A Millennial Perspective of Sonic Unleashed | Retrospective in Reverse
Vložit
- čas přidán 15. 05. 2024
- This video is the next one in my Retrospective in Reverse Series. It covers Sonic Unleashed. Unleashed somehow went from one of the most hated Sonic games, to a fan favorite. I hope you enjoy the video!
#werehog
#sega #sonic - Hry
Would be nice to be able to play this one on a modern platform or Steam.
The series X with an FPS boost plays pretty well. But I agree a Steam release would be great
It's very interesting to see how many viewpoints clash or cooperate with each other on this game.
I didn't know this game was considered that controversial across the community.
Some people think it's great, others say that it's awful, and some think that it's just okay.
Ii always found most modern Sonic games to be that way, so who is really to blame here?
SEGA and the loss of care put into this franchise compared to Nintendo, or the fans for never making up their mind and always trying to find flaws in these games?
Of course, not all modern Sonic games are bad, and not all Sonic fans are like this. However, I just find the history of Sonic to be very surprisingly convoluted. Rich and filled with valuable history, yet so confusing it's enough to give FNaF a run for its money.
Thank you, this video caused me to think a lot of the Sonic franchise as a whole, this is a good retrospective video.
Nice video my man. Definitely deserves more views
"Sonic fans say the Werehog isn't what fans expect from a Sonic game. However, I've seen what fans say it is a Sonic game [...]" Ouch. I am an older Gen Z born in 96, and I've been a Sonix fan since I was a child. However I only began interacting with the online Sonix fandom around 2010, because of this my view's of Unleashed haven't been tainted by online influencers at the time. I didn't even knew about the discourse surrounding this game.
More often than not I've been thinking that the best Sonic CZcamsrs are those who aren't exclusively Sonic influencers and don't interact with the fandom.
I think the Sonic fandom forgot what feels like to have fun with a videogame.
I think the whole premise of all of my Sonic videos is exactly what you wrote in your last sentence 😅.
"That's why he's the goat" (me watching Sonic Unleashed)
My maaaan, this is my favorite game of all time!! I honestly don't get what people like so much about the story, but to me, the experience and interactions were everything, the fact that you were exploring the world and interacting with different people and cultures, listening to different rythms, running through different parts of the world, it was an amazing experience! I agree with you, the boost game peaked at Unleashed, Generations has better controls, yes, but the fact that Unleashed's Sonic is so... "heavy"? I think? Makes the gameplay more satisfying for me. I don't know why, it's like, when you like a fighting game or hack'n slash instead of another, because in the one you like you can feel the punches and the impact.
Also, I feel that the level design is way better in Unleashed, and there wasn't as much 2D as in Generations, I feel, or at least, it felt more seamless.
I never liked the Werehog, but I accept it because Sonic Team just likes the yankee culture (Shadow the ultimate weapon of the government, Rouge the spy, the alien invasion, "don't worry mister president", etc.). Also, not a fan of its gameplay, but it didn't hinder the experience! If they remake it I wish they could tweak it a bit tho!
Also, also, check the other version! When I was little I played the PS2 version which was amazing, you had to collect the medals inside the Gaia temples where there were rooms with platforming sections!!! I'm pretty sure the levels in general are different, the Werehog is easier, and most important, THE FINAL BOSS! Sorry fo the negativity but even if I loved the PS3 version when I played it when I was older, and it had much more content, I couldn't enjoy its final boss because in the PS2 version YOU control the Gaia Colossus and kick the sh*t out of Dark Gaia, and then YOU kick the sh*t out of Dark Gaia again but as Super Sonic, FACE TO FACE! No hitting little snakes to break the shield or some bs like that, no, you go and kick that mfer yourself, it was AMAZING!!
Your positivity is infectious.
You're right about the opening it's one of the most memorial of the Sonic Games. For Me, I compare Sonic Unleashed to Sonic Adventure 1/2 and 06, it really expands the Lore of the Sonic Universe similar to them. I especially enjoyed the Werehog transformation and Dark Gaia and its Minions.
Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you've been enjoying the videos and I appreciate your comments! I'm amazed at how many sonic fans actually like these bad games lol
@@NintenDeen I think "Bad Games" depends on each individual, especially given how now there are even worse games. People look back on old games and think "oh, you was pretty good weren't you?".
