darkSpyro

Wow, TfB CRUSHED it this year. Not doing a whole review because I'm sure you've read them all at this point.

The big thing to me though is it has become apparent that VV just isn't on par with TfB w/ Skylanders and with how bad SC seems to have affected the overall interest and at least launch of Imaginators (what's the short hand for this year - SI?) - I would rather them NOT release anymore games through VV, and just give TfB 2 years. do more add-on content via expansions like Lego dimensions during off-years or something, but this game right here, is almost exactly what I've been asking for.

are the levels longer than I would like - a bit, but they aren't ridiculously long (so far). In Giants - the pinnacle IMO from a Gameplay perspective - most levels could be beat in about 5 minutes on a speed run, even quicker on some. Here we seem to be floating around 7-10 minutes. so good length.

the villain density seems good, you don't walk for a whole minute and only fight 3 bad guys, and when you do fight bad guys , there are a good number of them...you actually "FEEL" like your character is doing something special again.

The figures are huge, allowing for more detail, but they were smart about the size, making them "Thin", so they take up less room on a shelf if stored at an angle.

I'm playing on the Wii U and the load times - short of the typical cutscene waits - are really good, and I don't feel like I'm really suffering graphically compared to my XBOne or PS4.

So far I actually only have two issues. The imaginators aren't as deep powers wise as I would like...once you have one ninja, there is no point to having a second ninja, and the associated elemental crystal has impact on the character, but not enough., The other issue is simply "special effects" - they are too strong, there are too many times where it is hard to tell what exactly is happening because there are so many things going on at once between attacks, effects, power-ups, coins, character fx, etc. Could this be a combination of wii U and smallish screen (we are playing on the 32" insteead of the real set downstairs) - possibly, but its multiplied during multiplayer - reducing it to mashign buttons and trying to move away from whatever is going on.

But I'm so happy with where this game is now, it makes me want to go out and buy more figures - the opposite of SC, where I felt I was buying stuff out of collectors obligation.
- Unreall

Well, most of the graphical content you saw in this game came from VV....doesn't make sense to do a this vs that comparison anymore, as they are sharing IP now because the top-heavy nature of providing backwards compatibility make this a requirement now. I think this game looks like a good marriage of the "best" of TfB's character and gameplay choices, and VV's superior artistic capabilities and UI components. I too believe that they should move forward with the franchise on a bi-annual basis and deliver more than they are giving us now. I think we're very close to sputtering anyway. Creating your own skylander feels very much like an endgame gimmick to me personally.

To be honest, I think we're laying a lot of the blame of SC on VV directly and I think that's a bit unfair. The vehicle gameplay mechanic is what did them in as it compromised too many gameplay components we loved.

It was a risk worth taking. My fear with this game is that it's also "too" familiar. It's the ebb and flow....they are fighting to keep the folks that are paying the bills, but also trying to move it forward as well.

Every year we say this, and it's still true to this day - we could get far with them working together for real. Skip a year or so, get them both doing their thing with little style clashing, I bet that as long as teamwork isn't hindered by creative differences we could see something amazing.

I could do with a remaster of the older games that incorporates all of the available figures, traps, crystals, etc. I would also be down for an actual Skylanders World where you could team up online with people like DCU and take on an assortments of objectives or missions over an encompassing map that could even recycle places we have already seen as well as new ones. As far as the gimmicks go, the well has run dry and it is time to give up on coming up with the next big thing. Just give us a game that incorporates the created characters in a diverse arena of levels with a variety of gameplay types and people will likely be happier than we are in the status quo.

I agree with this about 90%. One thing I do prefer from VV over TFB is VV's user interface. The menus, character hub, collection screen, all those elements I think VV nails. I think TFB's look sort of cheap and it seems like they have continued using the Spyro's Adventure one in every one of their games. In my dream scenario, we get a TFB game/characters/story, with VV graphics & UI.

Quote: Bifrost

Every year we say this, and it's still true to this day - we could get far with them working together for real. Skip a year or so, get them both doing their thing with little style clashing, I bet that as long as teamwork isn't hindered by creative differences we could see something amazing.

Although not a 100% pure collaboration, this game did start exactly that. Crash's level was 100% VVs, VV shared their framework, UI components and game IP to TfB. I think it brought out the best of both in the time they had.

Yep, sounds a lot like me. I'm over heroics as well. I wish for the same things...wish there were a plethora of side quests/challenges/brawls outside of just the Sensei elemental gates like in Swap Force...more stars to get, etc. Elemental areas in the game that aren't advertised in SA is such a gem and shaking my head they don't do this either.

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Well, most of the graphical content you saw in this game came from VV....doesn't make sense to do a this vs that comparison anymore, as they are sharing IP now because the top-heavy nature of providing backwards compatibility make this a requirement now. I think this game looks like a good marriage of the "best" of TfB's character and gameplay choices, and VV's superior artistic capabilities and UI components. I too believe that they should move forward with the franchise on a bi-annual basis and deliver more than they are giving us now. I think we're very close to sputtering anyway. Creating your own skylander feels very much like an endgame gimmick to me personally.

To be honest, I think we're laying a lot of the blame of SC on VV directly and I think that's a bit unfair. The vehicle gameplay mechanic is what did them in as it compromised too many gameplay components we loved.

