a full play through of the 3DS version and it looks like a hot steamy mess. The snow ball levels were the most insulting parts. The AI for the snowball looked like garbage and for some reason it would flicker around the screen.

The problem is that the whole concept is like they looked at Mario Galaxy and said they wanted to do that, then incorporated Sonic mechanics and Sonic Team quality. If this - the future of the franchise I'm out.

Oh and yeah, Sonic Colors and Generations were incredible.

I can't agree at all that those games were incredible. It's the same lack of focus we see in LW that brought those games down for me. Colors especially, but Generations because 3D Sonic was the best part when 3/4ths of it was in 2D.

I want to see something similar to LW next time because it brought some fantastic ideas to the series. Sonic team still has the ability to bring Sonic back to the glory days, but damn if they don't always drifting off into some bullshit that ruins (read: makes it just 'meh') the game.

Continuing down the same path, Sonic's downfall will always and forever be that Sonic team can't decide on one style of gameplay in one single game. If they can overcome that, I have almost no doubt I'll have a new favorite Sonic game.
 

Zomba13

Member
So just decided to give this another try after giving up on the second level in the snow world.
Still can't complete it. Fuck it. Snowball controls like a pile of shit, spin dashes in the opposite direction I'm holding, bounces all over the place at a moderate speed and all other times is slower than a snail.

Sonic games NEED to have no fucking balls apart from Sonic. 06 had the worst fucking level in anything ever and was full of balls, this game has a stage where you are a ball and it sucks ass. Sonic Spinball was shit too.

I've given up on this game. Can't beat that level, controls to bad. Wasn't really liking the game either. It looks nice and some of the music is nice but it's pretty bad. My least favourite Sonic game since 06 and it's such a shame as Generations is up there with Sonic 2 as my favourite. Wish they kept going in that direction rather than whatever the hell Lost World is.
 
Sonic adventure 3 next hopefully!

They already made that

TkwBvnh.jpg


And Sonic Adventure 4, too

s4BhHjp.jpg
 

SolVanderlyn

Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
Frozen Factory is driving me insane. I keep going in pipes that keep sending me back... I must be missing something really obvious.
 

Tregard

Soothsayer
As someone whose only experience with a Sonic game was Sonic Heroes on the Gamecube, would you folks suggest getting Lost World?
 

qq more

Member
As someone whose only experience with a Sonic game was Sonic Heroes on the Gamecube, would you folks suggest getting Lost World?

I have a hard time recommending the game ever since I beat it. There are tons of other Sonic games I'd recommend like the 16-bit trilogy, Adventure series and Colors/Generations, just to name some.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
Yeah, invest in the older games from the Genesis/Sega CD/maybe Saturn and the Uncolourations games if you want to be really safe.

Though, did you like Sonic Heroes?


They already made that

http://i.imgur.com/TkwBvnh.jpg[/IMG[/QUOTE]
You forget that Christopher [I]liked[/I] Sonic 06 as its own product. Thus he sets it apart.

[quote="Sega1991, post: 90406094"]Edit: Haha, that's what I get for being distracted :P[/QUOTE]
^______^
 

Boogiepop

Member
...Okay. I've been getting all the red rings, and I'll admit it... Frozen Factory is pretty poorly done for that. Stupid Billiard Balls and Pinball machines! The 5th red ring in the snowball level is a really, really bad idea. Thank god I knew how to suicide there if I messed up, because god help you if you hit that checkpoint!
 
How does the 3DS version compare to the demo ?

Levels get a lot more narrow and start to focus on bottomless pits.

Poorly calibrated gyroscope controls get introduced for certain wisps and when you play special stages to win chaos emeralds.

There are TONS of stages revolving around the concept of having to unlock gates in order to progress, and gates will require you to do things like clear a room of enemies or figure out how to push or hold down a button

Levels get absurdly long, like 20-30 minutes
 

qq more

Member
Levels get a lot more narrow and start to focus on bottomless pits.

