While speaking Kotaku, Big Red Button’s CEO and creative director Bob Rafe touched on Sonic’s new look, the public reaction, and what the character means to the studio. Head past the break for a roundup of Rafe’s comments.
A whole bunch of Sonic Boom details have come in from new press previews. You can find a roundup of the latest information below.
– Demo broken up into different selectable sections
– Level from the campaign, Doctor Eggman boss fight, on-rails level to zoom through
– Each played differently
– Zoomy level had several paths to take
– Each one leads to more or less rings
– Combo system assigns letter grades based on performance
– This seems to be based on number of hits and not variation of moves
– Also in play is some sort of collectible currency (apart from rings) that go toward what might be an upgrade system
– Puzzles are mixed in with combat and exploration
– Eggman fight features him in a giant suit and he shoots rockets which either crash into Sonic and/or Knuckles, or come to rest on the ground
– Need to pick up the undetonated ones and use the EnerBeam to fling them back at the evil doctor
“If you’re a classic Sonic gamer, a 2D fan, you have an appreciation for the platforming. This game has quite a bit of that classic platforming. I think these levels inspire some of that feeling for the old places that Sonic went back in the day.” – Steve Frost
– Game has some hub world interactions
– Most levels will feature a branching path that only one specific character (you’re presented with a choice of two per level) can take
– Select characters on the GamePad
– Hub worlds and speed levels will make use of Sonic Boom’s full roster
– When two local players are in the same game and the time comes to split up, player one runs a character with the GamePad on its screen and player two uses a Wii Remote or Pro controller for their character on the television
– Big Red Button Entertainment thought hard about adding split-screen local multiplayer — either to bring more human players to the game, or to let the Wii U Gamepad perform other functions for them
“We had, for a long time, considered split-screen play. And it just didn’t feel as special. If we’re out in real life, and we’re off exploring, we have our cell phones and cameras out, we’re calling each other and saying, ‘Hey, you should see what I’m seeing.’ We wanted to have that sharing.
“Split screen doesn’t really do that because you’re constantly staring at the other person’s screen. That sense of wonder, of what the other person is doing, is gone.”
– Sonic and his cohort are exploring an ancient, unknown island
– Eggman has sought to exploit an ancient evil being named Lyric,
– It’s turned out to be more than he can handle
– Eggman isn’t supposed to be a bumbler — “he’s still got that fun personality, but his presence overall is more formidable”
– Sonic’s principal concern is exploring the surface and neo-Atlantean ruins and beating up the danger lurking within
– Knuckles can climb rock walls in sections specific to him
– Tails can hover on air currents and ride them to his goal
– Each character comes equipped with an “enerbeam”
– This lets you grapple and move pieces in puzzle levels
– With it, you can also lasso and toss foes into one another
– This will be required in some battles
– Previews mention that the camera isn’t up to snuff
– 3DS version is more of a traditional 2D, scrolling platformer
– No multiplayer in the 3DS version
– Can swap characters on the 3DS touch screen and solve multiple platforming puzzles
– Sonic Boom on 3DS features its own story and another entry point into the canon
– Sega’s strategy is that wherever someone’s interest might be piqued they may find something different in the other two.
“The thought is, we can only show you X amount of the world, and the others can show you even more. By virtue of the cartoon, the toys and the games, you can see this big cohesive world.”
