SONIC & THE BLACK KNIGHT: Rejecting the Cycle | GEEK CRITIQUE

"Honestly, I didn't like Sonic in the Mega Drive era. To be frank, it didn't suit my tastes. So when I was put in [charge of writing], I decided, 'I'm going to make a Sonic that I like!'"
-Shiro Maekawa, writer for Sonic Adventure 2, Heroes, 06, and Sonic & the Black Knight
Those stellar SatAM cues were by the incredibly talented@f0xshadow521! (I had hilariously never noticed that it was BLATANTLY the Jimmy Hart version of the Back to the Future theme.)
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[@GeekCritique]

Happy holidays, happy new year, and thanks for watching my stuff in 2022! This has honestly been the best year the channel's had in a while, I feel like I'm back in the groove, and I thank you all for sticking with me. This is where I'd normally plug the Patreon (at www.patreon.com/GeekCritique), but the season's over! So uh... *don't* become a backer, 'cause there's nothing there that you can't see here right now! (Though I guess you *could* join the patron-exclusive Discord server. I have a fantastic community of like-minded weirdos to geek out with, and I'd love to see you there!)

[@SpaceRodan]

After seeing it referenced with your character, I kinda gotta admit my biggest hope for 2023 would be a PSO retrospective review from you. As a Nintendo kid who first encountered Sonic team via Gamecube while I do love me some early 3d Sonic, Phantasy Star Online may be my favorite game they ever produced. I have hundreds if not thousands of hours running around Ragol and some of that most rare of loot eludes me to this very day. There is something so timeless about the whole thing, the music the combat, the strange atmosphere that seems to teeter between hope and despair. And while it took a homebrew Wii to finally taste that sweet sweet online, I can only imagine how otherworldly, how transient an experience playing an online game on a console must have been. To fire up the Dreamcast and play with people you can't physically see. People you may make great friends with or never meet again. Regardless, it has been great seeing you in top form and this review felt fascinating to watch! And I shall indeed keep geeking, I never stopped!

[@maniamaniacs2915]

I feel that you kind of misunderstood Merlina’s motivations. In one of the earlier cutscenes, she looks at a flower and calls for her grandfather. She says that King Arthur is her grandfather’s greatest mistake, but deep down, still missed him. She seems more concerned about her loss, rather than your assumption that she knows she’s fictional. I saw that she more or less saw the future(that could play some kind of part of your theory). I saw another video on the game, they say that she suffered from “Thanatophobia”, the fear of death, and that would entail that she lost Merlin at a young age. They later go on to say that her assumption is that she can have an endless world, but only if it’s enveloped in darkness(or the Underworld). I felt like making this correction after seeing your confusion as to why Sonic was so willing to let this world end. I’m not too sure if this is a real solution for people with this phobia, but I feel like Sonic is telling her(in my own words) “Death is scary, I know. But it’s what you do with that time left that matters the most”. The song that plays is called “Live Life”, a song I felt like represents what Sonic was really trying to say. But HEY… someone could just flame me in the comments and try to say that, in basic terms, “I’M rIGht aNd yOU’rE WRonG”. I just wanted to clear that misconception because I could literally feel your confusion coming from the screen. I just felt like I needed to explain it. I’m 16, and I never played any other Sonic game other than Unleashed for the Wii, Sonic Forces, and Mania until this year. This year, during the summer, I decided to go ahead and buy SA2. I wanted to see the game that, most of my life, I only ever saw memes and parodies for. I came out loving the game and started to love the next following games: Sonic Adventure Sonic Generations Sonic Unleashed HD Sonic Frontiers

[@Breakaway-ic5gj]

I never thought of Merlina's thing as her knowing her world is fictional, I just thought that she saw the future through wizard stuff.

[@trevorromein14]

I'm guessing my prior comment was deleted? I figured as much and I'm fine with that, so long as you got to see it. Genuinely wanted to know you got to see it.

[@justflavio]

(Just so you know, the patreon link in this comment doesn’t work because the “)” gets included in the link by KZbin for some reason)

[@rubywest5166]

The important thing is that Sonic and the Black Knight is DEFINITELY the first Sonic game to have an american working on it, please don't look any further into this, his mother is very proud

[@davebob4973]

please tell me what this is referencing if i had to take a guess i bet it has to do with tommy tallarico

[@CodeBlazeFate]

@@davebob4973 DING DING DING! You're correct! OP! Tell them what they win!

[@Kirbychu1]

oh my god

[@rubywest5166]

@@CodeBlazeFate They win the need to get up and pee in the night

[@speedquick5621]

We’re all gonna pretend sonic cd doesn’t exist? ok

[@akiranara6404]

Figured I'd share my opinion on the Sonic-Merlina conflict. To me, the biggest problem Sonic has with Merlina's plan isn't ever explicitly stated in the game; rather, it's implicit to his character. Merlina is trying to turn Camelot into an immortal kingdom. Unchanging. Everlasting. Stagnant. That's what Sonic rebels against. As one who's always running around and seeing new things, the idea of a world where nothing changes is *anathema* to him. So what if Merlina is just trying to keep her story going? To Sonic, she's just an anchor dragging everything else to a halt.

[@jamrah8713]

Yeah it is really something you have to kinda just figure out rather than it being spelled out to you, but then again, isn’t geek critqiue a genesis fan? In the manual of sonic 1, it has a quote that literally lines up with what sonic is now even in black knight. That’s why his criticism of the ending kinda confuses me. It’s whatever though, amazing video

[@lpfan4491]

@@jamrah8713 It's incredibly strange how little primarily classic fans actually understand classic Sonic. Even some people who don't care about it seemed to have a better grasp on these ideas over the years.

[@galfinsp7216]

It’s like sonic said in issue 50 of the IDW series: he lives life as he sees fits and if anyone sees to impose their will without a good reason, he’s gonna give them a choice to stop, or face his quills.

[@Thenumber1yoshi]

@@jamrah8713 Josh grew up with the American version of how Sonic was portrayed, it doesn’t surprise me in the least he’s never seen that quote considering how much Sega of America changed the lore up until Sonic Adventure made every region’s lore consistent with the Japanese version of Sonic!

