Game: Sonic 3D: Taken To The Next Level
Release Date: May 29th, 2000
Author: Perfect Dreams
Application: Multimedia Fusion Express Stand Alone Application
Version: Demo
(Screenshots)
Release Date: May 29th, 2000
Author: Perfect Dreams
Application: Multimedia Fusion Express Stand Alone Application
Version: Demo
(Screenshots)
(System Information)
OS: Windows 7 Compatible
Resolution: Windowed - 320x250
(Story)
OS: Windows 7 Compatible
Resolution: Windowed - 320x250
(Story)
N/A
(Passwords)
N/A
N/A
(Archived User Reviews)
(Review of Sonic 3D: Taken To The Next Level by Sorok Echidna)
Let me point out a little something about 3D.Imagine you are riding in (or driving) a car in real life.
As you drive forwards, what do you see in front of you?
Stuff moving towards you, of course.
Now think carefully. Does this stuff move in a straight, downward line towards you?
Or do you get a sort of "perspective" effect (don't know how else to describe it), where stuff seems to come out in somewhat diagonal-looking lines from a center point?
I don't think I need to tell you which is the right answer.
Every 3D simulation, in some way, has obeyed this very basic law.
Even the old vector-based games of the early 80's did it.
Even old-school sprite-based racing games such as Pole Position did it.
It's an integral, vital part of the 3D experience.
How, therefore, can a game which *doesn't* obey this basic law call itself 3D?
S3D: Taken To The Next Level is just such a game.
Totally eschewing this vital, common-sense law, it instead makes objects suddenly "appear" from points along a center line, and then move straight downward towards the bottom of the window (being scaled all the way, of course).
This is somehow supposed to make you think you're in a 3D world.
And the surprising thing is that many fans can't see any flaw.
When presented with something so unrealistic and then expected to just accept it as 3D, however, I can't accept it and don't appreciate the insult to my intelligence.
This is- there's no nicer way to put it- a glorified scaling engine, and nothing more.
"Wait a minute," you say.
"Isn't there a *game* somewhere in here?" Yes, I suppose there is- but there's not much of one.
Sonic has to run around the level, grab rings, bop badniks, yadda yadda yadda... we've seen this all before.
(The game's creator tries to make things interesting by dumping Mighty into the level and making a little subquest, but the game's other flaws- which I will come onto soon- make sure that it's no fun.)
Of course, this type of formulaic approach is okay if done well, but S3D just has too many problems.
I've already mentioned the most glaring one; now on to the others:
- It's slow.
Slow as heck.
I don't care what kind of game you're trying to make; Sonic is all about speed, period.
"But Sonic Labyrinth was slow!" Yeah, but who gives a rip about Labyrinth?
- The levels are rather hard to navigate due to the fact that you can't really see what's ahead of you until you're right about to bump into it.
I know this is necessary for the engine to work right, but sheesh... give us a map feature or *something*...
- Sonic has that stupid jump that so many 3D Blast-type fan games/howtos have used: he jerks up into the air, just "floats" for a while, and then jerks back down.
I know (from experience) that semi-3D jumps are hard to make, but couldn't they have done better than this!?
- Collision detection is spotty (I realize this'll probably be fixed, however).
- The backgrounds don't move an inch during all this.
I know this isn't a gameplay issue so much, but it detracts from believability (as if this was believable to begin with).
Okay, enough ripping.
I think I've made a lot of enemies in writing this review, so I'll stop by saying this: calling it "3D" is an insult to our intelligence, so either the name should be changed... or the game should be changed.
I seriously hope that the final version will be much improved over this.
"Next Level", indeed. I'm sticking to SRB2.
(Music Credit)
Jeff Read - Tracks 1
Paul Lapensee - Tracks 1
Richard Jacques - Tracks 1
Paul Lapensee - Tracks 1
Richard Jacques - Tracks 1
Other Games by: Perfect Dreams
- W.I.P