The Unfortunate Legacy of Sonic the Hedgehog
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- Опубликовано: 4 июл 2024
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Sonic the Hedgehog: the beginning of the end.
0:00 Intro
4:40 Past
22:33 Present
42:55 Future
Channel Icon by:
/ whaddupnico
Script: docs.google.com/document/d/1x...
Patreon: / kingdomklannad
Twitter: / kingklonoa
Twitch: / thekingklonoa
Last Life: last-life.net/
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#KingK #Sonic06 
Игры
This game is rushed in a deeply fascinating way: it's packed with content and very long. Instead of cutting stuff that wasn't quite done it feels like they... Left it there, no matter the quality. This leaves us with a game that is completed in theory but absolutely busted in practice. I know that they cut a lot of stuff anyway, but I still find it extremely odd that this is the route they took while developing the game (that's probably what happens when you take an earlier build and put the newly developed content in it before release)
That is a good point. Like the game is unfinished obviously but not in the same way as something like Forces where it just feels like so much is missing
@@rouge939 precisely. Maybe that's why this game still captures our attention, because the potential is right there, easy to spot. It's just really, REALLY rough
You actually need time to cut content and make the game shorter, things have to be altered and that takes extra work, not to mention that just planning to scale down a project is tricky. They simply didn't even have time for that, I wouldn't be surprised if it was either get it to technically run from beginning to end and release it no matter the state or cancelation.
I think it took a similar route to Adventure 1, it has a lot of content with mixed quality, but at least SA1 had great controls and Sonic's campaign slaps
06 just felt... off from the start, all the way to the end with a weird structure
I read in an interview that they didn’t have time to cut that many stuff.
I remember when Forces was coming out, I was so intrigued by Infinite. Based on his name, theme, and the ideas introduced in Generations, my theory was that he was somehow a collapsed multiversal singularity of all the OCs from everyone's game.
For those who don't know, he's just Some Guy who got kicked in the face by Shadow once, and never got over it.
Yep.
Weak.
That is an amazing concept. Were SEGA and Sonic Team so bold to do stuff like this.
Crazy sonic 06 could've have co-op 4 players
You know a series is in trouble when fans can come up with genuinely better plots than the official writing team. At least they've got Flynn on dialogue duty in Frontiers; baby steps, I guess.
I'd just wanna mention that Maria does not come up once in this story, and given that Shadow 05 ends with Shadow consciously and deliberately choosing to put his past behind himself and decide what to do based on who he is now makes 06's story even stronger.
When he's saying "if the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight like I always have", he's not doing it out of a sense of morality installed by Maria, he's doing it because that's what he as an individual wants to do. He really is a hero at heart.
I like this
Thank you. Shadow ends his self titled game finally understanding who he is and what he wants be. Which leads into his dialogue during the first Mephiles boss battle:
_"Don't try to deceive me, I know who I am!"_ Directly calling back to his quest for truth in Shadow 05.
Very true; that would have been easy territory to insert Maria given that Mephiles puts shame on Shadow to succumb to his past. Shadow's story was the best written in this game and it near single-handedly carried the game all the way through.
@@nessamillikan6247hopefully with Sega finally easing up on their mandate on Shadow basically being diet Vegeta, maybe Ian and the other writers can give us a Shadow on par with what he used to be before 2010.
@@paperluigi6132 I mean at least Vegeta was allowed to grow (though uh, DB seemed hit it's own little regression problem with Super) and be nice to people. Shadow is just straight up not allowed to.
Thanks for the Shadow write up at 17:26. It's nice to hear someone recognize that Shadow is a hero that wants to help humanity.
Which more then half of the fanbase fails to realize and just continues to call him an emotionless edgelord.
@@Neoniq41 Yup, despite the dozens of essays explaining his character the way he was always meant to be, stubborn, seemingly willful ignorance about it still wins at the end of the day.
@@inendlesspain4724 Yup. After all this is the same fandom that DESPISES criticism towards certain Sonic media (games, tv shows etc.) And they'll go absolute apeshit if you mention something that's *slightly* negative.
@@Neoniq41 Nah. you're thinking of the Pokémon fanbase.
Seriously, Pokémon fans make the worst of Sonic fans look like saints by comparison.
@@bandicootsauce4569 Even tho the pokemon fanbase is atrocious it still doesn't excuse the way a lot of Sonic fans behave.
06 is iconic in so many ways, maybe for the wrong reasons but it's iconic nonetheless. It's been an interesting ride with this game to say the least. For as much harm that it's caused the community and the franchise itself, it has also (incidentally) more good than you'd think. Thinking back on it, this game is quite important to me. It was the first "let's play" series I ever saw with the Something Awful LP. I probably wouldn't have met most of my closest friends without it and I don't know if I'd be making stuff on RUclips in the same way. Its horrible flaws and half finished nature helped me begin to appreciate all the little nuances that go into game design. So, thanks 06.
Also P-06 is a genuinely good time that I'd recommend any Sonic Fan to try out, it's still flawed in a lot of ways but it's so much fun despite all of that.
In another timeline, '06 was the best Sonic game of all time
His World is arguably the most iconic song in the franchise next to Gotta go fast, Live and Learn and Escape from the City
I'd probably be a totally different person if not for watching that LP back then. Probably a lot better off! (rimshot)
The thing that truly excites me about P-06 is not just that it's a faithful recreation or reimagining of the game, it's that its development on such an open-source platform effectively means that, in a perfect future, we will see people making custom assets, stages, areas, vehicles, missions, etc. as a component of its gameplay, assuming that ChaosX is open enough to support that sort of thing.
It would be incredible to play purpose-built stages by people who care much more about the game than SEGA ever did.
@@Mister_Clean And in that timeline, Sonic would’ve likely had a more mature vibe.. and we might’ve not gotten many of the Meta-Era games..
There's some things a story just can't recover from. For this one, it's that all Mephiles had to do in order to immediately accomplish his goal and end the entire world was to squirt a little lemon juice in Elise's eyes.
Or just laugh evilly as he cuts onions in her face.
If theyd established some limitations on time travel or made it so that Elise simply crying wasn’t enough and they had to be tears of despair, I feel like that problem could’ve been dealt with.
Imagine if one day Elise was bored and decided to cook, but then cries cutting the onions, the world would end there?
If the requirement is for her to cry and not the reason for crying, that would definitely be an easier solution than allowing Elise's and Sonic's relationship to grow only to appear and kill him so that Elise is more likely to cry.
that's what a true force of Every Villain Is Lemons would do
This is the most measured, sensible take on Sonic '06 I've ever seen. This game is a true example of what happens when game development goes horribly wrong, and I agree that this truly could've been the follow-up to the Adventure series everyone asked for.
If anything, I want to download Project 06 to see for myself what this game for what it truly could've been.
You're going to need a powerful PC for that game.
@@smashmaster521 I have a 1050 2GB and it does perform very nicely
It's a real shame, if it wasn't for this games failure, we would probably still have the Adventure style gameplay.
@@smashmaster521 The dev uses a Ryzen 5 5600g with no dedicated GPU to develoop this, it'll be fine on like a gtx 1050 non ti.
@@smashmaster521you don’t really need a power pc I don’t even have any rtx graphics cards or any high end graphics cards and I can run it fine but for the new silvers release will drop frames and proformance so you need to turn off certain settings to make it more stable because the new cutscenes are a bit graphic heavy no matter what graphics card you have.you can search silver po6 and look for a video on how to make it run better, then do what the vid says then you should be able to play on any graphics cards of recentish years
This is perhaps the most unique look at Sonic '06 I have seen. Most videos on it mostly talk about the gameplay bugs, odd story beats (the dreaded sonic kiss), and how the only saving grace is the music. If not that, then it's development history. Never has anyone discussed this games impact on how people discuss the Sonic franchise and even the development of Sonic games since. Watched this with my brother and he asked about my thoughts about the game and I was not favorable when describing it. After the video, I was blown away by how there were elements in the game that were praise-worthy. I even paused to mention the Solaris fight was actually really good when I finished the game.
I never considered how much communities have stained discourse surrounding this game. Kudos to you, King K.
Edit: To clarify: This is the most unique take *I* have seen. There have been many videos made on '06, and the popular ones tend to dunk on this game on some degree. I haven't seen a take like King K's before. There are probably vids that have made similar takes, I just haven't seen them.
Js reviews had a similar approach
Geek Critique has a video that also effectively looks at the impact 06 gas on the series and fandom.