[@spinyjustspiny3289]

The core conflicts of both Sonic Storybook games seem like, to me at least, the in-universe author of these magical adaptations using these books to try and grapple with different problems in their life, and Sonic confronting these problems head-on and helping the author unpack them in ways that hurt too much to handle alone. The Erazor Djinn very much acts like an abusive man who's gaslit a girl into being his girlfriend, literally having Sharhah wrapped around his finger as the Genie of the Ring. She wants to be with him, but she knows he's a monster and hopes he'll change eventually if he's finally satisfied with his life. Sonic's solution is to beat the tar out of him, toss his ass out to give Sharhah the space to cry and just, BE there for her as a friend. Merlina didn't just see the end of her story. She saw the end of the lives of SO MANY of the people she grew to idolize and call home. She's afraid of seeing the deaths of everyone and everything she's loved. Merlina has a deep-seated thanotophobia that causes her to lash out and do whatever she can to try and avert what she thinks is the most painful, horrific thing she'll ever experience. Sonic's solution is to wrestle her weapon away from her, and again just, sit down and talk it out with her to help her realize things about herself and the world around her so she can appreciate the things she was fighting to protect. When Sonic started acting "unsympathetic", he was just being honest. He thinks a life lived in fear isn't one that's truly lived at all. He wants to see everyone persevere and push forward like he does. He wants to see everyone thrive. Trying to make a forever-kingdom would have just caused untold suffering by prolonging the inevitable, and he knew Merlina was too deep in her own issues to understand that. So, he tried to be as real as he could with her.

[@CarbonRollerCaco]

Understandable, but Sonic's "solution" with Merlina-just let the bad thing come and encourage her to really live regardless-is ALSO bad because it just HOPES everyone will be able to fulfill themselves in time and treats extremes as the only options. Not only is that terrible in general, it goes against Sonic's character as being both pro-fun and pro-environment. Freedom is about both power-which Merlina was going to deny to those she loved-AND time-which Sonic here isn't making even the barest of attempts to ensure is sufficient. True, constantly fighting for freedom is pointless if that freedom never actually gets exercised, but there's no reason there can't be a balance of use and maintenance. THAT's what Sonic is about. "Do what you can when you can" requires the "when you can" to exist just as much as the "what you can", and while Merlina was certainly denying the "when" for the sake of immortalizing her world and thus making said immortality empty, Sonic wasn't much better in doing the bare minimum in service of that "when". Then again, apparently specifically with Black Knight, the story is SUPPOSED TO end horribly and with a vital purpose for the real world behind such, so maybe there IS no ideal solution and Sonic was resigning himself to that while still sympathizing with Merlina despite earlier seeing her as a snowflake for being a fictional character-a fake person-going against her purpose. Essentially, he's frustrated that he CAN'T do his usual middle way because it'd create a paradox just as Merlina's approach would. Too bad that doesn't get emphasized that well when it needs to be. Secret Rings might be much the same-Sonic preventing a classic story's prominent character from falling prey to a rogue character bent on changing the story for their own desires-except the rogue and the main victim are different people while in Black Knight they're the same person. That's something I don't really see get brought up in discussions of the storybook games as opposed to what their stories are on the surface. I wonder if the theme would've continued into a third storybook game. Iizuka said he would've wanted one based on Alice in Wonderland. How would Maekawa have adapted to that?

[@GELTONZ]

Oh MAN does this interpretation make me wish the Storybook Series continued because there was one thing I could never get over: Merlina and Shahara look a LOT alike. So I always wondered if there was a connection. I mean, if everyone else in the book is based on someone in Sonic's "real life", then what about her? My personal fan theory was her being "The Librarian", but the actual AUTHOR of the books makes sense! I know it'll never happen but I'd love just one more game to wrap it up. Sonic and The Great Library or something. Ah well.

[@LavaCaptain-yf6iu]

⁠@@GELTONZI always thought that Shahra and Merlina were the Storybook versions of Elise but hey, that’s my thoughts on it

[@dluxx3719]

About the ending I get why you feel how you feel but I never saw the ending as simple as that. It’s not about Sonic being out of character to prove he’s right, but rather to show her that life will continue and that it won’t end the way she claims it is and by her forcing an unnatural change, she’s going against the idea of freedom (Something that Sonic is, of course, not gonna sit down and take) Plus imo it gives some more feels to Merlina’s character that she’s shown to be scared of not only the story ending, death in general (something that I’m positive everyone could relate to in one point in time)

[@winterdragon2004]

The big thing I see in Merlinas plan that Sonic was against was Stagnation. She was so scared of the future that she went to great lengths to snapshot Camelot to a single moment of time, never changing, for good or bad. Sonic meanwhile is someone who lives in the present, always moving forward, no matter what form strife lies ahead. he always runs into uncertainty, because to him, staying in one place is antithetical to life. Merlina stubbornly refusing to move forward, outwardly rejecting the future stood against what Sonic stood for, to always keep running, cause it doesn't matter what lies ahead as long as he stays true to himself.

[@EmeralBookwise]

@@winterdragon2004: That's always been my read too. Then again, I play/read a lot of fantasy stuff than Josh seems to have. So maybe it's also just a story I'm more familiar with and better at picking up on the sub-text.

[@CarbonRollerCaco]

Then why does Sonic simply leave her with "make the best of your time" and not even suggest alternatives for preserving her world? You know, like the old Sonic would because HE'S A FUCKING ENVIRONMENTALIST?! *sigh* Maekawa just HAD TO be someone who hated the old way.

[@winterdragon2004]

@@CarbonRollerCaco forgive me if I'm wrong, but where exactly does it state Classic Sonic was an environmentalist? I know the old games had a subtle Nature vs. Technology theme to it, but I don't think Sonic himself followed those principles outside of "Eggmans messing things up, let's go and stop him"

[@CarbonRollerCaco]

@@winterdragon2004 Those themes were hardly meant to be subtle. Eggman trapped small animals in his creations, for fucking out loud. Scrap Brain Act 1 is full of polluting smokestacks in the background, and Sonic 1's good ending has the Chaos Emeralds make nature livelier than ever. Chemical Plant and Oil Ocean are self-explanatory, as is the whole time travel gimmick of Sonic CD. Angel Island has the forest fire that the miniboss starts, Launch Base has Eggman drawing water from a lake to get the Death Egg started and Mushroom Hill has a super radio dish sending overpowered signals that rot the trees. Even in Sonic Adventure 1, you see that Tails's workshop has a hydroelectric system worked nicely into the natural surroundings. The theming was pretty much dropped with Adventure 2 save for Sonic X's Metarex saga, supposedly the only part of that show over which Yuji Naka actually had anything resembling strong control.

