The End of Our Journey
Now, at the Last, we've come to the conclusion of our double header. To some, the outcome was expected. To others, it may seem as there was a bias in play. But to all readers, know that this moment was monumental for both Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces. Here's the takeaway from each of the games. For those freshly viewing this blog, here's the links to Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
Sonic Mania: The 'Sega Saturn' Sequel That Came Out Too Late, But We Love It Anyways
To those unfamiliar with the Sega Saturn, it was to be the successor to the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive 16-bit console and was to usher in the 32-bit age of gaming. Unfortunately, due to not having a flagship Sonic game (due to the cancelling of 'Sonic Xtreme') along with poor marketing, the console's life was short; and while the last Sega Console (the Dreamcast) had Sonic games, they were received with mixed to slightly positive reception. But what does this have to do with Sonic Mania? Simple. Talk around Sonic Fans is that Sonic Mania is said to be the 'Spiritual' Sonic Game that was meant for the Saturn, yet came far too late. Even so, it's still loved and has been given an honorary place in the Saturn lineup while still standing out to modern day consoles.
Hopeful Ambition with Dedicated Passion; the Keys to Success
Sonic Mania is also a reminder that a game done with love and care for the source material, along with a passion to see your work stand on its own merit, is vital to the success of your work. The pressure was already high for a fan-based game to succeed; it was probably MONUMENTAL when it's a known icon of gaming like Sonic The Hedgehog. Even with their previous success with ports of the Sonic Franchise (some being superior to the original remakes by Sonic Team) the fact that they were creating a new experience was definitely a trying time for this group. The results speak for themselves; and the Trio of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles have never been better. That's why Sonic Mania is a means of hope for Sonic Fans: that if Sonic Team comes short of our expectations, WE as fans can step in and give Sonic new life for the future.
Sonic Forces: The Consequence of Playing it Safe
Sonic Forces is NOT a bad game. It is an average game. It wasn't too experimental like the games before it, and if broken down, it's a paint by numbers scenario that even Sonic Mania followed: Eggman does a thing, Sonic and friends try to stop him. Sonic and friends succeed in stopping Eggman doing a thing. The problem is this made the game bland to play. It also doesn't help that a lot of the levels repeat themselves ad nauseum (Green Hill Green Hill and Chemical Plant Chemical Plant come to mind...yes, those are actual stage names). Finally, they played it safe with the story. The game's major selling point is that there was a villain that was capable of overpowering Sonic (with help) and this brought the world to its knees in a means to overcome these seemingly impossible odds; only to find out (1) Sonic was discovered alive and relatively unharmed after being "dead" and then downgraded to "tortured for six months," (2) the fact that a rookie is the main reason for any success despite veteran members of the series doing nothing more than chatter, (3) the main villain of the story "Infinite" ends up being weak in execution despite the brilliant Voice Acting...and so much more. The consequence is an inconsistent experience that could be best summed up with the first 30 seconds of the level of "Null Space." Here's a link to showcase for you.
A Contradiction Showed Up By Fans
If one word word could sum up the experience, it would be 'contradiction.' As stated before, Sonic was supposed to have died (he DID in Sonic '06, but we will not speak of that). He turns out fine. The two baddies, Shadow, and Chaos show up but you never fight Shadow or Chaos. Metal Sonic and Infinite's final battles are repeats of each other instead of providing a more unique experience. Knuckles finally shows some leadership, but becomes the bumbling knucklehead upon Sonic's return. Original the Character was said to have bravery in the truth, but in truth that individual was bathed in fear. Infinite was supposed to be an imposing villain, but ends up weak. Yes, not pathetic, WEAK. This is also further made prevalent when the levels themselves start to show some promise, only to literally end in less than 2 minutes on average. In the games of old, you usually average 7-8 minutes depending on your route of choice. For speedrunners, that's down to 2-5 minutes depending on skill and memorization of the level. But for Forces, the AVERAGE time for AVERAGE players in 2 minutes. This presents a problem. It gives a false sense of completion when in reality, it's just a short level, a short game, and a short-lived experience overall.
The Final Take From All Of This
If you're looking to get an enjoyable experience but have an understanding of the nostalgia, Sonic Mania is the choice to make. If you have basic knowledge of Sonic and want to break away from the 'classic' style, then Sonic Forces is your choice. Above all, the choice is yours to make. You can also choose both as they are both moderately priced...I did. And with that, this concludes the journey of Double Header: Sonic Mania vs. Sonic Forces. Thank you so much for reading and letting me express my thoughts. As with my other parts feel free to write your comment on this and many other topics I will bring in the future. See you then!
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