The Successes and Failures of Sonic Unleashed | 3D Boost Retrospective
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- čas přidán 5. 11. 2022
- Sonic Unleashed HD is a pretty good time. Let's talk about it.
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All background music is from Sonic Unleashed.
Additional Gameplay Footage:
- Sonic Unleashed - All Main Day Stages (60 FPS Boost) [Xbox Series S] from SonixFan - Hry
I explain later in the video, but I figured I would pin an explanation for why, sometimes, it looks like you're seeing Generations footage, rather than Unleashed HD footage:
For recording my own footage for this video, I used a mod for Generations called The Unleashed Project, which is a recreation of the Unleashed Stages inside Generations. While there are minor differences in the levels at certain points, they are nearly identical. However, the games' physics are different, so it isn't entirely fair to use The Unleashed Project as a way to review this game. Unfortunately, since I have no way to record my own footage on my PS3, I opted to record my own footage using that Generations mod - but I still completed these stages in the original game. So, though the footage is sometimes showing the mod, the basis of my review primarily stems from playing these levels in the original game. Basically, the mod was just used for the sake of recording some of my own footage.
yeah, I kinda jumped the gun on that one.
Took me a second, and then I heard you explain it and was like "well now don't I have egg on my face?"
If the issue of recording from PS3 is from the protection it has, that's only through HDMI. If you use component cables it bypasses that and is still 1080p. Though I understand that's an extra cost and may require an additional component to HDMI converter like I use.
(I haven't watched the video yet, queued it up for when I make dinner)
Yeah it was moreso the extra cost not being worthwhile for me at this time, but I appreciate that info in case I ever want to record from it in the future and decide it's something I want to do!
I’m a little late but that fps is lowkey trash for what u were talking about around 3 min mark so maybe a more stable fps can help. Idk I’m into human reaction time cuz I played devil may cry which I hope u make a video on but reactions ig are just like do it to me in video games
@@Lowart Yeah, no worries, I figured I would at least say it because the majority of people don't know you could get around it like that. I've ended up helping a lot of other streamers who wanted to do PS3 stuff who ran into that issue and wondered how I did it
My favorite 3D Sonic game tbh, kinda sad how only Generations gets on the same level of quality after its release
Based pfp.
Also I'm playing Frontiers and it's awesome
Same, though after all these years I feel like Colours was closer than Generations
@@nowun6043 I think Colors is pretty bad tbh, it's the functional (to remove 06, boom and 4 ep 1 out of the equation) Sonic game I dislike the most, so I don't really see it that way
@VinceSM Unleashed wasn't challenging though
Part of me likes how long and difficult eggmanland is, it's this place that's been foreshadowed for ages now and to see it in it's full glory it lives up to it's name
I love that this channel is always talking about something different but it’s always something I’m into
Exact same for me, FMA, Ben 10, Teen Titans, Young Justice, Sonic, to just name a few. This guy discusses a lot of things I'm into
How does a floating eye talk?
I think you hit the nail right on the head, you highlighted a lot of my issues with Unleashed's boost gameplay, but honestly it's still a toss-up for me as to whether or not these stages are better than Generations'. The controls definitely improve, but the level design philosophy changes drastically. Gens greatly lowers the challenge and focuses a lot more on generic 2D and less interesting 3D platforming. The multiple pathways are appreciated and make replays more interesting, but they've become conflated with good boost gameplay, and that's not true. Unleashed feels more like a realized vision; true reflex testing obstacle courses that push Sonic gameplay to its limit. Gens feels like its catering towards people who complained about Unleashed being too hard and not having enough platforming, so it compromises itself a little. It has it's other benefits over Unleashed, but it feels more like a divergence than an evolution.
And with Gens having no story or atmosphere and being as short as it is, it's hard for me to say it's the better game. Unleashed just ticks every other box for me: the story, the immersion, the scale, the sense of adventure, the characters. Hell just look at the opening cutscene, it might just be one of the best in all of gaming. It's kind of a Super Mario Galaxy 1 vs 2 issue: Which is worth more, pure gameplay, or a complete experience? It kinda varies from person to person, which is probably why Unleashed is as divisive as it is.
