Sonic Fan Remix has gotten the attention of Sonic fans everywhere, and admittedly, the game looks pretty impressive. However, what does this title need to stand out as more than just a remake with enhanced graphics?
I write about video games because I’m a fan, and each fan has a way to express his or her love for the medium. I’m not musically talented, I can’t program to save my life, and I couldn’t draw my way out of a paper bag, so writing is all I’m left with. Other fans, however, have incredible talent and manage to create pieces of video gaming love that are absolutely mind-blowing. This blog entry is to talk about the coolest fan made work based on established video games…
... but sadly didn't really improve much on the graphics. Still fantastic gameplay and cool music ofcourse.
I absolutely agree with the nr. 1 on this list: Sonic Fan Remix. I also played the demo (still have it), and it just looked and played AMAZING.
Some fans in their basement produced a better looking and playing Sonic game than Sega! Sega should be absolutely ashamed by their own incompetence regarding the Sonic license, or actually regarding pretty much their complete output of the last 10 years orso.
What about those 2 Chrono Trigger games which were supposed to come out before Squix handed out its Cease and Desist letters.
One fan game was a 3D remake of the original game, another was a fan-made sequel using the same assests graphics style mechanics and such from the original.
With Sonic the Hedgehog fan games like Sonic Fan Remix taking the internet by storm, it's obvious that the designers are obviously doing something right. But are pretty visuals and a cool updated soundtrack worth all the praise?
... SEGA themselfs haven't done anything worthwhile, Sonic-related, for over 15 years orso...
I played the demo of Sonic Remix, and was absolutely blown away by it. AMAZING visuals and the old clasic gameplay. It was EXACTLY what I want from a current-gen Sonic game.
I agree about the visuals, and I thought the remixed music was pretty cool. But you have to remember, it's called Sonic Fan REMIX. It may look really good, but two of the three levels were taken from past Sonic games. It's hard to get behind something that isn't very original. The game is basically taking something that Sega did years ago and re-releasing it with updated graphics. The original act they did include was good, but it was way too short.
... I'd rather play through the same old FANTASTIC Sonic games again, only this time with GORGEOUS graphics, than that I play the messed up shit Sega is selling right now.
I still play Sonic 1 and 2 on the PSP whenever I'm on a train or a boring birthday or whatever. they're fantastic games. If Sega doesn't give those classics a proper HD treatment, but the fans DO, then I'm siding with the fan-remakes.
interpolred you obviously dont know anything about making video games. When you are making a video game every part of the game is has its own department. You have an art department, sound, progam and so on. Every department has groups of people that specialize in one thing. Take the Art department in it you have 3D modellers , you have texture map artist, you have 3D animators , storyboard artist, you have 2D artist and that just a few you can have depenting on the size of the game being made you mihg t have a lot more.
The people that made this demo are obviously not level designers. So creating they own levels is pointless as they are not looking for work in that area. We are assuming they are looking for work at all.
@interpolred
Still doesnt change the fact that Sega's own new sonic blows in comparison , and even without those to compare to.
And if you are going to fault fan made games for being limited and remixing existing material ... what about Sega then ?
They've got access to more money than most publishers , yet when they produce a 2d sonic again they can't even at least strive for gorgeous 2d hd ? Especially when games like Muramasa exist in 480p on wii ?
Again that would be the least to do if you aint truly updating the gameplay
The point I'm trying to make is this: Yes, Sonic Fan Remix looks good, but it doesn't offer much original content. The game doesn't do anything Sega hasn't already done in terms of level design. Yes, it is an impressive-looking endeavor, but the fact that it isn't a completely new game makes it underwhelming.
And when people say, "Sega should hire these guys", they're basically saying, "Sega should hire these guys to create something that Sega already did before." It's a bit nonsensical and completely devoid of logic.
This isn't an argument about remakes with HD visuals. It's an argument about originality. Sonic fan games are very unoriginal.
... but like I said before: I don't care. I LOVE the first 2 Sonic games and I'd much rather play and enjoy those old levels again in gorgeous HD, instead of paying Sega money to pay one of their shitty new Sonic-games.
I rather have an unoriginal GREAT game, instead of an original mediocre game.
Yes it's old leveldesign. Yes I've played it before. No I don't mind it one bit when this is the only way to play a fantastic Sonic game.
Would I prefer it if Sega would get a fucking clue and start making great NEW and ORIGINAL Sonic games with gorgeous HD visuals?
OFCOURSE!
But judging from Sonic 4 and everything else they've been doing the last 15 years since Sonic CD, they have absolutely no clue anymore!
Sega's didnt do squat new with sonic 4 . The levels may look newer indeed , but it's still the same game at heart , with worse physics and gameplay .
Not sure if you've played it, but Sonic Colors on the DS is an excellent 2D Sonic game. It's not HD (like that matters), but it is a great new Sonic game that actually plays to the strengths of the older games. That game is proof that Sega can create a great new, ORIGINAL Sonic sidescroller, and it throws Sonic Fan Remix out the window.
