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Sonic and the Black Knight; You're not the only one SoniCalvin.
Topic Started: Jul 22 2008, 10:55 AM (1,026 Views)
SoniCalvin
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A little something from GamePro's 2009 Preview Guide.

GamePro
 
Sonic and the Black Knight
I felt it, too, when I saw Sonic brandishing that sword for the first time. That uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach that recalled the last time I ate Sonic (the fast food restaurant, sickos). Sonic the Hedgehog? With a weapon? The last time Sonic Team attempted to put a weapon in an animal's hand, it was in Shadow the Hedgehog, and the results were, to put it kindly, a fetid abomination against all that is good in gaming. After an exclusive demo, however, the sword-brandishing speedster actually has me as excited as I was the last time I was inside Sonic (again, the fast food restaurant).

Pedigreed Hedgehog
Let's preface the demo by stating the obvious. Sonic the Hedgehog is on a roll, experiencing a renaissance unseen since the days of the Sega Genesis. While Sonic Unleashed -- pending final review, of course -- looks to be the best 3D outing yet for the blue blazer, the platforming mascot is taking some pretty brave risks by appearing in games that think outside the box, like Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, and Sonic Chronicles. And let us not forget Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic's previous Wii outing, on which The Black Knight's engine is based. That's not to say that The Black Knight is a carbon copy of The Secret Rings, as the game includes some fun features to separate it from that title.

Live by the Sword
By now, a handful of game developers have tried their hand at making swordplay work on the Wii, with only a scant few succeeding. The ones that have succeeded have generally not included main characters who can top out at Mach One. With that in mind, Sonic Team has implemented what seems to be the least swordplay-feeling combat system ever used on a Wii Remote, and we couldn't be happier. You see, Sonic is, was, and will forever be about the speed, and Sonic Team has thankfully finally learned this. Any swinging of the Wii Remote while Sonic is running will result in a side-to-side swing that doesn't require any stopping, slowing, or second-guessing. If you think that's the hedgehog's only move, however, think again. Sonic does have one move that requires he put on the brakes, however temporarily. If you press B, the speedy hero will charge a sword strike, which can be unleashed by swinging the Wii Remote. Sonic's airborne sword attacks instantly recalls his homing attacks in previous 3D titles. When you press A to jump, swinging the Wii Remote will have him dashing at nearby enemies in succession, performing a handful of different strikes on them. Our favorite sword move, however, doesn't even require an enemy (not that we've seen yet, at least). When faced with a large stone wall, most adventurers -- even ones with the agility of Sonic -- turn around. In The Black Knight, that's not the case at all. When jumping at a wall, Sonic can thrust his sword into the stone, using it as a climber would a grappling hook. By doing this, Sonic can gradually scale walls. He can also use this to slide down them safely, leaving a trail of sparks in his wake. I begged and pleaded for Sega to include a large curtains and ship sails to perform this move on, while tearing fabric. And if they don't, they must make the next Sonic game pirate-themed.

Village People
Here's another feature that Sonic Team is bravely re-introducing -- there will be villagers to converse with. Now, before visions of Sonic the Hedgehog 360 fill your nightmares, let me talk you down from the ledge. Villagers will only exist within the games action stages and will be completely optional to speak with. I didn't get to see much interaction between Sonic and his supporters, but it seems as though he can perform side missions, buy items, and, if you're feeling evil, take a swipe at them (though good luck attempting option A or B if you go that route). Like the Arthurian legend, Sonic needs his supporters, and getting the common man on your side will make his quest all the more easy.