[@paris-1911]

What you described; that kid, growing up completely unaware of Sonic ever even being bad, young enough that Black Knight and Secret Rings were just the “new” games that they got for a birthday or Christmas - that was me, and honestly, I wish I could go back to 2009. Though I’m still not “old” by any means, I’ve already felt my gleamy eyed openness to new games and media falter so hard. Can’t help but sometimes roll your eyes and think just how lame it is to grow up, huh? But I remember a time when Black Knight and Unleashed on the Wii were _everything_ to my younger self, and being able to be one of those kids growing up with my Sonic - the one from the 2010s - I always feel a type a way hearing someone say he was any different. Hell, I didn’t even know Sonic was EVER bad, though I also didn’t know much of anything about the games that preceded 2008. Sure, I played the classics in my infancy, but that character was never the Sonic of my time; a point where I didn’t know the series was in hot water, or that Jason Griffith and Craig Smith _weren’t_ the same person (seriously.), or that the “boost” gameplay was, perhaps, completely antithetical to what “old Sonic” was like. I just had fun. Even today, I _still_ have fun with the games that released from 2009 onward, because I’m that kid you described… and I can’t explain how much validation that gives me hearing that from someone who’s been with the series since the start. Though I know giving into nostalgia doesn’t always make for objective argumentation and whatnot, I just want to say thanks for giving Black Knight a fair shot. There’s more to this era than many detractors give it hell for. I can only wonder what’ll be said in Unleashed - and I’m all for it. Happy holidays, Josh.

[@CybeastID]

Yeah...Shadow the Hedgehog...and then I never played anything until COLORS.

[@DarktheEagle]

Something that I want to say about the ending of this game is that Sonic felt like Sonic to me. In my eyes, Sonic is someone who sees the beauty in the fleeting nature of life. He's someone who, because of his fast-paced lifestyle, understands the importance of living in the now. He's someone who knows that things may end, that good times and fun adventures may come to a close, but the things we gain from truly experiencing life in the present will last forever. And yes, every world will eventually end. Every story has to end sometime. But those stories should be treasured while we're living them. So he's not saying, "Oh, the world ending is good, actually." He's saying that the world's end is inevitable, and that wasting your time trying to stop the inevitable instead of enjoying the time we DO have isn't worth the heartache it'll put you and those around you through. Like you said, Sonic is someone who hates tears. So why make things harder than they need to be? Why make yourself and others suffer just because you fear the end of your story? That is what Sonic means at the end of the story, I think.

[@PixelHeroViish]

Based interpretation and based Sonic

[@SlickEvan]

Agreed 💯

[@CarbonRollerCaco]

Problem is the game acts like Merlina's borderline crazy for not just accepting a supposedly inevitable end, and it clearly isn't even inevitable. Like, WHY did Merlin CHOOSE to have his world die? Because the resulting storybook would literally become infinitely big and thus comically (literally, too-it's a picture book) consume all other existence? Please. IT'S A MAGICAL BOOK. And fairy tales often end "happily ever after", so an eternal story doesn't have to mean an endless record of it anyway. All that's really left is "trust God, bro". In trying to make Sonic some sort of Buddhist with an attitude, Maekawa painted that perspective as the norm and limited his own and Sonic's imagination of other perspectives.

[@DarktheEagle]

@@CarbonRollerCaco See, I disagree. Merlin didn't CHOOSE to have his world die. He's as much bound by the rules of the story as everyone else. Merlina causing the world to be eternal would bring it to ruin and leave it as a husk, devoid of the beauty and nuance it once had. Yes, fairy tales often have a "happily ever after," but that's still an ending. The story still has to come to a close. And I don't think Maekawa turned Sonic into a "Buddhist with an attitude." Sonic has ALWAYS been someone who appreciates the beauty in the fleeting. Hell, it's how he lives his life, and it's why he's rarely seen having an actual home. He doesn't live his life settled down, he lives his life in the moment. And I never got the sense that Sonic is limited in his imagination of other perspectives. He can see where she's coming from, and he can empathize with her. He understands WHY she's doing what she's doing, he just doesn't agree that it's right. He's always been steadfast in his ideals, and he doesn't really mind if others disagree with him, so long as they aren't hurting anyone. Merlina is hurting her world by forcing it to be eternal.

[@PixelHeroViish]

@@DarktheEagle Especially because we see what Merlina turned the castle into, it's entirely possible that she could've turned the entire country into a cold void for eternity. Sure she would have an undying story, but what would be left to actually enjoy in said world, right?

[@ChaddyFantome]

"Don't just sit there and waste your precious time. If you wanna do something, do it right away. Do it when you can. It's the only way to live a life without regrets" This is a quote written of Sonic on the box of Sonic 1. The very first game. This has always been Sonic's character. This idea his character was radically changed simply doesn't check out with the facts.

[@ChaddyFantome]

@UCO82AbAaRFAY6dRrYPX2ccw fixed it, smarty :x

[@CarbonRollerCaco]

And wasn't Merlina attempting to do just that? Save her world however she could? So everyone could have the opportunity to be happy? Isn't that why she summoned Sonic in the first place? Yet Sonic, someone known for preserving life, claims there's not enough he could do and wishes her well without even any suggestions of less questionable approaches?! If _I_ were Merlina, I'd be heartbroken.

[@ChaddyFantome]

@@CarbonRollerCaco No, Merlina was literally going to trap the world in a never ending state of suffering with the powers of the underworld just to not have to face inevitability. Sonic is not known for preserving life so much as he is known for encouraging people to live it fully. Sonic believes in freedom, and Merlina's fear of death was keeping her heart captive and preventing her from truly living. It's the same core concept from the beginning, and it's the same core concept shown in games like SA1, SA2, and even things like Heroes, ShtH, Secret Rings and even 06. Sometimes the things we need to learn to live are blunt and raw. Life only has meaning *because* it is finite. Living forever in a compromised state is no life worth living.

[@evdestroy5304]

So true

[@CarbonRollerCaco]

@@ChaddyFantome "Life only has meaning *because* it is finite" Bullshit. You're assuming immortality's a black-and-white thing-that it must come with either omnipotence or total impotence a la what Merlina did. People can be limited by more things than their own temporariness. You won't be able to climb a mountain if it crumbles or if you lack the necessary strength and endurance. A lake that dries up can't be swam across. A race to confirm a mathematical conjecture can only be won once. The meaning there is in doing those things because you want to, WITHOUT death pressuring you to. Not everyone needs that pressure just because a crap version of Sonic says so. Hell, lots of kids have ambitions before they learn of the full harsh reality of death. And if death is such a great thing, does that mean none of us should seek to make a world where we don't have to fight one another anymore? We shouldn't seek to end all civil rights abuses? Just have everything artificially be an endless struggle to ensure people will be forever "inspired"? No. Having that shit be forced is what truly kills its meaning. I'm tired of that crap and so are dozens of millions of others. We want the battles to END. And so would the real Sonic. I say he's known for preserving life because *_that's literally what he does. He's pro-environment._* That's not anti-freedom; that's PRO-freedom. You can't be free if you're dead. And environments preserve life AND facilitate it being free. He'd seek a genuine alternative to Merlina's approach to betterment-which she only chose because she saw no other way, not because she genuinely thought it was ideal-instead of leaving her with "just live like there's no tomorrow", which you can do even if you had endless tomorrows. That doesn't suddenly become a physical impossibility just from being immortal. It's called "living LIKE there's no tomorrow", not "living BECAUSE there's no tomorrow".

