TAcTICS Video Game insights and analysis
SONIC MANIA SEGA TAKE US BACK TO THE 90S
All rights reserved. Errors and Omissions Excepted. Any unauthorised copying in full or in part without prior permission of Fancensus.com Limited will constitute an infringement of copyright. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Copyright Š 2017 Fancensus.com Limited.
It’s about more than just looking at what’s on the surface... Move over E3! Gamescom is here! And with such a major event going on we’ve geared up our biggest issue yet!
TACTICS EDITOR IN CHIEF Ryan Janes WRITER & ART EDITOR Katie Gibbs CONTRIBUTOR Chris Stevens
CONTACT US tactics@fancensus.com +44 (0)1628 483 554 Fancensus 99 High Street Marlow Bucks SL7 1AB
First of all however July and August have seen a number of big releases including Supergiant’s Pyre, Agents of Mayhem and the still hard to believe it is actually a real thing Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. Katie breaks down the critical reception of these three big hitters on page 7. We were lucky enough to attend Gamescom this year, hitting the show floor, seeing plenty of Cosplay and of course checking out some of the year’s biggest releases. We snapped plenty of pictures and first timer Chris describes his experience on page 16 of our bumper Gamescom section. What did he think of the event as a newcomer? Of course we have all the latest stats and figures from the event too including press, YouTube and social media. What games were the public watching? Which announcements ended up being the talk of the web? Find out on page 14. Sonic also makes his 2017 debut in pixellated fashion this month much to the joy of fans longing for a return to the hedgehog’s roots. It seems the critics approve of this direction too with reception being strong. Just how has the series got to this point though? Ryan takes a look into the highs and lows on page 24. The summer weather may have disappointed (if you’re living in the UK at least) but August has been another fantastic month for the already packed year of 2017. And with the always anticipated end of year rush of big releases still to come things are only set to get even better.
Ryan Janes
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
TACTICS
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This Month In Tactics...
4
6
On the Horizon
7
Review Rundown
10
2017 Review Standings So Far
11
Gamescom 2017
16
Our Gamescom Experience
18
TACTICS Photo Album
22
Gamescom Infographic
24
Sonic the Hedgehog
Pyre Agents of Mayhem Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
The heart beats loud for Gamescom... Press and YouTube Winners Twitter and Facebook Victors
7
Newcomer Chris makes his debut Ryan revisits
Whose heart beats loudest?
A Tale of Epic Highs and Heartbreaking Lows
TACTICS
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
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24
11 SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
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TACTICS
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On The Horizon...
September ‘17
Knack 2
05/09
Metroid II: Samus Returns
Cuphead
29/09
15/09
Monster Hunter Stories
08/09
Pokken Tournament DX
22/09
Other releases...
6
01/09
Warriors All-Stars
PC, PS4
15/09
NHL 18
PS4, XBO
05/09
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth
PS4
15/09
Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash
PS4
06/09
Destiny 2
PS4, XBO
15/09
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
PS4, VITA
07/09
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth Plus
NSW
19/09
ECHO
PC, PS4
08/09
Lego Worlds
NSW
19/09
Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite
PC, PS4, XBO
08/09
The Pillars of the Earth
PC, PS4, XBO
22/09
Project CARS 2
PC, PS4, XBO
12/09
Rayman Legends Definitive Edition
NSW
28/09
Total War: Warhammer 2
PC
14/09
Baja Edge of Control
PC, PS4, XBO
29/09
Demons Age
PC, PS4, XBO
14/09
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
PC, PS4, XBO
29/09
FIFA 18
PC, PS4, XBO
15/09
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider
PC, PS4, XBO
29/09
Gundam Versus
PS4
15/09
Inside and Limbo Double Pack
PS4, XBO
29/09
Nintendo Classic: Mini-Snes
-
15/09
NBA 2K18
PC, PS4, XBO, NSW
TACTICS
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
Pyre Publisher Supergiant Games
Developer Supergiant Games
Genre RPG
Formats PC
87% 83%
84%
80%
85%
84%
83%
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Pyre
Splatoon 2
80% 80%
Worldwide average review score and by territory
Top three reviewed July releases
64%
68%
69%
70%
69%
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017 Yearly July average review scores
What the press love...
What the press hate...
Stunning visuals. Excellent and diverse character design. Emotionally charged story. Unique genre mix.
