History, Sega's Tactics, Sonic Boom, The Return to Sonic Adventure, and Hope for the Future of Sonic

Beginning in 2010 with Sonic Colors and Sonic 4, Sega has been trying to multitask by simultaneously designing for the long term fans while attempting to attract new ones.  Sonic Generations was a smorgage board as it cotained everything that everyone from all sections of the fanbase, even Adventure fans, could enjoy. After Colors a few team members began working on Lost World while the rest worked on Generations so the general plan for it had been decided by in 2010 or sooner.  After the abysmal sales of Lost world, Sonic Team took note of  the increasing demands and complaints from people like Roger, SA3, Tails Channel, and others; So, now, The next game is a traditonal Adventure Sonic game not like Colors, Generations, or Lost World. Sonic Team hasn't been ignoring their fanbase just misunderstanding it.

Sonic Generations was a love letter to the long time fans as well as an attempt to appeal to new fans acquired by Sonic Colors. It's more so they assumed that their long term paying fans consisted of mostly gensis fans who only cared about gameplay. Sonic 4 didn't sell very well, and SA3/ SA like games are increasing being demanded, so they seem to be aware what their long term fans truly want.

Their new approach is to Sonic games is to hire developers like BRB to make a new type of Sonic for new users, then they themselves make adventures games for the long time fans which is great! They no longer have to try and make one alternating contuity to satisfy all the different type fans by themselves. Casual, comedy seeking Sonic fans don't care what the games are like, so they've feel satified while niche Sonic fans can get their traditional games free of experimentation and poor humor.  It cannot be emphasized  enough how much of an improvement spliting up Sonic Colors,  Generations, and Lost World into two continuities is.

So long as the execution and vision of  returning to Adventure, Retro Sonic turns out well. Yes, Sonic Boom doesn't contain the type of story or perhaps even gameplay we adventure fans want, but it's a spin off series. So we don't really have a good enough reason to be pissed off at this point. The future of Sonic looks bright not dim.

Sources
http://www.lazygamer.net/general-news/sonic-team-working-on-new-sonic-game/
http://www.tssznews.com/2014/06/03/working-prototypes-of-next-sonic-allegedly-in-existence/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPiAuPl7h9g&list=UUUNYWmlvdPYcFlrs3a1EfPg
http://www.licensemag.com/license-global/sonic-new-generation-sonic-boom

Sonic Boom Footage Leak and First Hands on Impression

So, we got our first glimpses of how Sonic Boom will actually play and a hands-on impression for both the Wii U and 3ds versions
Wii U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNkDV_e-t0k
3DS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nxgDyPlTTQ

My prediction was right, it's going to have the same problem as Sonic Heroes. Too much slow-paced combat, but I also get the feeling there will be more battle feedback here. The speed level looks really cool though, except is the whole level a speed thrill with no challenge or freedom? Even Unleashed made you platform and you could stop and explore around everyone once in a while. I mean, don't get me wrong, I should still like it because I'm entertained by visual spectacle, but it'd be frustrating if the highly automated levels are the only time the game feels fast paced. Of course it's a small amount of footage, but it gives cause for alarm none the less.

And ah, the humor. It cracks me up that right as the guy says, "There are jokes, funny ones too." The person who edited this puts in an incredily stupid joke. The Sonic eating rings joke did get a shock value laugh out of me, just because of how unfitting and absurd it is, so whatever. The humor in a game isn't important to me. I have shows and movies for that. Good, refined, and tasteful jokes isn't what I come to Sonic for anyway.

The 3DS version, actually comes off a lot like Sonic and Knuckles 3. The exception being that it seems to be made with modern design skills and wisdom in that you can switch between characters whenever you want and such. The guy who played it seemed to really like it so that itself is a good sign. But oh I almost forgot. 2D explorations, /sigh. Actually though, I'm pretty optimistic with it because: The goal is still to just get to the end, you can switch to tails or knuckles, or sticks at anytime, the control is claimed to be good, and it seems optional and not in your face. I just hope they will leave clues as to where the collectible will be rather than make you scratch through the level inch by inch to find anything. 3D exploring can be just as bad if there's no clues to give the player a sense of direction. The 3D sections remind me of Sonic Dash. Again, I'm easily excited, so that should be satisfying. The only chance of it failing to entertain me is if it becomes really cheap and expects you to have the reflexes of a God.

I couldn't help but notice, that Knuckles is now the not-the-drill wisp and Tails the not-the-hover wisp; So, Good job Sonic people, you're actually making use of Sonic's friends again, Hooray!

More information will be avaible at E3 soon, so this is a bit premature, but hearing from someone who has actually played it is a big difference because of course they're going to try and hide the flaws and make it look cool in a big, eventful release. So this is valuable stuff.

TTFN, my loyal, imaginary audience.