[@jamalhartley5863]

The character work for this game was so good. Sonic was written so well that honestly I point to this game as being the true essence of Sonic and who he is. The thing about Merlina she was making the kingdom eternal by basically trapping the world into a standstill. A world that goes on forever is a world where choices don't matter as nothing can change. It limits freedom which Sonic is all about. His message to Merlina is just that the ending is what makes everything so special. He even admits during the fight how it's bumming him out.

[@EmeralBookwise]

I'm inclined to agree. It's a strong character thesis that works so much better than 06's fumbling pretenses. In no small part I think it's because of how much more irreverent Sonic is, how he blatantly calls everyone else out for being overly dramatic. It's not just Sonic saying he lives to run forward without regrets, it's Sonic demonstrating as much.

[@MidosujiSen]

Well said. This and Sonic Adventure 2 are the pinnacle of Sonic's character. I personally point a bit more to SA2 ("You've turned into a big time villain, doctor!"; "I'm counting on you Tails."), but Black Knight is masterful as well.

[@noonethatspecial]

How did Sega barely pull this off before Xenoblade Chronicles 3?!

[@jackmahoy2874]

Adding to this, at the very beginning of the game he was told that if he won he'd be the bad guy of the story, 'slayer of kings'. He doesn't care. He has his moral code and he's sticking to it whether he's seen as a villain or not.

[@xavierparis2789]

While I appreciate your somewhat disappointed perspective on the ending, and totally understand why an OG Genesis days Sonic fan would probably dislike the feeling it gives, I think I've always read this ending a little differently, and I wanted to share that. Sonic does kind of come off as unsympathetic in that finale, but I think that's the "cocky, cool 'I do whatever I wanna do' teenage" part of the character announcing what he thinks. It's not very Sonic like for him to really care what people think about his opinion's or perspectives on the world. He knows what he thinks is right, and the rest "Doesn't Matter". To Sonic, Merlina isn't simply "changing her fate", she's halting it, freezing the world in place and ensuring it stays the way it is now instead of ever proceeding forward... and if there's one thing Sonic the Hedgehog can't get behind, it's making everything stop. Every world has to have an end because every race track has a goal, every level has a sign to blast through, and every adventure eventually finishes... but that doesn't mean that he just puts up his shoes and gives up on anything else. Like he says in that boss fight, his STORIES only end when he stops running. ... but if you stop everything, and freeze the world in that one point in time, well... you can't move forward to actually get anywhere. Life needs to go on, because if it's stuck, you can't even run. And if you can't even run forward, what are you living for? He's ALWAYS been about freedom, and that means you've got to let people live their lives, no matter how they turn out. If the whole world's apparently going to end, you can't just cast some magic spell and keep it from ever reaching you. You've gotta face it head on, no matter what it is, because that's what living is all about. After all, if you've got time to worry, then you've got time to run. The final boss theme puts it best to me. "Turn away, or face this day with me." Hell, he even saves "Knuckles" and "Blaze" for similar reasons earlier on. What's with all the drama? One bad struggle doesn't mean you should throw it all away. It's honestly an inspiring message to me, and part of why I like it is that it highlights Sonic AS the rebellious cool icon he was made to be. He hates the idea of everything staying the same forever, and in a way, I can't help but agree. In a meta sense, while the genesis days were without a doubt some of Sega and Sonic's glory days, they couldn't last forever, and if they somehow did? It'd get boring. We wouldn't HAVE Sonic and the Black Knight, or Unleashed, or Rush, or anything like that. Especially after being in (and seemingly getting out of, after Frontiers) an age of Sonic that feels so scared to do anything different or move on, I think this game's story is important. That's just my reading, though. I know you kind of came around on the ending in a meta sense as well, so by no means is this some angry ranting message about how you've "missed the point". Just some fun geeking from a fan. I was looking forward to this particular video for awhile, and I'm so glad to see it here.

[@bookishdelight]

Hey, I just want to say, as someone who had Josh's same reaction at the end of the game, I really appreciate this take, and you taking the time to write it all out. Certainly helps me see things in a much more interesting light that I can get behind. Thanks.

[@mrbanks456]

I think I agree with this interpretation. I just wish the consequences of Merlina's actions were more clear. Like, what does an "eternal kingdom" mean exactly? I don't know the story of King Arthur so I don't know what fate she's trying to change.

[@DrMadd]

@@mrbanks456 They mention it briefly in-game but basically Arthur’s story ends with his knights being driven apart by infighting and Arthur himself being slain by his son/nephew (depends on the version) Mordred. I think the ending would have worked better had Mordred been a character who Merlina wanted to kill to change fate but Sonic couldn’t get behind that.

[@celesticnova]

This is exactly how I felt about the ending, and why Black Knight was my favorite Sonic story before Frontiers dropped.

[@Kirbychu1]

What makes the execution weird to me is Merlina doesn't seem to ever really define what an "eternal kingdom" actually means to her.

[@DatDude0925]

-Shows SpiderMan 3 QTE during a Sonic Video -Does not elaborate -Does not even acknowledge it -Continues talking Absolute UltraChad

[@bookishdelight]

On the subject of "the kids", an anecdote: A little over a decade ago by this point, I was browsing in a Gamestop I used to work in (but no longer did even at the time), checking the shelf for old Wii gems. Black Knight was on the shelf and one of my old regular customers-a father-son duo, with the son being pretty young, I'd say no older than 11-came in. The son pointed to SBK, and I was about to crack a knowing smile... ...then the father saw Sonic looking menacingly at them while brandishing a sword, and I kid you not, legit _pulled his son away from the box_ and ordered him to get literally _anything_ else. That's stuck with me till this day. Despite the soft spot I have in my heart for it, I have no idea who Sonic and the Black Knight is for. And that makes me sad. From concept to execution, this game deserved better. I just don't know what it would have taken.

