
A few days ago Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric received a whopping big update in Europe, and it's still not available - as far as we can see - in North America; it's likely still going through approval and scheduling in the region. This was a game that was widely panned upon release - and easily out-done by its more solid 3DS equivalent - and did little to help Sonic's shaky reputation.
That's a real shame - it was a game that wasn't fit for purpose, and that's perhaps borne out by the sheer size of this update. It's over 1GB, which is about the same size as some top-notch full games on the Wii U. Sega and Big Red Button haven't even provided official patch notes, so blue blur fans over at Sonic Stadium did the honours. Below is what they think the update has brought.
Bug Fixes:
- Knuckles Infinite Jump fixed
- Some level barriers added to prevent the player from escaping the map. Leaping from the map into oblivion was a source of ridicule for the game when it was released.
Additions:
- Navigation arrows "Small yellow arrows added which show you where to go" (They were in the original, but they now have some issues).
Improvements:
- Improved Framerate during speed sections
- Loops are 'less choppy'
- Minor lighting improvements
- Improved shadows.
Problems with the Patch:
- The navigation arrows tell you where to go, but you can still miss vital items which you need for when you get to the location. So you can follow the arrows and still become stuck not knowing what to do.
Have you downloaded this update and noticed the changes? Do they improve the experience a great deal? Let us know.
Thanks to all that sent this in.
[source sonicstadium.org]
Comments 94
So looks like it was less broken than Assassins Creed Unity presuming it works ok now.
The fact that Sega dared to release this game so utterly unfinished is nigh-on unforgivable, but a least they're making SOME efforts to improve it. I'll guess it won't make the entire experience any more enjoyable, though.
its good the game is finally being made more polished, but at the same time you know whatever potential it had is long gone this point.
Maybe if they do another big patch in the future, NL could re-review this game?
@GloverMist The fact that Nintendo dare to charge 35 bucks for a poorly made game such as Game and Wario is unforgivable, and it was simply a houch pouch of games on smartphone. And the most surprising thing is that people defended for it.
Did anyone actually buy this game? If yes, does this patch make it better?
So is this game enjoyable than Sonic Lost World U without the bugs? I may get one between the two if there'll be no more Sonic platforming games coming on the Wii U. Or I'll just get All Star Racing Transformed so I can have a Sonic game on the U.
The thing is, the game is a broken and glitchy mess, yeah, but even when it works properly, the core game isn't any good. Repetitive action, slow "speed," unexciting exploration... no part of the game itself is actually any fun and no amount of reasonable patching can ever fix that.
@BensonUii To be honest, i thought Lost Worlds was a blast to play.
It was a proper platformer, although its bossfights could have used a bit more work.
The same goes for Allstar Racing Transformed. In my opinion, the only Mario Kart knockoff who is on par, and maybe even better in certain regards than the original. It does have much more single player content for sure.
This should be a definite buy
Boom on the other hand is a generic brawler with some platforming sprinkled in. To be honest, as generic as it can get.
I personally wouldnt really recommend it. I had much more fun with Lost Worlds
Not sure I will be able to spare the Wii U's internal memory on this... "garbage". I don't believe the game can be fixed with any number of patches, it should have never been released in it's current boxed state. I dislike being treated like this as a paying customer and I will forever remember this game every time I see a "Sega" logo on any future purchases I intend to make. They should just finish the game an send every costumer a free replacement disc.
@BensonUii You should try the demos if you haven't already?I enjoyed my time enough with the Lost World demo to play it 3 or 4 times but Sonic Boom was off and uninstalled minutes after turning it on for the first time.It just felt horrible to control him and being a huge Sonic fan through the 90's it was upsetting to see him in such an amateur looking game.It's probably not even worth the effort of downloading it as you'll likely just be as disappointed as I was.
They got rid of the knuckles glitch, that was the most fun part of the game.
@BensonUii Sonic Transformed on PC is still played by many gamers online, and it is freaking cheap on Steam. The same game on Wii U is no longer played online.
