SEGAbits Forums
Gaming => General Gaming Discussion => Topic started by: Sharky on September 11, 2010, 04:30:19 pm
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Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has told SPOnG that the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise had "become too serious" during his absence as series producer and that the success of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games helped him go "back to the origins" with Sonic Colours.
In a revealing interview to be published later, Iizuka agreed with the sentiment of many Sonic fans about the series relying too much on heavy plotlines and character development.
Sonic Adventure 2 - which Iizuka directed - provided an enjoyable gameplay experience but inadvertently set a design precedent which would continue in Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog in 2006 and Sonic Unleashed.
"I was still based in Sega's American studios at the time [of Sonic 2006 and Sonic Unleashed] and wasn't directly involved in those titles," Iizuka said. "That was actually a good time for me, because it allowed me to see the Sonic games from a similar perspective as a fan's point of view."
"What I felt was that the franchise had become too serious and the story had become very deep, whereas I see Sonic as more of a laid-back, enjoyable and fun experience. I kind of rediscovered that through Mario & Sonic in a way, because that game was very much a 'pick up and play' affair that everyone can jump in and enjoy.
I think that's a better direction for the Sonic brand, and that's why Sonic Colours has a much more fun, enjoyable kind of setting."
Look forward for the full interview on SPOnG, where Iizuka clarifies earlier comments about Sonic Colours being aimed at a 'younger audience,' comments on Yuji Naka's departure from Sonic Team and reacts to diehard fans being more interested in the Wii title than Sonic the Hedgehog 4.
http://spong.com/article/22458/Sonic-Te ... ic-Colours (http://spong.com/article/22458/Sonic-Team-Mario-Sonic-Helped-Shape-Sonic-Colours)
Iizuka, Savior of the Sonic series.
(http://http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l7y37y7kCJ1qbvo5co1_500.jpg)
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Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it.
Meanwhile at Sonic Team's board-room:
(http://http://www.pugsplace.com/blog/image2/haveacigar.gif)
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This topic is going to be good
*Grabs popcorn*
(http://http://www.grimeforum.com/forum/images/smilies/2009/popcorn.gif)
who's with me?
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Hey you know what, I just realised I sounded like an absolute dick. I think that Sharky was prodding us a bit with the 'Haters gonna hate' pic though. :p
Okay, you know what: This IS good news, Iizuka taking notice of these things is a very good thing, and it shows that he's not too proud to point out that there are things people dislike.
I genuinely hope that he actions these changes and turns things around for Sonic Team. THey still have a long way to go of course (the quality of their games suffers from quite a few factors in my opinion), but maybe they really are moving on up.
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Unleashed was pretty laid back storywise. Did he even play it?
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It's nice he has at least figured the series is not aimed at the Final Fantasy crowd but they did that with Sonic Heroes too and then backpeddled to Shadow the Hedgehog. But his other interviews does not install much confidence in much else however.
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The whole gaia thing was pretty melodramatic IMHO
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I'm ALWAYS prodding, always. (And don't deny it's a great picture.)
I'm not someone that loves Sonic Team or is some kind of supporter of Iizuka. I just think the guy gets far to much shit put on him then he deserves.
Weren't people arguing that he was the guy that made Sonic 06 and Sonic Unleashed shitty when it turns out he had very little if anything to do with it?
For all the problems Sonic 4 may or may not have it is STILL the closest thing to a good classic Sonic game we have had in many years and suggests they are interested in fixing the series. Meanwhile Sonic Colours looks fantastic...
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(http://http://www.pugsplace.com/blog/image2/haveacigar.gif)
(http://http://www.strangecosmos.com/images/content/142421.jpg)
God rest his brilliant soul.
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Iizuka is like most other person who has been in the industry for a long time, he has his hits and he has his misses. As a guy who isn't the series creator, I'd say he has had a good track record from S3&K through to SA2 and his contributions to most of the Sonic Team Saturn games were solid. He has also made shitty games (you know 'em, no need to list 'em).