Polygon has published a new report on Costume Quest 2, which was just confirmed for the Wii U eShop today. Here’s what we know thus far:
– Similar to the first game
– Play as twins Reynold and Wren
– The two set off on a trick or treating adventure
– Reynold and Wren will fight evil Grubbins in Halloween costumes that grant them superhuman powers
– In the sequel, everything is set in a new suburb in Louisiana
– Double Fine keeping quiet on story details
– Only saying that it’s set right after the DLC add-on Grubbins on Ice
“It’s probably our most requested sequel, besides Psychonauts. People have been asking for it forever. I think it’s that every Halloween you’re reminded about the game. We have a lot of people who are coming back to us saying they replay it every year.” – Greg Rice, Double Fine publishing manager
– Double Fine wants to give fans of the original more of what they loved while addressing some of Costume Quest’s shortcomings
– Battle system is being refined
– Attack combos have been added
– Slight changes in the timing of button presses in battles
– Players will need to press the action button as their character strikes with their attack, not beforehand
– The same is true for defending against enemy attacks
– You can get a follow-up attack (and a third) by nailing the timing on attacks
– More Halloween costumes will be included
– Fan favorite costumes will be back
– At least 4 new costumes: the Clown, the Superhero, the Pterodactyl and the Candy Corn
– Clown: healer, can replenish the hit points of his or her teammates with a move called Laughter is the Best Medicine
– Superhero: looks like the superman of Double Fine’s Middle Manager of Justice, attacks with big punches and can throw a bus for an area of effect attack
– Candy Corn doesn’t do anything
– Unclear what the Pterodactyl does
– Candy Corn costume: player wearing it sits out his or her turn — every single time
– The only action is a message explaining the character’s inaction, something along the lines of “Candy Corn has nothing to prove” or “Candy Corn decides to sit this one out”
– Double Fine hopes to have somewhere around a thousand variations on that line that explains why Candy Corn just stands there idle
– Double Fine has an achievement built into the game for players who wear the Candy Corn costume the entire game, limiting your party to two members, instead of three
– Party’s health won’t automatically regenerate after each battle this time around
– Will need to find water fountains to replenish your hit points
– Cards are being added that players can use to enhance their battle abilities
– Cards are a combination of the Battle Stamps — modifiers that each character could equip — and the collectible Creepy Treat Cards from the first game
– Purchase cards from vendors or earn them by completing tasks
– Bring cards to battle, which will give you an advantage
– Cards will have limited uses in battles
– Some cards may take a few battles to recharge before they can be used again
– Explore the world and take on side quests when you’re not battling
– All kids wear heelys this time around (in the first game, most players opted to wear the Robot costume, as the outfit’s roller shoes let players glide around at high speed)
– For side quests, Rice says that in the first game “a lot of those were a bit fetch quest-y, but in this one they’re a little more [tied to] game mechanics.”
– Side quest example with the Clown’s horn:
The kids wanted to join a group of street musicians as they played some New Orleans-style jazz in the game’s version of the French Quarter. But the band demanded that we rustle up an audience if we wanted to play, so, horn in hand, we chatted up a few tourists milling about. After drawing an audience with an ear for brassiness, the band acquiesced and let us toot along with their street jazz in a simple rhythm game. The reward? Candy, of course, and maybe a little street cred.
– Can hunt down hidden pinatas stuffed with candy
– If you beat up those pinatas rhythmically, they’ll unleash more candy
– Improvements made to Double Fine’s engine
Costume Quest 2 will be released this Halloween on Wii U, PS4, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Mac, and Linux.
Twitch has gone live with its streaming schedule for E3 2014, and it lists several unannounced titles for Nintendo. There are actually four in total – assuming each is original and won’t be repeats.
Aside from this, Twitch will be hosting the Nintendo Digital Event and Super Smash Bros. Invitational.
You can find the full schedule below.
Little Orbit has published the first screenshots for Falling Skies: The Game, and we have several details about the title as well.
Falling Skies: The Game is in development for Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Steam. The tactical strategy RPG, due out this fall, takes place “in the tense, gritty world of the critically acclaimed series from Amblin Television.”
An overview is posted below:
Survival of the human race is at stake. Players will dive into a world gone wrong and command a squad of recently-rescued survivors who have been recruited into the human resistance fighting to save the planet. The team will engage in covert tactical operations against the Espheni fighting to survive against alien invaders while also rescuing and recruiting survivors to the join the 2nd Mass. With addictive strategy-based gameplay, players will be immersed into the unique story line with all their favorite heroes from the show.
Falling Skies: The Game offers “engaging tactical combat and an immersive story driven experience”. It will also provide players with “a never-ending list of missions as they join the 2nd Mass and fight the alien invasion including Mechs, Skitters and Harnessed Humans.” Hundreds of character skills and equipment upgrades can be unlocked, and dynamic enemy AI and map randomization are among the included features.
SEGA has shared new details about Sonic Boom for both Wii U and 3DS. Overviews for each can be found below.
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric will deliver a different experience than past titles. The detailed levels and emphasis on each character’s unique abilities will showcase the distinctive feel of an action- adventure game, giving players more choice in exploration as they work as a team to stop the deadly snake-like ancient villain, Lyric, before he can power up his army. The gameplay will challenge players with over-the-top speed runs, but the heart of the game will focus on intense combat and brand-new abilities including the Enerbeam. This new feature in the game gives players an energy-charged cord that can be used by characters to navigate the world like never before. Players will be able to swing or zip-line across gaps, explore alternate paths, grab and throw enemies and take away their shields in combat.
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal is a standalone adventure that shares key characters, events and lore of the Sonic Boom universe with exclusive environments and characters. For the first time ever, gamers will be able to take on the role of Sticks, the newest member of the team who will play an integral role in the story after her best friend Amy gets kidnapped by the ancient villain Lyric. While the Wii U version is focused on action-adventure and exploration, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal will place a bigger emphasis on platforming and puzzles. Additionally, unique collectibles featured in the Nintendo 3DS version will unlock special content on Wii U via Wi-Fi connectivity.