[@themissingbits6375]

And This is why the deadly six exist … I #### Zavok so much

[@ShadwSonic]

Reminds me of when I overheard a parent saying that Spyro seemed a bit violent, and I convinced her that it was merely cartoon violence and nothing more. Wasn't even an employee, just couldn't let such a misunderstanding slide. Also reminds me of a concerned parent writing in about their kid enjoying a game with a skeleton and being worried, with the show host recommending the child be directed to a more wholesome title. Fair point until you realize they were talking about _Undertale_ of all games. Heck, maybe that Dad didn't like the looks of King Arthur more than Sonic. Or something else besides just "spurned Sonic fan". Who knows?

[@EmeralBookwise]

Gee...I could understand the father's reaction if it was Shadow brandishing a gun on the cover of his own game, but Sonic as a medieval knight shouldn't be any kind of problem.

[@ZaiDrizzleDrop]

Parents seem so weird man, I dont really get why they try so hard to defend their children from violence, they are gonna play this stuff when they get older, just sit with them and talk to them about how its not okay to hurt people in real life...

[@DrawciaGleam02]

Oof.

[@tonycorona8501]

Funny enough, that little "Sonic gets a grip and understands the book characters aren't his friends" was learned faster than in Sonic Prime. Baby steps, I guess.

[@themissingbits6375]

That was very painfull to hear in like 4 episodes lol

[@kian7406]

It’s cool since he’s been through this in secret things so it’s a nice bit of growth. It’s like Sonic said “I’m use to stuff like this!”

[@robertwyatt3912]

Well he DID have an entire game

[@amandaslough125]

There's a lot of characteristics in Prime that make me go "this would make a whole lot more sense if this was done on a character _other_ than Sonic in the cast, like Shadow or Knuckles" for learning to appreciate his friends and the whole palm tree scene is the antithesis to the Sonic known from Heroes + Black Knight. At the same time, it's fairly consistent with the characters _within_ its own universe, and none of them are truly diminished like the way several characters are done in the last decade across medium. So even though the adult in me can pin point moments that are out of character and other nitpicks, the show doing what it needs to do for a cohesive narrative is keeping my inner child very content.

[@kian7406]

@@amandaslough125 sonic x changed things that were appropriate to the show but the Japanese version specifically didn’t really change whole characterisations to make an arc. That’s what I don’t like about prime tbh.

[@robertlauncher]

In defense of the story, though, because it’s easily my favorite part of the game, aren’t Merlina’s forces undead knights? I always got the idea that Sonic’s grievance came from the idea that her vision of an unending world was something hollow and distorted. Like a Pet Cemetery situation on a grand scale. Like it’s better to let a story end than keep it alive as a shell of its former self

[@Handepsilon]

That last part reminded me of so many fictional works that became a shadow of their former selves due to how people just couldn't let go of it, for one reason or another (but mostly money)

[@lpfan4491]

There is a lot of stuff wrong with the story and one of them is that this is not even implied. For all the game really tells us is that these guys are just a temporary military of sorts and have nothing to do with her endgoal. Heck, it's not even clear if there is a reason for them having been her enemy and then her ally, besides maybe "they follow anyone taking the lead of the dankness". Nothing in the plot has any sort of logical throughline and that sabotages the effectiveness of the underlying thematics. I have no idea what Merlina's plan for an eternal kingdom even was and no one else I have talked to had any idea either.

[@robertlauncher]

@@lpfan4491 She’s Merlina, Queen of the Underworld at the end. Isn’t that her title in the final boss? I’m not saying it’s conveyed well, but stuff like that at least feels like it’s trying to hint at it.

[@neon_spotlight]

Josh, you are so based for actually enjoying motion controls in games. As someone who grew up on motion controls, I wish more people had the patience for them, and that they got more development.

[@EmeralBookwise]

I think the rejection of motion controls is a bit twofold. Part of it is that early on motion controls were getting shoehorned into games that didn't really need them, coming across more as an intrusive gimmick than actual innovation. On the flip side, however, I think there is an element of gatekeeping to it. Motion controls in general, and the Wii specifically, represented a major shift in market demographics, a system that wasn't just for the hardcore gamers anymore, but one which was intuitive enough for parents and even grandparents who had never played games before to understand. It's sorta why there's a similar rejection of touch control mobile games as well.

[@bandicootsauce4569]

Dude, the jokes in this video are really on-point. I have been MISERABLY moody as of late and you had me giggling like a school kid at every other interval throughout the vid. (:

[@MemeinAndDreamin]

No lol

[@ancient7421]

The moment he just smacked Other M off the table had me bursting out laughing. As both a Metroid fan and a Sonic fan, I felt that

[@Cool30Comics]

The way I see it, sonic has always be a symbol of change. There’s so many different interpretations, adventures, genres, and tones he’s been through. That being said, I viewed merlina as desiring security, and therefore stagnation. Which is something sonic cannot be. You can’t stop time just because you’re afraid of moving forward into the unknown. I guess I saw the story in a more symbolic lens.

[@georgelarie]

This game has a bunch of hidden mechanics the game just doesn't tell you. Like from a standstill moving forward and swinging does a lunging stab and moving back and swinging makes you rise in the air while swinging all around. Also the knights sword upgrades are great. I managed to get the second best one for shadow and it makes it so whenever you swing the sword during a soul surge it does massive area of effect damage. Also there's a handful of secret missions where you beat badniks using homing attacks instead of sword strikes and those missions give you the seven world rings.

[@Jackall1993]

Wow, strong finish to an actual, honest to god, genuine review of what could be in some areas considered a masterpiece. Which i btw didnt play until this video struck me, either and missed out on for the same reason... I actually got a little teary eyed when you reflected on those negative biases from passionate fandoms, because for one i actually considerably lost common ground with some friends when arguing over this exact stipulation on a franchise instead of viewing each entry for its own merits and plusses. And on the other hand felt quite alone on this sentiment until i heard that... Keep your opinions up and that mindset going, man. This might sound cheesy and disproportional, but if everyone had this focus on enjoyable things and letting little annoyances be just that, and did so in every area of life, we'd probably live in a much more peaceful and inspired world. Sorry to rip you off, but keep geeking, sir. You do it the right way!

[@sometf2player752]

sadly it seems all people care about is the negative things, they are unable to just take things as they are. Personally i like to keep a relatively open mind with things in general

[@randomduck8679]

I disagree a bit. In The Secret Rings video, he pointed out that Sonic fans that like the controversial entries are able to overlook flaws because they're passionate about the series and they've played long enough to tolerate the flaws. What's a little annoyance to them can be enough to turn other players off a game.