Can I just say that people complaining about the kiss makes me cringe? If Sonic looked and acted more like an actual hedgehog then I'd understand but he doesn't. He's a humanoid who stands upright, wears gloves, wears shoes, has cool hair and an even cooler personality. Plus this isn't the only example of interspecies romance in fiction. I'm not a furry but the lame jabs people make at the scene make me roll my eyes.
@@Marku912 I agree, they’re both sapient creatures that can give consent. Personally I’m more bothered by the fact that Elise technically kissed a corpse.
No, this is not the only one. There are plenty, in fact I’d consider talking about positives in 0’6 to be more cliche now
The absolute most insane thing about project 06 is that allegedly the dev has NEVER actually played sonic 06 yet somehow its so incredibly faithful to the source material. I myself have played 06 and yet this guy has a better understanding of what sonic 06 was supposed to be than I ever could
I believe it was a clean room project, yeah.
Cmon I'm sure he's played it before
@@psyduck8025 he only actually got to play the game recently because he never had access to a system to play it on. He has gone on record to say that he started the project because he was so enamored by the game and wanted a way to actually play it for himself. And he improved the game based on what he heard about the original game’s issues online. ChaosX is an absolute mad lad.
@@TehJellyLord well I'll be danged. The absolute Chad
@@TehJellyLord the only time when *sega hire this man* is a good suggestion
Those lyrics during the credits are so ironic. "Life's an open book", "A compromise does not exist", "Never fear the fall". But in reality the series hasnt been doing any of that anymore, they dont want to push the envelope just as you said. So scared of failure, so scared to do new things, so many compromises... i dont blame Sega, especially after Boom, but most of their failures were in some way or another their own fault.
For real Sega needs to take advice from their own songs lol.
an unleashed retrospective would go so hard. Ur opinions are so on point and is expressed in such an intelligent way
it would go so hard, but it's gonna be for a while until ig, his heart is in the right place from the franchise. Rn, he's currently not really feeling it for Sonic that much. He will still make a retrospect about unleashed, just that he would rather focus on other games that he genuinely cares about around this time
that rant on the way people approached sonic after 06 came out was one of the most depressing perspectives on this game that I've ever heard and I already considered the rushed development depressing
i've never even played it but i felt that
Im so glad theres someone else who relates to this feeling I have about the early 2000s Sonic games. Like I know they're not great man but they held my attention and intrigue anyway and they're very nostalgic for me.
The definition of Nostalgia goggles
@@666slateran666 nope, nostalgia goggles cause people to ignore the problems and negatives of something theyre nostalgic for. I can fully acknowledge that theres issues with these games, while still embracing the things that they do well and are successful in.
@@gg-nj1wv I recently started playing sa1 and 2 and i gotta say ive been having a blast! I never had a dreamcast or gc growing up but when i was like 19 ish i finally got my hands on them and man im really enjoying the games. Theyre fun, the worlds, characters and stories they tell are super charming....i could go on lol
This is one of the reasons I like watching retrospectives from content creators younger than myself. I was 19 when 06 came out so it wasn’t on my radar, especially after all the bad press. It’s nice to see a retrospective from someone who has that nostalgia and did play it in their formative years. I feel like we all have a handful of games we grew up with that we know aren’t “good” but we love them anyway.
@@666slateran666 the definition of nostalgia bias since you don't see the same problems in your own childhood media
I absolutely love the thumbnail duality between this video and the last.
dude i saw it and man that's a dope ass way to styles your thumbnail
Seeing this and the Shadow thumbnail side by side is genius
i’m so glad sonic 06 is getting some love lately. i’ve been playing project 06 every single day for the past month, and it really just goes to show how amazing that game could’ve been, especially with the extended mod. at least we’ll one day have the finished product of that🙏
BABE GET THE POPCORN, A NEW KINGK VIDEO DROPPED
I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABE!
MOOD
WWOOOOOOO
My bae hates sonic
F in chat
The reason most people consider Shadow an edgy bad guy is simple: that's how Sega marketed him, prominently portraying him in front of dark clouds with a glock in one hand in an era where GTA was still the hot new thing.
Most people never played Shadow or Sonic 06 or if they did, they didn't take them seriously. And arguably Shadow WAS a villain through most of SA2, coming very close to committing genocide before fully regaining the memories of the promise he made.
That he's not a villain through most of the games he's featured in is true but it's clear why he's often presumed to be one.
One interesting thing about the were-hog gameplay wise is that if you look at high-level play and the end game the were-hog is an extremely fun, dynamic brawler. The game is absolutely killed by the need to grind unlock alot of stuff that makes those levels fun to play
Okay the way you made the sonic and shadow thumbnails go together is actually so cool and the first time I have seen something like that. Mad props dude
I got this game when I was about 12, knowing people didn't like it, thinking to myself, "How could anyone not like a game with sonic, shadow, and silver as playable characters with diverse movesets?" I was able to get through sonic's story, but I only got about halfway through silver and shadow's stories before I threw in the towel and sold the game. It was just too frustrating man.
Im the same age about. I was born in 94. I was the same. I did start to notice some of the issues but i powered through and finished it as a kid. It took a while but i did it. No regrets it was so satisfying when i finally finished it. Especially that freaking ball puzzle as silver
ruclips.net/video/eatIzqwB2dA/видео.html
Christ died for your sins and rose on the third day, showing that anyone who trusts in him for salvation, will have everlasting life.
(John 11:25-26) "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
(John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
You can't end this video the same way you ended Shadow's and not expect to make me CRY, man
It’s been a long time since I’ve heard anyone speak so positively and passionately about this game. My best friend and I were SO into Adventure 2, we basically marathoned ‘06 on release. The first section of this vid reminded me of what it felt like to love this game for everything it got right, and makes me yearn for a world where it got the development time it deserved to deliver on its full potential. Will definitely be checking out Project ‘06 now that I know it’s a thing!
I think KingK oversells P-06 a little too hard. I booted it up and yes it fixes some problems but… I don’t know man, it’s still not very good. It’s less broken but that’s not saying much. My theory? Uber fans of the Sonic Adventure games want ‘06 to be good so bad that any improvement on it really resonates with them.
@@leeartlee915 just say that you don't like the game.
@@Chillipeffer Why? You just watched an hour long video on someone saying their opinion. I’m not allowed 2 sentences?
Control freak.
@@leeartlee915 Okay but what makes it that bad for you? If you don't like it, that's fine, not everyone has to, but I feel as though P-06 is objectively good from a design standpoint.
@@markandrew287 Specificaly, the level design, character movement/actions (though I’ll admit, I have never been that thrilled with Sonics movement in 3D), and overall vibe of the game doesn’t work for me.
Edit: And I get that some people feel that P-06 is good but at the same time, there’s a group of people (of which I guess I’m representing) that think the game is too flawed to be resurrected by modders.
That ending was pretty powerful. I can feel the emotion from the way you describe the franchise and growing up in the 4kids era of Sonic, I relate to a lot of it myself and find myself longing for things of the past or feeling like an outsider when I can't adjust to things of the presence and I guess in some ironic way, that's the essence of Sonic 06 being present. The past clashing against the presence, causing a resistance for the future and I think in some way that's poetic. Good video
I sort of miss the era of sonic games being so ambitious that they sometimes trip over themselves rather than sonic games aiming so low that it feels like they didn’t even try
Hopefully Frontiers marks the end of the “meta era”
That's why I prefer the dark era (even if I like, for the gameplay, Sonic colours, Sonic generations and Sonic lost world). And with Sonic frontiers, we will have the return of the serious Sonic.
@Ewan Callister No one told you what you should "respect." This isn't a comment built to convince you to feel a certain way, it's just someone else's personal feelings. And FEELINGS are never going to be completely understandable or objectively correct to everyone.
Whatever you think about those games doesn't change this person's opinions, nor did they ask for you to shove your down their throat. So please, stop being so dismissive and engage in a mature conversation about a topic that people have VERY personal and complicated feelings about.
@Ewan Callister bro, you brought WW2 into a discussion about sonic
I think the later games tried even forces had a boatload of cut content and potientail. Even more than 06. I’d actually want to see a finished forces more than a finished 06.
These games just suck
On the upside, I think we’re getting into the renaissance of nostalgia for the Dreamcast Era nowadays; while that comes with its own pitfalls, and we have to be careful not to be to boost fans what 2D fans were to us in the past, I think that there’s a much broader swell of support for the Adventure style of Sonic and what it brought to the table nowadays, so just maybe we can get more projects pushing towards what we liked about those games!
