So....beaten the game. Got the Super Sonic final boss and...
Okay first off...this game took place on Little Planet? But...Hydrocity and Lava Reef...Oil Ocean....? And why did some zones have transitions between them and others didnt. Like you go from Stardust Speedway to randomly dropping into Hydrocity.
And further to that, Metal Sonic...happened? And who the hell was the actual villain? Was it Eggman or the leader of the Hard Boiled Heavies?
And that Super Sonic battle. What the hell. How do you start flying? Why can they hurt you? Why do you SOMETIMES have a jump dash that consumes rings? What the hell is that fight?
And I can also see why they used so many old zones. With the Exception of Studiopolis Act 1 and Mirage Saloon Actv2 they are either really disjointed, boring or feel like a ROM Hack. And why is Mirage Saloon Act 1 a Sky Chase clone?
And what the hell was that gem? It just...existed. Why was there selectively reality warping time travel things? The plot is so thinly strung that was you do see has no context at all.
Some of the bosses are good. Some are bad. Some of the level designs are good. Some are bad.
Visuals and music are great. Physics feel good. But some of those levels and bosses...man. and screw the special stages.
Overall...god I want to like it you know, but some things just drag this down. Two of the new zones are just bleh and the other two new ones are...okay if cknfused about what they want to be. In fact all 4 new zones do a complete shift between acts.
And seriously. The lack of level transitions at points means we jump from Green Hill to Chemical Plant to Flying Battery and then auddenly Press Garden. Then suddenly Stardust Speedway. Then fade to black and we are on Angel Island? That leads to Oil Ocean? That goes back to Little Planet?
This game. God. All I can do is say the returning zones are fine with ocassional questions. The new zones are hm at best. The context for everything just doesnt exist. And some of the zones dont make sense. Like why does Eggman want to make a tv show and newspaper but suddenly he's after Metal Sonic who is dropped one zone later at which point the Hard Boiled Heavies maaaaybe usurp him?
You know what? 6/10. This game has great moments but the overall package is a total mess
Thanks @Grumblevolcano, I've never been a particularly big Sonic fan so haven't played many of even the earlier and more well-regarded titles in the property. Am having fun with Mania though.
@BLP_Software Dude, you are reading way too much into the story here...it's "Sonic Mania" and more or less is billed as a remix album of a game to celebrate an anniversary date. The story wasn't a priority. It seriously just sounds like you're nitpicking. :/
@CanisWolfred Yeah but the game attempts to have a story it genuinely doesnt follow through any of it. Like...why do some levels have transitions? The game starts good with it, setting things up and connecting levels properly. And then it stops 4 or 5 zones in and its jarring.
All I can aasume is Sonic jumps off Little Planet back to Angel Island, visits Oil Ocean, back to Angel Island, then back to Little Planet.
Which would be nice but they dont show any of it. Just...fades to black.
And seriously. That true final boss. That fight just sucks. XD
But as I said the physics and production values are great! But the way it all connects and especially the new zones feels...half baked
the Heavy Emperor and Eggman are defeated and the Phantom Ruby is in Sonics possession. Until it rips Super Sonic from him, and flies into a portal with him. Little Planet is saved but the Phantom Ruby and Sonic are lost on the other side of ghe portal.
Here is the kicker. Sonic strikes the pose he made in the Forces reveal. The Phantom Ruby is just that powerful, and when used it makes the same noise Infinite makes. And the true final boss theme features parts of the Forces main theme.
How is that for a stealth prequel?
Now Playing: Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Crash Bandicoot 4
It's not like Sonic 3 & Knuckles's transitions and storytelling were perfect either. Especially in the first half, it's not uncommon to just see the screen fade to black as you go to the next zone, such as from Ice Cap to Launch Base or Marble Garden to Carnival Night. And speaking of Launch Base, the Death Egg just launches and explodes for no reason, and Robotnik fixes it in a matter of hours.
@meleebrawler Well Sonkc 3 had at least some sort of animation. Like from Ice Cap to Launch Base there was a fade to black but you saw Sonic burrow through snow and pop out on the other side.
Angel Island - Hydrocity - Broken bridge, fall into the stage
Hydrocity - Marble Garden - Launched up and falls into the stage
Marble Garden - Carnival Night - Tails airlifts you out and then in
Carnival Knight - Ice Cap - Cannon launches into the level
Ice Cap - Launch Base - Burrows through snow
Launch Base - Mushroom Hill - Falls off the death egg into the stage
Mushroom Hill - Flying Battery - Grabs onto the ship
Flying Battery - Sandopolis - Jumps off the ship into the sand
Sandopolis - Lava Reef - Falls through the floor
Lava Reef - Hidden Palace - Passageway, admittedly boring
Hidden Palace - Sky Sanctuary - Teleporter
Sky Sanctuary - Death Egg - Climbs the tower
See the thing Mania lacks is that...take Stardust Speedway for instance. You get the results screen, it fades to black on that screen and youre in the next zone.
Every stage in Sonic 3 had an opening and closing animation no matter how brief that gave continuity. Mania has that but only sometimes.
Yes Sonic 3 also faded to black but it was never on the results screen. There was always a closing/opening animation around that fade.
Now Playing: Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Crash Bandicoot 4
I thought I would wait for a physical edition, but I found the download code at a really good price, so I decided to splash for this. Haven't played yet, but just looking at it brings me memories of playing Sonic 3!
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