Rituals can be slightly repetitive. A.I. plays quite poorly. Slight pacing issues. No online multiplayer.
Supergiant Games’s latest title Pyre, like its predecessors Bastion and Transistor, has a distinct visual and narrative style we have come to expect from the studio. And reviewers across the board have praised this unique style and level of design given to not only the characters and visuals but the storyline too. With many commenting on how emotionally engaged they were and how they struggled to make decisions in-game for fear of impacting character’s lives. The downside of such a well-developed narrative story is that there is a lot of dialogue to read; this was met with a lot of disdain by reviewers who felt that some sequences were just far too long. But it is this level of engagement and empathy from players that has ensured reviewers have been blown away by the charm of Pyre, despite its mix of genres and unusual design. The combination of a narrative and sports game didn’t deter reviewers, but many did have trouble getting to grips with it to begin with. The story itself and the combat can take a little time to get used but all reviewers agreed that it was well worth persevering. The Rites in the game were met with a lot of praise, though some reviewers did find them slightly repetitive (particularly towards the end) and found that some AI opponents had limited options and could play quite poorly. Perhaps one of the biggest complaints was the lack of online multiplayer; with a game so focused on sport and versus matches many reviewers felt it a little disappointing that they were limited to local only multiplayer. With so much focus on the narrative some reviewers felt the sport side of Pyre was slightly neglected, but despite this all agreed that the game is one of the best of the year and whether you’re in it for the story or the sport there’s definitely something to enjoy, and it’s good to look at too.
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
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Review Rundown Agents of Mayhem Publisher Deep Silver
Developer Volition
Genre Action
Formats PS4, XBONE, PC
79% 77%
69%
76%
86%
86%
85%
Sonic Mania
F1 2017
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
72% 69%
Worldwide average review score and by territory
Top three reviewed August releases
68%
73%
69%
69%
76%
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017 Yearly August average review scores
What the press love...
What the press hate...
Good mindless fun. Deliberate over-the-top style. Wide variety of characters. Wonderful animated cut scenes.
Repetitive missions. Hit and miss humour. Slightly buggy. No co-op.
Agents of Mayhem, not quite the Saints Row sequel people were expecting but still a fun addition to the universe. While many fans were disappointed this wasn’t Saints Row 5 many reviewers felt that it did improve on the Saints Row universe, with a well groomed visual style, vibrant colour palette and catchy soundtrack. The game has been praised all round for its good mindless fun, with entertaining combat, great characters and a wide arsenal of weapons and gadgets. Despite any other flaws it seems all reviewers had a good time playing this game. Not quite the game people were hoping for, AOM had a lot to prove and it appears it let reviewers down in some areas. The lack of co-op, both locally and online, was met with a lot of criticism, particularly as the combat was praised so highly, reviewers were disappointed they couldn’t share this experience with friends. The storyline itself was met with mixed response, while some reviewers felt it had a lot of depth and developed its characters well, others felt that the script was a little lacklustre with its humour being somewhat hit and miss. It also seemed that reviewers were unhappy with the number of expletives used throughout the game. AOM has an over-the-top style based on Saturday morning cartoons and all reviewers praised this design choice, particularly the animated cut scenes used to tell the story. Some reviewers felt this style wore a little thin the more they played but the vast majority were huge fans, arguing that this style is what helps make the game so much fun and were pleased that it didn’t take itself too seriously. Despite some concerns with repetition, lack of co-op and language it seems that AOM has delivered a decent third person shooter that keeps the Saints Row universe well and truly alive.
TACTICS
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
Review Rundown Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle Publisher Ubisoft
Developer Ubisoft
Genre Strategy
Formats NSW
90% 84%
84%
84%
86%
86%
85%
Sonic Mania
F1 2017
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
83% 81%
Worldwide average review score and by territory
Top three reviewed August releases
68%
73%
69%
69%
76%
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017 Yearly August average review scores
What the press love...
What the press hate...
Full of humour and charm. Visually stunning. Surprisingly great characters. Challenging puzzles.
