A hobby of mine

As you may know, as a hobby of mine I like to write review scripts of games as you may of read two of mine here. I have many others that I wrote, but never posted.

What you may not of known that I actually did write some video game review scripts. I wrote one on Fable 2, FF XIII and Monster Hunter Tri. These scripts are completed just not shot because of lack of tv capture device and decent camera.

I did actually write a first draft of Sonic 4, and as a little treat for you here it is.

Sonic 4 Video Review First Draft Script

(Camera Fades in)

I am torn...

One part of me enjoy this game, the other part of me doesn’t.

I don’t hate the game nor do I love the game.

It’s an enjoyable game but also, not enjoyable.

I’m not disappointed, but I am.

Okay I gone stray myself to tangent far enough, but as I keep playing Sonic 4 I start to realise that something is missing about it. It’s not the characters, the story, or the music; but something far greater than that. I been playing Sonic 4 over a week now here and there bit by bit making the game last until the next episode hopefully being release early next year.

When I finally beat the first boss, it finally hit me...the feeling of playing Sonic. (Show clip of Splash Zone Boss)

I was fortunate enough to grow up with both the Nintendo System and the Sega Genesis, and as much I love the Nintendo. I actually prefer Sega, why because of the games like Street of Rage, Shining Force, Gun Star Heroes, Comic Zone and many others (Show clips of these games)

Sonic however is still my favourite, you can say its all nostalgia and you’re probably right. I am a Sonic fan, it may be hard to believe since I’m more subtle about it. It may be even harder to believe that I prefer Sonic over Mario and maybe even Megaman, it’s pretty close.

I played most of the Sonic games I could get my hands on when I was young. Games like Sonic 1-3, Sonic and Knuckles (Clips of Sonic 1-3, Sonic and Knuckles in split screen game play 5 seconds worth each)

And my personal favourite Sonic CD. (Clip of Sonic CD 5 Seconds)

I didn’t manage to play Sonic Adventure until late in the life spam Dreamcast. (Clips of Sonic Adventure 5 Seconds)

Sonic just had that charm where Mario didn’t. Then it finally hit me, I just didn’t feel the same charm that I did when I played Sonic 4. I don’t know why but it doesn’t. Could it be the art design? Perhaps. Could it be the level design? Unlikely. Could it the Sound Track? A possibility. Can it just be the fact that I made the mistake of hyping this game for myself? Or is it nostalgia again?

It pains me to say this as a Sonic fan, but Sonic 4 just doesn’t really feel like a older Sonic games. I was lead to believe that Sonic 4 will return him into his original roots, good old platformering, both a tribute and homage to the older ones.

NOTE: Cut out Megaman example in revision

(Show the Title of Megaman 9)

When I first play the game, it really did feel like a Megaman Game. It did offer some extra modes and offered a save system instead of the classic password system, which is more convenient do the fact I always loose by passwords papers when I was young. They did update the graphic into a clearer and more colourful game, but there is a mode that cancels all of that making it 8 bit. (So Clips of the Leagacy Mode and Normal mode showing the differences) It was a good.

But that enough about Megaman 9 let’s get back to the matter.

Am I bias. Perhaps.>

So after I play Sonic 4 for a little while more, I took a break and play Sonic 2, and wow, a major difference between the games. Not talking about graphic wise or gameplay wise. It just feels right. So I went back to Sonic 4, it just doesn’t feel right with me.

It seems that Sonic 4 tried to mix between homage and new, games like 3D Dot Heroes, is perfect example of both a good mixture. Modern Retro as they call it now.

So I guess that what they try to do with Sonic 4, they try to make it a Modern Retro. Sonic Adventure with 2D and I am fine with all of that. But it felt more Modern then actual Retro is that the reason why I don’t feel the same way?

There are some things that I really don’t like about Sonic 4 like the homing attack I know you don’t have to use it. Like not using the SD, easy to do, but I tend to use HA by accident when I really don’t want to for some reason (And extra emphasis on this sentence).

Kinda wish there was an option to turn it off so I really didn’t have to practice not to use it I blame my gamers twitch for that.

Also the game feels like you’re on the moon, kind of like floaty or weightless it’s a little hard to explain. (Note to self think of an example)

Note: Change Ending

So in closing Sonic 4 is still a fun Sonic experience and as long as its fun that all that matters right? So why do I feel empty inside when I play it?