Sonic the Hedgehog Rant No. 31

Hello, SuperSonication here, and here is another rant of mine that I wish to share with you all. This rant will talk about various things.

First off, I want to talk about Sonic Mania, the game that came out earlier this month in August. Now, Sonic Mania is a game I have played, and I happen to find it good. It is enjoyable, and it is well made, and it gets the job done. However, I think it is overrated and overly praised. Sure, it is a well made game, but it does nothing new at all, and when you don't play it for nostalgia and if you aren't one who grew up with the classics, you probably won't find Sonic Mania special. The game is just another classic-like Sonic game, which probably got its praise because it has been a long time since we got such a game. It is the same old formula, not much is new. Also, speaking of new, there are only a few new stages, and there are too many old ones in Mania. Sure, it can be nostalgic, but the fact that there are more old stages than new does not help much at all. Now, like I said before, using an old formula over and over can get stale, and the same can happen with games like Mania coming after it. I mean, the original Mega Man series does the same thing over and over all the time. So while I do find Sonic Mania a good game, it is nowhere near as godly and perfect as some make it out to be. Nostalgia is just blinding those people who have just wanted a classic-like Sonic game for so long.

Now, let me point out something else. There are people who bash Sonic games and the people who like Sonic games that they do not like, which is immature. However, I am sure there are people who, when they don't like something others do, try to point out the "flaws" of the game being made in front of those who like the game, to them or not. These people are not only being immature and showing poor sportsmanship to those people who like what they see, whether it is the actual game or a trailer or demo footage, but they are also trying to ruin the game for others just because they do not like it at all. I say that is very, very immature, and unfair, too. People should show respect to other people's opinions and thoughts and not put them down, especially by trying to ruin the game for them by pointing out things the haters themselves don't like at all. Whether they are talking to someone when they do it or not, this is just unacceptable social behavior, and I don't care if this is the internet, for good social behavior should be applied anywhere, not just in real life.

In fact, I dare compare these to bad treatment to other people just because they were different. Christians, especially a long time ago, did not tolerate Jews and such at all. Spanish Conquistadors from back when the Americas were discovered by Europeans did not tolerate the gods of the Native Americans they came across, as they thought those were demonic or an affront to their gods. Caucasian Americans suppressed and mistreated African Americans severely after the American Civil War and before and around the African American Civil Movement, and so on. Now, I realize that these things are more severe and historically important than a single video game franchise can do, and they probably aren't meant to be compared. However, the fact that people don't tolerate what other fans think and say about Sonic games they like that they (the haters) don't like is quite bad like the above, and socially unacceptable too, not to mention that this is a video game series we talk about here, which, on its own level, is pathetic compared to the other situations I described above, as a video game series is more or less a little thing, and fan interactions should not even be acting as bad as the historical situations above. Some fans treat video games as a matter of life and death, especially if it is not made to cater to their smallest desires or if fans like things they do not like. That is just sad. Fans do not define the series, they just play the games and talk about it, but they don't decide how a game should be made. Not to mention, some people pick on those who like games like Forces, and yet, they praise the heck out of Sonic Mania. Don't you see the hypocrisy here and how immature that is? It shouldn't have to be like that.

Also, there are some fans who complain about a game, like Sonic Forces, especially the trailers and the footage long before the game is even released, and they even say they are not going to buy the game at all. Also, the haters who whine and try to point out flaws to Sega and Sonic Team are a minority. Many other people from what I have seen are excited for Forces. Heck! Sonic Forces, while it didn't win, got second place in IGN's Gamescom People's Choice Award, as shown here.