Camelot of Fun
And what is his quest? Well, Sonic has once again been transported to a storybook setting away from the Eggmen of the world. This time, he's been sent to medieval times, summoned by Merlina, Merlin the magician's granddaughter. To help the Hedgehog in his quest, Merlina bestows upon him a mystical sword called Calibern. The stage we saw was set in a traditional medieval village, teeming with evil armor-wearing baddies and cowering townspeople. Additionally, Sonic will visit other areas of Arthurian lore, like grassy highlands and dense misty forests. Seeing as how the game stars a speaking bipedal hedgehog, we'll give the game a pass for not rooting itself in historical fact when it comes to visuals. It has a nice storybook style, but like The Secret Rings, it's a bit rough around the edges in terms of graphical fidelity (though that also may be the game's early development stage). The music seems to mix the series' traditional crap-rock with a fanciful renaissance faire style, which is better than taking it straight. Sonic's next Wii adventure is tentatively scheduled to come out during the Spring of 2009. With Mario taking an extended breather, could the platforming crown inch closer to the Black Knight?
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SoniCalvin
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The game's box art has been revealed. And quite frankly, it... doesn't look that impressive. Sega has decided to stick with the image on the Nintendo Power cover, the magazine in which it was first announced.

Posted Image

Talk about lazy.
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dl316bh
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Wow. Laaaaame. That's far from the sort of cover that's going to catch your eye. How stupid.
Posted Image

Posted Image

Damiens Omens: My review blog
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SoniCalvin
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Yeah, I know. Not even an actual background or anything. It's just a... what is that? It looks like a stone wall. Sonic standing against a stone wall? Really? Is that the best you artists could come up with? You've got plenty of good-looking backgrounds in your in-game levels, couldn't you have chosen from those? Have Sonic run through a village, have him run along the castle walls, through a grassy field... ANYTHING would've been better than a plain, single-colour background!

Dipsh#ts.
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SoniCalvin
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Unbelievable.

Game Masters Magazine has placed Sonic and the Black Knight as the second most wanted game in their top 10 list of most wanted games. They must have a lot of faith in this one.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/8379/dalesonicgi4.jpg
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8656/dalesonic0003wl9.jpg
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/8203/dalesonic0006zu3.jpg
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5585/dalesonic0005fs0.jpg

Since the text in the scans are pretty small, I'll just have to quote what's in the mag. This comes from Shadzter of the Sonic community.