Everyone who has played both Sonic Transformed and MK8 knows the problem in MK8 - the latter plays like a party game. The former emphasizes skills for winning while the latter emphasizes getting the right items by random drawing.
No matter how big of an update the game gets, it will never be worth my time.
Thats good and all but one day when all the Wii U servers are shut down, retro collectors are left with just an unfinished broken game.
Just saying.
@BensonUii Depends on what you want out of Racing Transformed, if you're expecting an online community then skip it (or buy on PC) because the Wii U community completely died out as soon as Mario Kart 8 was released. If you're in it for single player and local multiplayer then go ahead and buy it.
@GreatPlayer Lets not forget that Racing Transformed also has a proper battle mode (ACTUAL ARENAS!), something that Nintendo has definitely forgotten about...
@GreatPlayer Game & Wario was fun (except Arrorw)
In other news, I still need to get Lost World.
I still don't think this will improve the game. Yes, it's less buggy but the gameplay is still dull and repetitive. I'm not even going to waste my time waiting for this update to install unless it burns the file off my console and credits my account with a refund.
@Angelic_Lapras_King
So when servers shut down the updates are no more? Just asking because I didn't know that.
I still don't get the hate for this game.
@Grumblevolcano Not to mentioned that I have played 100 hours on the Wii U version and 200 hours on the PC version, but I have never tried the battle arena... I still have not mastered all the tracks on Sonic Transformed (Burning Depth track).
BigRedButton seems to have fixed the framerate issue in Sonic Boom. In some extremely fast sections, they deliberately slowed down the pace a bit so that players can react:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8hmzQg8JFI
Those people who dislike the speed of Sonic, play the speed level in Captain Toad: The control in Captain Toad speed level is actually worse than Sonic.
@Hero-of-WiiU Yes, you can consider shutting down servers in a similar way to servers being temporarily shut down because they're under attack. Take the Xbox/Playstation outage at Christmas for example, people couldn't connect to Xbox Live/PSN so they were essentially playing as if they had no internet connection.
What a surprise that they've updated this. Pity that I've already sent my Rise of Lyric copy back to GameStop.
@Kirby_Fan_DL3 Me neither. I've beaten it and while I would say it isn't a bad game, I wouldn't say it's a good Sonic game either. I've had quite a bit of fun with it, but it could've been a lot better.
@Hero-of-WiiU I'm talking 10-15 years down the line when you can't connect online nomore because the servers are shut down (Much like how you cannot play online on Wii, DS, and original XBox anymore. I know the Wii and DSi download Shops are still open, but we dunno how much longer for.)
@StephenYap3 Yeah, I've found it to be extremely unpolished, but that's it. It's much better in the co-op mode.
@Grumblevolcano
Yep only for local multi with my kid and some friends. So It's still worth getting then.
@GreatPlayer
Yeah but the randomness in MK8 makes it frustratingly enjoyable for me. And you can still play light characters and win. I have my eye on Transformed ever since but I'm not going to buy it at that eShop price.
@OorWullie
I tried both demos of Lost World and Boom and I didn't like them both. Although Boom is uninstalled within hours. But hey, I didn't like MH4U and W101 demos too but they turn out to be great games. That's why I'm asking randomly for opinions.
@Einherjar
Thanks! I've asked it before and read the reviews. I just want to ask again if the opinion have changed. I'll get Transformed for sure and MAYBE Lost World when it's on eShop sale.
I need a good and enjoyable Sonic and Pacman games (no Wii mode) to be honest that I can show/introduce and play with my kid. He loves Smash U so much. He sometimes ask about some characters' info/origins.
@Einherjar I also thoroughly enjoyed Lost World, but my only issue with the game (aside from the painlessly easy boss fights as you mentioned) were the amount of 2D sections. Sonic games generally have great 3D and 2D sections, but Lost World really shined most when it was 3D, while its 2D sections just weren't as interesting (which were quite a major part of the game).