... did play it for a little bit on the Wii, but didnt really care for it, TBH. It's just not the Sonic that I want. It's not a speedy platformer, but a mediocre flashy rollercoaster.
I want Sonic like he was in Sonic 1 and 2 and in Sonic CD.
I didn't even like Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles, cause those took all the 'Sonic' out of the game, and it just became a mediocre platformer which had Sonic in the leading role. Suddenly there were all kinds of levers and other crap you would suddenly grab even though you didn't want to grab it, etc etc.
Play Sonic Colors. Its good. Hate gamers that skip all Sonic titles for 5 years and say "THEY SUCK, STOOPID SEGA"
@thats_just_prime: Actually, I know a lot more about game design than you might think. I know that there are multiple departments for the different aspects of the game, but let's look at Studio Pixel. ONE MAN created every aspect of Cave Story. Took him five years, but he did it. I think it is completely ludicrous that people are praising something that is so unoriginal. The single new level in the demo was awesome, if a bit short. The designers obviously have some good ideas for level design, so why not focus on crafting a new Sonic game? That would turn heads, and that would be impressive. Far more impressive than a simple rehash.
@Baka_akaB: Sega has made plenty of mistakes, there's no doubt about that. But this editorial focuses on Sonic FAN games, not Sega games. That's a completely different editorial subject. Besides, if you play Sonic Colors on the Wii or DS (especially the DS if you want an old-school Sonic game), then you will see that Sega is completely capable of making a good Sonic game.
You are mostly highlighting a lack of novelty in fan projects that are actually advertised as remix , most of the time .
i'm making the point that the main sonic title dont even try to add something new nor good graphics .
Nowadays it is trendy to pretend only gameplay matters , while calling people who cares about graphics "graphics wh*re" and such . Wich is a tad hypocrite imo , the golden eras of Sonic were always about both Graphics and gameplay in sonic 1-3 and Sonic adventures 1-2 .
Sega mostly gave up , asides from a few spin offs that still arent nearly good enough , and settle for mediocrity and nostalgia .
So no Sega isnt irrelevant to the topic . Not when some of those fan-made projects do kick their technological arse , while providing the old gameplay they can't even reproduce themselves .
You aint impressed and care about other things fine , but it's still a feat .. and in the end they are still copying Sega itself , better than current Sega .
Now that's ludicrous and sad
Far too much stuff in the background. This doesn't even look like Sonic 2 anymore.
The Sonic Remix demo was a hell of a lot better than Sonic 4, so yeah fan games are 'all that'.
Sonic Fan Remix may have been better than Sonic 4 (to some), but Sonic Colors on the DS blows both of those games away. It's fun and original.
I haven't played any fan game or Sonic 4 but this fan game shows that they can handle the latest 2D graphics (making a game that seems to look technically better than Sonic 4). Also, when you look at the details of the levels, they seem to have a good understanding of the aesthetics of Sonic games such as use of colour. To have Robotnik following Sonic throughout the level is a novel idea. So regardless of whether you think that they could be good at constructing a totally original Sonic level, it seems that they could do an impressive job at being a graphic artist on a more contemporary looking 2D Sonic game (rather than one made to fit in as a direct sequel with Megadrive style visuals) in conjunction with other people on the team. They can always be asked to reign in the amount of effects that they use if you don't like it.
Why is this article trying to judge the fan remixes as stand alone games? That makes no sense whatsoever. The point of the remixes isn't to create any new Sonic GAMES, it's simply to showcase graphical/sound improvements while maintaining the classic Sonic gameplay. What is so hard to understand about that?
Looks like someone is trying too hard to write an article just for the sake of writing it. Thumbs down.
Sonic 4 didn’t strike completely the right chord with everyone, with many a person criticising the game’s bizarre un-Sonicy physics and stating that the game didn’t truly encapsulate the true spirit of Sonic the Hedgehog. Well fear not my dear Sonic fans, as several groups of Sonic fans are not willing to take this blue hedgehog abuse any more! Around the globe several different and talented programmers/artists are all banding together to create two very different but equally exciting Sonic the Hedgehog games, all because they want to see one of their favourite videogame characters of all time returned to his former glory.
... and some animations, like the 'why are you letting me standing here?' and the looking up and down, I didn't really think there was much missing.
Yeah, perhaps the special stages, or the score-jump at the end where you jump in the air and get some extra points hopefully.
Original levels would be nice, but absolutely isn't a must-have for me. I was amazed by the Sonic Remix, and while not 'finished', I absolutely don't mind it if it's 'just' a straight remake of existing levels. In fact, I like that.
Anyway, I have complete trust that the guys behind the remix know very well what they're doing and how to treat Sonic and the Sonic fans.
Unlike Sega, who have no clue.