The plan going forward sounds good! And I really liked the video. Werehog and all (it definitely remains a like or hate affair in the fandom), Unleashed still fell victim to the state of the franchise at the time. The intro to the video did well covering that. The series desparately, after games like Shadow and 06, needed a game that didn't force another play style, and Colors benefitted for that reason in the same way it hurt Unleashed severely, but in terms of boost design and actually holding up to time, Unleashed only makes Colors look worse (for a reverse series) than Generations already did. It's as if they took the gameplay style that worked the most reliably in Unleashed, but looking back a decade later, the level design in Colors just did not have the same level of attention at all.
Also Adventure 2, loved by many as it is and even in your 'Mount Rushmore', also has two thirds of the game in a style that could be considered 'not a Sonic game' if Colors and Generations define what 'is a Sonic game' (Generations still holds up pretty well but the point remains). Is it still in your Rushmore BTW, and now-second favorite in the series overall?
Looking forward to videos before SA2 of course, particularly 06 (yes...) and Heroes (definitely a janky and unpolished but not outright unfinished or broken debut release for third party consoles that I do wonder if you found things to like about).
Hoping there's more retrospectives after 3D Sonic, but that's not a hurry, just an eventually type thing.
Right on the money about Colors benefitting and Unleashed suffering due to the state of the franchise.
The thing I like about generations is not that it's peeled everything back and only had speed stages, it's that what it does have is VERY good. Whereas Colors, for example, doesn't hold up with everything peeled back because the stages and gameplay isn't all that fun.
Unleashed, Gens, SA2 and Frontiers are probably my top Sonic games but I'm not sure about which order they all lie in at the moment. I'll do a ranking with my SA1 vid and give it proper thoughts. I need to revisit Frontiers though since I haven't played it since it launched and I gotta try all the updates and DLCs, but I don't think I'll be doing that in the immediate future.
Anyway, post sonic I'm thinking of doing a poll for some 2D franchises and knocking out videos on those. I really want to stick with the weekly schedule so I'm not overwhelmed. At the moment I'm kinda leaning towards MegaMan or Castlevania but I have some time to think about it.
Sonic unleashed is an underrated Masterpiece of a game
This is a nice review 👌🏾.
Its cool to hear a perspective from a older sonic fan of this game. I agree with a lot of points you made.
Its cool im not the only one who thinks that the medal collecting adds to the exploration of the game.
It's still so hard to believe that this game came out in 2008....
Due to how the graphics still hold up. Even on Xbox Series X
Honestly the FPS boost on Series X made both Unleashed AND Gens feel like modern titles. Sonic 06 on Series would have 0 load times
@NintenDeen True, it just shows how well made Unleashed and Generations were at the time that it still holds up today on modern consoles.
But yeah, I am curious to see how 06 would run on series x
Especially with those damn loading screens, lmao
I love this game!
It's a face reveal! Nice ending :) Might comment more later but the day stages which I have played are definitely Sonic at his height.
It's going to be interesting to see the actual promised (from Generations) Sonic Adventure 2 video in like five weeks (if I'm not missing any 3D games and if these are still set on schedule). It is, of course, a rather Dark time over the next several weeks til then...
Haha, yess I'm glad somebody watched the video all the way to the end, I had a feeling it'd be you first! 😂. What did you think of the video? I watched it back and thought it might've been a bit much? But it was really a fun video to make.
Also yeah so right now I have scripts for everything done and audio recorded up to SA1 so I think I'll be able to go weekly until it's all wrapped up. Secret Rings is basically done and ready for next week. I was going to release Sonic 06 in like 3 parts because it's long as hell but I think I'm going to be able to finish it all together in time to release it in 2 weeks from now. That video's gonna be over 2 hours long so I doubt it'll do that well on CZcams but I didn't want to drop it in parts.
The last 4 vids (Shadow, Heroes, SA2, Sa1) I'm guessing should be hovering around the 1 hour mark each. But I won't know for sure until I'm done editing them. I'm just glad I got all my scripts written and recorded so I can keep chugging along and not fall behind!