@GreatPlayer
But MK8 has also no-items mode.
@BensonUii Actually I do not agree with you. I liked the 2D levels in Lost World, although the 3D levels are fun and there are more exploration in those 3D levels. I generally like 2D games, and thought that Mario 3D World is better than the two galaxies.
@Chubblings No-item mode is not available on random online play. And, the good thing about Sonic Transformed is that the items do not overthrow the skills required to win the game.
@GreatPlayer
Yeah 3DWorld is perfection. i think you've interchanged your replies. Haha!
@GreatPlayer Burning Depths - Trick is use Amy's Speed Mod. Can just play it normally like any other track then.
Reason I stopped playing it is the exploit where you fail a stunt boost and then flip back. (And that there are trainers that work on the latest version - too many Brazilians with unlimited items / boosts).
@BensonUii Yes and a maximum of 5 local people can play together in any mode except Time Trials (even World Tour and GP), this works even that if 2 people are playing you can have 1 person on the Gamepad and the other having the whole TV screen instead of splitscreen if you want.
@BensonUii If you want to show him the games represented in Smash, there is no way around Lost Worlds, as the Stage in smash is taken from there.
And the story is entertaining and not even half bad
And i recently got that Pacman Ghost thingy game since it was on sale for a 10er (the first one)
Its a decent, if mediocre platformer. Nothing to write home about really. But you can spend 10 (30 if you buy both) bucks on worse games really
Though to be fair, many of Pacmans moves are direct references to his classic games, so there is no way around the fact, that you have to show him the classic Pacman and probably bore him to tears with it
And like i said, you cant really go wrong with Transformed in any way. Its a fantastic game in and of itself and also serves as a means to introduce him to even more classic franchise of teh Sega flavor
1GB for just that?
The fans at Sonic Stadium must have missed a lot of upgrades, I mean... 1 GB for those changes sound crazy. If that's really all Sega and BRB did then this game deserve the crown for the less optimized update ever released ^_^;;;
@Shiryu I wouldn't forever remember it =p The Sega logo was on the intro to Bayonetta after all.
My kid just got Sonic 06 for Hanukkah b/c of how broken it is. He is NOT going to want to play this with Knuckles infinite jump fixed. In fact I bet he thinks NOW its broken. Maybe in a couple of years when I can pick it up for $10.
Sadly, the damage to this game has already been done.
Tried the demo and really didn't think it was that bad so if it goes down to ridiculously cheap prices I may pick it up since heck, Lost World was panned but I ended up enjoying that game quite a bit, barring the ice levels.
But one thing I wonder:
Is this game desaster (according to what I read about the game's state) because of bad programming and a lack of time and testing?
Or does it show that the Wii U is not capable of delivering the power the CryEngine 3 needs to run properly on this console?
"Some level barriers added to prevent the player from escaping the map."
So, I'm guessing SEGA saw the Game Grumps playthrough?
@GreatPlayer Oh, is Game & Wario really not that good? I didn't really hear anything about it when it came out... Let me look up NL's review!
It's already down to $30 on Amazon, but I personally would like it for it to be even cheaper before buying it.
Now if only Sega would just finally fix Sonic All Star Racing on the 3DS & I'd forgive them.
@Ambermoon im assuming tgis is click bate. Look at any other more detailed game: anything by nintendo and even ubisoftsvmaterial. Hell... even EA has great games on wii u this is lack of effort without question.
This amount of minor fixing takes a whole gigabyte? That's outrageous
there's still one big bug that needs to be fixed.... the game itself!
A polished turd is still a turd.
They fixed the Knuckles jump!?Oh come on!That's was the only good thing about the game!
@jakysnakydx
Why should this be click bate? Just because I place my thoughts in the comments section?