No competitive multiplayer. Story is a little simple. Minor technical imperfections. Difficulty level spikes halfway through,
One of the worst kept secrets in video gaming is finally here, after multiple leaks and a lot of disbelief as to its authenticity Mario and Rabbids has debuted on Switch. The general consensus is that it is actually a very impressive game, with reviewers admitting it was a lot better than they were expecting and that actually it is one of the best Mario games Nintendo never made. At first it would seem that teaming Mario with Ubisoft’s Rabbids would be a disaster, but reviewers were ultimately very pleased with the pairing; with many praising the individual character designs and the humorous elements the Rabbids brought to them. The visuals and artwork have been praised across the board by reviewers, who all agreed that this is one of the best looking games out there with an incredibly high attention to detail. The story has been met with a mixed response, while most reviewers thought it was very strong and matched beautifully to the game; some felt it was a little too simple, even for a Mario/Rabbids game. The gameplay itself has been well received, the puzzles are challenging enough for all players, but simple enough to encourage newcomers to the genre. Some reviewers criticised the spike in difficulty halfway through the game, while others felt this was appropriate to ensure the gameplay continued to progress. The only real criticism of the game was that there were a few minor technical imperfections, but nothing that distracted from the enjoyment of the game. Reviewers were also disappointed in the lack of online multiplayer, but were pleased with the option for local multiplayer. All in all it seems as though Ubisoft have delivered where no one thought they would, and while not all reviewers have been convinced to play another Rabbids game they’re certainly enjoying this one and that’s reflected in its review scores.
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
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2017 Review Standings So Far *Games require at least ten reviews to gather an average score.
10
Title
Score
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
96%
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
92%
Persona 5
92%
Horizon: Zero Dawn
91%
Planescape: Torment Enhanced Edition
89%
NieR Automata
88%
Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood
88%
Injustice 2
87%
What Remains Of Edith Finch
87%
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
87%
Monument Valley 2
87%
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
86%
Sonic Mania
86%
Nioh
86%
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
86%
Nex Machina
86%
MLB The Show 17
86%
F1 2017
86%
Hollow Knight
86%
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
85%
Night In The Woods
85%
Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2
85%
Shadow Tactics: Blades Of The Shogun
85%
Everspace
85%
Tekken 7
84%
Dirt 4
84%
Yakuza Zero
84%
Wipeout Omega Collection
84%
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey Of The Cursed King
84%
Pyre
84%
TACTICS
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
gamescom 2017 20.08 - 26.08
the heart of gaming returns to europe in a big way
the heart beats loud for gamescom... The yearly gaming calendar is a crowded one. While new releases continue to keep gamers plenty busy as it is, the months are also padded out with events both business and consumer focused. Event like PAX, Comic Con, and EGX are on the growth offering the world a glimpse into the industry and the latest it has to offer. Then there are the tentpoles that many consider the big three - E3, Gamescom and TGS. While the Japanese event seems to have slowed as the years roll on and E3 is amidst trying to evolve itself into something more relevant, Gamescom has continued to offer both trade and public visitors a reliable means to do business and play the latest games every year. Both Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show have always split their events into days for trade and days for the public with the former leaning toward a more public focused showing. Just the first day is closed off to the general public with the remainder opening its doors to anyone. As you can imagine, this results in a busy tail end when it comes to attendance especially as you hit the Friday and Saturday. This year E3 even opted to make all three of its show floor days available to 15,000 members of the public leading to record breaking attendance (with a side-effect of issues discussed previously in our E3 special issue). It should come as no surprise but removing the “guest list” of an event results in a stronger presence which in theory is good news for all right?