Games Master
 
Page 1 - GM's Most Wanted Games -
2 - Sonic and the Black Knight
What is it? A thrilling dash through the King Arthur stories with added 'hog appeal'.
Why we want it? Sonic the Hedgehog wielding a sword? This we have to see. Could be even better than Unleashed!
Screenshot's from top left -
1. Link isn't looking himself these days, is he? What, you mean that's Sonic? What's going on? Help...
2. Careful with that thing Blue, you'll have someone's eye out. Sonic's handy with a sword but he can still move just as fast.
3. Whoa! Sonic's enemies are just as handy with swords as he is. Here he's been filleted by an awesome forward slash. he should have seen it coming...
4(page 2). The sun rises as Sonic crashed another castle. it's hard work being a sword-swinging hero, you know...
Need to know
What is it?
The second Story Book spin-off to hit the Wii as Sonic des King Arthur.
Facts
-Use the Wiimote to wield a hefty blade - a first for Sonic
-Complete missions to unlock bonus content
-Help villagers to improve your standing as a knight
From the people who made...
Sonic and the Secret Rings 80%
Phantasy Star Universe 84%
Are you sitting comfortably children? Right then, we can begin. Once upon a time there was a hero named Sonic. But he was no ordinary hero, he was a hedgehog. But he was no ordinary hedgehog; he was bright blue with trainers and that. Trust us, he was much cooler than he sounds. Anyway, one day Sonic found himself...
Thats the beauty of Sega's speedy hero, you could pretty much end the above sentence any way you choose and no-one would bat an eye li. One of gaming's most unlikely heroes Sonic is equally at home in an apocalyptic industrial landscape as he is in a colourful fantasy world. And that's exactly what Sega's Wii-exclusive spin-off series of Story Book Adventures is all about. it worked wonders with Sonic and the Secret Rings, a migraine inducingly colourful reimagining of the Arabian Nights stories with an added lick of speed.
War-hog
Sonic and the Black Knight is the second game in the series, plucking its themes from an equally rich and well loved story by plonking our hero into the court of King Arthur. Yep, Sonic's been summoned to a reimagined Camelot to do battle with the evil Black Knight. To do so he'll be using his trademark speed, but the only way to really defeat a medieval ne'er do-well is with a hefty blade. Thus for the first time in his 17-year-history Sonic will wield a weapon.
Unlike in The Secret Rings Sonic's movement is now controlled with the nunchuk leaving the remote free for sword-swinging duties. The game plays an awful lot like Sonic Unleashed with a focus on speedily traversing pretty landscapes with a mix of 3D and 2D platforming. The difference is, of course, the sword.
Frequently Sonic has to slow down and slash his way through errant knights and obstacles. Better yet the blade can also be used to scale and descend sheer walls with style.
Ringing it
There's also an emphasis on collecting items and impressing townsfolk. Doing this will unlock hidden content and gain Sir Sonic followers. The more followers he gains the more effective a knight he'll become, which in turn allows him to level up and access new abilities - much as he did in The Secret Rings.
There are issues we'd like to se addressed, mind. For instance, constantly curbing your speed to hack through enemies could make the pace feel a bit stuttery. Why not give Sonic a running attack to keep things moving? Also the old criticism of it being too on-rails applies - though this has been admirably sidestepped in Sonic Unleashed.
Still in its early stages, Sonic and the Black Knight is shaping up to be a thrilling tale of swashbuckling adventure powered by a jet engine. It's another clever sidestepping of the traditional formula that adds something refreshingly different. Aside from the gorgeous Zelda-like visuals it looks to be fast, varied and, with emphasis on simple mission-based play, rewarding and fun. Following The Secret Rings was always going to be tough, but it looks like Sega might pull it off.
With the Arabian Nights and Camelot taken care of, we're already starting to wonder where the Story Book series will take Sonic next. Sonic in Wonderland, perhaps. Or Sonic and the Beanstalk even. How about Sonic in space? Now there's a thought... GM
Crossing bow
In the game's first stage Sonic uses massive crossbow emplacements to form rope bridges. Of course, being Sonic he grinds down them. Flash git. These are just a hint of the in-game objects that will aid his progress we reckon.
Page 3 Screenshots from left to right 1-4
1-
With a slash of his sword Sonic can access new areas using these emplacements. At points he can select which route to take by hitting different crossbows.
2-
Whhheeeeeee! Sonic can't do anything without looking effortlessly stylish - we're jealous. If that were us we'd hit the wall at the end and break every bone in our bodies.
3-
Ah what a beautiful day! Sonic games have rarely looked this pretty - and it's even better in motion. here Sonic races across some green pastures in search of some action.
4-
Is Sonic faster than lightning? Looks like we're going to find out. This darker level looks ace. Expect dark castles, forests, swamps and more.
Leap hog
Sonic's just as nimble off the ground as he is on it. He can leap around like nobody's business and, as ever, he'll need to use a variety of gadgets and gizmos to progress. Even better, he can use his cold steel blade to get around by plunging it into walls. Handy things swords...
Screenshots from left to right 1-3
1-
Plunging the sword into walls allows Sonic to descend to safety, climb up and even sideways.
2-
It looks as though Sonic will be able to use certain bits of scenery to reach hard-to-reach sections.
3-
Super speed and sidestepping might just see Sonic through theres woodland booby traps.
Text under Sonic art-
Sonic tools up with a sword and gauntlet for his latest adventure.
Page 4 screenshots top to bottom 1-2
1-
Sonic arruves at the castle gates sword in hand. The graphical style reminds us of Zelda - here's hoping it plays half as well.
2-
Have at you! Sonic is fearless in the face of danger, which is perhaps foolish considering his lack of chainmail and helmet.

