Previews// Sonic And The Secret Rings

It’s not just the gameplay that’s been reworked back to basics

Posted 28 Feb 2007 16:21 by
There will be plenty of opportunities for different types of hazards in this game; in the first stage, Sand Oasis, Sonic has to dodge pillars rising out of the desert, spike pits, lances and small gaps. The next stage (Dinosaur Jungle) ups the ante considerably with larger gaps, dinosaurs, killer plants and a massive purple T-Rex trying to have himself a spiky lunch.

The new control method can be hard to adjust right away and with each new stage there are new tricks to learn otherwise you end up as good as dead. It’s a difficulty curve that we’ve never seen before in a Sonic game, yet the controls still maintain that Sonic Team accessibility – with a good practice run you can play like a pro.

There are roughly 12 missions per stage in addition to the main progression of the story, and some will be generic “collect X rings” or “beat stage in X time” while others are stage-specific. Better yet, different missions will even take you through different paths of the level – multiple routes being high on the list of priorities for the Sonic fan since the days of Sonic & Knuckles.

An extra mission I played in Sand Oasis saw Sonic having to complete the stage without knocking over any jars (upon penalty of a large wage reduction, we imagine). Although it was shorter than the main Story Mission (being roughly two of five minutes long, respectively) I went through a new part of the level which included having to bounce on three enemies and a spring to continue (by flicking the Wii remote downwards with both hands in midair Sonic performs a homing attack. Swish).

It’s not just the gameplay that’s been reworked back to basics - it’s the principle. For the first time in a long while, we’re getting a game that focuses squarely on Sonic gameplay. You will see other characters in the story scenes and multiplayer mode, but thankfully the main game isn’t watered down by any awkward half-baked gameplay schemes (guns and psycho-powers anyone?).

Tails features in cut-scenes as Ali Baba, Knuckles as Sinbad, and Dr Eggman (I still think Robotnik’s cooler) as King Shahryar. They act in their represented character, not recognising Sonic at all, making for some cute comedy in the excellently designed storyboard-style cut-scenes. Doing away with munted (Essex for ‘broken’) scenes powered by the game engine, we have classic still drawings of Sonic and co that really remind us of the Sonic CD days.
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Comments

Dreadknux 28 Feb 2007 21:33
1/3
I love how you added "(Essex for 'broken')". Priceless. :o)

It's true, though.
TimSpong 1 Mar 2007 10:06
2/3
Svend Joscelyne wrote:
I love how you added "(Essex for 'broken')". Priceless. :o)

It's true, though.


As long as it's true, geezer... as long as it's true... We wouldn't want a munted preview now would we, treacle?

;-)
DoctorDee 2 Mar 2007 09:03
3/3
Svend Joscelyne wrote:
I love how you added "(Essex for 'broken')". Priceless. :o)

Munted. Rhymes with *unted.

Not the most imaginative rhyming slang now, is it?

I always thought it meant pissed, stoned, wasted... generally off your face.

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