Poorly calibrated gyroscope controls get introduced for certain wisps and when you play special stages to win chaos emeralds.

There are TONS of stages revolving around the concept of having to unlock gates in order to progress, and gates will require you to do things like clear a room of enemies or figure out how to push or hold down a button

Levels get absurdly long, like 20-30 minutes

DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMPPPPPPPPPPPPPS!!!!
 

sonto340

Member
There are TONS of stages revolving around the concept of having to unlock gates in order to progress, and gates will require you to do things like clear a room of enemies or figure out how to push or hold down a button
I'm on about world 5 of the 3DS version and I hated the idea of the capsules with animal counters.
Probably the most obnoxious thing ever.
 

RobbieNick

Junior Member
I'm on about world 5 of the 3DS version and I hated the idea of the capsules with animal counters.
Probably the most obnoxious thing ever.

Agreed. What's so fucked up is that it starts off pretty damn good. Better parkour controls than the WiiU version. Then they start introducing that shit.
 

Lynd7

Member
I think the game is good, yet, it is rough in places. I feel if they are able to make another game in this style they will be able to refine it and make it great.

Sonic actually controls and feels better than he has in years. He doesn't have that slip and slide feeling anymore, he's actually grounded. While I enjoyed Generations and even Unleashed, that was always my main complaint.
 

MilkBeard

Member
I can't agree at all that those games were incredible. It's the same lack of focus we see in LW that brought those games down for me. Colors especially, but Generations because 3D Sonic was the best part when 3/4ths of it was in 2D.

I want to see something similar to LW next time because it brought some fantastic ideas to the series. Sonic team still has the ability to bring Sonic back to the glory days, but damn if they don't always drifting off into some bullshit that ruins (read: makes it just 'meh') the game.

Continuing down the same path, Sonic's downfall will always and forever be that Sonic team can't decide on one style of gameplay in one single game. If they can overcome that, I have almost no doubt I'll have a new favorite Sonic game.

I agree generally with this. I think it's funny when people say Lost World is an unfocused mess when Sonic games have been an unfocused mess since they entered the third dimension.

Lost World could have been a great game in my opinion, if it stayed closer to the bigger 3D levels, but there is a big focus on 2D and slower platforming levels later in the game, which some people don't seem to like. I thought they were good, but not really levels I'd want to replay.

Lost World is a pretty solid effort in a sense that it feels pretty polished for the most part besides a few minor nitpicks (wisps, lack of control instructions). And yet again, Sonic Team's inability to stick to a design and perfect it keeps the Sonic series from getting anywhere. Chances are that the next game will drop most of the new designs in Lost World in the next iteration. The bad AND the good ideas.

Personally I'll be interested to see the next Sonic game even if it's completely different, though. I do hope that they keep the Parkour system and perfect it for next time. Personally I'd like to see the next Sonic game on the next-gen twins (PS4/Xbone). No forced wisp mechanics and just straight up 3D Sonic levels in glorious 60 fps.
 

Zalman

Member
I don't get why Sonic Team didn't just stick with the formula they perfected with Generations. I kind of admire them for trying something new already.
 

Regiruler

Member
I don't get why Sonic Team didn't just stick with the formula they perfected with Generations. I kind of admire them for trying something new already.
The formula is the least of the game's issues. I want them to use it for the next game so it doesn't go to waste.
 

I Wanna Be The Guy

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
Just tried the 3DS demo and absolutely loved it. I'm definitely going to have to get it once there's a good deal on it. I take it the 3DS version starts strong and fucks up later like the Wii U version?
 

qq more

Member
Just tried the 3DS demo and absolutely loved it. I'm definitely going to have to get it once there's a good deal on it. I take it the 3DS version starts strong and fucks up later like the Wii U version?