This series is so dope
I'm glad u adored World Adve(Unleashed) so much. I haven't seen it yet but I'm a lil sad u don't like colors as like World Adve it's a fav sonic game & a fav video game(it's also my 1st sonic game). U genuinely got a "wtf!" outta me even tho I was prepared for somethin to be surprisin at the end there lol. On a side note U NEED TO TOUCH UNWIISHED cus it's very diff from most 3D boost games & also "really good"(not as much as the HD version but I think close).
At some point I'll be going through the secondary Sonic games. Basically the handheld counterparts and unwiished! But it'll my a while from now
I kinda forgot what the video was supposed to be about by the 7 minute mark and I kinda felt like the nostalgia cycle was way too over complicated and the whole tanget felt disjointed but sonic unleashed rocks my world and Eggman land is one of the best stages in video game history.
3anjed
Love this game! I agree, it is the best boost game! I honestly think people usually say Generations was the best because Unleashed is too challenging for them, especially the drift. But despite being the first 3d game to have the boost, it did really well, it can't be denied. Although it did have framerate problems.
Also, off topic, but have you played Sonic Free Riders?
I played a single riders game, I think it was on PS2 so it must've been the first one. Ending up getting blisters on my palms and ruining the joystick due to the spinning sections when you grind. I'm like 99% sure this was in 2004 lol
@NintenDeen Ah right, ooof that sounds painful, like playing that minigame in the first mario party game! Although maybe that was later, the first one came out in 2006...?
Must've been 2006 then haha.
It seems the remaster of Sonic Generations might have an option (or even mandatory) to have the Homing Attack work as it does in Unleashed. Though Generations controls as is can be modded (but only on PC) to work more like Unleashed. I'm hoping they remaster Unleashed eventually. It's the least crowd pleasing of the Unleashed-Colors-Generations boost trilogy but in many eyes (not just yours) also the best.
Is that based off the trailer? Or did someone say the homing attack is as Unleashed goes?
@@NintenDeen Someone pointed out it looked that way from a recorded live play (not the trailer)
Honestly I vasty prefer the wii version for having tighter controls and WAAAAAAY better level design especially if you're trying to dpeedrun the levels. I do like the hd version as well but for different reasons and I actually much prefer the Werehog in the hd version since 3D action platformers are my favorite genre.
Soubds like good plans! As a whole what Sonic games in both 2D or 3D/hybrid would you score as either a 9/10 or a 10/10 (as an estinate)? My list would be: Sonic 3&K and Mania (for 2D) & Adventure, Unleashed (at least the day stages and story), and Generations (for 3D/hybrid). Shoutout in 2D to the fangame 'Triple Trouble 16 Bit', it's right up there close as like an 8.5 or something.
I think our list is probably identical but it'd be SA2 for me instead of SA1.
Mp?
I've always viewed Sonic Unleashed as "eh". I was around 17 when the game first came out and it was right after playing Sonic 06. It probably didn't help that by the time the game came out, I had already been slipping out of the Sonic franchise what with getting into other game series around this time. Even when I think back to that time, I didn't even know there was a new Sonic game out and I only saw Sonic Unleashed by chance when I was at my local Game Stop.
Now tbh, I've only played the game once and it was the PS2 version at that which compared to the PS3 version, definitely was lacking (no full hubworld which I honestly don't mind hub worlds and I feel like they make you feel like you're more on an adventure. Also the controls were a bit wonky at times) which probably did kill the vibe from what I've noticed when I finally got around to getting and trying out the PS3 version. I don't deny that the game has amazing visuals that still look good today and I think the music is good as well, not as great as SA1 and especially SA2 but it certainly wasn't that bad. The day-time gameplay was quite fun as well, it did feel different coming off the helms of the Adventure-style gameplay which I still much prefer but for the second time around of the boosting gameplay, I thought it was very enjoyable once you get into the groove of it sortaspeak.
As far as the werehog goes, I never really hated it but it did make me think it was just Sonic hopping aboard the trend since The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess had came out 2 years prior doing that wolf hybrid concept but for what it was, I didn't mind it. And as far as the combat went, as someone who likes hack-n-slash games, I didn't mind the beat 'em style gamepla of the werewog too much but what made it truly annoying was when the levels would get longer because at the end of the day, I'd still much rather play as day-time Sonic and the combat of the werehog just wasn't all that engaging for me compared to other hack-n-slash games I was playing at the time. If the later half of the werehog stages were shorter, I wouldn't have been as annoyed by them.
