Open World Sonic Game

[Tempest]

I think an open world Sonic could work. Whether or not SEGA could pull it off successfully is another matter. If they took a break from releasing Sonic games every year and, like Nintendo, took the time (years if need be) to ensure the game was close to perfect, then I'd be interested.

People have said that the environments would have to be realistic, like a city. I disagree. Think what an open world Green Hill themed level could be like: you could have the rolling hills, caverns to explore, waterfalls to slide down, etc. Sort of like what Sonic Team did in Sonic Jam but on a larger and more intricate scale.

And that would be the major problem with an open Sonic world: each world would need to be huge so that those who wanted to explore could, but at the same times, those who wanted to speed through sections of the level could, in effect making racing-game-like courses to run through.

[brandman]

Where did you get the 4 from? Yeah yeah sonic is posing like Nico from GTAIV but this would be Sonic's first open world game... so no 4.

Ahem.

[flojocabron]

just did it on a whim.

used a gta 4 mainly. with a sonic figure for the head and an old comic cover for the mobius.

I tried making it gritty and violent, and this is obviously a joke. so dont take it seriously

I like your take on it though.

[pierrot]

I'm finding it pretty difficult to take this rumor seriously, although Sonic has gone through 6 very experimental years. Why stop now, right?

I'm pretty sure the fanbase would hate this style of Sonic game, honestly. It's a nifty idea, I just don't see it working well with Sonic. Essentially what you're talking about is a massive scale hub world, and I think we all know how popular those can be in a Sonic game. I don't trust any company to take Sonic, put him in an open world setting, and not degenerate the gameplay to fetch quests, protection missions and point A to point B time trials.

The example of Sonic Jam's Sonic World is a good one, I think. It's cool because it stands as a 3D Sonic tech demo on the Saturn, and there's a bunch of video, image and music archives, but spend more than 10 minutes in Sonic World without going into any of the museums and tell me it doesn't get boring. Do some of the missions in that time too. It's fun for a few minutes, and quite interesting, but I'd rather just play the genesis games.... That's pretty much how I see an open world Sonic turning out.

I'm not saying that this concept couldn't be made into a good game, I just think the amount of time and effort that would need to be put into it is something Sega wouldn't (and probably shouldn't) afford, because at best I see it meeting a controversial reception.

[brandman]

I tried making it gritty and violent, and this is obviously a joke. so dont take it seriously

Lol I was just joking. Wasn't trying to be serious.

I like your take on it though.

Thank you.

I'm finding it pretty difficult to take this rumor seriously, although Sonic has gone through 6 very experimental years. Why stop now, right?

I'm pretty sure the fanbase would hate this style of Sonic game, honestly. It's a nifty idea, I just don't see it working well with Sonic. Essentially what you're talking about is a massive scale hub world, and I think we all know how popular those can be in a Sonic game. I don't trust any company to take Sonic, put him in an open world setting, and not degenerate the gameplay to fetch quests, protection missions and point A to point B time trials.

The example of Sonic Jam's Sonic World is a good one, I think. It's cool because it stands as a 3D Sonic tech demo on the Saturn, and there's a bunch of video, image and music archives, but spend more than 10 minutes in Sonic World without going into any of the museums and tell me it doesn't get boring. Do some of the missions in that time too. It's fun for a few minutes, and quite interesting, but I'd rather just play the genesis games.... That's pretty much how I see an open world Sonic turning out.

I'm not saying that this concept couldn't be made into a good game, I just think the amount of time and effort that would need to be put into it is something Sega wouldn't (and probably shouldn't) afford, because at best I see it meeting a controversial reception.

The rumor probably isn't true, but you're right, you never know with Sega, or SEGA Sammy I should say, these days. It could be pulled off, but not by Sega itself, the fans would have to do it. Though most sonic fangames are 2D so seeing this as a project from a fan would surprise me. Yet it would be cool seeing a 3D sonic fangame.

Oh and Sega releases a trilogy of horrible mythological games that were horrible. They're not afraid of controversy, just what will make them a buck any more.

[pierrot]

Oh and Sega releases a trilogy of horrible mythological games that were horrible. They're not afraid of controversy, just what will make them a buck any more.

I just meant that even if Sega did a decent job on the game there would still be controversy among fans as to whether it's actually worthy of being a Sonic game or not. There'll always be the camp that won't settle for anything less than successors to the 2D Genesis style Sonic titles. Sega's just damned if they do, damned if they don't with Sonic at this point.

I don't think I've heard anything about this trilogy of horrible mythological games before.... What are they?

Edit: It occurred to me that you might have been talking about the Sonic Storybook games. Was there really a third one...?

[jfrost]

Yakuza x Sonic the Hedgehog.

[brandman]

I just meant that even if Sega did a decent job on the game there would still be controversy among fans as to whether it's actually worthy of being a Sonic game or not. There'll always be the camp that won't settle for anything less than successors to the 2D Genesis style Sonic titles. Sega's just damned if they do, damned if they don't with Sonic at this point.

Oh there will always be an outrage at whatever Sega, or quite frankly every business ever, especially in the video game industry. I just get the feeling that if they released a sonic game that contended for one of the best games of all time like the Genesis titles did, then most would shut up and give their praises to Sega. I doubt Sega will ever release an excellent Sonic game until they go back in the hardware business personally.

I don't think I've heard anything about this trilogy of horrible mythological games before.... What are they?

Edit: It occurred to me that you might have been talking about the Sonic Storybook games. Was there really a third one...?

Yeah I was more or less talking about the Storybook games. The third being the Sonic Unleashed game. Not really a story, but none the less a mythical infused tale like the two storybook games, and still crappy.

[pierrot]

Oh there will always be an outrage at whatever Sega, or quite frankly every business ever, especially in the video game industry. I just get the feeling that if they released a sonic game that contended for one of the best games of all time like the Genesis titles did, then most would shut up and give their praises to Sega. I doubt Sega will ever release an excellent Sonic game until they go back in the hardware business personally.

Yeah. Actually I think this is something that gets left out of the conversation when people say, 'Why isn't Sonic still in quality games like Mario?' Mario has always had the luxury of being on first party consoles. I suppose no one can say whether or not Sonic games would have still gone down hill after Sega left the console market, but I do think they would have had a much better shot at it had they been able to continue to make games for systems that they have a more intimate knowledge of.

Yeah I was more or less talking about the Storybook games. The third being the Sonic Unleashed game. Not really a story, but none the less a mythical infused tale like the two storybook games, and still crappy.

Ah. I kinda like Sonic Unleashed, though. Aside from the werehog. Good god I hate the werehog.

[Balasubbie]

Weren't the Adventure fields in Sonic Adventure basically open-world? I only ask, with requisite caution, as they were, by no small measure, one of two-things that held that game back from being a proper genre-definer, instead of a rough-gem. Very dull and lifeless, and I struggle to really see a point of not keeping the mainline Sonic titles as platformers.

The other thing holding SA back, of course, being the random-death camera that tended to shoot off like a snooker ball with the littlest encouragement.