[@Jackall1993]

@@randomduck8679 i was moreso talking fandoms in general, and with sonic there is a argument to be made, that said nitpicky part of it is just as big. They are just less vocal about it because it's a older fandom than a lot of other series It's one of those nuanced things that is easier to visualize if you have been part in it for a considerable while (which he has been a good 5-7 years longer than me probably but either of us could prolly be seen as a part of the elder half) The backlash has always been there but it tended to be a lot more varied in tone and weight. Todays (both media-side and literal) younger fandoms end up a bit overstipulant on hickups and tonal mismatches while underselling or sometimes flatout overlooking strokes of brilliance in media, which stem from both different outlook and the nowadays oversaturated market.

[@MerelyAFan]

The reception/legacy of Black Knight outside the fandom reflects a somewhat passionate viewpoint about platformers within the broader gaming sphere that's only recently changed. While various genres have been allowed to experiment with gameplay and tone, with the platformer category there was (and to some degree still is) a tendency to view it as something that typically should be done in a particular way. Older fan oriented variations like Jak & Daxter or Rachet & Clank could be excused for their changes in emphasis and content given their more mature origins, but the classic examples like Mario and Sonic have tended to have certain expectations about what kind of titles the mainline releases should be and there's been a telling backlash when they've been seen as deviating too much. As games like the DKC SNES trilogy (titles that very much bucked traditional aesthetics for its visuals) faded from memory, it felt like select expectations starting settling. In context Black Knight was released both after Banjo-Kazooie Nuts & Bolts, itself a very controversial sequel which was accused of not understanding the core appeal of the B-K games, and DK Jungle Beat (ignored because the Bongo Controller was seen as a shallow gimmick). It even released between the Mario Galaxy titles, games that were hailed for being a return to form after the inconsistent experimentation in Sunshine. Even Galaxy 2 cut down on the lore present in the first game because it was seen as too much story for a Mario by Miyamoto, a move that brought little outright criticism outside the hardcore fandom. And the motion controls were another element to that skepticism about experimentation as well; not only has it largely faded in general (barring gyro aiming and select Switch games) but the dislike about their mandatory nature became pronounced as the Wii era went on. Even an incredibly well regarded game like DKC Returns had its only major criticism based around forced used of the Wii remote for various moves. While the Galaxy titles could utilize them due to their near perfect execution, they very quickly became something seen as a hindrance to the genre if they weren't optional. It wasn't really until the indie scene really began to do some interesting experiments of its own (largely because the games were low budget passion projects) that the views on what the genre was really capable of started changing things. A platformer trying to seriously approach mature themes or being particularly innovative with its control setup is far more accepted now than even a decade ago, and the eventual stagnation of something like the NSMB series became an illustrative warning about what clinging to traditional tropes and having no ambition could eventually do. In a lot of ways Black Knight simply came out at the wrong time; a generally well made action game flush motion controls and trying tackle resonant emotional themes in an environment that had become increasingly antipathetic to either being strong pillars of a platformer.

[@SdudyoyO]

While I'm sad to see this season end, this was an amazing note to end it on! This game may not mean much to me personally, it's one of the handful of Sonic games I've never played -- But this video was probably my favorite of yours yet. With Frontiers just releasing, and ushering what appears to be a new, exciting era of Sonic games that appealed to my gameplay tastes the entire way through, even if I had some issues with the _story_ towards the end, it's good to look back and see that the franchise has never really been _Bad_ like so many want to say. Sure, Forces wasn't the most inspired game, 06 may have been broken from concept all the way to release, Boom was troubled and Shadow the Hedgehog was the bottom of the Barrel of Doom, every one of these games has had its own share of fans that shouldn't be considered as villains, just because they love something we may not have all enjoyed -- The games have always been able to bring in new fans, who become old fans. And their perspectives, their opinions, should be considered when we want to talk about any Sonic game. Negativity will always poison the well so to speak -- Sonic Origins may not have been Headcannon's most polished work, but the negativity surrounding it made me forget how much fun I had playing those four games in a row as a seamless experience, with new cutscenes, the drop dash, and the ability to play them on my Switch at any time. And this game hasn't even been out for a year yet -- So I have to think, what else has the negative outlook done to taint my perspectives over the years? I hadn't played 06 until about four years ago, and the negativity surrounding it actually made me unironically have a _good time_ with it when I finally got my hands on it, because it wasn't nearly as bad as everyone made it seem to the point I enjoyed it enough to have beaten Sonic's campaign a couple times by now, though Silver and Shadow are a bit too slow for me to manage to sit through. I wonder how many other fans wouldn't dare touch 06 unless they just wanted to play it for the laughs, or how many people are too afraid to pick up Origins because "It's a Sin against the classics!', sure AIR is still my preferred way to play Sonic 3, but I never expected Origins to have the same level of customizable options as a fan game does. Even now, I haven't played Colors because I've been told the remaster isn't worth your time, and I don't own the original game on the Wii -- So, am I missing out on a good Sonic game because the fandom is negative? Or is the remaster actually as bad as they say? I really can't tell anymore. But this video helped me remember: The best way to enjoy something, isn't to listen to the negativity and just focus on all of that, but to go into anything with a fresh perspective -- If you dig into anything wanting it to be bad, you'll find only the worst aspects of it. Not every game is gonna appeal to everyone's tastes, not every remake is gonna live up to the original. But every time these games are made available again, every time a new Sonic game releases, there will be a new kid that was once like me, getting to try these games for the first time, and say: "Sonic is cool!" Sonic was the first word I learned to spell long before I could even read. I'd played through the Genesis games a dozen times each by the time I was six -- Every time it was my turn to rent a movie at our local VHS rental store, I picked the Sonic OVA and watched it as many times as I could before we had to return it, until my Dad just bought it for me. Every birthday I wished Sonic, and Eggman were real, Eggman only so that Sonic wouldn't get bored if he were here. I ran constantly so I could be fast like Sonic. Heck, I even asked to name _two_ of my younger brothers Sonic. Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog was my favorite cartoon -- And Sonic Adventure was my first fully 3D video game, before I even knew what a Nintendo or Mario was. If Black Night, or any other Sonic game meant as much to some young Sonic fan as those first games meant to me, then not only do they deserve to exist, it would be a disservice for me to insult them without having played them. Sure, not every Sonic game has been a Diamond -- But for some, Cubic Zirconia is more valuable than a Diamond could ever be. Sometimes, I just need to step back, and look at these games not through my own eyes, but through the eyes of another, and just like all of your videos, this one has helped me see another perspective not only on this game, but on the franchise as a whole, so -- Thank you Josh as always for these amazing videos! I can't wait to see what your next season will be about, but for now: See 'ya next year!