As for the story... It's tough because I was one of the people who thought Chip was an annoying character with a stupid design and my thoughts still haven't changed much except that I don't dislike Chip as much as I did 15 years ago. I feel like Sonic Adventure 2 and heck, even Sonic Heroes (to a much lesser extent) spoiled me when it came for story because SA2 struck that balance of dark but still somewhat lighthearted. And with Sonic Heroes, it was more or less the same and I was intrigued by the Shadow continuation at the time (only to realize just how poorly thought out his return really was in hindsight lol). Sonic 06's story drained me with how bad I thought it was and you'd think that something like Sonic Unleashed's story would be a good palette cleanser from that game's but I just didn't feel it.
I think it's because they made the art style a lot more cartoony (in terms of the human character design) and how they tried to make it more Saturday Morning Kid-like and I feel like at the time, I was just too old to truly get into it. I'm sure if I played the game as a 10-13 year old, I wouldn't have minded as much but that just wasn't the case.
Overall, while Sonic Unleashed is not my most favorite, I definitely would pick it over most of the games that came after it. In hindsight seeing where the series truly went after, I would say that it really was the last wholly good Sonic game and I probably would put it in my personal top 5.
Thanks for sharing. I actually enjoyed reading your perspective and how it's shifted. I think I resonated well with a lot of it, especially the last paragraph
@@NintenDeen No problem. I think a lot of millennials feel this way. It's not so much that we hated the game (okay well some of us did lol) but it was just our way of feeling that shift in Sonic's momentum after coming off the helms of SA1 & SA2, I don't think it's by chance that those games are still so beloved today where even if there is nostalgia for them from the millennial perspective, the games were just also decent for their time. And we got to grow with the series' 3D era and see how it had changed (for better or worse).
Face reveal at 15:20 ?
😂😂😂
Listen i like alot of sonic varients but boom and 06 make me want to roll around at the speed of sound of a cliff
Toei/junio sonic is by FAR the best btw
😂😂 so poetic
Bleh, I'm really underwhelmed with the way this video ended. Five minutes from the end, you say, "Yup, I should probably mention the Werehog. Anyways uh I liked it. So anyways this game is close to perfect" ... Like, really, that's it?
Combined with the opening of "Let me tell you why your opinions are based on nostalgia and that's objectively incorrect" (and combining that with the praise of anything that's even slightly like SA2.... the game the reviews haven't reached yet, so why do they keep getting mentioned) and it just seems to me that you didn't try to understand the people who don't like this game, on WHY they don't like this game. (And normally that wouldn't matter but basically every Sonic game ever is divisive) So every common criticism that is held against the game is just written off completely
And that's also doubly weird considering that the general opinion of this game has been on an upswing in recent. People hated it when it was new because of how different it was, and are now coming back around to it for the things it does well. So now would be the best time to really dissect the reasoning, but now you're just telling people what they already know
On a different note, flying levels in Sonic games aren't anything new - Sky Chase Zone shows it goes way back. Admittedly I didn't like that and I don't like this, but at least we can't say it's not "not Sonic(?)" But I don't think it's a big deal either. Kirby games have penultimate shooters all the time and people rarely even mention it- even if you don't like it, it'll probably be over before you know it
Okay first off, and most importantly, thanks for watching all the way through and giving some feedback once again. I'm glad you're not just turning away because you disagree lol.
But I think I did say why I liked it? I said Werehog stages were easy to control, allowed me to explore, I enjoyed the different mechanics for combat and different combos you can use to get around the stage and the exploration and collecting. Maybe that wasn't as clear? I might have jumped around too much in that regard.