There are some bad programming bugs, right. But right now I only know of one released game using the CryEngine on the Wii U, Sonic Boom. The CryEngine is known to need power to run as intended by Crytek. Without the possibility to compare this port of the CryEngine with another one I cannot judge if the technical problems of Sonic Boom do only exist because of a bad engine port.
And if I wonder why the game is in the condition it is (not talking about gameplay here) publicly here in the comments section, why not? This is what the comments section is for. Others publish their thoughts here in the comments, too. As you do, too. Regarding bugs, regarding gameplay. Or just write a negative comment because it is a Sonic game and they don't like Sonic. Do they click bate?
Sure those guys from Big Red Button know what optimization is...
But they couldn't patch up Sonic 06. What I think would have been a good game if the glitches weren't present.
Sonic Boom still looks like a really boring beat em up, even without the glitches.
Poor Sonic. Not that I actually care anymore what happens with the series, but even I still can't help but notice the treatment of the blue dude with 'tude is bordering along animal abuse.
Sonic and Pac-Man should both sue for wrongful treatment or whatever.
Edit - Well at least Pac was done justice in Smash Bros.
Normally, I love patches, but the fact that they removed the jump glitch is disappointing. Now, the game's even worse
@mr_nihilism
Sonic was in Smash Bros...
@Jahir Loads of them were leaving all the time.
It wasn't panned at E3.
(It didn't have the predetermined fate that Yoshi's New Island had for example).
Sega needs to get better at making contracts. (Gearbox screwed them over as well).
At least they tried to fix this one lest us not forget the unredeamable and unupdated Sonic '06
@Dpishere I enjoyed Lost World as well, very underrated and unfairly panned
It's great that they're making efforts to fix this mess, but no amount of patching can fix the game itself, with it's boring battle sequences, and the fact that it has no idea what kind of game it wants to be, and the constant, cheesy chatter all the time.
Was the update entitled "turd polish"?
"Knuckles Infinite Jump fixed"
Welp, there goes what little interest I had in buying this game…
switches to Knuckles and infinite jumps away
Bring back Marine the Raccoon.
Game still sucks. Even if they fixed every bug and glitch, the game itself would still be mediocre at best. Even the Werehog in Sonic Unleashed is better than this. It's a real shame too, because Colors, Generations, and Lost World were all (in my opinion) fantastic games, and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal was ok.
Still gonna buy it.
@ThomasWhitehead Thats great. By the way guys I watched a video from miiyouandmii2's channel how talks about the development cycles of video games and in his recent upload in the comments says he is doing Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric next. Also he stated that the game was in development for 7 years. Go check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLpEn0wmMrk
@TJGamer Sure, I'll take a look. Ta!
Sega should give us a patch that lets us play an actual good Sonic game, not some PS2 generic platformer.
Youve gotta give it to Sega, for updating Sonic Boom. Though they should not have released this game with so many problems. Still needs another update. A whole 1GB is a lot for not a lot, if that makes sense.
@BensonUii
Just get All Stars Racing. That's actually a really good game, unlike Lost World and Sonic Boom. Plus it really needs more people in it's online mode.
@Octane Took the words right out of my mouth! I want nothing to do with Sonic Boom, end of story. You can patch, patch, patch it up until the cows come home, it still looks like virtual garbage. Throws his two cents at the game so hard they pierce through it like bullets
Just more proof that sega is not the company it once was. first off, What's with them handing all these games to outside developers?? Do they even do any internal developing any more? In japan at least?? The Sega of the 90s would never allow Sonic Boom out the door as is! And Just what is sonic team doing these days that sonic boom was developed by Red Button?? And who the hell is Red Button anyway?? I Never heard of them? And when will SEGA finally jump on wii u vc?? What a shame what sega has become! They were such a powerhouse at one time!!
@TeeJay "constant cheesy chatter all the time"
*Glances at your profile picture
*Reads line again
I laughed many times XP.
@joey302 You know Nintendo's doing the same regarding handing games to outside developers. Pretty sure I recall the new Star Fox being one of them(?)