[@randomduck8679]

Try to look at what players say after patches. The game industry's motto is "We'll fix it, later".

[@tparadox88]

I feel like there's a growing movement of people online who have learned not to take every little thing so personally, because they were there in the fandom wars and gained a couple of decades of perspective that nothing they were yelling about mattered. I don't know how much of that is because we just grew up, how much is because we have more meaningful things to worry about now, and how much is because we realized we have to live here and it's better to not make the internet the world's worst family Thanksgiving dinner 24/7.

[@WillowEpp]

That ending monologue really feels like it can be summed up by a maxim I've lived by for more than a decade: Fandoms are the worst thing to happen to fandoms.

[@prestige8477]

I actually agree with Sonic's sentiment, worrying about death won't make you live longer, so try to bring as much goodness into the world as you can.

[@Isaika_is_real]

Idk if you’ll see this but what Merlina wants is a world that goes on forever BUT plunged in darkness, therefore sonic wants to stop it.

[@MorningAndEveningStar]

A lot of your meta-commentary in this video resonated with me. Thank you. I grew up just thinking Sonic was basically a cool mascot who dabbled in experimental gameplay styles, like Mario, and I never really knew that Sonic was considered "bad" until I started watching your videos, honestly. I feel like I learn a lot about the character and series by watching videos made by someone who's loved Sonic so much throughout Sonic's whole history, and it really broadens my perspective. I had just assumed everyone knew Sonic was for kids, like Pokémon, so it's helpful to hear you grapple with that.

[@SurAuvers]

I don't really understand what Maekawa means, I never saw his Sonic as being some radically different thing, i think it's pretty true to his punk/rouge hero personality. (also if you count the Japanese boxart for the series first few games as being Sonic's voice or the general message of the character then I think there's always been *some* waxing about living life to the fullest!)

[@TFSned]

36:00 This is the Sonic that wrote those inspiring quotes on the Japanese boxart

[@robertlauncher]

Also this is Griffith at his best, and I genuinely miss him in the role

[@edwheezer6231]

This is one of the best conversations about Black Knight I've seen. Your thoughts on fandom culture at the end was really thought-provoking, and I'll try to be more mindful of how I approach games in series I love from now on. Also, other people have already commented this, but the humor was really on point- much like the subject matter itself. :)

[@notaducc]

Videos like this are why you continue to be one of my favorite creator’s on the platform. Your ability to weave a weave a story, present a time capsule of the era, and comb over a game while being analytical, yet no less true to your emotions, is unmatched.

[@cobaltobject1855]

Thank you for giving this game a fair shot, and I'm glad you enjoyed Sonic's characterization here as much as I did. I always saw this game as something of a swan song for the era of Sonic games that I grew up with: the last crazy, high-effort spinoff, the last attempt to tell a "serious" story (until Frontiers, anyway), the last (and best) performance most of the 4kids voice cast, and the last game with new music by Crush 40. By the time I played Black Knight, I was well into my teens, and thus well aware of these games' inconsistent quality and horrible reputations. No more than 2 years prior I'd attempted to play and ended up despising Secret Rings out of frustration with the controls and mission structure. So because I went in with low expectations, Black Knigth pleasantly surprised me in many ways, and I ended up developing a real fondness for the game, rough edges and all. I played Colors around the same time, and despite it technically being a better game, it didn't leave nearly as much of an impact on me. (It also helped that I, unlike you, fucking love medieval fantasy settings. There's not a single character in all of gaming that wouldn't become cooler in my eyes if given a sword) Anyway, this was a fun season! Almost makes me want to go back and try Secret Rings again...

[@voltricity1942]

crush 40 made the main theme of TSR (green light go) but black knight deinitely feels like crush 40's magnum opus. 3 back to back bangers (4 if you count their version of seven rings in hand that's in the game i'm pretty sure)

[@redwolf6213]

I was that kid that this game was made for. Im 25 now but back when this game came out i just barely started middle school. I ate this up and unleash and still have found memories of the two. Now as an adult i see the problems, but even so it doesn't distract me from just having fun even now when i return to it. Still a good game in my mind.

[@TheShiningEnergy]

Blaze/Percival didn't "walk" off the cliff. She Fell.

[@sebastiancastaneda2939]

Amazing ending for these season, loved every single video on it, incredible job! Can't wait to see more from you

[@user-bb2op9he1x]

i swear to god the perspective you bring to the table is always so fresh and interesting

[@delasol_13]

Man I have had a terrible night at work and this video has really helped lift my spirits, thank you for all you do 🤙

[@Tuskingan]

I think it's kind of crazy how I look back and see how much people and fans had a distaste for the Sonic series at the very same time I grew up with it, while I was loving it more than anything else. Sonic Unleashed, Rush, Colors, and above all of them Black Knight were my entry into the series as a kid, and I cherish those moments as my first and most important in gaming to me. If not for me obsessing for over a year to beat Sonic and the Black Knight or spending long nights rewatching my Sonic Underground and X DVDS falling in love with the series, I don't think that I'd have the same kind of love and connection to gaming as I do now if not for them. I think you perfectly put it when you said "I'm thankful you all got to grow up as Sonic fans" because regardless of the overall quality of these games, and how none of them seem to perfectly hit the mark, I am so glad to be a Sonic fan as well. I'm now connected to the internet and along for the ups and downs of series with all of our criticisms too, and even though it may have been better to be disconnected from it for at least my childhood to form my love for the series, I'm glad that I'm finally here along for the ride.

[@dmansuperich2800]

Been loving the videos recently! That Secret Rings video you made has become one of my favorites from you. It made me appreciate the game in a way I never did before. Keep it up dude.

[@Chaos_Vergil]

In terms of character, THIS is my favorite rendition of the blue blur, making Sonic and the Black Knight one of my favorite games in the series. Sonic being this Devil-May-Care Hero with a heart of gold, but a decent amount of maturity fills my heart with joy. He makes me feel like a kid again with how he's so dorky yet so cool at the same time sort of like Dante from Devil May Cry who is another one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. Not only that, but the ending of this game resonates with me a lot as a lesson to understanding that despite the fact that we'll all die in the end, it's important that we make the most of what time we have left. Overall, I love this game and it personally means a lot to me, even with it's flaws. Is it my favorite Sonic game? No, but that's okay. Sonic as a series has had its ups and downs, but I will never stop loving this franchise.