I believe that like any artist (yes, he is a creative guy, so he is an artist) he has the potential to go from mediocrity to goodness (or even greatness) again. Based on impressions, screens, videos and the general look of Colors and 4 I'd say both he and his team are worth receiving some good words and some kudos for the direction the series is headed. The dude DEFINITELY doesn't deserve some of the awful and downright psychotic things mentioned on forums like NeoGAF and Sonic Retro... and at times here.
Personally my "give the guy a chance" gauge is at a 73%.
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Weren't people arguing that he was the guy that made Sonic 06 and Sonic Unleashed shitty when it turns out he had very little if anything to do with it?
No none of us did, we all correctly said however he came up with Shadow the Hedgehog and NiGHTS 2. Maybe on other forums like NeoGAF but not here. Although Sonic Team were behind the werehog after SEGA America and Europe told them otherwise, perhaps that is what you are refering to?
For all the problems Sonic 4 may or may not have it is STILL the closest thing to a good classic Sonic game we have had in many years and suggests they are interested in fixing the series. Meanwhile Sonic Colours looks fantastic...
That is not quite true, it might be a 2D platformer but it is based around speed based action, whilst the original were based on momentum building, big difference in the two.
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I generally don't blame Iizuka so much as I blame Sonic Team in general. I do genuinely believe that Sonic Team right now (or at least at the time of Sonic 06) is the single worst developer in the history of video games.
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EDIT:
Sanus, the storyline in Sonic Unleashed is bloated and silly just like both Sonic Adventure, Shadow and Sonic 06... Sonic games shouldn't be about time travel, giant monsters, the apocolypce, different dimentions or the planet breaking apart because of an evil giant god thing.
Sonic games should be about Sonic saving some little helpless creatures, like woodland animals or even these wisps from Robotnik loony plans... Which should also not be too serious and not make a whole lot of sense.
That is not quite true, it might be a 2D platformer but it is based around speed based action, whilst the original were based on momentum building, big difference in the two.
But what I was saying was that even for what ever shortcomings you may find it is still THE CLOSEST to the classics then anything in many years.
Also, I think that is very much down to opinion... While I havent played it, Nuckles has and he had some good things to say about the pacing of the levels. But what ever... This thread isnt about Sonic 4 and I can't be bothered to argue with you about it again.
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iizuka thinks highly of colors
"In Sonic Colours, the team looked back at previous Sonic games and looked at the pros and cons of each title, and they hope they have addressed all the goods and bads in Sonic Colours.
"We believe that this Sonic game is as good as or even better than the 2D Sonic games."
http://www.gamerzines.com/wii/news/soni ... as-2d.html (http://www.gamerzines.com/wii/news/sonic-colours-as-good-as-2d.html)
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Why did you respond to me in this thread Sharky? I never posted in it yet!
On Iizuka being the "Savior", I quite disagree. The WHOLE REASON the series changed at all was because of him. He wanted the first major 3D Sonic game to be an RPG even, instead of what Sonic Team originally had planned - Something closer to the art and music style of Sonic JAM's Sonic World. Because of all of these changes, and how they dissolved them into Sonic Adventure 2 and onwards, I consider the awkward plots and strange character types of the series to be completely his fault, and the quality mostly lies within Sonic Team's hands. He cannot be blamed for bad controls and such most likely.
I love that he realizes some of the major issues with the series, but I am worried he might take it too far and make the series overly kiddy like Yoshi games instead of just being a general experience good for any family.
The vocal theme song of Colors alone is enough to prove to me they still do not really know where to take the series and they have a long ways to go.
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iizuka thinks highly of colors
"In Sonic Colours, the team looked back at previous Sonic games and looked at the pros and cons of each title, and they hope they have addressed all the goods and bads in Sonic Colours.
"We believe that this Sonic game is as good as or even better than the 2D Sonic games."
http://www.gamerzines.com/wii/news/soni ... as-2d.html (http://www.gamerzines.com/wii/news/sonic-colours-as-good-as-2d.html)
Although not from him, I heard this story before with Sonic Unleashed. That's when we knew something not good was about to happen...