Gens is more apporachable and was designed to be appealing. Unleashed dares to carve it's own path and has it's own identity, and I think that's why so many people like me gravitate towards it.
i like that you dont stay in one niche, you jump from games to shows to movies to whatever
Unleashed is a game which I think is a bit more niche. If you like it, you really like it, and if you dislike it, you can almost hate it. I think that is due to the difficulty curve. If you enjoy the gameplay and learn the ins and outs, it feels awesome to master stages, arguably the most satisfying of all the boost games. However it is punishing which is why many dislike it and will see it as unfair level design which I respect but disagree with. Personally it’s my fav sonic game and don’t see that changing any time soon
A lot of the issues you pointed out with SUHD are the very same problems that I have with future games. The level designs are cool, but they don't add too many new things to really keep me interested. Grind rails aren't as stylish anymore because of how they don't fit into environments anymore. Enemies don't feel threatening in boost games. The list goes on. As fun as the boost games can be on a first playthrough, they quickly lose replay-ability for me when levels start to feel the same.
I think their DLC can solve this problem if ya' haven't played it yet...
*the enemies are to fear even while boosting*
Unleashed has by far my favourite boost design.
Much more focused on quick reaction based challenges than 3D platforming
Sometime in the future, I'd love you to break Generations apart and compare it's levels to the og ones, on how they feel from one another, on how they feel to each Sonic, how well they were translated and how well they were reixed/reinvented, both the asthetic, level design, and gameplay
Still one of the best Sonic games
just watched the previous sonic video and you just released the 2nd part :D
Still the best boost game by a pretty wide margin imo.
Unleashed is my favorite Sonic game
Fun fact: This game was actually called "Sonic: World Adventure" in Japan, and you said "World adventure" in this video. Nice. But yeah, this is quite possibly my favorite game from the series, if not of all time, besides the classics. It absolutely needs a PC rerelease. Eggmanland is indeed very hard, but lots of fun.
I really wanna play this one. I managed to play through the Wii version but my pc can't handle the ps3 emulator and the Xbox one just crashed all the time. I wish they would port it to pc
4:15 This is said as if this has never been done before. This has been a thing since the early classic games. Where you learn the layout of the levels and build an appreciation for the levels once you memorize them. Unleashed day stages replicated this perfectly with the new boost gameplay. Plus no sonic game is fun if it’s too easy. I hate the people dog on sonic for the games being too easy, but then get mad about the change in difficulty.
I think Unleashed controls are fine, sure it's less percise than gens but the game is designed around that, that thing you said about needing to manage your boost in the Wii version and not in the HD version isn't entirely true with the original game's controls, the drift helps a lot but sometimes you really do have to stop boosting so you can make a turn and don't speed off an edge, at least until you're skilled to not need to
good to hear your thoughts on this
Thanks for this.
Water spouts are the deadliest thing on that stage compared to sharp enemies and hitting walls at 100 miles an hour. Somehow the water spouts kill you instantly though. Maybe it’s not the water spout and more so instant death if you ever lose your momentum over the water, since Sonic can’t swim.
When I was playing the HD version, and I was in jungle joyride... my controller almost hit the ground cus of those annoying dang water jets that come out of the water...
Arab sand is suchhh a good level, getting that S rank was super satisfying. I honestly prefer the the original physics than the unleashed project. Sonic is simply faster
You can skip huge chunks of the level. And like you some mentioned before the goal is to try your best to not let goal of the boost botton
To be fair, Unleashed was not so much a radical redesign of the gameplay as much as an evolution and improvement upon the 3d Sonic gameplay, particularly sa2. Linear, speed oriented and spectacle based gameplay that is just sa2 speed stages, Unleashed just ramps up the speed and spectacle while improving the controls, physics and camera.
What are your condensed thoughts on the Werehog stages anyway?
There is a mod for sonic generations which lets you play all of eggman land without the werehog. while i dont mind it that much, it allows you to see some of the better parts of the day sections, personally the beginning section has some of my favourite shortcuts
oh this'll be interesting
when I've been introduced to Unleashed (this version) as the very first 3D boost game if Sonic, I was amazed and eager to know how the future Sonic games would going to be... aaaaaaaaaaaaaand, only Generations feels like a true sequel and only after its gameplay even if it feels like a demo... I liked 4 e2 but that's more of a classic style, and Frontiers I haven't played it yet but it's also a different pace/style too...
man, how awesome is Egg Dragon as a boss and how they made a really good version as well for Gens just to see it humilliated badly in Forces in a really real bad way...