Slash it up
Despite never having handled a blade before Sonic is no slouch in theswashbuckling department. Combat starts out simply, but expect him to learn some flashy new abilities as the hedgehog's prowess as a knight grows.
Screenshots from top to bottom 1-5
1-
Sonic's learnt from the Zelda games. Here's a sweeping sword strike.
2-
A nifty flying kick. mid-air sword strikes are also possible.
3-
Using the nunchuk Sonic can block enemy attacks before countering.
4-
Sonic's trademark homing attack now creates an ultra fast, forward lunge.
5-
Sonic can smash stuff up - he even cuts through stone.
Ride to hell
In this sequence Sonic boards through treacherous enemy territory. Instead of plumping for the scenic route he chooses to fight off a squad of crack knights armed with gauntlets...
Screenshots left to right 1-3
1-
All aboard! It doesn't look like great weather for sightseeing. Just as well because we'd rather ruck.
2-
Uh-oh, more of 'em. Sonic readies his sword for the onslaught as his enemies leap into action.
3-
Take that you cur! Timing is the key to dispatching enemies quickly and effectively.
Bottom pic on Page 4-
Sonic-
He might be in strange surroundings but Sonic is still his cheeky wise-cracking self. Most of his familiar moves remain too, but some have been retooled to use his sword.
The knight-
Knights are supposed to be chivorous, but these fellas are anything but. We've seen several different baddies and are hoping for some mythical creatures too.
The setting-
Don't expect an accurate retelling of the Arthurian legend. After all, The Secret Rings managed to shoehorn dinosaurds into the Arabian Nights.
Text under pic-
Death from above: It's nice to see that Sonic has retained some of his trademark moves. The trusty old Sonic spin attack is made all the more deadly by his flashing blade.
GM Verdict
GM Loves-
+The graphical style
+Using the sword to get around
+A 'different' Sonic game
GM Hates-
-That the Wiimote isn't always the most reliable way of recreating sword-based combat.
Most wanted rating 4/5
Combining the speed and thrills of Unleashed with the RPG elements of Chronicles and the best bits of Arthurian legend this could be something special!
Can't wait?
Most like: Sonic and the Secret Rings 80%
Out sooner: Sonic Unleashed, Nov
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SoniCalvin
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http://www.tssznews.com/2008/12/01/new-black-knight-screens/

Some new shots of Sonic and the Black Knight released by Sega, featuring a duel between Sonic and Knuckles' storybook character (Knuckles doesn't look half bad, to be honest), a mine tunnel level of some kind where Sonic can be seen grinding on mine cart rails (yes... mine cart rails), and a part where he's running through a grassy field, running past an attack on whatever from... giant green trolls. Pulling wooden towers carrying enemy knights, apparently.

...Sonic? Those trolls are wearing kilts. Whatever you do, don't look up.
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SoniCalvin
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Hey guys.

Some new stuff regarding Black Knight has come in through the latest issue of Nintendo Power. As far as the game's control mechanics go, the control stick on the Nunchuk is for your basic movement, the A button the Wii Remote is for jumping, and the C button on the Nunchuk is for blocking attacks. There are three different methods to utilize them, so you can go with whichever suits you best. There's Cavalier, which is set on speed, Paladin, which is set on strength, and Knight Style, which is a combination of both. I might set it to Knight Style, to balance it out a bit.

Now onto the story. Not much is new, except Blaze the Cat is joining the cast of characters here, and along with Knuckles and Shadow, will also have an Arthurian storybook counterpart for this game. Knuckles, Shadow, and Blaze are all Knights of the Round Table, and will all serve as bosses at different points in the story. Now since they're playable characters, and you can switch from Sonic to a different character whenever you want mid-game, and they're bosses, I'm assuming you have to beat these characters to have them join your party.

Along with some single-player missions meant for online leaderboards, there will also be two multiplayer modes, Battle, and Survivor. I'm assuming that Battle will be something akin to a traditional fighting game. If it is, it's probably worked into the character boss fights too.

Also, it looks like Sega have made a spiffier, better-looking box art.

Posted Image

...

Ehhhhh...

Okay, I never really like the idea of Sonic having and using a sword. But at the very least, I thought him holding a sword made him look cool. But now, I just think he looks... really awkward.

...You know, while I'm posting here, I might as well throw in my two cents about the "online capabilities" with this game.

