Sonic & Allstars Racing Transformed

[twmac]

So, I played this and the Walking Dead this weekend and I am seriously considering this for GOTY.cx.

It is a love letter to SEGA fans, from the music, to the sets, to cast selection. It is built by Sumo Digital who are more SEGA than SEGA have been for a very long time. On top of that they seem to have hired some ex-bizarre creations guys who have taken the Blur and PGR mechanics and made a deceptively deep driving game underneath the cartoon presentation.

The career mode is extensive and the challenge level is pitch perfect in that C level is easy, B level is challenging and A level requires pure mastery of the track (there is an S ranked challenge that unlocks later that is mind-boggling hard).

I love this nutso world where Outrun 2 physics are king and drifting makes you go faster than driving straight.

I haven't seen all of the unlocks but Vyse from Skies of Arcadia is in there. Metal Sonic comes free with the limited edition (same price as the normal edition). I'll admit there have been no big surprises (except for Joe Musashi from Shinobi) but the roster is almost pitch perfect (Amigo, AiAi, Ulala, Shadow, Knuckles, Beat, Gilius Thunderhead). They all level up as well, not in a broken way that makes a level 5 guy too good for a level 1 guy but more so you can tweak your favourite character to your play style.

So far the balancing is pretty good, at first it is easy to see Sonic as the better character but that is because the opening stages are pretty wide and he is drift heavy making him ideal to beat them. I split my choices between Tails for the Ring Races (think Pilot Wings), Ulala for boost levels (a level littered with boost pads set against the clock) Sonic for the drift levels (essentially the Outrun 2 challenges), Danica Patrick (don't ask)for the assault levels (you chase a tank and fire missiles at it while dodging its volleys) and Knuckles for almost everything else. I've dabbled with BD Joe and Shadow as well.

Just finished the main career and it unlocked a new area. Not to mention there are still a ton of content to unlock that requires I perfect some of the earlier races.

Anyone else played it?

[melmer]

I used to spend so much time with games like diddy kong racing, wacky races and of course mario kart. These days i don't even consider trying them. Probably since the wii came and all these types of games became flailing waggle fests.

Maybe i'll give this a try....maybe i would totally appreciate all the sega homages

[Roderick]

I've been hearing a ton of good things about this game.

[melmer]

FUCKING SOLD!

[twmac]

Oh yeah, it has both a Golden Axe and Afterburner level which has the music from both of them faithfully recreated.

And there are Panzer Dragoon and Burning Rangers levels as well.

[melmer]

you had me at panzer

[I_smell]

You had me at "Walking Dead".

[Tanukitsune]

I loved the previous game, and I'm kinda waiting for the Steam version of the new one. I'm kinda disappointed that the different version's special characters are Mii's and Xbox Avatars, the last time we got Banjo & Kazooie.

[Sno]

I want to live in a world where Segata Sanshiro is a playable character in a kart racer.

So is this actually worthwhile? Or is it merely just Sega exploiting nostalgia?

You know, and i'm kind of not cool with modern Sega preying on my memories of old Sega, i feel like they're practically two different companies.

[twmac]

Oh it is good game in its own right. Even if it is liberally using mechanics from Outrun 2, Pilot Wings and Mario Kart.

That this also shamelessly warms my SEGA cockles at the same time, done with a warmness that can only be exhibited by people who genuinely love these old games (as SUMO digital clearly do), is no problem. For me anyway.

[miffy495]

liberally using mechanics from Outrun 2, Pilot Wings and Mario Kart.

Fuck you for making it necessary for me to buy this.

[twmac]

heheh, well it is a fun title and it has been released at a low budget. As long as you ignore the shitty things SEGA is doing to the Shinning Force Youtube people it feels like a return to form.

If you get it on X360 at some point, let me know and we should do some Xbox LIVE multiplayer.

[miffy495]

The last one was on PC, why is this not? What the hell, Sega?

[twmac]

Ah, that sucks. I am guessing low sales or something like that might have contributed to the non-release?

This review by Joystiq pretty much nails my feelings about the game:

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/sonic-and-all-stars-racing-transformed-review/#continued

[Justin Leego]

Has it really been cancelled? Shame if so but I hold out hope. This is from an executive producer at Sumo, Steve Lycett:

I can’t say much here, it’s SEGA call to announce dates. All I can say right now is it’s going to after the console release date, but that’s all I can say.

http://board.sonicstadium.org/topic/12679-sonic-all-stars-racing-transformed/page__st__3820#entry582699

[melmer]

I got this today on Xbox. Such fun. But it's bloody hard

Danica Patrick...

I guess sega were scraping the barrel for female characters

This came out on PC today didn't it? I saw a thread on gaf

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=510997&page=1

[Willy]

Great game, career is balanced really nicely, though I have reached a point where I've B-levelled everything available and I'm kind of grinding to get three stars on earlier tracks in order to unlock the next gate. Still, a minor complaint, there's a lot to love about this game. It's probably the first kart racer I've played since Crash Team Racing which stands shoulder to shoulder—and maybe surpasses—Mario Kart.

Also, yeah, no idea why Danica Patrick is in this game. Had to Google her.

[Tanukitsune]

It was just released on Steam yesterday, I have it but haven't found time to play it yet, but it claims to have racers from Team Fortress 2... Shogun 2 and Football Manager? Well, I guess Sega does own those last two franchises.

[Roderick]

Lemme hear some love for the, admittedly not great but still kind of fun, Crahs Tag Team Racing! ...No?

[Tanukitsune]

Well, Team Fortress is definitely in the game, since this is "Transformed", you are the Pyro on the ground, Heavy in the water and Spy in the sky...

While I'm not the best racer, I am getting into it quick, I got the hang of boosting again pretty quick and some of the levels are pretty awesome...

The Skies of Arcadia was epic, you're in the middle of sky pirates duking it out, blasting each out and the island itself, I love how no lap is usually the same since usually something happens that forces you to take another route!

There is now a level up system, but all it gives you is a "mod" that increases one stat, but lowers another, so it's not perfect.

[melmer]

I played the Skies of Arcadia course for the first time late last night and it was definitely the highlight of my time with it so far

I think the 'mods' you acquire are not perks but just a way of leveling out all the racers. So currently if you want good top speed you have to choose 'Crazy taxi guy' but if you want good handling you have to choose 'monkey ball monkey'. But if you play it enough and level up monkey ball monkey you can use him with high top speed stats which will probably come at a cost to his handling

I guess they've done this so your character choice isn't limited to your racing style

If you like this game you should pick up Hydro thunder, the slightly dodgy boat section in this game makes me long for the far superior hydro thunder (in handling and course design)

[Tanukitsune]

I think I might be reaching the point we I can't continue anymore... There are "Sprint" events which force you to race a ghost that not only plays perfectly, but now all the tricks of that tracks. Even on the easier setting it's a nightmare and I'm not sure I can beat the next one.

The gate requirements are getting higher too I just found one with 110 stars which sounds ludicrous! I bet Dr. Robotnik is behind that gate.

Like I said, the mods are not levels ups, but stat changers, they will raise a few stats and then lower some other, there is only a few mods where you are simply better than the standard version.

I just noticed that the "All Star" power up is much less cooler now, you just turn into jet form and can throw projectiles.

[melmer]

Throw projectiles? I didn't know that

[Justin Leego]

This is number one on my immediate want list. Sterling job by all accounts.

[Tanukitsune]

Throw projectiles? I didn't know that

I could be that it changes from character to character, I'm using only one or two characters since I'm used to them.