Also I don't think my mentioning of SA2 necessarily negates my perspective of this game, at the time of writing this video I hadn't played it in a long LONG time. And I think me stressing the Nostalgia cycle early on lends to its significance on the perspectives these games have, including my own. I guess my enjoyment of Frontiers and Forces stories, as well as praise for the characterization in Boom, would have probably been better to base all of this around. But also I think my whole "Reverse" aspect of this series evolved after Colors since stories start to take center stage and I clearly like the stories and have affinity towards my memories of SA2 then it's hard to just shrug them off. But honestly SA2 isn't the main reason I like these games, it's just my reference point for the stories
(which I understand is unfair since this is all supposed to be in reverse).
The reason why you see more people like the game now is that Sonic Unleashed developed a cult following. It's the same effect that The Room (2003) experienced a while after it came out.
This video could've been seconds long lol, let me fix it for you: "it sucked"
Like, everything about it was a train wreck lmao if this was about how that tire fire came to be so abysmal I might be interested but 50 minutes and that title make it seem like this is gonna be some kind of love letter, which is DEEPLY concerning lmao
I liked the warehog but i think its fair for people not to like him as he is a radical departure from the main game. While i love unleshed there are many sonic games i dislike for this same reason. Radical departures from sonics gameplay style no matter how well designed they are often frustrate me csuse i bought sonic to play sonic. I didnt buy sonic the hedgehog (all caps) to spend most of the game as a jedi with a potleaf on his head.
I also think your a little bit too dismissive of the critics. Its pne pf my fav games pf all rime but even some minor criticisms i had were insulted in a way that felt very dismissive of genuine cruitiqe. Even saying people who dont like the game are neakbeards.
Okay first off, thanks for watching and thanks for leaving another comment! I hope you're enjoying the vids even if you disagree with my points.
Re: Your first paragraph, I get it that not everyone is into the alternative play styles, but I think there is (or at least in 2008, there was) a lot of gatekeeping in Sonic games having to play "like Sonic games" that led to us missing out on some innovation and new experiences. Sonic Team could've gotten creative and found a way to include alternative play styles and not require them, but the gaming community was so toxic and negative at every turn that it caused them to not do anything remotely risky. But I think I should clarify that I don't believe anybody is wrong to enjoy what they want to enjoy. Maybe my scripts are a bit too abrasive when I apply my humor, I'll be a bit more cognizant of that going forward since I'm not here to offend or insult people. The neckbeard comment was meant to be taken in as a tongue in cheek comment while I was shouting about defeating Dark Gaia so I apologize if it seems like I was implying anyone that doesn't like what I like is a neckbeard.
Anyway, I'm curious which criticisms you felt I dismissed? I think the only one I truly shrugged off was the battle theme music? The ones with medal collections and even the Werehog I feel like I mentioned I understood they weren't for everyone?
@NintenDeen The one about the issues with the final boss, and the medal requirements being a little bit too high twards the end.
I wouldnt call people disliking radical changes to the gameplay style gatekeeping. I think its more from annoyance. My issue with this era of sonic is that it felt like they were trying to reinvent the wheel with the new playable characters, warehogs, methods of progression, hub worlds, etc... feeling like gimicks and feature creep as opposed to actual additions that moved the series foward.
It got to the point where the game titled SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (2006) had the player spend the vast majority of the game not even playing as the title character.
While in the classics and sa1 each character would expand upon sonics moveset. Having advantages and drawbacks that added veriety while still keeping the same core principles of speed and platforming. Starting with SA2 and arguably even SA1 we started seeing these alternate playstyled completely change the genre of the game. Making the mech stages slow and clunky score attacks as opposed to the fast past time attacks of the previous game and expanding the treasure hunting to be more focused on puzzles than speed. Not helped by the fact that they took up more playtime overshadowing sonics gameplay style. It would be like if a new batman movie came out and every 10 minutes it was interrupted by an episode of spongebob. While i dont necessarily dislike spongebob i dont want it interrupting my batman.
While i would have loved a knuckles game or a sonic spinoff about mechs, or a silver game (which wss actually based on a cancelled shooter being developed by sonicteam). The problem is when these things start inturrupting my sonic games. Making me ask "when can i just play some more sonic".
Which is where the whole "sonics stupid friends" argument came from. Its not litterslly people saying "sonic can't have friends" its "every time that sonic makes a new friend his new friend wither overshadows sonic in his own game, artificially inflates the games runtime, and/or derails the game into a completely different genre."