Even "boost fans" is such an umbrella term when games like Unleashed and Colors couldn't be more different
@@radar4104 thank u i agree
I can only hope, but I'll keep those well tempered for now.
But I agree with the message; there are a lot of ways Sonic plays and we shouldn't be dicks to people just for enjoying different styles.
I think that's true for pop culture in general. The 2000's are getting their time for nostalgia pandering and I'm here for it! It makes sense too because the people around my age are now the ones making stuff. So every 10-20 years we'll naturally see nostalgia pandering for the stuff those people grew up with. Finally it's our time! 😂
as someone who grew up with the boost era i cannot thank you enough for this comment. i got into sonic when colours/gens came out and ive always loved every era of sonic, but ive always hated to see different eras get disrespected. seeing how the classic fans shat on the adventure/dark age games during the mid 2010s was a pain, but seeing those fans retort by treating us boost fans the same has always been a pain. like u said, talking about what we like about each era of sonic is the best thing for this fanbase to do (:
I’m excited for Frontiers cause hopefully it’ll present a Sonic story that’s more than an excuse to connect levels and have a series of bosses. I miss the big climactic moments that could be had with a story that took itself more seriously. The scene in Sonic Rush where Sonic and Blaze use the Chaos and Sol Emeralds still pumps me up when I see it.
Unfortunately it just looks like an empty unfinished BOTW clone. I'm hoping it's good but I highly doubt it will be given how fucking horrific crunch is at Sonic Team
I wouldn't get your hopes up.
@@Whiteythereaper you're taking the starter region of the game as reference to the entire game, of course it's going to look bad if you do that
@@WobblesandBean but we shouldn't also have hopes that are basically non existent in size
Just like everyone knows the starter region for BOTW was absolutely terrible, right?
In reality this starting region almost certainly represents how empty the whole game will be.
I truly feel like the Adventure formula peaked here with P06 proving how good it really is
The way KingK depicts his perspectives on the game deeply makes me want to give this game another shot I truly felt disappointed playing this as my younger self but now that I’m older I can now appreciate and respect the game more
Or dislike it properly knowing exactly what its flaws are.
or play P-06, and enjoy what the game should have been.
@@ridgenyan-botxv367 I still feel like playing the original version first is a better idea. You’ll notice the changes that P06 has when you play it after beating the original. Idk it makes me appreciate the fan projects more cause I see them as more of a definitive edition. I’ve played S3&K so many times and when I played AIR, I never went back to the original still don’t know if comparing a game released on a 16 bit cartridge back in 94 compared to a fan made remastered version released 25 years later is a good comparison but my point is that personally I prefer playing the original first than the superior version cause I’ll notice how different the game feels when you play it a second time and appreciate it more
Having played that game recently I can say it is one of the few bad games that I can actually be interested in playing. Somehow every mechanic is broken and by hour like 5 of basic physics not working it can become really funny.
@@ridgenyan-botxv367 Gotta agree with Dre here, P-06 does bring a lot of cut content and ideas to the fray but it also takes a decent amount of liberties, for better or worse. It's a much better idea to play the original first in spite of its flaws, and I say this as someone who doesn't like the original '06... though I'm probably a bit biased since I like making code mods for it.
14:10 That's kind of a double-edged sword for Sonic, and why I understand the more scared and insecure direction the movies took his personality. You can't get much character development out of someone who already knows who he is without any self-doubt. He reminds me a lot of Goku in that aspect.
Unleashed already proved you can marry both approaches, with Chip and Sonic lifting each other up as they find themselves in situations they never experienced before throughout the story. Going the easy route of streamlining Sonic's character to that degree is part of why I'm not too keen on the movies, though the second one did give Knuckles a more traditional Sonic arc.
I think there's something to be said about the differences in how you can tell a story by focusing on someone who doesn't need the development themselves. It ceases to be about how the world and their experiences shape them and more about how they shape the world around them. The interesting differences of watching the world through the eyes of a mentor, someone who already knows themself, their life, their actions. How do others change interacting with them, seeing them live? How do they make a positive changeon the lives of others? How do they inspire others, be the rock, be something people look up, all while not just bing the crutch.
That has long been much of Sonic's personality and vibe, doing that for Tails as early as the second game. I feel Sonic works best as a character like that, pulling others up rather than the story being about him changing. You see the world from the perspective of the guy who has himself figured out even when no one else understands, and over time, you even see the lessons and help settle into others. That, I feel, is the emotional payoff of the role and the story.
@@radar4104 My mind always goes to Lost World, where they amplified Sonic’s recklessness in order to give him a character flaw to develop out of.
@@thelastwindwaker7948 Lost World's plot of Tails getting cucked by Eggman as Sonic's bff isn't my favorite, but I'd prefer that approach vs how the movies did it I guess lol
Werehog's plot impact and how it affected the dynamic between Sonic and Chip goes largely underrated imo
@@supersparkchu Gotta agree with this, Sonic's approach of being the one who lifts others up, instead of the other way around, used to set this franchise apart. The way that theme extended to other characters over time, like Amy with Shadow, Cream with Blaze etc. was also a really cool way to show the impact of Sonic's actions.
At this point I believe that what killed the franchise as we knew it, was the bias against 3D Sonic as a concept among some fans, and internet celebrities whose content is based solely on picking apart bad products without thinking at all as to what is the fault of those bad products, Game Grumps being the worst culprit. Not only that, but I believe the stance of video game journalists on the Sonic franchise wouldn't be as bad as it is, if it wasn't for said internet celebrities. I've read many reviews of the series' main titles, and not one written at the time of release of Unleashed or Secret Rings, had even a fraction of cynicism and derision, of any review, essay or article made after 2014.
I'm not gonna be ashamed of saying, that as a fan of the series, I feel offended by seeing Arin Hanson in promotional material on Sonic the Hedgehog channel; the person who was trying to profit the most from bashing the franchise, who either can't play the games, or deliberately plays them badly, to make up more reasons to react to them negatively.
The only thing I can hope for, is that the presence of people like Joseph Anderson, Hbomberguy, or KingK, who don't just bash the games they talk about, but go into how design decisions, business practices and culture surrounding the video games, affect those games; can be a cure to the problems and creativity-limiting trends of the industry.
Arin Hanson...say no more. Internet celebs like him is why I think only (certain) hardcore fans of a series or game should be the authorities on the subject and not the other way around.
I miss the confidence SEGA had in their own titles back in the 00s, nowadays they just attempt to pander to vocal fans on the internet and just clip the wings of any story potential their games might get
When they tried to appeal to what the internet wanted out of this series, that's when Sonic died, and with over a decade of newer fans having grown with the newer, more self deprecating titles, I'm really scared one of my favorite franchises will die in mediocrity
The Future segment in this video really got to me, I love your reviews so much
I'm really glad Project 06 gave this game a second (and generally positive) lease on life. Over the years I've heard a number of veretan fans talk about how a lot of the level design in this game (mostly the Sonic stages) was still great despite requiring a masterful execution of platforming to fully enjoy. Seeing fan projects that take the good parts of poor games and elevating/reworking it to the point were it's not just playable but genuinely fun for anyone makes me happy
As someone who isn't really a fan of sonic, just having glimpses on it every once in a while, but being a very big Kirby fan, honestly I can see the actual passion of the devs when making the games up to 06. I can feel the same passion in both of these series, trying to take itself seriously enough and telling great connected stories. But Sega chewing more than it could with the 3d games and having the fandom seemingly mob bombarding them with complains and causing the series to lose any strength or will to try anything with time is incredibly sad. I've always seen 06 and the previous as in really trying to do something cool and caring for it, just it was either not executed perfectly, deliveries being silly or weird but still had heart, and 06 with being so flawed but still passionate. I honestly would be distraught if something like this would happen to Kirby, I'm so thankful that a case of rushed game and stuff didn't cause this phenomenon for Hal.
Thinking of it, both series had rocky periods in development at partially overlapping times, just in totally opposite directions. Sonic with a rocky adjustment to the next gen but games being forced out in an incomplete state, and Kirby getting stuck so hard trying to develop the next console game with multiple abandoned attempts, while side games meandered out and accidentally muddled the series identity for a time.
Then Sonic’s rushed development finally backfired into a game that forever broke the series discourse… while Kirby finally was able to put together RtDL, and redefined the series for a widely loved modern era. A shame their fates had to be so divergent.
@@r4bbitdragon yup I was also thinking of that as well
@@r4bbitdragon sad. Maybe sonic will finally make his own standard setting game now.