On the surface, this year’s Gamescom (at least according to the official report) appears to have been the biggest yet with more than 350,000 visitors from over 100 different countries. And believe me from first hand experience those halls were absolutely packed with Cosplayers, enthusiastic gamers and bodies generally making getting from A to B a mission in itself. It also doesn’t hurt to have Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel officially open the event. Actions like this show how much of an impact events like Gamescom are making on the world. Even from an exhibitor angle figures are on the up too (5% to be exact) meaning more companies are seeing worth in attending Gamescom. Again good news. There are a few things that are cause for concern though, first off from a consumer standpoint. Despite Koelnmesse being bigger in size than both the Los Angeles Convention Center and Makuhari Messe, it still gets very very crowded, even to the point where professionals in the trade section actively try to avoid venturing out into the public sector. When we were brave enough to check out booths on the public days we were treated to a sea of gamers and seemingly never-ending queues for demos. Credit to the fans, the patience and determination they have to play a short Call of Duty WWII multiplayer match or even just
watch a demo of a game is something I would never find in myself. Much was the problem with E3 this year it feels like while attendance is on the rise, the actual venue is not accounting for this at the same trajectory. Booths need to be bigger to accomodate the crowds and demo pods need to be more numerous. Organising over 350,000 eager people is no easy feat I’m sure, but with every visit I make to Gamescom, I’m starting to feel like things are getting a little too crammed. There may not be an immediate solution for this but it certainly needs to be something to consider going forwards. So fans are going hands on with the latest games which is great for a number of reasons, but how is Gamescom as an event performing with media? That answer is an interesting one. When you look at the best ranking products its clear that new hardware takes center stage. Even behemoths like Destiny 2 and Assassin’s Creed come up just short of the Xbox One X and its 1,300+ articles. However outliers like Overwatch and Final Fantasy XV show that it’s not always Gamescom specific titles or even unreleased ones that make waves. Sure both these examples see updates on a regular basis, but they are older games. Surely the focus
should be on what’s on the horizon? Furthermore when we pull back further and look at the overall Gamescom picture year on year, frequency of output is actually on the drop albeit slight. Of the websites we monitor the average output per source has actually continued to drop since 2014. 2017 certainly felt a little dry in terms of big announcements but even with the Xbox One X, numbers appear lower than you’d expect. Remember hardware draws bigger numbers in theory. When you also compare output across social media and PR with E3, the numbers are much lower still. Obviously E3 is “the event” when it comes to debuts and announcements, but Gamescom has proven in the past that it too can be a strong venue such things. Perhaps the increased means of getting messages out to an audience is seeing events like Gamescom acting as more of a chance to get these games in player’s hands than shocking the world with exclusives. 350,000 is no small number after all. That being said, Gamescom is still a beast. It still draws in the biggest attendance numbers, more companies are making the trip over to Cologne and the week’s content output does see a significant spike. Sure it’s starting to show signs of wear and tear, but just like E3 attempts to do so I’m sure we can expect to see the event adapt in the future.
pr activity at gamescom... Xbox One X
1,300
Destiny 2
1,000
Assassin’s Creed: Origins
840
Overwatch
840
Final Fantasy XV
810
Call of Duty WWII
750
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
660
Biomutant
610
Dragon Ball Fighter Z
560
Middle Earth: Shadow of War
550
youtube views at gamescom...
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TACTICS
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
38 M
Overwatch
35 M
Call of Duty WWII
28 M
Madden NFL 18
16 M
FIFA 18
15 M
Hello Neighbour
14 M
Assassin’s Creed: Origins
14 M
Destiny 2
11 M
Jurassic World Evolution
10 M
Ark: Survival Evolved
9M
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
twitter shares at gamescom... Madden NFL 18
39,000
NBA 2K18
38,000
Final Fantasy XV
36,000
Xbox One X
32,000
Call of Duty WWII
31,000
Destiny 2
23,000
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
22,000
Dragon Ball Fighter Z
18,000
MINI-SNES
14,000
FIFA 18
12,000
facebook shares at gamescom... Assassin’s Creed: Origins
61,000
Madden NFL 18
51,000
Age of Empires IV
48,000
Need for Speed Payback
43,000
NBA 2K18
43,000
Final Fantasy XV
42,000
Dragon Ball Fighter Z
34,000
Jurassic World Evolution
34,000
Xbox One X
30,000
Call of Duty WWII
25,000
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
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chris’s experience my first ever video game trade show
I couldn’t help but think at times though that due to the sheer size of the event it might be easy to become disoriented and miss out on some of the gaming gems tucked away. Due to being submerged in each booth’s wildly themed areas however you have little time to pause for thought and instead make do with the time you have. The Just Dance 2018 performance on the Ubisoft stand was a prime example. When the stage was abloom with young folk dressed brightly and dancing to some club bangers, I became entranced at the action unfolding. Songs over we then set out to continue on our exhausting journey accidentally forgetting a few titles elsewhere on the booth.