i.imgur.com/TdbZJgz.png

Yet, some people have already tried to downplay it and thinking some people made alternate accounts to put it that high. Like on Sega Forums. Now, this just goes to show that those so called "fans" are not willing to see that other people like things they don't, which is quite said, and shows that they are not open and how narrow-minded they are. But back to the other point I want to make about not buying the game and the minority thing. Like I said, there are quite a few people excited for Forces, based on what I have seen. The opposite minority does try to point out flaws and make criticisms to Sega and Sonic Team about level design, physics and such. However, while they are vocal about it, they are still a minority, and can be overwhelmed, overcome and drowned out by the majority who don't care about the same things the haters do. Sega and Sonic Team will, as sad as it is, listen more to the positive majority than the negative minority, so the minority's voices could likely go unheard. The fact that those haters keep whining and pointing out what they think are flaws and giving criticism, as well as not buying a game and still complain about it (as well as complain about others liking the game or parts of it that they, the haters don't) is a real waste of time and energy, and is likely going to get people nowhere no matter how vocal they are when they try to tell Sega and Sonic Team what they want, especially if it won't do much harm, is inoffensive when they don't realize it, or is what they can live without.

Plus, they do say things like "the boost games were never good", and that Sonic 1 Green Hill is better than Sonic Forces Green Hill, when the boost games have gotten praise (even Unleashed daytime wise), and the Green Hill thing is more of an opinion, and that Sonic 1 Green Hill can be beaten in a short time. Some of these haters may not hate everything Sega does, but they are limited in terms of what they want from Sega or what they like, such as Sonic Mania. Those fans are narrow-minded in what they want, and mostly won't accept anything that is not classic-like or Mania-like. They say they want a good game, but what makes a good game to them? Plus, they complain about so much that it affects their ability to like a game and make it so that just being a good game is not enough, but it has to appeal to their every desire. Quite sad, isn't it? It is like they don't know that they don't need everything they want for a game to be good, and the smallest thing that isn't of their preferences can ruin the game easily for them. Plus, the fact that they keep whining and complaining about a game and thinking it is bad, even though they clearly haven't played it (and no, watching a game is not the same as playing a game) goes with the saying "it only hurts if you let it". What I mean is that if they think they have played the game, and think it is bad, then if they play the game with that mindset, they will think the game is actually bad much more than if they didn't lead themselves to believe it is bad. I say this is such an unhealthy mindset, and keeps one from being positive at all for games like Forces. Also, just because Sonic has had some bad games in the past doesn't mean Forces will be bad too. In fact, to move forward, not only must you be open to change, but you must let go of the past, even if it seems like it is being repeated. I know it is hard to do, but if everyone did this, I am sure people would be more positive than they are now.

Well, that is all for now. SuperSonication, out. Please feel free to leave a comment.

EDIT: I think it is important to point out a few things now. I am fine with people not liking games like Forces and pointing out the flaws in those games. That is fine. However, the way some Sonic fans have been acting is not okay, and rather immature. Think of it as like a mother who loves her child, but she doesn't like the way the child behaves at a moment. The mother still loves the child, but she wants that child to fix and improve their behavior. That is the kind of thing I am talking about when I talk about people criticizing the games. Those people need to clean up their act. They should be more constructive in their criticism and be more mature and respectful to other opinions from different people. As for the real life examples I used above, I do admit, that probably wasn't the best of comparison. I did not say that what fans are doing was as bad, but it was bad like how the examples I gave were. There is a difference, but I dared to do it. Perhaps I should be more careful, and I am sorry if I offended anyone.

And also, there are people who are haters and are dissatisfied. I used the word haters to cover both, but I admit, I should have done better with the wording there. Really. Also, I must note that not all haters or dissatisfied people who dislike what they see in the games are classic fans. When I was talking about narrow-mindedness and wanting a game like Mania, I meant the classic fans only. I did not mean anyone else, like the Adventure fans an such. Forgive me I implied otherwise on what I just said in this edit. Criticism can be good, but it should be done in a better way. And I do admit Forces does have flaws that could use some point out, but overall, to me, it is fine. Also, I am sorry if the use of the word "haters" to cover both haters and dissatisfied people got anyone upset.

And regardless of what I said, Mania is still a good, well made game with love put into it.