|
Freedom Planet is a 2014 2D indie platformer inspired by Sega platformers of old like Sonic 3&K, Ristar and Rocket Knight Adventures. It's to the Genesis what Shovel Knight is to the NES. Featuring a colorful 16-bit art style, fast-paced gameplay, multiple playable characters, vast open-ended levels with multiple paths and secrets, and a fantastic soundtrack, it's very much the platformer we wished Sega would make if they could stop driving the Sonic franchise into a ditch, seriously guys it's not funny anymore. However Freedom Planet is not without its weaknesses. Only 3 of the 5 originally planned characters are playable (one without cutscenes), leaving the plot rather disjointed; the game tends to get enemy-happy and the bosses become repetitive bullet sponges; and then there's... the story. While the devs definitely made an effort to distance themselves from "Sonic fangame", the story is still Deviantart-tier, with a cast of stereotype characters you couldn't give a poo poo about, tone all over the place, and voice actors so anime they'll make your ears bleed. Don't get me wrong, it's a great game, but if you're playing at home, do yourself a favor and just use Classic mode. For LP completeness I will be showing off the whole game, cutscenes and all, though you're not obliged to watch them. I'll be playing through with one character and occasionally showing off the rest, as the levels play mostly the same aside from each one's unique level. SupSuper fucked around with this message at 09:23 on Apr 11, 2016 |
# ? Sep 20, 2015 19:12 |
|
|
# ? Apr 23, 2024 13:25 |
|
SupSuper posted:it's very much the platformer we wished Sega would make if they could stop driving the Sonic franchise into a ditch, seriously guys it's not funny anymore. Speaking of which, hi everyone, I'm here filling my usual role in Sup's LPs of not knowing what's going on and comparing everything to Sonic. I'll also be carefully avoiding the plot for the sake of my sanity. I mean, it might lead to confusion later on, but that beats a mental breakdown right now.
|
# ? Sep 20, 2015 19:23 |
http://vocaroo.com/i/s076FGLWsM5o
|
|
# ? Sep 20, 2015 19:35 |
|
An all new classic Sonic game. I think I'll stick around. What do the cards do?
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 03:35 |
|
The purple one used to just straight up be a Sonic recolor. It's a great loss to humanity.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 03:54 |
|
I remember watching this as SGDQ, it definitely looked really fun. That said, that skipped all the cutscenes and stuff, so I'm looking forward to see just how DeviantArt this gets!
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 04:34 |
|
Blaze Dragon posted:I remember watching this as SGDQ, it definitely looked really fun. That said, that skipped all the cutscenes and stuff, so I'm looking forward to see just how DeviantArt this gets! The script was written and acted by enthusiastic amateurs with extreme emphasis on both of those words. Oxxidation fucked around with this message at 04:41 on Sep 21, 2015 |
# ? Sep 21, 2015 04:39 |
|
I'd just like to say that those extra live are terrifying, though this game looks pretty neat so far.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 04:50 |
|
One thing I do think this game improved on over the original Sonic formula is that Lilac doesn't die in one hit without rings.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 05:23 |
|
I know I was skeptical about the game when you showed me the intro, but the actual game part of the game looks cool. I think this would have been a much easier sell for me without the cut-scenes.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 05:34 |
|
Somehow I missed this game when it came out. Looks pretty cool!
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 07:07 |
Okay, so between the horrible art and our protagonist looking like Deviantart personified (seriously - furry anthropomorphic multi-tailed anime dragon, that's gotta win some bingo) this looks like the kind of game I wouldn't want to be caught playing... But the momentum-resetting double jump and bouncy air boost look like they'd be just so much fun to use for zooming around in big open levels... I'm really torn here.
|
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 09:54 |
|
anilEhilated posted:Okay, so between the horrible art and our protagonist looking like Deviantart personified (seriously - furry anthropomorphic multi-tailed anime dragon, that's gotta win some bingo) this looks like the kind of game I wouldn't want to be caught playing... But the momentum-resetting double jump and bouncy air boost look like they'd be just so much fun to use for zooming around in big open levels... I'm really torn here. because ill go ahead and tell the ruskies: you do.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 09:58 |
Yeah, I like to call it self-respect.
|
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 10:03 |
|
Mraagvpeine posted:An all new classic Sonic game. I think I'll stick around. What do the cards do? Chimera-gui posted:One thing I do think this game improved on over the original Sonic formula is that Lilac doesn't die in one hit without rings.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 10:23 |
|
anilEhilated posted:Yeah, I like to call it self-respect.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 11:01 |
|
This game is really good but I found it had a weird jump in difficulty for me. I never ended up beating it but I'll be interested in seeing how frustrating the bosses can get.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 11:08 |
|
Oxxidation posted:The script was written and acted by enthusiastic amateurs with extreme emphasis on both of those words. So, how bad will it get?
