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[FK in the Coffee]

I think I'm in love:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmpIkrl-B5M

[Adamski]

Really like the title animation.

[Melly]

How does Sega feel about all of these remakes and fan projects anyway?

[Accidental Rebel]

Awesome. It's all shiny and glittery. :D

[Jad]

For some reason this just loses a lot of the appeal that the sonic style has. I need the pixels, I can't explain why. This looks a bit scary to me, as though it's some kind of plastic toy machinima version of sonic.

... Of course, that's not bad, but... there's something about it that doesn't appeal to me, whereas the original sonic does.

I watched the trailer thinking 'hey this looks GREAT!' and then realized they hadn't gotten to the HD part yet.

I'm just not into the whole HD thing, my brain likes ... big strokes, texture, a regard for the atoms that make up a picture. Vagueness where needed. The HD thing if often about delivering more crispness than my brain wants, that pictures are unarguably better if they've got a lot of detail. For me that feels as though a high definition photo would, by definition, be better than a monet painting.

But I like the vagueness of the monet, and I like the kaleidoscopic atoms that pixels create, and I enjoy the blurred vagueness that comes with CRT screens and such. Much as I like the flickering imagery of dreams that I remember well, where everything is very vague and very clear at the same time. It's an aesthetic I enjoy.

And with that said, I enjoy the original sonic graphics more. It has delicious big atoms (pixels) that clearly unify the sprites with the background and where the angular shapes of the background tiles relate directly to the picture elements they're made out of (pixels), creating some kind of suspension of disbelief-like effect.

Whereas the HD sonic looks more cut out. I'll stop talking now.

Anyways it's a good project, it clearly delivers something people have been wanting, and I don't DISLIKE it, I'm just not charmed by it. I'LL STOP TALKING NOW

[Aloshi]

For some reason this just loses a lot of the appeal that the sonic style has. I need the pixels, I can't explain why. This looks a bit scary to me, as though it's some kind of plastic toy machinima version of sonic.

... Of course, that's not bad, but... there's something about it that doesn't appeal to me, whereas the original sonic does.

This is pretty much how I feel. This is also exactly how I felt about Earthworm Jim HD. I think S2HD looks better than EWJHD though - S2HD seems very close to the original.

What are they planning on doing for music?

[tesselode]

I also noticed the Sonic looks a little out of place in the trailer.

Nevertheless, this looks really nice. It's for PC, right? I assume it is. If so, I'll be looking forward to playing it.

[FK in the Coffee]

What are they planning on doing for music?

They'll be remixing all the old music for the HD remake.  Plus, I think they're also adding the previously unplayable Hidden Temple Zone in.

@tesselode: Yes, it's a PC-only release.

[Alistair Aitcheson]

I hate to be the Mr Cynical but hasn't modding and remaking Sonic 2 been done to death by now? The game's been ported to every console and mobile device imaginable, and there's been mods and hacks being developed for years. We've had it in 2.5D with the Sonic Fan Remix, we've had a lot of hacks for genesis emulators such as the extended edition and long versions. I kinda feel like I've played Sonic 2 enough already, and aside from hi-res sprites I don't see what this adds to the experience.

Sonic 1 megamix was a fantastic hack because it created a whole bunch of new levels and worked in new mechanics such as the light dash. Sonic Fan Remix had a very imaginative and lively interpretation of the environments. Perhaps I'd be more interested if it advanced on the design and the mechanics.

[Glaiel-Gamer]

I hate to be the Mr Cynical but hasn't modding and remaking Sonic 2 been done to death by now?

It shall continue being modded and remade to death until sega takes notice and actually makes another good 2D sonic game.

[Ishi]

I don't really get the Sonic 2 thing either - 3&K was way better in my opinion. This looks decent enough though. The ring collection sound alternates between the left and right speakers which suggests decent attention to detail. Fan Remix did feel like 'new' sonic to me though, especially the level that was actually new. When I look at this I just feel despair at having to play through all the zones I hate (casino night, hill top, mystic cave, oil ocean, metropolis, sky chase (most of them then)).

[LemonScented]

I'm firmly in the crowd that still has an itch for new good 2D Sonic stuff (which Sonic 4 definitely failed to scratch), so I kind of like the HD fan remake stuff. I guess I'll get this and play it when it comes out, although from watching that video I'm hard-pressed to think of a good reason why. It's not so much that I prefer the original pixellated look (I rather enjoyed Earthworm Jim HD)... I think it's that they've not used the extra resolution to add anything new. Everything has sharper edges and the colour gradients are cleaner, but they don't seem to have uncovered any extra detail.

Sonic Fan Remix did a reasonably nice job, although if anything I think they might have gone too far in the other direction and rammed the thing full with a bit too much detail and contrast.

That Mushroom Hill mockup video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxXycBv3Rlk) totally hit the sweet spot for me though. Love how that looks

[jotapeh]

How does Sega feel about all of these remakes and fan projects anyway?

Given how they've treated Sonic for the past several years, I am willing to bet that Sega does not have feelings for my favourite blue hedgehog. 

[Jad]

Everything has sharper edges and the colour gradients are cleaner, but they don't seem to have uncovered any extra detail.

And when that is the only new thing, and when that also doesn't appeal to me, you can see that my interest in this isn't very high.

I actually know a guy who's good buds with the guy leading this HD project, so I always feel a bit bad being so negative about it :D D:

[DavidCaruso]

I've been casually following this project, and I can't say I'm a fan of it - all they've done is essentially apply a handmade hq4x filter to the art, then add shine. I was hoping that when Sonic Fan Remix (which is beautiful IMO, and actually has some new level content too) came out it would inspire the guys working on this to get their act together and actually try to HDify the art instead of soullessly recreating it, but meh.

At least the remastered soundtrack kicks some serious ass though.

[Jad]

Why call them remastered when they're completely redone, although with the same composition? They're remade, it's just a misuse of the word, a remastering is just the same old song with new post-production. The hell ' 3 '

And just to be completely unconstructive, I don't enjoy the Sonic Fan Remix either, haha, and I might just explain why later, or I'll keep shut for everyones sake

[Falmil]

I don't know why, but some of the animations when he isn't running just look wrong to me. I guess I just like the old version better, too.

[jotapeh]

While all of the criticisms you folks are making are valid, I think they're kind of.. easy.

Really this isn't trying to be anything more than an HD upscale of the original. I think it does that just fine. 

[Falmil]

While all of the criticisms you folks are making are valid, I think they're kind of.. easy.

Really this isn't trying to be anything more than an HD upscale of the original. I think it does that just fine. 

I guess you're right. I just feel like I have a natural aversion to it for some reason, possibly because of the "HD" angle. The old game didn't look that bad and if this were a different game/series I don't know if I would be all that interested either, without some updates to the mechanics as well.

[Jad]

I think it does that just fine. 

It does!

Everytime it gets mentioned at, say, kotaku, people get their panties in a total bunch over its awesomeness and the supremacy of HD, so I felt I wanted to express what I though about the whole HD thing. I'm done now though!