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52 IN 52: Sonic Mania cleared Act 1
You know, I think I'd actually be a little concerned if Sonic Mania was a perfect game.
That's not to say it's bad! In fact, it's very, very good. Astounding, even, and worthy of the hype of being "a return to the golden days" that people cry about. But it's got flaws. It's got flaws in the same way Sonic CD has flaws, or Sonic 2, or even the sacred calf of S3+K. Flaws that may detract from the whole, but the whole is just so solid that even with its warts it's still a cut above the standard, or even the exceptional.
So let's get the flaws out of the way first: I find myself sincerely questioning if Sega has forgotten how to make an enjoyable, interesting boss. Then, I look back at some of the worst bosses of the Genesis era (Metropolis Zone, Lava Reef Zone, pretty much any boss stage in Sonic CD) and I instead question if Sega ever knew how to make good boss fights, or if the entertaining/memorable ones are just flukes. There's a few good flukes here, for sure, but oh man are there some stinkers - including the return of several less than enjoyable bosses from earlier Genesis games.
Like reviews have already complained about, the lack of continues is a bit offputting if you're not great at games, because even if you only have to clear two levels on three lives to get to the next save point, the levels are significantly longer than Genesis fare and you could lose a good 10-15 minutes just by wiping on a boss. Maybe either get rid of a lives/game over system (think Super Meat Boy) or make autosaves at every Act instead of every Zone, if you're gonna do this.
The only other flaw I found worthy enough of bitching about openly is a minor location spoiler, but the least spoilery form is that they took the worst gimmick from Sonic & Knuckles, put it in the worst stage from Sonic 2, and whoever decided that was a good idea should be punched in the face.
Now for the positives: It is absolutely gorgeous. The animations are fluid, the stages vibrant, and the soundtrack is goddamn fantastic. As soon as a find a way to procure the soundtrack, it's going on my short playlist that never leaves the phone no matter what.
Outside of the bosses, I actually felt the level design was amazing in a way you just didn't get from 2D Sonics made by DIMPS, a way that people thought was lost after S3+K. (It turns out it was never lost, DIMPS just really sucks at making levels. I went through the entire game and the only time I fell into a bottomless pit in this was when I was exploring places I shouldn't be, they weren't constant hazards like it seemed was "standard" now! Amazing.) Every level has a very distinct, intentional nostalgia to it, while still being its own unique creature - even the remade levels are new regardless of how it may seem at first shake. The game was very clearly made by people who care, who love the series, and who know what made the Genesis games work.
If you told me Mania was supposed to be Sonic Generations 2D, I would believe you. It turns out that someone out there at least remembers why people keep coming back to the Genesis games.
I'm sure people out there hate it. Those people can go sit in their No Fun Allowed corner and be angry and unhappy. Even if I got annoyed at parts of this, I loved it and I'm glad I got it. It was worth the wait.
EDIT: Apparently the Steam version has some stupid DRM drama going on right now and can't be played in offline mode? Caveat emptor if that's a thing you do; it's on pretty much every current console at least if you want to avoid that minefield.
That's not to say it's bad! In fact, it's very, very good. Astounding, even, and worthy of the hype of being "a return to the golden days" that people cry about. But it's got flaws. It's got flaws in the same way Sonic CD has flaws, or Sonic 2, or even the sacred calf of S3+K. Flaws that may detract from the whole, but the whole is just so solid that even with its warts it's still a cut above the standard, or even the exceptional.
So let's get the flaws out of the way first: I find myself sincerely questioning if Sega has forgotten how to make an enjoyable, interesting boss. Then, I look back at some of the worst bosses of the Genesis era (Metropolis Zone, Lava Reef Zone, pretty much any boss stage in Sonic CD) and I instead question if Sega ever knew how to make good boss fights, or if the entertaining/memorable ones are just flukes. There's a few good flukes here, for sure, but oh man are there some stinkers - including the return of several less than enjoyable bosses from earlier Genesis games.
Like reviews have already complained about, the lack of continues is a bit offputting if you're not great at games, because even if you only have to clear two levels on three lives to get to the next save point, the levels are significantly longer than Genesis fare and you could lose a good 10-15 minutes just by wiping on a boss. Maybe either get rid of a lives/game over system (think Super Meat Boy) or make autosaves at every Act instead of every Zone, if you're gonna do this.
The only other flaw I found worthy enough of bitching about openly is a minor location spoiler, but the least spoilery form is that they took the worst gimmick from Sonic & Knuckles, put it in the worst stage from Sonic 2, and whoever decided that was a good idea should be punched in the face.
Now for the positives: It is absolutely gorgeous. The animations are fluid, the stages vibrant, and the soundtrack is goddamn fantastic. As soon as a find a way to procure the soundtrack, it's going on my short playlist that never leaves the phone no matter what.
Outside of the bosses, I actually felt the level design was amazing in a way you just didn't get from 2D Sonics made by DIMPS, a way that people thought was lost after S3+K. (It turns out it was never lost, DIMPS just really sucks at making levels. I went through the entire game and the only time I fell into a bottomless pit in this was when I was exploring places I shouldn't be, they weren't constant hazards like it seemed was "standard" now! Amazing.) Every level has a very distinct, intentional nostalgia to it, while still being its own unique creature - even the remade levels are new regardless of how it may seem at first shake. The game was very clearly made by people who care, who love the series, and who know what made the Genesis games work.
If you told me Mania was supposed to be Sonic Generations 2D, I would believe you. It turns out that someone out there at least remembers why people keep coming back to the Genesis games.
I'm sure people out there hate it. Those people can go sit in their No Fun Allowed corner and be angry and unhappy. Even if I got annoyed at parts of this, I loved it and I'm glad I got it. It was worth the wait.
EDIT: Apparently the Steam version has some stupid DRM drama going on right now and can't be played in offline mode? Caveat emptor if that's a thing you do; it's on pretty much every current console at least if you want to avoid that minefield.