This is the first article I’ve ever written for any magazine and let’s be honest I couldn’t have asked for a better opening piece than my first flight to Gamescom 2017 in Cologne! I must admit, I wasn’t really sure what to expect in the run up to the exhibition. I’d heard Chinese whispers that it was in my best interest to get some comfy shoes and snacks in order to help pull me through the three day onslaught of gaming heaven and meetings galore. Upon walking into my first mammoth hall of the day for the first time, I was blown away by the sheer size of each publisher’s booth. They appeared more like fairground rides than a place to demo games if anything, just less of the glamour and more of the glitz and booming sound. Initial feelings in the opening hour was that of marvel. It all felt like a huge temporary theme park in a sound stage at Universal Studios Florida, it’s darkly lit halls accompanied by a slight air of eeriness. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any grander and louder though, I stumbled across the EA booth (or hall more like). “Wow” I shouted as I turned to Ryan who seemed almost used to the over-the-top spectacle of it all. Here is where you truly start to understand why this has been labeled by many the biggest games convention not just in Europe but the world.
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TACTICS
When actually getting on the floor itself to play some games there were a number that stood out for me. Mario Odyssey looks and feels brilliant, Far Cry 5 delivers the same intense action you’d expect from the series, Sonic Forces is cheesy, fast and fun and obviously my favourite FIFA 18 delivered in every aspect. My trusty college Ryan, who’s face was a picture (see the photos section) didn’t exactly share that feeling when we finally got to play some football. Overall it was truly a week to remember in Cologne. What more could a guy ask for when you’ve spent three days playing video games, eating Bratwurst, drinking German lager and accomplishing 70,000 steps on a Fitbit? Talk about throwing me in at the deep end though! A few notes for next year - bring comfy shoes and get plenty of sleep!
my top five games of the show far cry 5 super mario odyssey fifa 18 need for speed payback cuphead
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
ryan’s experience returning to cologne for the third time
Another year, another Gamescom. It seems like just yesterday we were analysing E3! How time flies! Anyways, I was fortunate enough to attend my third Gamescom event this year and despite the nauseating crowds, insane lines and a few titles missing in action I had an enjoyable experience overall. In fact based on the time I spent with some of the show’s games the tail end of 2017
my top five games of the show super mario odyssey far cry 5 mario + rabbids age of empires: def. ed. yakuza 6 looks to continue the year’s tagline of “one of the best gaming has seen”.
be coming out for PC too. Microsoft need that hook. It needs a Breath of the Wild or Uncharted 4 to show people why the Xbox One X means business. While Chris will likely sing FIFA 18 and Battlefront 2’s praises on the previous page, I couldn’t help but dwell on what was missing from EA - namely A Way Out, arguably their most exciting title to come from E3. Still Need for Speed Payback continues to look like a Fast and Furious spin-off and being a big fan of the movies, I’m totally ok with that. Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite, Sea of Thieves, Steamworld Dig 2, Lonely Mountains Downhill... I could keep going. While a demo is no way to judge the finished product, I had a lot of fun with plenty of these titles and will certainly be keeping my eye on them. It’s just making the time for so many games that’s the trouble. Gamescom is a tiring experience but one I feel lucky to be a part of each year. Sure the spectacle of it all may not have the same impact on me it once did, but when you can say you got to play some of the biggest upcoming games, ride a dragon and meet developers I’d hardly call that a bad time.
Ubisoft’s booth was unsurprisingly one of the busiest, offering an impressive range of products across a number of genres and brands. Everything from RPGs to shooters to racing games all of which hitting stores over the next six or so months. Standouts included February’s Far Cry 5 and of course Mario + Rabbids. I just wish I had a chance to try out the mysterious looking Transference. Nintendo meanwhile not satisfied with just one game of the year contender showed off Mario’s latest with a chunky fifteen-odd minute demo that allowed me to venture New Donk City or Tostarena Desert. Even in this short playtime you get the sense that Nintendo have another winner on their hands. Unfortunately both Microsoft and Sony’s booth felt fairly slim in terms of big AAA titles. This is likely a result of the latter putting more emphasis on Paris Games Week and the former making the big push for Xbox One X, a console I’m still not convinced on especially without a big showpiece release to launch alongside. Don’t get me wrong, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is a neat nostalgic trip and Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds continues to tempt me the more I see, but both of these have or will
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
TACTICS
17
show floor highlights at gamescom...
18
TACTICS
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
TACTICS
19
show floor highlights at gamescom...
20
TACTICS
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7
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21
whose heart beats loudest?