"being a very big Kirby fan"
Kirby fans ASSEMBLE!!!
Who cares about your anecdotal exsperience? Your exsperience is a dime a dozen and adds literaly zero relatable nuance to our perspectives other then getting your own out there. News flash, idc if you like kurby, or what you do. Your anecdotal exsperience means little in the grand scheme of things.
After so many years of 06 being the gum on people’s shoes, it’s really refreshing to see someone find things to like in it, even if it’s flawed. Thank you for making this video. At the very least I have p06 to look forward to
The hardest part of being a Sonic fan on the internet is that everybody seems to have a different opinion than you. When I found out that people hated Unleashed, I was shocked to my core. That game, to this day, is the reason I fell in love with the fanchise. I'll even admit that the werehog sections were just whatever. Not my favorite but definitely not the worst. At the end of the day, everybody in this fanbase fell in love with a different Sonic, but that doesn't mean each game is better or worse because of x, y and z. Every game is good for its own reasons, and everybody is allowed to like those games for those reasons. And regarding your later point about how we might never get to play as our favorite characters really struck a cord with me. I had the same realization about a month or 2 ago. It truly is heartbreaking to see. That and the endless nostalgia pandering gets frustrating. Maybe some people are just blinded by nostalgia and are able to forgive the shortcomings of a mediocre or bad game because it has Green Hill in it for the millionth time. I don't know...
Thanks for reading through my ramble
Wrong.
I honestly love the Werehog gameplay.
That is... painfully accurate description of my feeling about the franchise. Ending the review with the same line you did with Shadow was just... oof.
I have one point about time travel: I think the game work on a "past is set in stone" sorta rule, like Shadow-Mephiles loop. There is this moment when Sonic THINKS Elise is dead so he goes back in time, but Egg Carrier crashes in both timelines. I think Elise was already saved by time-traveling Sonic, but at present Sonic doesn't know it, so he time travels, closing the causal loop. Some things are destined to happen.
Of course then Mephiles merge with Iblis and from this point rules change. IDK, maybe it's because time itself is collapsing.
I think the story was definitely trying to imply the set in stone thing.
You could make a point that Sonic's death is set firmly in the present and only changes the future with Silver there to help stop the oncoming bad future.
Maybe?
I'm not sure, this is still kinda messy
@@dude9904 Real answer is that it was a mess.
My "trying to make things work" head canon is thus
- Time travel works on time cycles: events are set in stone, predestined. That's why most time travel causes the already happened future or fails to change it.
- Mephiles knows this, but he doesn't see a full picture. So he knew Sonic's death will cause release of Iblis, but doesn't know details how this happens. So his whole plan is based on killing Sonic.
- Merging with Iblis breaks the rules because it erases bad future, but that's partially the reason time itself is collapsing.
- Death of Solaris changes the rules, now future is in flux.
I kinda thought that too but then i remembered the news report Tails read about when Team Sonic was sent until the future which stated Elise died in the crash.
I'm assuming there's some Back to the Future Shit going on with timelines here but I do like the possibility of there being two Sonics and not initially realizing it.
@@nekonomicon2983 That can be explained.
Imagine this time cycle without Mephiles merging with Iblis (event that breaks the rules and causes time to collapse).
Mephiles just lets Iblis do his thing as it was predestined. Iblis starts destroying everything, his first victim being Elise.
It's very likely no one knew all the details because witnesses were killed by Iblis. But people know that Elise was kidnapped onto the Egg Carrier, that Egg Carrier crashed and that minutes later Iblis emerged. So it's easy to assume things.
time is distorted in soleanna
While I sympathize with your disdain for Frontiers, I'm honestly just happy Sonic is returning to his more mature roots. Sure, you could say the same about Forces, but here it feels less obvious and more earnest. The game just feels more big budget and high profile.
And it's really frustrating how much Sonic fans have demonized the writing mandates. Yes, things like Shadow's characterization and the money not existing thing are dumb, but I don't think people realize how flexible SEGA is with their IP. They're cool with fan projects and literal remakes of their own games, and they actually greenlit a zombie apocalypse Sonic story written by Ian Flynn, and its legitimately one of the best and most engaging Sonic story's ever written.
Beyond that though, I relate to this video so hard, and no one other than KingK could put these thoughts into word more eloquently than he could. Looking forward to the next one.
I love how this video compliments the Shadow one so well (with the bittersweet ending) but also its is own thing, fantastic job! I'm also really glad you didn't mention the infamous kiss - you showed it yes but script wise, you didn't go for the low hanging fruit that everyone goes for. You put it so eloquently when you said you love the games 'spirit' when it comes to favourite - that's such a nice way to put it.
My hate for this game comes entirely down to its controls. I respect the ambition, some of the character moments, and the level design. I can also look past aspects like a bad story, abysmal load times, uninteresting hub worlds, and a few glitches, but if you can't make the simple act of controlling the character at least a little bit fun, you've lost me.
Sega learned all the wrong lessons from this game. Instead of learning not to rush out Sonic games they decided they needed to cut all of Sonic’s friends out and turn the Series into a self aware parody
Yup. Sega's a snake eating it's own tail. Every time an idea fails they either don't learn or if they do they overcorrect.
lol that's what greed does they rushed 06 for the sake of money and they did get money it really did well in terms of money but it ruined the series reputation and then they went and rushed big red button and ruined their reputation but this time they didn't get money and then on the third time they rushed blind squirrel they ofc got money because it's multiplatform but my point still stands they don't learn from rushing games for money and then they rushed headcannon and didn't tell them when this sonic 3 remaster they are making is releasing and that this is gonna be a part of a classic sonic game collection and then when it released it had bugs... It was playable nothing like 06 or rise of lyric but this is still shameful and the collection didn't even get the reviews it deserves like just sonic cd alone has 91 on metacritic so how about a collection of sonic 2 and 3 it would just be straight up a 94 or 95 on meta critic but instead because of sega rushing the product it's like a 78 which is pathetic for those iconic classic games. THEY REPEATED THE SAME MISTAKE 4 TIMES 4 F******* TIMES???? and I hope the bayonetta 3 situation doesn't have to do with them because if it does then SEGA really needs to be taught a lesson especially with their greed for money.
@@Summorial2 Yeah, it's why ' a snake eating it's own tail' is the perfect analogy.Sega's upper management keep running into the same mistakes over and over with no self awareness. Their management of Sonic as far as the games go has been awful for years. Like you said,if they really cared about the integrity of the Sonic games,they would be doing everything they could to not have another 06(knowing that game singlehandly destroyed Sonic's public rep), but they didn't. I almost wouldn't put SCU on here because the fuck up mainly came from BS and Sega wasn't meddling with them like they did with BRB. But Sega still has some blame because they signed off on the game's state and launched it like that. I'm pretty sure the only reason Sonic is successful in other areas right now is because Sega doesn't butt in and leaves them alone.
@@infinitedreamer9359 exactly also I put SCU here because it's pretty much the same thing they rushed blind squirrel if you think about it if they had enough time then the game wouldn't have been glitchy.
@@Summorial2 But there's no evidence to suggest that Sega meddled in SCU development like they did with RoL,06,or Origins.It just looks like this was the fault of BS's own upper management fucking up on their own.This doesn't excuse Sega for signing off it it and releasing like they did,but I don't think they mainly the ones at fault in this case.
FYI: the notion Mania is a fan-project (or even official fan-project) is a misnomer. They were contracted to develop the game by SEGA so by any measure, the game is an official one.
That's the joke.
54:42 how many times do I have to tell people.
Sonic. Mania. Is. NOT. A. Glorified. Fangame.
Ah yes, the other half of this era. It's nice to see Project 06 helping to bring this game back to the glory it could've been.
Level design is still a bit iffy, but the increased polish from that project has made the game more than playable now.
Nothing can unfortunately fix the disjointed story.
@@Nevergofullretard321 I've seen how those cutscenes play out, nothing can hurt me anymore.
@@Nevergofullretard321 Well, maybe they can. They did mine out unused dialogue. Probably best to find the right places to put them in.
Sonic 06 will never be perfect… but P-06 will never be a PROTOTYPE
@@cloudshines812 Man, I miss Sonic 06.😭
I've always felt like 06 was a game that needed some much more time in the oven then it got
Imagine a Sonic 07 or Sonic 08?
I’d sacrifice Secret Rings for a better 06 honestly since the dev teams got split up and it didn’t help that Yuji Naka left too, I felt like he played a part in 06’s failure too.
