Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

Shame about this, I guess it could have been a lot better.

Maybe BioWare just weren't used to working on weaker hardware, so I'm sure the sequel will be much better.

Somehow I still don't have this. I desperately want it.

It's on my list of stuff to play, after I finish PW3 and Time Hollow.

Nice stuff Karn. I was a little worried about how it'd turn out, it's good but I found it hard to stick by it even at the beginning. Battle seems fine, the interface and things are clear but it just became so tedious (especially the running away part).

But ye, defo agree with the score. Better than a 6, but not good enough to slide into the 8/9 area. It's probably just me not being used to Sonic in an RPG environment; good idea, slightly too-innovative execution.

SuperLink said:
Shame about this, I guess it could have been a lot better.

Maybe BioWare just weren't used to working on weaker hardware, so I'm sure the sequel will be much better.

Obviously not, the flaws as stated by the review have nothing to do with not being familiar with the hardware. Maybe the music quality, but from what I heard the compositions sucked to begin with.

I always had the feeling that this just wouldn't live up to the high expectations set by Super Mario RPG...and it certainly looks like I wasn't too wrong.

Didn't fare as well in the charts as I thought it would, to be honest. Everything Sonic-related seems to normally sell gangbusters on Wii/DS.

I think most gamers (myself included) had it down as a "Get eventually" rather than a launch day buy.

Dunno why, it just gives off that feeling.

So why did BioWare go wrong? Is this the same BioWare that make perfect critically acclaimed RPGs? I don't get it, perhaps the Sonic series really is cursed.

Perhaps the problem lay with either 1.) SEGA butting in on development, or 2.) Bioware trying to aim at a more casual market than it normally does.

I reckon it was the latter, SEGA luv BioWare.

Although I don't think Sonic Team would have been too happy about it.

Yeah, it was almost certainly the latter. In fact, BioWare has said in the past that the game was aimed at a fairly young audience. The whole experience comes across as "roleplaying for beginners," which seems like a missed opportunity (for people like ourselves) given the company's excellent track record.

It's just a shame that the end result doesn't have the same level of universal appeal as classic Sonic platformers, which tend to be enjoyed by both children and adults alike. A sequel is definitely in the works, but I can't imagine a lot will be changed - we shall see, though.

I certainly had some mild fun with the game, but if it hadn't been based on the Sonic franchise (and I wasn't such a big fan of said franchise) I can't imagine that I, or many other people for that matter, would have paid it much attention based on its other merits.

Perhaps BioWare couldn't see that Sonic's biggest fanbase is the hardcore one that has stuck by him since the early days. Children only buy Sonic games because they enjoyed Sonic X (probably)

Kids have no real reason to love Sonic like I do.

Spydarlee said:
BioWare has said in the past that the game was aimed at a fairly young audience. The whole experience comes across as "roleplaying for beginners," which seems like a missed opportunity (for people like ourselves) given the company's excellent track record.

A sequel is definitely in the works, but I can't imagine a lot will be changed - we shall see, though.

This is a really good Sonic RPG. Since it is the first Sonic game to be in this format it has had aa lot of work put in it. The colourful graphics and landscape design is amazing. The character design could have been better but still good.

( Edited 26.11.2008 19:04 by Super Sonic )

I think Square do make better games that fall in a similar style/genre to this, but what Square do is focus on decent moves, locations and story.

I think where Bioware has gone wrong is trying to "innovate" a bit too much with these little extras in battle and touch-screen based actions to a point where it becomes annoying and repetitive after a while.

I'll admit it IS a somewhat decent play. However, the new Chao system was a complete disappointment.

I want this game but i dont have a DS

Bioware aren't quite as awesome as they'd used to be nowadays anyway. Mass Effect was a bit of a let down for me and everyone else expecting KotOR 3. As for the hardware thing, have Bioware ever been any good with hardware? KotOR and Mass Effect both ran like crap in parts.

Do you level up in this game like regular RPGs?

KrownsK said:
Do you level up in this game like regular RPGs?

Indeedy - it's like a regular RPG with some weird elements thrown in.