From what I've heard, it fucks up rather quicker than the Wii U version... and the drop in quality is much more severe.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
Colors had alot of blocky plattforming levels that focused more on puzzling with the use of the wisps. Seemed kinda out of place.
That was the point of the game, though; its selling point was the wisp power. The game focused a lot on score attacking than anything else, and you generally got a colour bonus every time you used a wisp's power, especially for an extended period of time. The best way to S-Rank those is to use the wisps to your full advantage in order to collect rings/red rings and do it in the shortest time possible (which is what the Wisps generally assisted in doing).

Hence why Colours was more cohesively designed around its foundational mechanic. It was integrated within its scoring system so beautifully that it's hard not to say that it was unfocused in terms of its game design.
 

Riffled

Banned
That was the point of the game, though; its selling point was the wisp power. The game focused a lot on score attacking than anything else, and you generally got a colour bonus every time you used a wisp's power, especially for an extended period of time. The best way to S-Rank those is to use the wisps to your full advantage in order to collect rings/red rings and do it in the shortest time possible (which is what the Wisps generally assisted in doing).

Hence why Colours was more cohesively designed around its foundational mechanic. It was integrated within its scoring system so beautifully that it's hard not to say that it was unfocused in terms of its game design.

I just mean the small stages that re-use acts of before and re-arranged them. Oh and the yellow springs stuff. Those felt weaker.

Never said Wisps were wrong, just that use them almost like puzzle scenarios for red rings at times.

I guess these complaints don't have much to do with uncohesiveness tough...
 

Boogiepop

Member
Well, I wrapped up grabbing the red rings and doing the Hidden World+Nightmare Zone. And yeah... this part of the game doesn't quite come together as well as it should at all, and has probably damaged my net opinion on the game.

First off, the Nightmare Zone is crazy bland, just a quick boss rush with simplified versions of the first fights with the Zeti. It looks kind of neat, but that's about it. And the hidden world is just plain crappy. The first zone is stupid and doesn't give any indication of how you're supposed to "beat" it. The second is just plain flat and dull. The third one is... okay. But you pretty much need to go crazy trying to grab the rings to make it interesting. And the fourth is just awful. Really, really... bleh. Poor idea, and a really stupid way to "end" the game (fortunately I decided to save trying out Super Sonic for after this, and that was at least kind of neat, even if I'm not sure he really meshes well with a lot of the game design).

The red rings kind of fall into a general issue that's probably the root of damn near all the problems I see in the game: they really didn't do much of anything in terms of alternate roots. Instead, we have "alternate" routes provided by running to the other side of the tube, or what would traditionally lead to an alternate route ends up as just a shortcut or one of those gold cannons (which feel extra pointless). As a result, the red rings are either left right in front of your face and super obvious (I recall this being especially prominent in Sky Road 4, where I had no problem getting them all on my first try), or they're made artificially hard to get due to auto-run segments (which often have a checkpoint right after them!)

The biggest problem with the wisps (outside of some of them being slippery) is related as well. They went from being a crucial element that opened up paths to just kind of being... there. For the most part, they're completely unnecessary and just act as a minor, flat shortcut. They even made sure you would pretty much never die with Drill by placing respawning Wisps everywhere you can use it. And then on top of that they seem to have completely ignored the ability of players to hold on to a wisp and use it elsewhere. Hell, I realized the reason I found the Rocket to be so janky in 3-4 is because they clearly expect you to always just fire it where you get it.

Oh, and Black Bomb sucks to use (took me forever to just kill one enemy with the explosion, and I'm sure I'll never do the mission for 3),and they REALLY should give you a score at the end of the level in normal play like they used to (unless I'm missing something. I'm guessing it's left for Time Trial or whatever?)

But yeah, as a net whole I still think there's a lot of good in the game, and it's still a hell of a lot better than any of the stuff that came between 3&K and Colors in my book, at least on consoles.
 

Lijik

Member
Got the console version with my Wii U this morning and played through the first world which I had a lot of fun with. I think I'll hold off on posting more about it until I get through it since its fairly short and the general consensus is it gets worse midway.

Indigo Asteroid is fucking terrible. TERRIBLE!!
 
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