C'mon, Sega, get with it! You had two opportunities to make an online multiplayer Sonic game with Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, and Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity! Why are you still messing around with this leaderboard nonsense?! They're useless, and serve no purpose other than to compare your best scores/times/other crap with other peoples'! We have no need for these! None! We just want to play with other people online! That's all we ask!

EDIT: The actual Nintendo Power article itself. Also, minor tidbit about Knuckles' storybook character in the game. He is Sir Gawain of the Round Table. ...So, Knuckles is gonna be playing the corrupt King Arthur's nephew? Riiiight...

Nintendo Power
 
Sonic and the Black Knight
Don't mess with a hedgehog with a sword. Seriously. King Arthur--or at least a corrupt, evil version of him--is going to learn that the hard way when Sonic is summoned into his world (just as the Blue Blur is in the middle of a chili-dog feast, no less) and the two end up going blade-to-blade in Sonic and the Black Knight.

Even though Sonic's not exactly known for his prowess with edged weapons, he's an appropriately fast learner. You'll race through levels by moving via the nunchuk's Control Stick and jumping (and air-dashing) by pressing the A Button while dispatching foes with a mere flick of the Wii remote. And you'll have ample opportunity to do so. Like in previous Sonic games, platforming is a big part of the equation, but there's a much greater emphasis on combat this time out. Sonic's been getting by easy in past games compared to what's thrown at him in SBK--the enemies are plentiful, relentless, and pretty powerful, to boot. When your standard attacks aren't enough to ward off the menacing hordes, you can jump into the air to execute a diving kick or a spinning buzzsaw attack, or you can use your gauge-based Soul Surge special move by holding the B Button and shaking the remote, allowing for a series of deadly lock-on strikes or a blinding turbo-boost that can get the hedgehog out of almost any dangerous situation. If all else fails, you can block with Z.

On top of that, you've got three fighting styles to choose from. Cavalier style focuses on Sonic's trademark speed, Paladin style emphasizes strength, and Knight style balances the two. As you proceed through the game and earn stars based on your performance, you'll acquire new skills (some of which are carried over from Sonic and the Secret Rings) depending on the style you used to complete the level, such as the Paladin's shield-breaking ability or the Cavalier's wall-climbing Splash Jump. You can also customize your character by equipping various items that bestow offensive or defensive effects, such as making you immune to elemental status ailments. And did I mention that your sword happens to be a magical talking sword named Caliburn? That's gotta be helpful, too.

While the game gives the Sonic world a medieval makeover (Chao-like fairies represent gold rings and boost pads, for example), it still allows for plenty of variety in the settings. You'll learn swordplay basics in the Misty Lake area before advancing to stages such as Camelot Castle (a sizeable foe-filled stone fortress with a surrounding town), the Molten Mine (where you'll race through buildings, grind on mine-cart rails, smash through fiery boulders, and navigate deadly lava flows), and the Titanic Plain (a wide-open field packed with powerful enemies and Stonehenge-style rock constructs; your sword cuts the tall, wavy grass with every swipe). Each area has multiple missions--between six and nine per environment--and since there are two paths through the game, you won't visit some stages until subsequent playthroughs, providing plenty of replay value.

And it isn't just the levels that are based on Arthurian legend. Sonic's friends (rivals?) Knuckles, Shadow, and Blaze act as Knights of the Round Table, and despite Arthur's turn for the worse, they'll support the king until you knock some sense into them in boss duals; although Sega hasn't revealed the specifics, they eventually become optional playable characters. Sonic's mutant-squirrel buddy Tails is there, too--he plays the part of the local blacksmith and helps you craft new goods from items you collect during your quest. The medieval theme is further emphasized by the chivalry rank, which is based on how you treat NPCs within the levels. Give them rings or display other acts of kindness, and you'll gain more followers, causing your rank to go up; slay them (accidentally or otherwise), and your rank will suffer.

In addition to the robust single-player mode,the game offers numerous multiplayer options, such as battle mode and survival mode, that allow up to four players to compete against one another or team up to fight CPU-controlled foes. There are also special solo missions designed specifically for ranked online challenges. In fact, it seems like there's very little Sega hasn't thought to include. In unfinished form, Sonic and the Black Knight is looking pretty promising; the only question is just how good the final game is going to be. With its March release on the horizon, we won't have to wait long to find out.
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SoniCalvin
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*long pause*

...
...
...