The only issue I have with unleashed boost gameplay is the quick time events. If they were set combinations it wouldn't be a huge issue but being random makes it a pain to be consistent unless you want to abuse the pause button
Unleashed Boost is better than Colors’ gameplay overall.
I love Eggmanland,it's easily my favorite stage but to me it would have worked better with just regular sonic gameplay. As much as I CAN enjoy the werehog stuff. It makes Eggmanland a chore when you already have the difficulty spike. And I think people would better be able to see it for the beyond fun level it really is. I do like some of the werehog platforming, though. But when I'm expected to say...do combat. The flow is murdered.
Yet Sonic unleashed is still the best Sonic game
For me, Unleashed's stages were so punishing on my first run through that I actually didn't want to come back to the game to learn them more lol. It felt like I was being punished for trying to have fun with the primary draw of the gameplay which was the boost. Especially with the context of having to carefully and slowly scavenge for 50 million medals which honestly ruined the game for me. >_>
yeah the learning curve caused me to refund the game back when I bought it, which is a shame
Hey Ruby, I watched your vids on the Adventure games, and while I enjoyed them and the Adventure 1 and 2 as well, I actually had the inverse problem. I had a ton of issues getting used to the Adventure controls and level design, mostly because of jank. I can't count how many times I game-overed on Final Rush because a rail didn't catch me or a jump didn't register properly. I kept encountering issues like these and Sonic and Shadow felt way too sensitive, so I could never truly get used to it. I really tried to learn and not just give up on them, but it was really difficult.
Boost Sonic, while way more sluggish when not boosting, just felt so much more...controlled. I always felt like I knew where I was going to land after a jump, rails were way more consistent, my inputs were always read properly, etc. Whenever I made I mistake, I knew exactly what I did wrong and it felt like my fault. It was punishing yes, but I knew what I had to do to improve next time. So speaking as someone who didn't grow up with either style of Sonic, I feel like its debatable which style has the steeper learning curve, especially after seeing how Gens refined the formula.
Again, I loved your videos on SA1 and 2 and constantly rewatch your Dream Adventure remake, I just wish you didn't have to constantly tear down other Sonic games when you defended them.
So many people just _mindlessly_ complain about 3D Sonic games having 2D sections at all, hear it from everyone from player to critic... but never once have I heard a single one of them actually explain what the darn issue actually is - because outside of the games where it's made kinda redundant by Classic Sonic, I don't _see_ what the issue is.
Sure, one could say the boost formula _isn't truly and fully_ "3D Sonic", given you don't actually have true 360° control as you would understand it in a 3D platformer - but that's then not a criticism of 2D sections, that's a matter of preference between the boost formula and something else.
It's good too, _just for freaking once,_ see someone actually analyze the 2D parts of boost Sonic games and legitimately point out how they're designed, instead of just endless "hurrdurr, no toodee in me Sanik, me hate toodee in me treedee Sanik". Great video, man, thanks.
13:48 Oof. RIP boost Sonic.
Eggman land could have been one of the best boost levels if they just split the werehog into its own act, I get wanting to combine them but it only hurts the two gameplay styles since there so different
Lowart i would love if you tried out Scooby doo mystery incorporated
These Sonic vids have been SO GOOD so far especially cus Unleashed(HD) is my fav MODERN Sonic game & ur analysis here hits how this game works for daytime right on the head. I can't wait for more
edit: when it comes to eggman land I hate it too however a popular counterpoint is that it's so hard cus it's supposed to be the ultimate nightmare of a test. Eggman got his wish like he always wanted & comin in on his home turf obv isn't gonna be a walk in the park cus he ain't jus gonna lose it to u now
Have you done videos on the 2D games?
Strongly disagree about Eggmanland. Replaying and conquering that stage was extremely satisfying.
Wait wait....it only took you 20 minutes?? Lol, it took me an hour XD What was your full playtime? I ended up accidentally doing it all in one stream and it took me 19 hours ^^’
I definitely plan on playing this again after Frontier
Doesn't like Eggmanland huh
Sounds like a skill issue to me
Easily one of the best stages ever made in the entirety of the franchise
Especially since it's a mix of 2 peak gameplay Styles
(Not liking the Werehog is also a skill issue)
I actually do think that the night stages can be fun. What makes me not like the game though is just how bad the controls and handling is. It is so hard to have fun when I constantly have to fight to not fall off platforms and stuff. If the werehog controlled better and sonic controlled like in generations then I would've loved it.