If this game had another year, they could have easily ironed out the bugs, but I think the story would take more than some edits. It basically requires a full rewrite for it to make any sense. The character writing can be good, but the actual plot is nonsensical.
Honestly kinda sad how according to dev history, most Sonic games are rushed by Sega to fufill some release date instead of pushing the games back for more polish. This still done to this day despite how 06 made Sonic a joke in the wider gaming commuinty.
no shit sherlock
What a strange comment. Literally everyone knows this for a fact. You don't have to "feel" in any particular way.
My feelings on Frontiers are complicated. I never want to try and dictate the series' intentions but I've been of the belief for a long time that Sonic won't ever get over the stigma of '06 until we get another game that tries to do what it did. Frontiers I do think comes closer to reaching that conceit than any game we've had since at least 2010, and its design also has some enticing solutions to long-running 3D Sonic quandaries, but the half measures at play I frankly just think can't be overlooked.
I'm not going to say "wait 'till the next game" because I would just like to be unambiguously excited for the thing in front of me right now instead of the hope of something better down the road, but I do think it'll be a game that coasts notably less on the appeal of not being '06.
As far as '06 itself goes, some of my favourite stuff is for sure in here (Kingdom Valley is honestly a top 3 level for me) but I think for me what sucks more than anything is to be a longtime fan of Sonic who in 2022 just doesn't care about this game, still seeing it soak up so much attention one way or the other. People just seem either addicted to its infamy or its obscure brilliance and all the while all I can think of is how this series would've looked over the past 15 years had this one mistake not reactively influenced its every decision.
I think the issue with Frontiers is that literally everyone is going to compare it to Breath of the Wild because of the setting and design. I have a feeling a lot of the complaints are going to be about just how much empty space there is on the map
This resonated a lot with me. I did love this game when I was younger but eventually it became that bastion of failure you talked about. And it's absolutely understandable and relatable to not have any hope regarding future entries especially after Forces. My cold dead soul has come around after Frontiers, but I know it won't be for everyone.
I hope you enjoy Xenoblade 3!
I feel you 100% on that rant about the present, man. I'm still huge into Sonic despite it all and I'm hoping Sonic Frontiers can break this miasma of stagnation that's surrounded the series for a decade now. It's doing a lot right by me so far. It really feels like I'm back in the era of Sonic games I grew up in. I truly believe in Sonic Frontiers, but maybe I'm just a touch too optimistic. It is admittedly tiring that they keep leaning on Green Hill, but the new stuff they are trying appeals to me so incredibly. It feels like a brave new direction for the first time in ten years. As a fellow fan, I sincerely hope Frontiers can do something for you. It breaks my heart to see people who love what I do completely and utterly dejected that they'll never enjoy anything about the franchise they like again. I genuinely feel like we're in this together and that the franchise will let us feel SOMETHING again. They can't stay this stagnated forever.
Honestly agreed. I told myself I wouldn't get at all hyped for the next Sonic game after getting burned by Forces, but what we've seen of Frontiers (and _especially_ the positive accounts I've seen from people who've played its demo at events) managed to pique my interest anyway. I'm personally erring on the side of cautious optimism this time - I'm generally looking forward to the game, but I'm also making sure to keep my expectations in check in case they end up dropping the ball yet again.
Kinda miffed about the Cyberspace levels too, but considering they're essentially just small special stages inside a much larger game, their existence doesn't really bother me that much. I think I can let it slide this time.
I have to concur honestly! I can't remember the last time I actually *felt* hope and belief in an upcoming Sonic title, not since Mania came out. These last few months not only feel as though they've shot some life into the Sonic series but the community itself. The Post-Mania/Forces years have been brutal; but I can see that light in the distance. For the first time in over a decade, Sonic Team dares to try something again. Never thought I'd see the day again
@@Fighter_Builder yeah if the rest of the game didn't look so promising I probably wouldn't be as forgiving of them using the same stages over and over. Thing is, to me this game looks like it's gonna be at worst a pretty good kicking-off point for the games at large. As long as "open zone" can keep itself interesting all the way to the end then I'm into it. I don't really see this disappointing me.
@@Rman1228 the thing I have to keep in mind is that a lot of the showrunners at Sonic Team are industry veterans. There's gotta be some hurdle that was preventing them from being ambitious and I feel like they must have overcome it this time. If those cyberspace levels really do end up as bad as lots of fans believe it's going to be, then maybe open zone is the play for the foreseeable future.
I'm just really happy with how tightly sonic controls, you don't often hear the average person sing the praises of a Sonic game's movement so that's gotta mean something.
Frontier will probably fail hard. It looks so bad. It looks like the default open world of the Unreal Engine.
This is a game that I have tried and tried over the years to force myself to like. But sadly, I think its as bad as its reputation. I’m glad that there’s a subset of younger fans who grew up with the game and can appreciate it past it’s flaws, just like I could with the Adventure games. Unfortunately, it’s just not me. While I’ve beaten the game all the way through, every modern playthrough I’ve attempted ends with the Mach speed section of Crisis City. It gets me every time. Though your summation of this games legacy and effects on the franchises’s legacy as a whole was very poignant and interesting. As a good example of this in action, compare IGN’s Adventure and Adventure 2 reviews to their later HD remaster reviews. They’re dripping with post-Sonic 06 “well this is how we got here” mentality.
as its* reputation. As its* flaws.
I mean, it's so easy to hate. For every really good decision, there five bad ones. Also, Elise....
King K has proven time and time again that he has shit taste. Especially in regard to Sonic.
@@666slateran666 I wonder how he feels about Unleashed. It is actually my favorite.
@@pizzapower3166 did you watch the whole video? He literally talks about how it took some of the criticisms like weird looking humans and fixed it and tightened up the gameplay. But people wrote it off because the werewolf. Personally it's just as lame as the secret rings or the black knight. It's all bad my guy. The last good sonic was the Era of heros and adventure imp. Nowadays sonic robo blast is THE best 3d sonic, and that's made in the doom engine lmao. Still slightly excited for frontiers though despite the first impression.
This is the Sonic video I relate to the most by far. I loved how Sonic had more serious plotlines and how the franchise was rich with so many characters with unique designs and movesets, but all of that just doesn't seem to matter anymore
I've been working for over a year on my own Sonic 06 video essay and let me just say I'm so glad there's another good one out there. I cannot explain how much I appreciate this video existing
I found it very interesting that we had a very similar experience with Sonic 06 despite me having a very different introduction to this franchise. I was born in 1999 and couldn’t really play video games until I was about 5 or 6, and it would be another year or two before I even discovered Sonic the Hedgehog in the first place. Once I did discover this series, I became hooked and kept asking for various games that already had existed at that point for my birthdays and Christmas and whatnot. Because of this, I kind of grew up with all the different kinds of Sonic games all at once and that taught me this invaluable lesson that has kept me being a Sonic fan to this day. That lesson is that Sonic games can be anything and everything they want them to be, whether it’s an ambitious action packed momentum based platformer, a team based beat ‘em up, or just a simplified boost platformer. The franchise always has its trends and directions, and the only way you can really continue being a fan is if you take each game and treat it on its own merits rather than comparing it to all the other games in the franchise. Doing this will allow you to see the good in almost every Sonic game, yes even Sonic Forces. And it’ll also teach you that you’re not going to like everything that comes out of this franchise, but allow you to still have hope that whatever comes next, be it a sequel or something entirely new, will be something you can enjoy.
This is why I am excited for Sonic Frontiers. I completely and readily admit that Cyber Space drags this game down HARD and it is definitely not something I would have even included in the game if it had to be another nostalgia rehash. But the stuff they’re doing with the open zone gameplay, the combat, and story all feels really good to me. To me it feels like a “dark age” Sonic title in all the right ways with a more modern spin. Is it how I would have made an open world Sonic title? Absolutely not. But I do think they have an actual vision and a lot of passion for what they are making with Frontiers and that is something that I haven’t felt in the slightest since Sonic Generations which was brimming with passion even with a lack of a story. It feels closer to how Unleashed felt where they are just pouring everything they have into it. I completely understand why it doesn’t excite you or look compelling to you, but to me it feels like a first real step towards returning to an era where each new Sonic game felt grand, ambitious, and unique. Obviously being a first step, it’s not all there quite yet (Cyber Space really feels like they’re keeping one foot in the “Meta era” in case people don’t like the new stuff), but it could open the door for a much much brighter future for this franchise.
well said
what a unique and respectable way to view the sonic franchise as a whole. I’ll definitely be seeing it this way from now on, thanks for the insight!