*siiiiigh*

You know... I really had mixed feelings about Sonic and the Black Knight. I still have those mixed feelings about this game. On the one hand, it looked to be a cool sequel to Sonic and the Secret Rings. But on the other, I feared that the controls would suck horribly. I mean, only being able to play the game with only the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, using the Wii Remote as a sword? That told me, "horrible controls" all around. But maybe Sega would surprise me.

...Nope. They didn't.

Story: 8/10
Merlina, the Royal Wizard of King Arthur's court, is surrounded by packs of demonic knights from the underworld, with the evil King Arthur slowly walking toward her on his just-as-intimidating horse.

Wait a minute! King Arthur?! Evil?! How is this possible?! Well, apparently, the scabbard of Excalibur has a power that makes its bearer immortal, but also corrupts him with evil powers. That explains why Arthur has transformed into the Black Knight, which seriously looks like something from my worst nightmares. I know that's corny, but he's real freaky-looking. His sword looks freaky-awesome too. Excalibur had been changed into Deathcalibur. Seriously, take a look at it. I mean, f### Cloud's Buster Sword, Deathcalibur is freakin' huge!

So, Merlina is trapped, and decides that the only way out of this trouble is to use her magic to summon a being from a distant world. To summon the "knight of the wind". Take a guess who that is.

From out of a portal in the sky, Sonic comes falling down screaming, and crashes into the ground. He gets up, and quickly catches the two chili dogs that he was about to munch on. When he learns of the situation, he takes it in stride, and quickly destroys the demonic knight soldiers behind Merlina. Before he can fight the Black Knight, however, Merlina pulls him back, and warps herself and Sonic away, not even caring about the one last chili dog Sonic drops on the ground. Poor Sonic. So, anyway, the Black Knight flies up on his horse... yes, the evil power from the scabbard even allows his horse to fly. Anyway, he flies up to a cliff, and speaks with his three Knights of the Round Table: Gawain (Knuckles), Lancelot (Shadow), and Percival (Blaze), and tells them to search for Sonic and Merlina and kill them on sight.

Sonic, meanwhile, is informed of what's going on, and is told that in order to reside in this world in the time he's there, he must learn the ways of the sword. So, he goes through the Misty Lake, and pulls the talking sword, Caliburn, out of a stone. And soon, he's off prove himself as a true knight.

What I seriously don't get is why Sonic has to wield a sword. As he said in Shadow the Hedgehog, he'd never use a weapon of any sort, so why's he using a sword here? My guess is since it's the way of this world, he's willing to follow those rules if he's to live in this world. Plus, he's gotten used to using a sword over the course of the game, probably even growing an interest in fighting with swords.

Oh well. Either way, this really is a good story. The idea of Sonic being trapped in an old-age world where he can't seem to fit in is absolutely hilarious, what with his modern lingo clashing with the medieval words of the other characters. The minute Sonic first comes into the world of King Arthur, worried about his chili dogs, you'll be laughing. The constant banter between Sonic and Caliburn is real funny too.

As usual of the Sonic Storybook series, a couple of Sonic's friends appear, assuming the roles of Arthurian characters. Tails is a blacksmith, Amy is Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, Knuckles is Sir Gawain, Shadow is Sir Lancelot, and Blaze is Sir Percival... or, Lady Percival, I guess I should say. And although they're only unlockable characters in the game's multiplayer mode, Jet, finally appearing outside the Sonic Riders games, is Sir Lamorak, and Silver is Sir Galahad. I really don't see how Sonic Team couldn't fit these two into the story. I mean, they were on a roll with Knuckles, Shadow, and Blaze.

Through some parts of the story, references are made to Arthurian legend, such as Lancelot and Gawain's rift, and Mordred dealing a fatal blow to Arthur in their final battle. It's clear that Sonic Team had done their homework on Arthurian legend, as these events are indeed true.