The real question is which is the worst now? Sonic 06? Sonic boom? that sonic bioware rpg?
An incredibly large patch for meager fixes, and if Sega really wants to redeem itself they would re-press new discs and give those to early adopters for free, and only have this version in stores.
Haha, what a failure!
@sonicmeerkat The Sonic Bioware RPG, while not great, wasn't full of glitches. It was a decent game though. Hate it left off on a cliffhanger.
@vio Lost World did not get universally good review because the game requires players to relearn how to play Sonic - you can make sonic plays like it in the past but requires rewiring of the control scheme on the player's part. Many reviewers give it the score of 8-9 out of ten - it is not bad if the players actually know how to play it.
@GloverMist That is the thing: metacritics give Game and Wario a 6 and it is an exaggerated score - IGN gives it a 5 and I would give it even a lower score. Without Gamers and Pirates the game is worth like 2 (out of 10).
I'm glad that they bothered. I think they realize the game has a bad rep, and I think the cartoon was doing alright... They probably don't want to tarnish the brand too much. Or... perhaps because it's BRB's first game, they felt obliged to say 'sorry' to the people that supported them.
Either way, it makes Sonic Lost World look great, and it really isn't.
@BensonUii I have Sonic Lost World... from what I've played of the demo of Boom, it was a lot better in my opinion... Wish I brought it instead of Lost World. Amazingly, one thing people complain about with Boom is the lack of speed for a Sonic game, but Lost World is a lot slower and you even have to hold down a button to make Sonic run the entire time... go figure.
@Cobra ... AND the trick to play Lost World is to press that button to rush Sonic through each stage, and occasionally release the button in a more dangerous area.
You need to know how to play Lost World so as to make Sonic play like Sonic. Professionals know how to play it competently.
YES!!! Jesus Christ this game needed fixing and I'm glad they did unlike how they handled the abomination that was aliens colonial marines.
Well done Sega. Sincerely.
First off, it's not a 'broken' game...it can still be played from beginning to end with few problems if you're not actively looking for glitches or actively trying to find ways to jump outside of the obvious borders surrounding the game world. So anybody playing this game in years to come can still go through it.
That being said, the glitches are easy to find, it has severe frame rate issues on top of that, and should never have been released in the state it's in. it's ridiculous that the patch is so huge given that Super Mario 3D World is a near perfect game and doesn't take up much more room. Sega really should publicly apologise for it.
@sonicmeerkat Sonic '06 still retains the title of worst Sonic game as it actually is broken. Some sections are so glitchy that you'll often fall through solid looking platforms to your death, and the final stages (where you play as every other character and have to collect Chaos Emeralds to revive Sonic who's been KO'd at that point in order for him to fight the final boss) are just complete pot luck as to whether you beat them or not....black holes keep appearing in mid air to kill you and appear in different places every time, making progress completely random. That, and the horrendous loading times (even when you've installed the game to the Xbox 360 HDD) make it an exercise in torture to play.
Sonic Boom is bad, but it will never be quite that bad.
Let's just have a killer 2D or 2.5D Sanic.
It's still a bad game; now it just acts like a more complete bad game, is all.
Two months after release.
It helps a little bit at least the frame rate is solid!! Thank!! Chaos for that!!!
I'd like to see them give a Sonic a New Super Mario Bros treatment. Make a classic, retro style 2D Sonic game with a real sense of speed and silky smooth frame rate... Could make for a great game on modern hardware, and give Sonic some of his dignity back.
This is the best sonic game since sonic adventure, and where the series should be headed in future instalments. It really is a great game just glitchy.
Some people complain about the speed being too slow in the adventure sections of the game, but speed has always been Sonics biggest problem in the 3D platform genre.
Don't listen to all the hate, glitches and bugs aside, Sonic Boom is a great game, better then Lost world.
And speed runners will promptly ignore it (or juggle between using it and not, to route out the latest build versus the Infinite Jump silliness).
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