+ 1K
10.8M
66%
facebook followers
youtube views
media penetration
+ 5.5K
7.1M
51%
facebook followers
youtube views
media penetration
+ 13K
2M
54%
facebook ‘likes’
youtube views
media penetration
+ 3.1K
54M
59%
facebook ‘likes’
youtube views
media penetration
•Data for period 21st - 26th August 2017 collated during Gamescom 2017. •Views and follower counts are from internal accounts for each publisher. •Media penetration is calculated against Fancensus monitored media-list.
+ 6K
8.8M
49%
facebook ‘likes’
youtube views
media penetration
+ 9.2K
20M
61%
facebook followers
youtube views
media penetration
+ 1.8K
3.5M
62%
facebook ‘likes’
youtube views
media penetration
+ 3.2K
33.6M
63%
facebook followers
youtube views
media penetration
sonic
the
The tale of SEGA’s blue mascot reads similarly to a hit Broadway play. It’s a journey full of tremendous highs and upsetting lows, redemption, failures and of course human on hedgehog kissing. And while it’s easy to sit here and chuckle at the numerous missteps of Sonic’s past, we shouldn’t forget just how important the series has been to the industry and how popular he still is even as he reaches his late twenties. 2017 looks set to be one of the biggest the hedgehog has seen in some time with not one but two huge releases for the series launching. Last month already saw the retro-inspired Sonic Mania hit digital stores to both criticial and comercial acclaim with Sonic Forces due out later this year. We’re getting a little ahead of ourselves however. Let’s first take a look back at Sonic’s bumpy road to present day and how the series has changed since his early days back on the Mega Drive. It’s hard to believe what with his appearances in more recent crossover projects involving a certain red plumber, but Sonic began as SEGA’s answer to the Mario series back in the early 90s. Remember the old slogan “SEGA does what Nintendon’t?” The rivalry was certainly heated back then between the two companies and the blue hedgehog was front and center of this battle. And he was undoubtably key in SEGA’s success at the time. When we reflect on Sonic as a gaming franchise we can group his career into three sections - the ‘Classic Era’, the ‘Adventure Era’ and the ‘Modern Era’. The ‘Classic Era’ (which for many is defined as Sonic’s strongest) takes us back to his 2D Mega Drive days where both sales and critical reception were in perfect harmony. The original title through to Sonic 3 and Knuckles are still considered as some of gaming’s best platformers out there and it’s at this stage where the hedgehog was at his most popular. TV shows, merchandise, comics and sponsorships - you name it, Sonic conquered be there.
hedgehog Then as technology evolved so did Sonic. Here is where we enter the ‘Adventure Era’ and Sonic’s real first attempt at 3D platforming and it’s here where the series starts to rollercoaster. For every high there seemed to be a lull just around the corner. For every Sonic Adventure we got Sonic the Hedgehog 2006. While Nintendo’s mascot would continue to redefine 3D platforming, it seemed the blue blur would struggle with this transition. Camera issues, bugs and imprecise controls were just a few ugly topics hovering the franchise but perhaps its biggest sin was that of an identity crisis. New characters were introduced along with shooting mechanics, treasure hunts, karting, telekinesis and guns - all things that would drag the series further away from what made gamers fall in love with Sonic in the first place. And so we move onto Sonic’s ‘Modern Era’. You could argue this kicked off with 2008’s Sonic Unleashed, a game that would once more alter its gameplay style to a mixture of 2D and on rails over the shoulder. Sure it wasn’t a smooth switchover but it seemed at the very least SEGA had finally found a formula that allowed for the right balance of speed and platforming. Sonic Colours and Generations are both held with high regard and perhaps illustrate best how the series can work in 3D. They’re two of the best rated Sonic titles in the last ten years for a reason. Of course Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is our latest “modern” take on the franchise (at least until Forces), a title that once more would remind gamers how bad things can get. It’s these sorts of experiments that can hurt a brand, perhaps evidenced here in the slimming sales of more recent games. Boom in fact went on to become the worst selling in the franchise. We’re a long way from the dizzying heights of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 figures here. Which brings us onto 2017, a year that seems keen to right the wrongs and steer Sonic back on the correct path. A year that will hopefully bring back older fans but also cater to younger ones too. Sonic Mania kicked things off last month and has not only risen to the top of digital charts, but also been met with one of the best