I also like how the story's handled, I like the structure. Unlike some of the other recent stories of Sonic games where it's pretty much dramatic and apocalyptic throughout, Black Knight is actually very likeable. It's all action and comedy throughout, saving the drama for near the end of the story, when a big plot twist occurs. And then after the final battle, after everything's said and done, they manage to squeeze in a comedic twist, and a hint of a SonAmy romance right after the ending credits.

Also, props to all of the voice actors in this game, Jason Griffith especially. He's sure come a long way since he first did the voice for Sonic in Sonic X, and I believe it's here where he's at his best. Every line that he delivers is done with a lot of energy, attitude, emotion... it all just sounds so believable.

As brilliant as the story is, however, perhaps Sonic and the Black Knight should've been made into a series of graphic novels, or maybe even a full-blown movie. Why, you ask? Well, that's something I'm gonna explain right now.

Gameplay: 3/10
Controls? Of all the things you won't do for me... can you at least fulfill this one request for me?

DIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

THE CONTROLS ARE A PIECE OF S###!!! Any attempts to make precise sword movements are chucked out the window! The best thing you can do is just flick your wrists when you meet an enemy to avoid getting hit, and hope you kill the enemy quickly! But even then, your motions won't be picked up! Sometimes in boss battles, there will be moments where you have to swing your sword the minute the swinging Wii Remote symbol appears, but that doesn't help any, because you're not able to memorize when that symbol will appear! And if you're a split second too late, the boss will hit you, and you will lose 20 Rings! What a bunch of bulls###! Worse is the second-to-last boss battle of the game, with the Black Knight! It took me 16 minutes to finally figure out what you were supposed to do! When you get to it, you won't have a clue on what to do, and it doesn't come to you until much later! Albeit, it isn't as bad as the infamous "barrel" from a certain Sonic game we all remember, but Sonic Team still should've made it easier for me to figure out! Thank God, then, that the final boss of the game is ridiculously easy, it was such a relief.

You can also do the Homing Attack, and cancel the move, just like in the previous game, Secret Rings. However, because you swing your sword by swinging the Wii Remote, the Homing Attack is done by pressing the A button. And it's hard to get used to.

I f###ing hate these controls... even moving left to right with the control stick on the Nunchuk is such a hard task! Probably the only useful parts of the gameplay is using the Soul Surge to slow down time to target enemies and slash away or speed through (just like the Soul Gauge in Secret Rings), or to use the Z button to defend yourself. And even then, the defense shield you put up doesn't last long.

Eventually, you'll be able to unlock Lancelot, Gawain, and Percival as playable characters in Adventure mode, though I was under the assumption that you could play as them in all the levels, save for the final boss. Nope, it turns out that they're only playable in certain levels. Then again, with the controls, it's not all that disappointing. Although, Lancelot's and Gawain's abilities are certainly impressive. When Lancelot's Soul Gauge is filled, and there are no enemies around, he can blast forward with Shadow's Chaos Control move, much like in Shadow the Hedgehog. Gawain, however, is the most useful out of these characters, because he climbs up walls much faster than the other characters, and he has that extremely useful gliding ability. But Percival? Dear God, she is useless!! I don't need to say any more than that.

You can upgrade your weapons and abilities, but there's no real need for this, as you can play through the game's story at a quick pace, regardless.

You can talk to townspeople and exchange 20 Rings for an item, but again, you don't really need items, so, meh. Oh, and remember when you take a side in Shadow the Hedgehog, but accidentally shoot people who are supposed to be on your side? Yeah, it turns out a similar thing occurs here. The game isn't able to determine whether you're attacking enemy knights, or whether you're hurting the townsfolk. Sucks.

On top of all this, you can unlock sets of rules and playable characters for the multiplayer mode, but the controls are hard enough to grasp in single-player mode! Do you seriously wanna put your friends through the same psychological torture?!

If Sonic Team had spent more time on the game's controls, the game probably wouldn't play as bad!

