A New Turn

First of all a big thank you for those who have even checked my blog out. I sometimes get people randomly tell me about it. To be honest I didn't even expect thatto happen even once. So a huge thank you to you guys who have read (or perhaps keep reading) this space. As the few reading. Tell me if there is anything that you want me to comment on and I will do it. Whether it's advice on game recommendations or even random questions like: "Who would win in a fight? Solid Snake or Bruce Lee?" Of course I would pick Bruce every time but I digress.

Since my funding has gone to nothing (well it was nothing before so we'll consider it less than nothing!) I've decided to change tack. I shall not report the latest news stories as you can find them everywhere before you'd even get here. Instead I shall comment on them or what I reckon to them. Or if I'm very lucky. I'll report something that only I know about.

Also I am not going to do up to date previews or reviews as my timetable regularly shifts, making this very difficult. So I have vowed not to promise things I can't do. This means that the previews of Heavy Rain and new games are out of the way. Things like this also take up a lot of space too. I need to refine my writing before I can type reviews that do a game justice without taking a decade to read. So starting today I am going to give a small snippet of my thoughts on gaming at the minute. They could be random, funny or informative but they will only be a few lines:

So starting today. Here's what's been on my mind:

- Motion control is not the way foward. Not only is the technology not developed enough but I think the whole approach is merely creativity for creativity's sake. It will be this decades "Virtual Reality" (I'll gladly admit I was wrong if it doesn't turn out that way)
- Special Editions are slowly becoming less and less special (Bioshock 2 being one the exceptions to this)
- I want more news on Sadness for the Wii and Shenmue 3!

After that I can now tell you what I plan to do over the next few weeks:

- Make what I call "Starter Kits". These are guides for people looking to buy a console they have little knowledge of. For these I will focus on a particular console and run off one game for each genre that I think will get players started for it. They may not be the best or most well known. But they are the ones that will introduce them to a certain platform. I'm currently writing one for the Dreamcast, Playstation 1 and today's current platforms. Expect these in the following weeks.

- Reviews on whatever the hell I want. These will be completely random picked by me. They might be bad games, good games or just damn right weird.

- A feature on pokemon. A look at the remakes of Pokemon Gold and Silver and the future of the series. But this will have something that I can add that few else can. I have a vague inside scoop from someone working for pokemon (you think I may be kidding but just wait and see!)

So thank you for reading again. I will try and give weekly updates but I might add in a few little notes here and there.

Keep gaming guys and leave comments upon anything related to gaming.

Churchy

Badniks Beware!

All right. Due to the rest of my life throwing things in my way I have been unable to attend the blog. I shall have the Heavy Rain preview coming, along with thoughts on Bioshock 2 and a friend helping with a Mass Effect 2 review.

But I thought I'd start with some simple news and my opinion on a few things surrounding it.

Sonic The Hedgehog 4. That's right. If you haven't heard about this yet, then Sonic The Hedgehog will be released (in episodic format) this summer on PSN, Wii Ware, Xbox Live Arcade and an unknown format (simply marked with question marks - speculation throws up the iphone as the most logical choice but who knows?!).

The following trailer will be spread like wild fire so I doubt you'll have a hard time finding it but here's a link anyway. There is hardly any gameplay footage but it is exciting to know it's being worked on as you read this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFzi5p8_hQg

My Opinion

I'm excited about this. It's great to hear about a new sonic game and I think the fact that it's just number 4 makes it feel like a true sequel to the original games. I think the blend of 2D and 3D will work well.

The episodic release is an interesting choice. But I think they could utilise it to work. For example I thought that maybe we could even have a fan directed surface so SEGA could even ask for feedback on what should be included next. Should there be more fast paced sections? Bigger bosses? Extra characters? Online time trial? Who knows. I just have a feeling they wouldn't have chose an episodic release unless it was for a particular purpose. We can only speculate as of now.

This was one thing I was hoping they would do. In fact when I was in discussion with my gaming friends one us said "They should make Sonic The Hedgehog 4".
I know it might sound like I'm asking for too much but I think a great way to follow this would be to make another game in the Rush series and make Sonic Adventure 3. If they are all made the way they should Sonic will once again be back on top of the mountain where he belongs.

To check out news, concept art and other information that is slowly being released visit the official site (I must say it is nice to hear the selection sound from the menus of Sonic Adventure 2):

http://www.sonicthehedgehog4.co.uk/en/

I'll be interested in seeing how this develops.

Slinging Mud

For some reason Sonic fans and gamers alike have already started picking it apart already and I really don't understand this. Especially from the so called fans. People have been criticisng everything they can from just a few seconds of proper footage including:

- Sonic's movement not being right
- The rings being too big
- The game being too fast
- The game being too slow
- The graphics aren't just like the old games
- Sonic should be in 2D
- Sonic not slowing down properly
- Being released in episodic format

Okay I can understand the last criticism as it is a bit strange to think of a Sonic game being release in this way as it hasn't happened before. But already I have heard so many conflicting and down right pedantic complaints based on hardly anything!

Nostalgic Senility

This is what I have come to call this phenomonon and for some reason it occurs mostly with sonic games. Everyone seems to always be hung up on the fact that no new Sonic game is exactly like the older games in the 90's and that they are not as good. People seem to always complain about the new ones for some unkown reason and expect them to emulate the exact experiences of old. But I'll put forth the truth. THAT ISN'T POSSIBLE. Sonic needs to change just like any other gaming franchise or series. I think people hold onto the old a little too much sometimes. If you love the old games so much, then shouldn't that love still keep you playing without need for a new? But that solution seems lost on some.

Sonic needs to change. It can't stay the same. It's just about getting the right balance between keeping the spirit and feel of a sonic game whilst gradually discovering new possibilities for the spiky blue hedgehog. The last game to do that for me properly was Sonic Adventure 2 because the spirit of the game just felt real and like Sonic. Sonic Unleashed did it well with the Sonic sections too but other aspects of the game stopped it from being great.

Sonic has a divided fanbase as it is but complaints like this only seem to make the issue more complicated. Frankly I'm tired of hearing them when they are unfounded. I feel sorry for Sega as no matter what they do, no one seems to be happy but hopefully people will shut up and let them do it this time around. Starting from now, I will do just that.

P.S. Feel free to add your thoughts on this news through your comments.