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 12:41 |
|
Well, the opening cinematic with taking over the kingdom was reasonably compelling, even kinda dark despite the cute animation. I'm assuming it goes downhill fast, but so far I don't mind it...
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 12:43 |
|
anilEhilated posted:Yeah, I like to call it self-respect. Triple A posted:So, how bad will it get? SupSuper fucked around with this message at 14:01 on Sep 21, 2015 |
# ? Sep 21, 2015 13:58 |
SupSuper posted:No such thing for Sonic fans. It could've been a lot worse, this was the original concept. I'm sorry if the comment came through as insulting; there's nothing wrong with cartoony style in games, it's just that I've seen too much of Sonic fanbase antics to feel comfortable with something that looks like it's literally taken from a deviantart teen's furry porn stash. e:Uh, that probably didn't help. anilEhilated fucked around with this message at 14:34 on Sep 21, 2015 |
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 14:20 |
|
SupSuper posted:No such thing for Sonic fans. It could've been a lot worse, this was the original concept. Holy god those feet. I remember being really confused about which of the characters were who when this game came out because the cat had giant fin-ears and was green. And the dragon looked slightly more cat-ish on a casual inspection.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 14:31 |
|
Oxxidation posted:The script was written and acted by enthusiastic amateurs with extreme emphasis on both of those words. I actually streamed Freedom Planet with the dev and the voice actors, and they are most certainly enthusiastic! But to be totally fair, they're real deal VAs with resumes who do it full time with good equipment, etc. It's not Newgrounds quality (although Edwyn Tiong is there, funnily enough) but it's not Cam Clarke, either. I would recommend goons skipping the story, it's pretty marshmallow.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 15:23 |
|
slowbeef posted:But to be totally fair, they're real deal VAs with resumes who do it full time with good equipment, etc. It's not Newgrounds quality (although Edwyn Tiong is there, funnily enough) but it's not Cam Clarke, either. Really? Because one thing that really bugged me while playing through Adventure mode was how noticeably different the sound quality was for various characters. Some sounded just fine while others sounded way too quiet, like Carol and Dail's father. I guess that's on whoever they sent their audio too? Like in short-burst 1 line exchanges, that we'll see later in the game, you wouldn't really notice it at all, but it becomes really noticeable during long cutscenes where characters do a lot of back and forth. Combat Lobster fucked around with this message at 05:24 on Sep 22, 2015 |
# ? Sep 21, 2015 16:03 |
|
I really liked this game. It scratches that 2-D Sonic game itch in a way I haven't seen since I was in high school. The graphics really are a callback to the Genesis era and the soundtrack is spot-on. They got the Sonic physics right which even modern Sonic games can't seem to do. The game even (artificially) slows the framerate down when you defeat a boss, so the explosions and your guy are all in slow motion. So satisfying when you land that final hit! It's clear they put a lot of thought and love into this game. The story, though. Woof. A few revisions (or re-writes) would have helped. Get ready to cringe! Spookyelectric fucked around with this message at 17:11 on Sep 21, 2015 |
# ? Sep 21, 2015 17:09 |
|
The story is saturday morning cartoon quality, which is fine considering what the game wants to be. It's very skippable, but it's not actively offensive.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 17:31 |
|
I think I'm going to skip the story stuff, because this game actually looks good. The in game art looks good, gameplay seems fluid, and I don't even mind the VA. From what I heard of the music in the first video, I think that's even pretty good.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 18:47 |
|
Dias posted:The story is saturday morning cartoon quality, which is fine considering what the game wants to be. It's very skippable, but it's not actively offensive. I felt similarly until a very specific, tone-deaf part that was uncomfortable to watch.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 20:21 |
|
Spookyelectric posted:I felt similarly until a very specific, tone-deaf part that was uncomfortable to watch. What part was that? I think my friend who beat the game mentioned something like that but I don't remember.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 20:46 |
|
Space Bat posted:What part was that? I think my friend who beat the game mentioned something like that but I don't remember.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 21:05 |
|
Don't get me wrong, there's nothing fetishistic about the story or anything, it's just very cringe-worthy and haphazard like a clip show of someone's original-story-do-not-steal(tm). I'm sure they meant no harm, the actual game is very enjoyable and I've replayed it plenty without getting bored which is a rare feat (could use less CYCLONE though).Kurieg posted:I remember being really confused about which of the characters were who when this game came out because the cat had giant fin-ears and was green. And the dragon looked slightly more cat-ish on a casual inspection.