Your script is poetic and your voice is beautiful. You are incredible.
I was pretty hesitant going into Frontiers but let’s just say it kind of has a lot of variety and it’s story will satisfy a lot of hesitant fans. Feels like a spiritual sequel to SA2 and has some deep lore implications as well as the character moments being quite good. Overall as a whole package it’s pretty good and a step into a bright future for the Blue Blur. Sonic never died, but I don’t blame you for losing that love. Hopefully it’ll rekindle one day
_Why would I or anybody else pay full price to experience a youtube video or fan Wiki article?_
If the game was an earnest attempt at a fully functioning experience, I could understand supporting it, but as it is, it's not worth the time and energy. I'm certainly not going to pay for Sega to lie that they spent 5 years hard at work for a game that looks broken from the onset and I'm not going to pay Sega to buy a broken game, only to have fans fix it's *basic* issues.
We shouldn't be rewarding horrible mismanagement. We should never feel compelled to consume because it's Sonic and it exists. As a fan, I cannot support the direction SEGA has been taking him in this past decade. I respect myself. I respect and love this franchise. I will vote with my wallet.
AVGN had a surprisingly fair and honest take on Sonic 06.
His 2nd review played up his reactions for comedic value, but his first review was actually very generous, saying ‘I’ve played worse’, and (because he (or at least the nerd) wasn’t aware of why 06 was this way), he was moreso confused as to how this ended up the way it was.
James also did a Let’s Play on it that I haven’t seen iirc, but at the very least his Nerd persona was very unbiased towards it.
Over the past few years, I’ve really enjoyed watching GenZ content creators reviewing games like Sonic 06 that they grew up with. It has given life to games that were looked at as “terrible” or “trash” and shows that a lot of those games did find a younger audience that really enjoyed those games and had a lot of nostalgia for them.
I was 19 at the time it came out in 2006 so it wasn’t on my radar, but if it had released 10 years earlier, I probably would’ve really enjoyed it. I absolutely adore Bomberman Hero for example which is looked at as a below average or average at best platformer. I played the crap out of it as a kid and still go back to it today. I can see it’s faults but they’re easy for me to look past probably due to the nostalgia attached to it.
I used to enjoy superman 64 when I was 4
What bothers me is that they added two more hedgehogs in a roster that absoutely already has too many hedgehogs. They've got the whole animal kingdom to choose from and they just can't help from making more Sonic clones, for the love of god.
On a more topical note, I appreciate your unabashed love for Sonic my dude. There's something so heartwarming and freeing to hear someone so meticulously describe what's so great about Sonic.
"No one can forget 06. Not even the franchise itself. We aren't allowed to."
Sounds like 06 is basically Sonic 9/11
A honest and heart-wrenching review of Sonic '06, amazing job KingK.
The fandom needs to start holding Sega accountable with the franchise. It's a little hard to laugh alongside the corporate twitter account making fun of its own failures when the circumstances that led to that failure keep happening,. Sonic Boom, Sonic Chronicles, Sonic Free Riders, Sonic Colors: Ultimate, Sonic Forces all suffered as a result of Sega continuing to crunch their developers to release games before a certain deadline, regardless of any development difficulties they encounter. Hell, in the case of Sonic Boom, they actively screwed over Big Red Button by making the game a Wii U exclusive, a console that never could support Cry engine.
But instead, people point the finger at the developers and directors who are actively being crushed under Sega's heel. Which is just...wonderful.
Edit: I figure I'd also add a comment I've previously made on the subject of 06. The worst thing about Sonic 06 is that it's development story isn't uncommon. You'd think the industry would have learned their lesson from the fallout of this game, but just in the last 5 years we've had many triple a games come out with stories of overambition, buggy releases, and worst of all crunch and high developer turnover that lead to end products that either disappoints a sizable number of people at best or nobody is happy with at worst. It makes me sad.
Stop contemplating an attack.
@@bakedbeans5494 ...what?
@@ThatWolfArrow Towards Sega.
@@bakedbeans5494 where do you get a threat of violence from what can be summed up as "We should hold Sega accountable for the way they treat their developers."?
@@ThatWolfArrow Sega are on Twitter.
I never played Sonic 06, or even watched a playthrough of it.
That being said, I'm incredibly eager to visit *Project 06.*
This series of yours has been a spectacular love letter to the franchise, and the way you're able to express every emotion so clearly is so captivating. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Unleashed, my personal favorite in the franchise.
My dude i hope he actually put on a video of Unleashed out there because for what he say in this video i don't think he has a place for Sega's Sonic anymore
Man, I miss Sonic 06.😭
Almost all of your videos make me cry because you're one of the rare content creators who respects Sonic and his legacy enough to realistically look at these games and talk about every single aspect of them in such a skilled, insightful, thought provoking and beautiful way. I've spent my entire life connected to Sonic and these games and I can palpably feel the fact that you feel the same way about him. Thank you so much for all of the work you put into these videos**
KingK is the GOAT! 🐐
I really like how each of your reviews follow a theme related to what you’re reviewing. I didn’t even realize that 06 was about past/present/future until you formatted the video this way with Shadow/Sonic/Silver’s respective campaigns. And how the past portion of this review was more optimistic and subjective reflecting your impressions as a child but then the present and future portions were more objective and reflect your thoughts on it now and the future of the series. Very creative reviewing style. Keep it up!
Rise of Lyric was WAY worse than '06. I think '06, even at the end of a gracious dev cycle, still would have been fundamentally flawed. You can see it in some of the level design, some of the progression, and some choices for how mechanics work or were supposed to work. But it could have at least been like, I dunno, Heroes tier? Rise of Lyric was DoA for a whole host of reasons. Sega will defer to Red Button a lot post reception, but they're just as responsible. Which is really sad because I... actually liked the redesigns aesthetically. But '06 had potential. And I think that's why the backlash was so hard on Sega. Rise of Lyric being bad, sure, whatever, it doesn't seem like a whole lot of people were affected, but people poured time and effort and love and care into '06. You can see it, you can feel it, when the game lets you. Especially in the Sonic stages. Glitchy or not, they're fun as hell still. So to have not just such heavy backlash, but the objectively WORST backlash any Sonic game has seen, they seem almost terrified to try again, and it seems like the IP is trying to still shirk the pain by laughing with everyone else even though it still hurts. It's why there were even 06 sections in Generations, which was a Sonic celebration. They were clearly proud of it despite the issues.
It's why I hope Frontiers is good. Not because I'm itching for a new Sonic game or whatever, I haven't really dabbled with Sonic for a long time. But because I want to see Sonic impress again and I think this is the first legitimate hype I've seen for something different. I want Frontiers to be what 06 should have been; a new direction. They're going back to a more series though not as serious story than the games getting to this point. They're leaning into a different style. They're bringing a different scope. And they clearly care a ton, they WANT this to be good. And yes, Frontiers still has 'sonic issues' like them refusing to update the models or still feeling the need to bring back nostalgic pandering like green hill or sky sanctuary. And that's really unfortunate, but given how absolutely terrified they seemed, I'm just glad they moved at all and in such a dramatic way. I am so sad Izuka cried at the fan response at SXSW because he was so relieved. I'm very, VERY critical of games, its just sort of my nature and I don't know how to turn it off, so I make sure to supplement the harshness with empathetic understanding and perspective if it were mine, but that takes a lot of work and I'm aware of how it feels to be critiqued when you've tried hard. I don't think most people, especially in the hostile gaming sphere, really consider or even care how shitting on a game can cause outcomes like this. They're just one person, after all. But it's one person after another, after another, after another, until its this big blob of disappointment and anger and mocking that's targeted at small teams of like 30 people who put their lives, work ethic, and passion on full display to be judged.
I can't praise '06 fully or judge it for what it could have been. It is what we got no matter the faults it went through. But I can be sympathetic and not crap on the game at every opportunity. I really hope Frontiers can bury it, so we only occasionally get whispers of 'do you remember?' I hope Frontiers gives them the confidence to keep improving Sonic in the future instead of him stagnating. I hope it lets him grow as a character instead of having him making fun of himself to stay relevant. And I hope it sells well enough that Sega is shown that they can take a few years to make a really good Sonic game and it will pay off, instead of rushing something out every Holiday. I know that's a high bar for it, but these are hopes, not expectations. If it doesn't, that's okay. It's still a huge first step. I just. Hope no matter what happens, other people can see it that way too, instead of treating it like... yeah.