Yeah, so many of your problems come from missing the fact that you're supposed to play those stages again and again to get a perfect run, and this has ALWAYS been a thing in Sonic.
Also no, the main thing isn't spectacle, it's reaction, that's the most fun factor about the boost gameplay, to mantain your speed while reacting to the enviroment and thus reach that awaited S rank that it's actually challenging in this game.
I say Sonic Unleashed HD is the most artistically breathtaking game in the series. I think there were times that Sonic Frontiers was trying to achieve that...but it had to also run on the goddamn Switch. It is nice to look at but not to the degree of Unleashed. Sonic Forces has a lot of detail but there is no charm, assets are reused to a concerning degree, stages don't last long enough to leave a visual impression, and visuals are minimalistic to the point that manual camera control is disabled.
I am not sure how hard it would be to port to PC and PS5 and Xbox Series X (I still think that the latter name is stupid and confusing); however, I would definitely buy it as long as they don't get contract company like to Blind Squirrel to do it and don't port it into a game engine like Godot...or Unreal 4/5. I am tired of big companies using that engine.
The Ps3 and Xbox versions aren't the "HD" version they are the standard version and were developed first. The Wii and Ps2 games are demakes made for the 2 most successful consoles ever
I STILL DONT FUCKING GET WHY NONE OF THE SONIC GAMES LOOK THIS GOOD AFTER 10 FUCKING YEARS, NONE OF THEM FLOW THIS WELL...aside from generations. WHY, even Sonic frontiers' levels looks really stiff and movement stops a lot
Budget for sonic games was cut by sega, hasn’t been this high till now with frontiers.
Unleashed was just so far ahead of its time. I disagree with the idea of newer sonic games not looking so good visually (other than Boom), but rather that Unleashed visually was just a insanely good. It literally took almost 15 years for a new console to run it properly.
Overall this is a good game but negatives keep it down
Meow
werehog parts were good
They had some issue, but I honestly think the idea of it, and the general direction it took could have works great with a few adjustments.
Mainly, the length of the levels, and the combat music.
@@14megasxlr that's how they should last. Action game stages usually last 15 minutes. Anything longer in unleashed is either because you have shit strength and combo stats or because you're trash at the game
on the xbox series console for 60 fps
Worst parts of the game
The werehog's combat was fun. The platforming was messy and the puzzles could have had a lot of work. A lot of people complain about how the pacing is awful because you're not running fast, but I think for me, if werehog segments were paced similarly to like SA2's movement, it would probably be very good. Just have levels that express werehog's movement a better and have werehog have SA2 gameflow and I would really appreciate these segments so much more. The combat is already fine so as long as the flow was a pinch faster it would make these segments feel a little bit more natural for me.
bleh. He doesn't even acknowledge how good the wii daytime stages are... lame.
🤦
@@banjonkashootiefortheps4403 okay okay.. i was really dumb, and this was the only video i bothered watching 2 weeks ago, but i saw his unwiished video, which was very good sir.
eh the Boost games are Overrated, I PRefer the Adventure Games
Never liked this game, I really can't see why most of the internet started the narrative that this is actually one of the best sonic games
That's cool, you do you, but as someone who did NOT grow up with this game or anything like that, I'd say its mainly because it tried the hardest out of any Sonic game. It just went all out in every single aspect: the speed, the polish, the scale, the story, the graphics, everything has been cranked up to 11, I mean just look at the opening cutscene. It took 2 whole console generations just to get it running at 1080p60. It has issues, but very few fundamental ones. Remove/rework those medals, add button remapping, and maybe some difficulty options to make the werehog levels shorter and the modern sonic stages less punishing, and the game sky rockets in quality. It's just everything I could want out of Sonic game.
@@seematahir5970 I didn't played Unleashed until 2016. Felt like a completely new game especially with how good the graphics were. Gameplay was great but what's crazy is that it got better the more I replayed it. Best Sonic game imo and I honestly don't think it's even close.
Sounds like a skill issue to me lol git gud
Overall bad game, even when I played it as a kid