My cautiously optimistic attitude towards this game has just gone down the sink.
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Counting your chicks before they hatch moment right there.
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Mines at 95%
I'm not a classic fanatic. I like the classic games, but I'm not going to cry my balls out because you need to use homing attack to get over a bottomless pit. (Sonic 4)
And Sonic Colors is simply amazing. It takes the slippery controls of Sonic Unleashed, makes them tons better. Takes out accidentally dashing(Common complaint when trying to boost/dash) Makes the platforming sections a lot better, and you can't skip them this time. Oh, who doesn't like COOP?
More like
No Werehog? I'm in Iizuka!
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Why did you respond to me in this thread Sharky? I never posted in it yet!
Urh, that was to Orta... My mistake.
The vocal theme song of Colors alone is enough to prove to me they still do not really know where to take the series and they have a long ways to go.
I agree they are stupid and I wish they would quit making the vocal tracks... but I don't think that is a make or break or even a big sign of how the games will turn out.
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The vocal theme song of Colors alone is enough to prove to me they still do not really know where to take the series and they have a long ways to go.
I agree they are stupid and I wish they would quit making the vocal tracks... but I don't think that is a make or break or even a big sign of how the games will turn out.
No, I do not think it ruins the game either. I just think that it proves they are not certain as to what they should be doing with the series. A song like that was never in the series as far as I know, and it turns off a large majority of people, just like all of the other games did.
Long way to go.
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The vocal theme song of Colors alone is enough to prove to me they still do not really know where to take the series and they have a long ways to go.
I agree they are stupid and I wish they would quit making the vocal tracks... but I don't think that is a make or break or even a big sign of how the games will turn out.
No, I do not think it ruins the game either. I just think that it proves they are not certain as to what they should be doing with the series. A song like that was never in the series as far as I know, and it turns off a large majority of people, just like all of the other games did.
Long way to go.
Well there was nothing like that in the 16 bit games because they were midis... But... Sonic Warrior? (Sega CD) and lets not get started on Sonic R.
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Sonic Theme songs were always corny.
SUPA SAWNIK RACWINGS
TOOT TOOT SONIC WARRIOR
SONIC BOOOOOOOOOOM!
Sonic Colors is supposed to appeal for kids, so I'll give it a break.
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Corny but fitting.
I have no problem ignoring theme songs in games but I'd much rather have a bad song about racing against Super Sonic or running around a city than bad autotuned fast techno or BJ.
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Fluffy, attack him! He made a BJ insult. >: (
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I hate dirty BJs.
(Bentley Jones made a remix of a song and called it "DIRTYreMIX", and I was going to post a video of the song to follow it up in this post to conclude this joke as a reference of me hating dirty blow jobs, but I could not find the song or any proof it existed, but because I love you guys and I was overly proud of this joke I wanted to make an explanation as to what it was all about as I know all of you dislike him and that is a neat reference, in my honest opinion. Anywho I know you are disappointed there is no joke in the place of the one I was setting up, but because I am a nice guy I thought I should help you all out, so I will tell you that Bentley Jones lies about his age and he is actually in his early 40s, it should be obvious with his receding hairline.)
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I think that the Sonic Colors theme is fine, although it's not as good as "Endless Possibilities", "Dear My Friend", or "So Much More" to be sure.
Gotta love the ending theme, too.
[youtube:s8b7xb3k]0Q6XISbwt0M[/youtube:s8b7xb3k]
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Iizuka still sucking, since he has not released any real good game YET!
And what the fuck fluffy??? This is Roll's theme song....
It has nothing to do with Sonic or Sega.
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Autotune is the new Europop. Deal with it.
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Autotune is the new Europop. Deal with it.
Autotune? You mean like the way the guy couldn't actually sing at TGS? xD
Even so, the theme itself isn't that bad.