Sonic means so much to me, just like Zelda, which is why I'm always so excited for your videos when they appear on my feed. It sounds stupid, but they were there when I didn't have parents that were because they weren't... good parents. I was just a 5 year old when I first played Sonic 2 and he became my hero in every early iteration, cartoons, comics, games, the OVA; how I wanted to be when I grew up. But how he's treated now by his own company... I just want to see him taken care of, even if every game isn't a banger like SA2 or Sonic 3 and Knuckles. Do your best, not succeed every time, you know?
I like how you said 'I care about the spirit of a game.' I think that's a good way to encapsulate how I feel. I can easily recognize a game that is incredibly good, but doesn't move me. But then I have a whole host of games that other people complain about not being good and they just. Mean so much to me. Something about them is so unique or different or feels so good with everything else it offers that it creates that unforgettable experience you were talking about. Thank you.
(That being said, you mentioned the remake of Sonic Triple Trouble, and that made me so unfathomable happy to play. I had it on Game Gear when I was a kid, it was easy and cheap to get old consoles in pawn shops around the game since this was like, Gamecube era, so I was very lucky and got to play a LOT of Sonic and Zelda games, and I just. I was blown away by how much it improved the game while also adding its own identity. Its the first time in a long time I felt that love for Sonic again. I didn't even really care for Mania all that much, but Triple Trouble was a real treat. Even if Sega can't do it, I think the fans love Sonic enough that they can show off potential, thankfully.)
Also '06 introduced the inhibitor rings, and no one is talking about how Amy also wears them. Why is no one talking about this? GAH. I hope they do something with that in the 3rd Sonic movie.
I don’t have much to input elsewhere but I’d argue Sega are pretty much solely responsible for what happened to Rise of Lyric - the game was originally supposed to come out on every platform but the Wii U, and as a result used CryEngine (a game engine that couldn’t run on the Wii U). Development was going fine, but Sega struck a deal with Nintendo to have Rise of Lyric be a platform exclusive and thus the other versions of the game were scrapped and development on the Wii U version had to effectively start from scratch. Red Button had to actively develop the Wii U version of CryEngine with Crytek or risk losing all the development progress up until that point (which likely would’ve resulted in a game that was even worse). Combine all that with Sega still imposing a strict deadline (they never learn from that I swear to god) and the game never stood a chance to be good, which is a shame because there were good ideas & innovations there (the redesigns, controversy aside, are marked improvements on the older ones for the quality of animation that was gotten out of them). TL;DR - it’s SEGAs fault like usual
I think the biggest difference is 06' is a fucking mess but it at least has it's moments and even when it's garbage it is entertainingly so. Rise of Lyric is just a meh, absolutely boring dumpster fire. It feels like walking around in an unfinished Unreal asset flip. There are no hidden strengths to find. Just unending grey with pits of black tar in between.
Honestly I think 06 would be forgotten by now had Sonic Team and Sega got thier stuff together. I mean honestly no one would bring this game up if the people in charge actually learned thier lessons and stopped repeating the same mistakes. Until that happens consistently and they actually show it instead of telling us for the 3 millionth time this game will never die and its grip will forever be here. It's infuriating these companies can't seem to learn and stop shooting themselves in the foot, keeping deadlines and rushing out games with glitches and other problems just fir a quick buck.
I think that's the big thing. Every time Sonic Team has some fan trust they go in another direction, which could be understandable but they just KEEP releasing either unfinished or just plain unfun games over and over and over again. I will never buy another Sonic game at release. They keep making the same mistake of either being over ambitious or trying to make some impossible deadline and it is obvious they'd rather release something not complete or functional for the deadline at the cost of the fans enjoyment. Over and over and over.
If it's not unfinished it just isn't fun like Forces and Lost World. For every one of those you have 2 06's, Heroes and Rise of Lyrics. They simply can't be trusted.
I'd be fine with the heel turns every other game if they at least wouldn't hoodwink fans every single time they earn some good will. EVERY time. Without fail.
"Seamless transitions in to other acts of the level..." I don't think random cut to blacks and loading screens is seamless.
Can't say I've ever understood the notion that 3D Sonic shouldn't exist. I grew up on 2D Sonic and the idea that 3D Sonic in and of itself was a mistake and shouldn't have been pursued baffles me because I've played several 3D Sonic games that I loved. The fact that 3D Sonic games get made doesn't mean that 2D Sonic games cease to exist, plenty of those have continued to be released since Sonic first went 3D. I also don't understand the hatred for Sonic's friends not only being playable but existing at all. As you mentioned, Sonic has been adding to the cast since the beginning and while I don't enjoy every addition there are several that I do and you take the good with the bad.
Now I will say I'm not crazy about the SA1 method of "Here are 8 characters, play a separate campaign with each of them, but with a bunch of repeated levels/boss fights" but that doesn't mean I don't want to play as Tails, Knuckles, Amy, etc.
Tbh it’s always felt like a strawman of people who have problems with how 3D Sonic has progressed. Like I’m sure there are some people who genuinely think Sonic should have stayed 2D forever but generally I see more takes that are a long the lines of “Sonic should have progressed into 3D but I don’t like how it’s been done and since the transition the series has lost a lot of the elements that defined it originally”.
The fact that fans of the series ended up making their own mods and fixes to '06 shows that SEGA could've made it just like THIS.
History really does repeat itself, this is all just the natural life cycle of a sonic fan.
I feel exactly the same way you do about Frontiers. The lack of momentum, the boring puzzles and world design, the cyberspace levels that are the same narrow corridors we’ve seen since colors and parts of unleashed, everything comes together in a way that I just can’t get behind. Maybe Sonic isn’t for me anymore either, but one day I would love to see a game where we do get an intriguing narrative starring all of our favorite characters. But no, that’s what we had in 06, and we will never go back to that ever again
As someone who never could stand this turd of a game it's a laugh and a half seeing people who claim not to be "sticklers for what Sonic should and shouldn't be" defend it, while going on about what Sonic should be...
Can you respect those that it is for now?
There are plenty of people out there in which Sonic IS for them.
@@benmalsky9834 Why do you care what other people think? If you live Sonic just as it is, go for it buddy. Nobody can stop you
Was Sonic 06 was inherently doomed from the get go? No, probably not. If they had taken more time to develop it, we might have had better gameplay and a stronger story. Maybe it would have gotten enough critical praise the Adventure line of games would have continued unabated without as much division in the fanbase. Maybe.
But that's not what we got. We got a broken, glitchy, horrible mess of a video game that tanked Sonic's reputation so badly they're mememing it to this day. We can talk all day about the ways 06 had this depth and could have been better, but it doesn't change the people actually responsible for this game's failure will never learn their lesson.
Make no mistake, this is SEGA's fuck up. With every game since Sonic 3 *at bare minimum* SEGA rushed their releases, mistreated their staff, all to diminishing and divise returns, only to be shocked when their flaws finally blew up in their face with 06. That ports and newer Sonic games STILL come out rushed means SEGA haven't learned a damn thing, and never will. 06 is entirely SEGA's fault, and the mockery is all they deserve. Not because of ambition, but their refusal to *learn* from their hubris.
Meat rider
Sonic Frontiers was delayed to finish development, so they're definitely learning at least a little lol
This was my first Sonic game. When my Uncle asked what I wanted for my birthday I said this game and he got it for me. What stuck with me the most was probably the OST, so many amazing songs. Honestly I never knew the story and whenever someone on RUclips gave the story it was nothing like you described. I do wonder if this game was made proper and felt amazing to play if this would have been considered one of the best Sonic games.
I had to wait 15 years to finally get my hands on this game and I loved every second
bro the thumbnail line-up on your channel of this and the previous video is insane
It's a shame. The framework for '06 was so ambitious. The devs really brought their inspiration from the adventure games to the table.
In another timeline, '06 was the best Sonic game of all time.
After watching this video, it's like my inner self has vented to me about whether being a Sonic fan these days is even worth it anymore.
I've barely played 06, but I think you've hit on something salient about nostalgia in general and Sonic in general. It seems cyclic in nature. You mention the Sonic Retro "2D is always going to be better than 3D" crowd, but from a certain perspective, that's where you find yourself at the end of this video: not being able to form a connection to the franchise anymore, disillusioned by the loss of the things that drew you in, and hoping those past adventures can be inspiration for the future.
Bro this game is not called "Sonic, Shadow, and Silver the Hedgehogs" there is literally only one titular character in this game because only one character's name is in the title.
It's ironic that the fanbase can't forget this game because the characters can't remember it.
