We're not quite ready to start feasting on crow yet, but we're going to say that Sonic Chronicles looks a few orders of magnitude better than we imagined. Despite Bioware's obvious RPG competence, an RPG about Sonic and his awful friends sounded like sheer torture. IGN's interview with Bioware's Mark Darrah describes a Sonic adventure in a post-Eggman world, which is kind of interesting. Of course, Sonic's pals still manage to come along: Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, Rouge the Bat, and even Big the Cat are confirmed as playable characters so far. We'll try not to think about that part as we gaze at the amazing backgrounds in the new screens.In combat, players control four characters in a turn-based system with a few timing-based elements. In Darrah's words, the timing involves "on screen elements that keep the player engaged by having them click, drag and smash various icons." Kind of a touchscreen Super Mario RPG kind of thing, it seems.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-17-2008 @ 12:18PM
John B. said...
I don't get why theres no love for this game. Bioware can do no wrong in my eyes, having been a big fan of KotOR (who wasn't?) and a couple of their other titles.
I've held the Sonic franchise very highly since I was a child (again, who hasn't), and all I see when I look at this game is a talented studio breathing life into a character which has starred in nothing but mediocre games for years now. I'm very excited for this game.
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2-17-2008 @ 2:34PM
velocitystrike said...
"and all I see when I look at this game is a talented studio breathing life into a character which has starred in nothing but mediocre games for years now"
Uhh, Brawl?
2-17-2008 @ 4:21PM
John B. said...
You have a point, but I don't know...something about Brawl just leads me to believe it doesn't actually star Sonic...he isn't on the box art, he has to be unlocked, hes in the game with over 20 other characters...I'm beginning to think Brawl may not be the "Sonic Adventure 3" I was hoping for.
2-17-2008 @ 12:59PM
Drago Dracini said...
I'm definatly looking forward to this, once I find a gameplay video I may even reserve it, just for the hell of it. Cause that's how I roll. ;p
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2-17-2008 @ 8:37PM
B1gC72 - PSN: KillaKornbread said...
oh my, that's so gangster!
2-17-2008 @ 1:15PM
Roto13 said...
I don't see why a Sonic RPG by Bioware would be any worse of an idea than a Mario RPG by Squaresoft.
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2-17-2008 @ 1:47PM
hvnlysoldr said...
Back then people thought that was a bad idea too.
2-17-2008 @ 2:01PM
Roto13 said...
And they couldn't have been more wrong. :P
2-17-2008 @ 2:22PM
Nigeria said...
Are these the first screenshots released?
They give off a Sonic Rush vibe. Which is good. This game is now my most anticipated...I lost my thought for the sentence. What I'm saying is: I'm excited. Genuinely, which isn't that easy for a game to do these days.
I hope Sonic doesn't talk.
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2-17-2008 @ 3:35PM
Mr Khan said...
Probably not. They couldn't pack in audio for StarFox Command, so they probably won't be able to with this
2-17-2008 @ 2:29PM
ArmiMaan said...
I was interested in it right up until I rad the bit about timing-based elements. Why do developers feel the need to shoe-horn timing/action/mini-game elements into turn-based games? Call me old-fashioned, but I like my turn-based games exclusively turn-based. When I want my reflexes tested, I'll pop in an action game, thank you very much.
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2-17-2008 @ 5:18PM
Gerwurztraminer said...
The Mario RPGs have turned out pretty good, despite the inclusion of timed hits. Although the final battle on the GBA Mario & Luigi game still leaves a sour taste in my mouth for how difficult it could be. Timed hits should be a bonus, not a necessity. I hope Bioware agrees.
2-17-2008 @ 3:40PM
Ben said...
I think it looks like a good game and I love the graphical style of the world, I just can't stand the bloody Sonic characters. They're awful.
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2-17-2008 @ 4:16PM
Mr Khan said...
"Horrible Friends?"
I'll grant most of them, but Knuckles is better than Sonic himself. Knuckles should have been the protagonist from the start, and then Sonic would've been introduced later to sit in the shadow of his awesome.
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2-17-2008 @ 4:41PM
Nigeria said...
Knuckles is awesome.
I remember first switching on Sonic & Knuckles and seeing the title screen: Knuckles dreads(???) were awesome. Especially with that pseudo-shine they used on the characters surfaces.
They should really make a sequel to that game.
2-17-2008 @ 5:00PM
Smootling said...
Looks to be a good game, but the name is embrassingly awful. I mean, "Dark brotherhood"? Seriously?
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2-17-2008 @ 5:05PM
samfish said...
You guys are nuts if you aren't interested in this game. I'm not a big RPG person by any means, but I'm eager for Sonic RPG.
Especially if it sounds like it'll have similarities to Mario RPG.
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2-17-2008 @ 6:01PM
Christian said...
I lost an entire summer to Baldur's Gate II. Bioware could make Jar Jar Binks' Happy Funtime Adventures RPG and I'd buy it.
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2-18-2008 @ 5:05AM
kronik said...
I'm interested enough, though with Sonic characters, it's bound to be cute-ish. I'd rather see Bioware work their magic on an original new title for DS. That would totally wet my pants. I could really use a dark absorbing tale on my DS...
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2-18-2008 @ 5:22AM
z_fallen said...
hah.....jar jar?? pfffttt....my math teacher is less ugly than that thing
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