Design: 6/10
Apart from the game's horrid controls, enemy and hazard placements add more to the game's problems! Because you're moving so fast, you never know when an enemy or bottomless pit's gonna come up! Bottomless pits, in fact, are such frequent problems in this game, that Sonic Team actually gave them their own small section in the manual! It's that bad! I'm surprised they're only doing this now, and never did this before! A lot of the times, when you die, it's not your fault! Rather, you're not able to determine when an enemy is gonna attack, or where the enemy is! You try to jump across a gap filled with lava, but it takes a while for your character to get his/her double-jump going, or your double-jump doesn't go far enough! All of a sudden, you get hit by some lava that shoots up at you, and you fall in, not even getting another chance to double-jump! Even when certain parts of the ground beneath you begin to crumble away, you never know which parts give away until it's too late, and you fall into the bottomless pit below you! And breakable objects don't look breakable to you until many minutes later, when you finally figure it out! This is especially frustrating, when you finally figure out that you need to send a pillar crumbling down on top of a dragon to defeat it!

Those problems aside, the game looks magnificent. Sonic Team really went out of their way to give the Sonic world a medieval theme. Rings? Yellow fairies. Ring containers? Burlap sacks, barrels, treasure chests... almost anything. Springs and boost pads? Blue fairies. Rails that you usually grind on? Ropes. And the environments, of course, look beautiful for a Wii game. There are CGI cut scenes here and there, but most of the time, cut scenes are animated stills, done in a woodcut-esque style, to complement the Arthurian theme.

A lot of the music in this game are re-used or remixed instrumentals of character themes from previous games, like "It Doesn't Matter", "Believe in Myself", and "Unknown from M.E." from Sonic Adventure, and "Throw it All Away" from Sonic Adventure 2. But the rest of the music, of course is epic! Especially with Tommy Tallarico's involvement! Pretty much all of the music in the game is kickass!

Crush 40 does the game's main theme song, "Knight of the Wind", but they also did three other songs for this game. The largest number of songs they've done for any Sonic game. And the final boss theme, "With Me"? Performed by metal band from Sweden, All Ends. Sweet.

Overall: 5/10
This would probably be considered a bittersweet Sonic game at best. On the one hand, you've got an excellent story, and a game with really good graphics. But on the other, in order to experience this great story, you've gotta live through the pain that is horrible controls, and level design. Best to give this one a rental.

Seriously, this should've been a movie.
Adam's Leather Punk Blog
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So I finally got around to reading the review and...

Yeah. Something just told me this game was going to go horribly wrong. The story sounds intriguing though. Nice to hear Sonic Team paid attention to the legends surrounding Arthur.

I'll probably rent this and SatSR. This one mostly because I'm intrigued about the story.

Side note: I love how Sega is finally hinting towards SonAmy and Sonic liking her more than he lets on. I always suspected as much. :awesome:
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W00t w00t for SonAmy. :awesome:

Yeah, it's pretty cool that Sonic Team actually knows their stuff on the legends of King Arthur. Even when completing certain tasks in the game, you get to unlock some stuff in the Gallery regarding those legends. Pretty cool stuff.

The overall story's pretty good too. Certainly a lot better than some of the recent, previous Sonic games, save for Unleashed. Like I said, though, this would've done a lot better as a movie.

Seriously, Sega should do what Square-Enix did, and get to work on an actual Sonic movie. No, the two-part Sonic OVA doesn't count, just because the English release has the title "Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie" slapped onto it.
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You know, I think Sega should approach DC Comics about having DC's Wildstorm division pen a couple comics for stories like this. Wildstorm is no stranger to handling video game comic books; some of the most recent being Gears of War, Resident Evil and other stuff like it.

It'd be a good way for Sega to get stories like this out of their system and branch out a bit. Yeah, there's the Archie series, but that's suffered for a long time. There's a market for that stuff too, so it's nto like it would completely bomb.

I'm not sure where they should go for films though. Was the "Night of the Werehog short done by Sega themselves?
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Yeah, pretty much, they came up with the story (which is cute), and it was animated by their own CG studio.
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