receptions the series has ever seen. Review scores are well in the green while social media is busy with conversation about the game. Mania even took over PR for the weeks surrounding its launch toppling big AAA physical releases that also happened to release that same week. Suffice to say there has been a different energy surrounding Christian Whitehead and his team’s release. The public are talking about the hedgehog for all the right reasons. Sonic feels like the AAA hero he should be. So the question is where does SEGA go from here? You’d think that the reception to Sonic Mania is tough for the company to ignore and could well be the catalyst for future retro-inspired efforts like this be it Sonic or another property. Developers Christian Whitehead and crew clearly know what their audience wants, and why wouldn’t they, with their CVs proving that they too are big fans themselves of the series. It’s funny, 2011 saw a fan-created Streets of Rage remake shut down by SEGA which has you thinking why not perform the same trick here? Grab this team of fans and who knows, lightning could strike twice. Back to Sonic Mania though which took a lot of inspiration from its Mega Drive originals right down to the actual level designs and zones themselves. While great it had a slight hint of restriction about it. Perhaps its time to allow these indie developers the chance to tackle a brand new 2D Sonic? Whether this happens or not though, it’s clear that SEGA want to split its hero in two. It wants a Sonic that’s edgy, unbelievably speedy and a fast talker. It also wants one that’s cuter, a little tubbier and doesn’t say a word. It wants both of them to work. Which raises a good question. Is there room for two types of Sonic titles or will one eventually shove the other aside? While the verdict is still out on the upcoming Sonic Forces, the fact Mania is not only a well received product but one of the best received in the entire series does put a lot of
SERIES SUMMARY FIRST RELEASE: 23RD JUNE 1991 LATEST RELEASE: 15TH AUGUST 2017 NUMBER OF MAINLINE ENTRIES: ≈ 30 PR ACTIVITIES: 17k YOUTUBE VIDEOS/VIEWS: 2k / 370m TWEETS/RETWEETS: 8k / 270k FACEBOOK POSTS/SHARES: 5k / 210k
pressure on its modern alternative. Should the game be a hit in line with Generations or Colours then whose to say the audience won’t want both? If we get another middling entry then the answer could be very different. If SEGA want both to be a success then it will need to hit high notes on both ends or else it makes the consumer’s choice of which to try and which to avoid much easier. It needs to be a case of wanting to play both. Sonic is still very much a strong franchise. Yes Mania has highlighted this, but even before it’s release the series wasn’t exactly slacking when it came to social and PR presence (see below). Whether it’s a self aware Twitter account, new trailers posted on YouTube or the press publishing their latest hands-on reports the response is often far from tepid. Fact of the matter is Sonic is over 25 years old now and we’re still talking about him. So many franchises have lived and died within this timeframe which is testament to the staying power this brand actually has. Which brings me onto one last point that skates a little outside the topic of our blue hedgehog. SEGA is one of those publishers that’s home to a number of brilliant and unique IPs. Crazy Taxi, Phantasy Star, Virtua Fighter and Virtua Tennis to name a few. In fact they’re probably the closest comparison out there is to another character-strong publisher, Nintendo. Only difference here is that Nintendo’s brands are still seeing new entries to this day, even ones that originate from back on the NES. Who knows with the strong reception of Sonic Mania and somewhat promising buzz of Sonic Forces, we might start seeing other dormant IPs making their console return once more in one way shape or form be it modern or retro. My money (and dreams) are on a new Streets of Rage or Outrun. Make it happen SEGA. Ryan Janes
CRITICAL RECEPTION SONIC’S BEST
SONIC’S WORST
sonic mania 86%
Sonic Boom: Rise Of Lyric 36%
Sonic colours 80%
Sonic Free Riders 43%
sonic generations 76%
Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 49%
sonic & the secret rings 75%
Sonic Riders 50%
sonic the hedgehog 4: ep. 1 75%
Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity 51% *based on PHYSICAL RELEASES SINCE 2007
THE SPORTS SEASON OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF! ALSO... DESTINY 2 REVIEW BREAKDOWN SEPTEMBER’S SOCIAL AND PR ANALYSIS DOES E-SPORTS BELONG IN THE OLYMPICS? METROID RETURNS! 28
TACTICS
SEPTEMBER 2017 / #7