It was a risk worth taking. My fear with this game is that it's also "too" familiar. It's the ebb and flow....they are fighting to keep the folks that are paying the bills, but also trying to move it forward as well.

Bluntly put, I could careless about the graphics. The push for AAA graphics and cinematics has RUINED elements of the game - levels have become artificially long in length due to graphical ideas, filled with fluff to show off the art and concepts (the miniature level in the last one...funny but UGH), and having WAY too much in the way of trying to make the game feel so big (the past couple have reminded me WAY too much of CoD single player campaign in the worst way possible). This game starts off feeling small and intimate, like you literally see/face off against Kaos in the first level.

What made skylanders originally was the "charm" - and that is what TfB gets, the game isn't a movie...this so far really feels like a game - they found a way to bring it BACK to the essence, without actually regressing.

As for SC I can't be that nice, yes I hated the vehicle gameplay (not the idea, but the actual controls), but even if you removed the vehicle parts, ignore the reconfigured reposes, the actual skylander portion of the game play was just like Swap Force - long levels with little action. It was boring. fight one or two bad guys at a time, do some kind of jump/block puzzle, fight a couple more guys, rinse repeat, show cinematic, a couple bad guys, one mean baddy that is introduced to look terrifyingly strong, only to get curbstomped in 15-30 seconds, and then leave you fighting the same two at a time vermin after that that you fought leading up to it. Then after as much walking as the LotR trilogy, you can crank up the difficulty to do it all over again, still two guys, they just hit harder and soak up more. *yawn*. there was NO intensity short of the vehicle sections, but the control was so terrible in those, that it just became "get this over with", and a game should NEVER feel like "get this over with". I felt the same way about Swap Force, the novelty of the characters carried it further, and there was a little more intensity, but I fell asleep after EVERY mission. It was just boring...despite having some good characters in there (I don't find fault in VV's characters or art, but their level design leaves too much to be desired in a game that invariably cost $100+.)
- Unreall

I thought VV are currently busy working on the remake of the first three Crash Bandicoot games for PS4, anyway. We don't have any idea who's doing Sky 7 at the moment, do we?

Quote: Darkling183

I thought VV are currently busy working on the remake of the first three Crash Bandicoot games for PS4, anyway. We don't have any idea who's doing Sky 7 at the moment, do we?

activision, this is how it usuly works right? one game tfb and one game activison, imagnitors was made by tfb now its activison should be doing sky 7.

Quote: omer1698

Quote: Darkling183

I thought VV are currently busy working on the remake of the first three Crash Bandicoot games for PS4, anyway. We don't have any idea who's doing Sky 7 at the moment, do we?

activision, this is how it usuly works right? one game tfb and one game activison, imagnitors was made by tfb now its activison should be doing sky 7.

No no no, Activision is the publisher of the series, while TfB and V.V. are the developers (technically Beenox as well).
Spyro's Adventure, Giants, Trap Team and Imaginators were developed by TfB, and SWAP Force and SuperChargers by V.V. who is also working on the seventh game.

Regarding the Crash remakes I'm pretty sure they have been developing them for at least one year now, probably right after finishing the fifth game.
Guess they had the time to start working on Skylanders 7.

I have the strangest feeling that there won't be a new game next year and instead, TFB and VV work together on Sky 7. However, in replacement of that, Beenox will release a lengthy DLC for Imginators. I think this is best course of action for them to take and one I would be quite happy with.



Take the hint Activison
Take the hint!

EDIT: ^Just realised it's too late for that.

Quote: Punch_Potion_X

I have the strangest feeling that there won't be a new game next year and instead, TFB and VV work together on Sky 7. However, in replacement of that, Beenox will release a lengthy DLC for Imginators. I think this is best course of action for them to take and one I would be quite happy with.



Take the hint Activison
Take the hint!

if that will be the case then i hope they will add two new senseis of light and dark ( which will be the new quickshoot and bazooker).

^Yeah, if they were going to do something like this, they would definitely need to release a few figures. They could also make new creation crystals molds that have more LED's and look cooler. Otherwise the DLC would be quite expensive.

Quote: Punch_Potion_X

I have the strangest feeling that there won't be a new game next year and instead, TFB and VV work together on Sky 7. However, in replacement of that, Beenox will release a lengthy DLC for Imginators. I think this is best course of action for them to take and one I would be quite happy with.



Take the hint Activison
Take the hint!

EDIT: ^Just realised it's too late for that.

What should happen is parallel to what I was saying, skip a year with modest DLC - the MAP layout in this game looks flexible enough to add DLC with no real design issue. As well, they should really look into updating the game itself beyond glitches - adding options for imaginators and the such, they could even release a few new battle classes as DLC to provide a boost to crystal sales.

But no matter how it gets there, I don't want VV to be the primary developer of the next game, SC put a HUGE hole in the perception of skylanders, its literally on life support at a retailer level (Activision, still made money off it), and frankly TfB has done a better job when it comes to the actual gaming elements. I was serious, this game is proving so good that it makes me want to buy characters again, I haven't had that feeling in a LONG time, and only hesitate because I don't know how long the ride is (I only bought dark starter, Gryphon pack, Hood Sickle, TKC, and Starcast, along with each crystal). they will want to ride the momentum that they generate between this game and Netflix, so a game will come out next year, but I'm honestly thinking of just skipping it personally....maybe buying JUST the starter...eventually, when on sale.
- Unreall