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 21:05 |
|
Personally this game always felt a little less Sonic in terms of core gameplay and more Megaman X-ish with a touch of Sonic, Ristar, Gunstar Heroes, and Alien Soldier. One thing I kinda' wanna' criticize is the difficulty. It can be a little tough when you first start out, even if you have experience with other platformers. Bosses have a little too much health, some levels can go on a little longer than most people would probably like, and overall difficulty can unexpectedly spike rather than having a good transition/evolution at times. That being said, the difficulty is adjustable. But still. (I really, really like this game for the record.)
|
# ? Sep 21, 2015 21:26 |
|
The final boss is fairly bullshit (oh look, I literally got air juggled for my entire health bar), but the rest of the game was quite pleasant and pretty reasonable until you reach the final ship and suddenly it's high health enemy spam (with guns), and offscreen murder cannons slamming you in the face. It was pretty clear a lot of the bosses were designed primarily around the first character having a double jump though. Like, stuff I could double jump to death thanks to sound ques alone became an incredible murderfest. Or other dirt easy bosses were still easy, just took twice as long because you had that much less time you were able to hit them, etc. Shame about it feeling like somebody on the dev team said"Oh poo poo, we have to make the final area and final boss bullshit to cater to people wanting to say 'I guess YOU aren't an OLD SCHOOL Gamer ' to anyone having trouble". Because up to that point I was thinking "Well, since the only bad part is the My First Fanfiction awkwardness it's easy enough to get past that." That plus a sudden rusty nail studded brick wall spike in difficulty compared to the rest of the game waiting for you at the end though, ouch. Section Z fucked around with this message at 02:10 on Sep 22, 2015 |
# ? Sep 22, 2015 02:07 |
|
SupSuper posted:I challenge you to figure out what the third character is without looking it up.
|
# ? Sep 22, 2015 05:17 |
|
SupSuper posted:I challenge you to figure out what the third character is without looking it up. Something I forgot to mention during commentary was how good the graphics are. 16-bit retro is something we don't see enough of, and this game carries it off well.
|
# ? Sep 22, 2015 08:01 |
|
Section Z posted:The final boss is fairly bullshit (oh look, I literally got air juggled for my entire health bar), but the rest of the game was quite pleasant and pretty reasonable until you reach the final ship and suddenly it's high health enemy spam (with guns), and offscreen murder cannons slamming you in the face. For reference I'm playing on Normal, as I felt cranking it up would just make the bosses drag on longer.
|
# ? Sep 22, 2015 10:04 |
|
The worst example is the big snake thing, which iirc is annoying with the purple one but almost impossible when playing as anyone else. It just moves too fast to accurately target.
|
# ? Sep 22, 2015 11:19 |
|
Supposedly the missing characters (with missing cutscenes for the third character) are supposed to be DLC at some point in the future. They were kickstarter stretch goals rather than being planned in from the get-go. Yacht Club these guys ain't though, so we'll see if that actually ends up being a thing that happens.SupSuper posted:Don't get me wrong, there's nothing fetishistic about the story or anything In response to this, doubly so in respect to the spoilered scene, I feel a very strong need to point out that canonically, the main characters are 15, 12, and 10 years old. Whether or not you think it's explicitly fetishistic, there is something ridiculously uncomfortable about someone making the narrative decision to brutally torture a teenage girl. If you ask me this scene definitely, and maybe a couple others, could be changed if not removed entirely without much detriment to the plot besides a couple of minor plot holes that can be filled with a little (unavoidably clunky given the quality of the writing) exposition. For the record, I think a cutesy, cartoony art style can carry heavier subject material; but if you're going to do a scene like this in any art style, you should make sure you're a good enough writer to make it seem like it really needs to be there without doing being dark and gritty for its own sake, and GalaxyTrail's kinda aren't. All of that being said, it is a really good game overall and I enjoy it a lot. SupSuper posted:For reference I'm playing on Normal, as I felt cranking it up would just make the bosses drag on longer. It really bugs me when a game's idea of difficulty is "make enemy's numbers go bigger so it takes longer to kill." I usually play most games on easy mode unless they can prove normal and hard actually make the game more challenging instead of just tedious and time-consuming. Dr. Buttass fucked around with this message at 12:55 on Sep 22, 2015 |
# ? Sep 22, 2015 12:50 |
Dr. Buttass posted:It really bugs me when a game's idea of difficulty is "make enemy's numbers go bigger so it takes longer to kill." I usually play most games on easy mode unless they can prove normal and hard actually make the game more challenging instead of just tedious and time-consuming.
|
|
# ? Sep 22, 2015 13:07 |
|
|
# ? Apr 23, 2024 13:25 |
|
corn in the bible posted:The worst example is the big snake thing, which iirc is annoying with the purple one but almost impossible when playing as anyone else. It just moves too fast to accurately target. Actually I've had a way easier time fighting the purple snake as the green cat because her special is basically a 'gently caress off you can't hurt me' stance.
|
# ? Sep 22, 2015 14:28 |