Sonic (4) Cybernetic Outbreak

I was tempted to ignore this thread, but ThomasSpeedRunner has posted something that I cannot ignore, so this is going to be fun..

"Because clearly any boss that doesn't hand you the method to beating it efficiently on a silver platter or requires actual skill is unfair and needs to be adjusted."

The bosses in Sonic (4) Cybernetic Outbreak are unfair, bar the first one (Which is a carbon copy of the original with some strange collision detection). Spin it any way you want, but giving me a few frames to attack the second boss (Silver Sonic) for one hit after it attacks, attacks that are practically un-dodge-able, and the continued notion of retaining the same 1 ring which you'll lose constantly are all aspects of an unfair fight. There's a difference between a challenging, but fair, fight and an unfair, ridiculously difficult, one. And this is only the Silver Sonic fight. Don't even get me started on Mecha's many forms.

"The fact that the final boss actually requires quick thinking and action does make it unfair"

There's quick thinking, and then there's impossible. And the problem with the Final Boss (Are talking about Super/Hyper Mecha Sonic here? I think so) is that the attacks are practically unavoidable and are thrown at you with a few frames notice. I can't react that fast. Most people can't. It's not quick thinking, it's reliance on muscle-memory and patterns. This is NOT fun for most people. That's the problem.

"The second phase onward can be a bit of a jerk, but you just have to learn from your mistakes, something not many people here seem to be capable of accomplishing."

This seems like a cop-out on your end. I can look at any final boss in any other Sonic game and learn from my mistakes, but when the actions I take seem acceptable, but still result in me making a mistake by getting hurt, then I have an issue. And again, relying on the recollecting of the one ring that always bounces left is just a ridiculous mechanic that I can't believe is being accepted by people. Let me question your point as well: you're assuming that people can't accomplish the task of learning from their mistakes based on multiple people's opinions that the game is too difficult. Why are you insinuating that they are all wrong, and not you?

"I'm not reading any flak posts that come out of this. I'm being blunt to get a point across. Brutal honesty, if you will."

Oh, how big of you. Leave your opinion, and then leave without responding to criticism. All you've really done is allowed me to call you out.

Anyway, back on topic. I have played this hack, as a judge and as a player. I echo the sentiment of many others; it's too difficult and it has too much of a reliance on very minimal opportunities, almost impossible to dodge attacks, and the one ring saving you continuously, as previously mentioned. It is technical impressive, but I'm not one for technicalities. I prefer to play something that's fun. This was not fun to me, and that kind of defeats it's purpose, somewhat.

 

So! Lets have some statistics! The final boss, has a homing attack, and its really fast. So, from what I've taken on measurements (when he transforms to super and attack you right away) you have 5-10 frames to get away. now, this is 83-166ms. Average human reaction time (as far as this site is concerned), is in average anywhere between 220 and 320 ms. The average monitor input lag, is anywhere from 8-20ms. The emulator may have its own input lag of 1 or more frames as well. All this taken into consideration, the lag between an average user and the game is anywhere between 228-356ms. It already takes 1.3 times as long for the fastest player with longest time, to react to the attack!

Now I know what you may be saying; Yes, you can predict, however there is still only 5-10 frames to move away from the spot the boss is going to go to. And unless you can properly predict when the boss is going to attack so you can move from under is, you wont be dodging the attack unless you get lucky as fuck. This is why we call it unfair boss, TSR. Because it clearly is, as I've demonstrated above.