I'm only 15 minutes in so far, but it's very refreshing to hear you speaking praise about this game. It's definitely got a TON of issues, but I've always been able to have fun with it in spite of them, and you actually managed to put into words exactly what I enjoyed about it.
23:12
Just to clarify: The team was not "cut in half", that's a widespread rumor. All thats been said is that a portion of 06s team split off into Secret Rings and then that team got a tons of new Sega members to work on it, as Wii hardware was easier to develop for.
If SR and 06 were truly two halves, then you would be combining *the two largest devteams a Sonic game has ever had* into a behemoth of a teamsize.
And that’s probably what it needed. A bigger team to work out the kinks.
It’s a shame
>Sonic 06 vid that goes into depth about the game's legacy and what it left behind
Welp, there's only one thing to grab in this situation each and every single time...🍿
Excellent coverage as always. Whenever I come back to 06 and get to that candle scene, it is always a bitter sweet moment. In more ways than even the developers probably intended.
The video has helped clarify what I think the biggest difference is between my own way of playing Sonic and that of various younger fans (ones often fond of the Adventure Era). While I think a lot of them play for the overall experience; the characters, the setting, the emotional significance that comes from the journey in it.
The contrast with me is that I'm just looking for something fun. Give me some decent level design, enough speed, and replay value of some sort and I basically set. That's essentially why I retain such fondness for the likes of SA 2; yeah, the story didn't do much for me, and 2/3 of the gameplay styles were kinda meh, but I played Sky Rail countless times, so it was an overall plus.
Sonic's arcade like roots are almost ironic in that sense. That sort of enjoyment & expectation of replaying levels softened a lot of potential antipathy towards certain 3D titles because I could get so much value from even a portion of the games. The overall experience wasn't something I would necessarily gush about, but by being (for lack of a better term) economical, I could maximize my enjoyment out of them.
Its probably the biggest factor why I never could finding myself lamenting the major shift after Unleashed (other than an basic artistic sense that its good to have ambitions). Sonic probably could be argued as being a less overall experience in the last 12 as defined by many younger fans, but certain games were allowing me personally to just have fun with them without as many caveats. A Tails acting wimpy in Forces is unfortunate sure, but with no gameplay with him (either good or bad) it's never going to be something I'd have as strong an opinion on.
It also probably why I'm cautiously optimistic about Frontiers; I have no idea how the overall emotional feel of the game will be or what grand plans it might achieve. For me there appears enough there to get some fun out of it, and that's enough for me, even though obviously that's not the case for others.
1. Thank you for brilliantly articulating the complicated enjoyment/frustration I felt being a non-ironic fan of this game. Excellent work. 2. Been following P-06 for at least four years and the hype couldn’t not be higher
Everyone: You think Sonic 06 is not the worst sonic game?
Me: Yes I’m I’m tired of pretending it is.
Man you really do have a knack for hitting ALL of my childhood games. Thanks KingK, hope you’re doing well 🤍
As an absolute superfan of this game, I love your section about how the story felt like a first draft. The way you represent the plotholes was hilarious
You know, I’m liking this more freeform content structure, where each video is split up into a few chapters looking at the game from different angles. It’s pretty unique!
Sonic is a hollow shell of what it used to be. It sucks knowing that the franchise will never be the way it was again simply because of how scattered the fanbase is.
Sonic Adventure 1 - Sonic Unleashed is easily the best era of Sonic in my eyes and it is also where my love of Sonic ends. It has been a rocky road but after a decade of trying to cope with this new age Sonic I have come to the realization this franchise isn't for me anymore. At this point Sonic has been the way he is now for longer than his old character. More people find the current iteration of the character to be more recognizable than the 2000s Sonic that I (and many others that got into the franchise around the time of Sonic Adventure 2 Battle) grew up with. It sucks but it is what it is, this franchise belongs to the next generation of kids now. It does however sting being completely forgotten by the developers in favor of only satisfying fans of the classic trilogy and the modern style when Sonic arguably got the largest piece of its fanbase during the switch to being multiplatform with SA2B.
It's a real shame this game did poorly, because I miss the Adventure aesthetic. The juxtaposition of seeing Sonic and his friends go through very detailed sci-fi/fantasy areas, and places inspired by real-world locations always stood out to me, and made the games feel more unique compared to other platformers that played it safe and stuck with a cartoony look.
As for plots, Sonic has always had an advantage over Mario in terms of tone, setting, and characters, which gives developers more creative freedom to come up with all sorts evil Eggman plots that Sonic has to stop. Simple plots are fine, but I do miss the insane, absurdly epic plots too.
I get that many of the 3D games tarnished the series, but at the same time I wonder how much longer Sega can bank on Genesis nostalgia.
Seeing the rise of the fronteirs cult and consoomer and toxic positivity mentality in recent times i think at leats others 10 years.
Thanks for making these videos and giving a voice to that silent part of me that yearns for a return to the older 3D sonic games that felt like they were still trying. Everyone might not like what came after Adventure 2, but it holds a special place in my heart. I'm glad I'm not completely insane for thinking that.
You might be the only internet critic that actually *understands* Shadow.
Well, I would recommend J's Reviews if you are looking for good Shadow takes.
Really similar to KingK in terms of video structure and both have great content.
Sonic 06 was one of the first video games I’ve owned, and while not perfect, I still hold it dear to my heart. I didn’t know Project 06 was a thing, but as someone who’s played Silver’s story the most, even just by clips I can FEEL the difference. I’m so excited for this project, the first time in a long time I’ve been excited for a Sonic game. Great video and sharing your enlightening, and relatable, perspective.
I've never sympathized harder with one of your Sonic retrospectives than I have with this one. I missed the days when Sonic had friends who mattered and brought variety and life to the games and world they inhabit, how Sonic was a cool, cocky guy who'd always put himself before others and do the right thing for his friends and how he had a support group of companions to get his back too. But after years of "Baldy McNosehair, cheesy, Sonic Colors/Forces level writing, keeping Sonic the only playable character and turning his friends into hollow, 1 dimensional shells of who they were? I miss how Sonic used to be. An emotional, high stakes adventure with tons of unique, interesting characters, with a main character who inspired me to reach out of my shell and make friends. Stand out for what made myself unique. And that's gone and, at this point, I've accepted it. All I hope is Frontiers is fun and good.
KingK, you actually made me shed a tear at the end 💔 I know it almost sounds unrealistic but we share the exact same opinion on the franchise. It definitely feels like the Sonic that we loved died a long time ago... I'm really grateful for your videos because they reminded me again why I once loved this blue hedgehog so much. At least we've kept our memories of these beautiful days...
I’ve been a fan of KingK for 5 years, & I’ve always enjoyed his critique videos on specific games. They’re really well-written & I can definitely feel his passion. I can agree or disagree with him on things, but I greatly respect him. He’s definitely one of my favorite gaming RUclipsrs that deserves more recognition.
I've gotta say man, I like how your last two videos have been structured based on the flow of the game you're reviewing. Keep up the great work!
You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear your full opinion on this game, one thing I loved about these last two videos is how they don’t just feel like good analytical videos on the games but also the characters of sonic and shadow. How they kinda fell off after the dark age which I can’t wait to see you talk more about it since I freakin love this era of sonic so much. I miss these portrayals of the characters and I’m super happy you made a video on 06. Definitely a favorite of mine!
As a longtime Sonic fan, dating way back to his debut in '92, I have the sincere and utmost respect for this analysis on '06. This is, by far, the most calm and measured take I've seen on this game and it taught me so much more than I thought I knew about it. Back when it came out initially I was just as hyped as anyone else for it, but I could only get through Sonic's story before I couldn't take it any longer and quit, so I missed the rest of it and heard and seen secondhand about the infamous kissing scene and didn't even see Shadow, who is just beind Sonic as my favorite character, or Silver's stories, despite the fact that the game still sits on my shelf, unfinished, to this very day. Thank you for taking the time to put this together. It was a dedicated, detailed, and very, very well put together rundown of a great, great potential leaden tragedy of a game! Definitely subbing to this channel after this and your Shadow video. Looking forward to taking a deep dive into your content!
I love what you did with the thumbnail xD
I first played 06 around 2010, I wasn't aware of internet forums and used to watch some small youtubers.
I thought it was really fun! And then I learned about everyone's thoughts about it in the internet and made me think I was wrong.
I am glad you mentioned the good and bad stuff about this game!
And about frontiers, well.
I was worried about it when they first showed off the ign footage, but as more trailers and information we get, I got pretty exited for it !!
We'll see how it is once it comes out!