[@mlsdreavusjargon6910]

Happy holidays and happy new year, and thanks for another awesome season of videos. I think this season might be my favorite of yours so far, and I definitely appreciate the message of trying to find the good points in things you enjoy, I think that’s a great message to share. Glad you’re still able to make these videos, and thanks for always sharing your enthusiasm for this and many other series over the years. Your enthusiasm for the series you talk about is infectious, and has definitely made me appreciate this and every other series you’ve spoken about much more so than I did before coming across your channel, so thanks :)

[@Sinxstacos]

Merry Christmas TGC, this sonic series has been a joy to binge this Christmas season and what has made me re-realize why I love the sonic series

[@UmbreonMessiah]

I love the way you can dissect how the internet has colored Sonic's legacy through its intense desire to shame and demean the franchise for kicks. You've opened my eyes to a whole new vision of this series that I have loved ever since I got my Genesis back in '92. I'm so glad I got the chance to see your work and be a fan of *you,* even though you might worry what that means! You keep Critiquin', and I'll keep Geekin'. Sounds like a fair deal to me!

[@CrossTrash]

About Sonics character here, to me, Sonic has always been about living in the moment. He revels in taking every day as it is. So someone asking for an infinite today, refusing the very notion of change and moving forward. That stands against who he IS. Yeah the world will end, all of them will, but whats the point of a world that never changes?

[@peterherring9]

Brilliant job, man. I loved the video, and I've loved seeing your content again lately.

[@jonathanlgill]

Merry Christmas, Josh. I have to say that opening sequence looks incredible; the editing in these videos has gone from good to really great of late. The thing I've been enjoying most from these past severals videos is your ability to articulate the self-consciousness of being a teenager and needing to be perceived as "cool". And now that many of us are a bit older, we can realize that that worry about looking mature and adult was still a product of our own immaturity; and that adults don't need to fuss over what is "for kids" or not. Because a lot of the best media and experiences is designed from a childlike standpoint, and nothing should inhibit our ability to enjoy it just because it doesn't indulge in guts and gore. I guess what I'm saying is, adults take magic much more seriously than teenagers do, and some of these great video games and animated films are a sort of magic.

[@stix7168]

The one thing I learned from sonic games is I shouldn't care what other people think about a game, all that matters to me is if I enjoy the game or not and I took this idea with me to other games too

[@ZaffreRevolution]

merry christmas! such a strong finish to a strong season, you didn't miss once this year. i feel like this season was spent with you either gaining newfound appreciation for games you don't find yourself replaying as often, or discovering more reasons to love sonic (as if you didn't have enough already) and it was so great to see. love the small touches like all the footage smoothly transitioning into one another or the strides you've taken with your editing. the flow is insane, and such an inspiration. you're my favorite youtuber and push me to polish up my content every time you upload, so keep geekin man i don't know what i'd do if you stopped :P

[@TheCD123]

How am I only finding this now?! Great video, I always love your sonic retrospectivesz

[@infiniteoctopaw]

Oh? A hour long video esay review of my favorite sonic game? Ooo must be my birthday!

[@cookiestar3069]

Great video and happy holidays!

[@trustyturtle102]

I love your videos, Josh. You bring such a personal and unique perspective. Thanks for all the content :)

[@anthony1835]

Yesss. I’m so happy u made this video. I loved ur vid on secret rings

[@SYIBOI]

Glad you ended up liking this one, it's unexpectedly one of my favorites and I feel it's horribly underrated. I may not have discovered it until years later and love it a lot. We've all come a long way but hey we're in a better place now and life happens, that's something Sonic taught me.

[@RichardBlaziken]

Man this was worth the wait. I'm glad I finally got to see what this game's about so I can think about something besides "UNAVOIDABLE CHIN MOVE!" when I hear the name of this game, even if that moment is still hilarious. I get pulled into your enthusiasm for these games I never experienced pretty hard when I watch these episodes, and I've just finally finished Rush for the first time after watching that episode when it came out. Even though I think I'll give this one a pass, it's great to see Sonic's portrayal improve even more in this one, and learn what the story is about. Man there's so much I want to say about everything, but above all, thank you for another great season of TGC. I go back and re-listen to TGC videos very frequently while working, so I'm very grateful that you're still making 'em. Can't wait for next year!

[@ZaiDrizzleDrop]

what does unavoidable chin move mean

[@RichardBlaziken]

@@ZaiDrizzleDrop It's a reference to the Game Grumps playthrough, just type Unavoidable Chin Move into KZbin and a clip will come up haha. Funny moment, but it's a shame that that's all people tend to think of when they think about this game.

[@ZaiDrizzleDrop]

@@RichardBlaziken Looool I just watched the clip, it really is beyond funny, I loved that. I didnt know that was what people thought about when they talk about this game, that is a shame though

[@f0xshadow521]

Wow! What an honor to have some of the ReJuiced cues in there. So cool to see them used in this way. Very humbling. Thank you :D Liked and Sub'd :)

[@GeekCritique]

Right back at'cha! You do fantastic work!

[@jeremyc4786]

It's been amazing watching these videos. I didn't grow up with sonic, everything I knew about him was heard second hand. It's been interesting to learn more about the character and the games beyond the memes and reviews. It's been a great year watching your videos, and looking forward to 2023.

[@starbutter2730]

Ik youve heard this alot but i wanted to thank you for putting your heart and soul into this video. I think the thing you said in the rush video about realizing that just bc you grew older didnt mean you had to stop liking sonic, hit hard for me. I think theres too mamy people that think theyre above it all bc theyre worried about what others will think of them. Tbh if they actually gave this series or any of the games at all a chance, I think theyd be able to find a damned good time in there somewhere. Black Knight was one of my first sonic games and i still love it now at 21, hell I recently got to play sa1 and 2 for the first time and i loved them alot story and all. Didnt mean to rant on ig but i had to, you really put into words why this series means so much to us all even now and show that it doesnt matter how old or who youre. Sonic can be enjoyed by anyone and thats pretty dang cool.

[@newttrain8667]

I'm just glad there is another video on the internet now that talks good about Black Knight.

[@dinokaiser]

Your sheer glee at the opening cutscene was infectious XD Also something to think about is the idea that Merlina's desire to preserve the world is the fact we kinda already know what that would lead to thanks to King Arthur, who despite being immortal (and fake) became a monster. I think that's more the reason Sonic was opposed to what she was doing, because what she THOUGHT she was doing was different from the reality of what she was doing. Or to put it another way. She straight up had the same goal as Gwyn from Dark Souls and THAT didn't turn out well for ANYONE haha.

[@NewMat1]

OMG TGC SWORE IN A REVIEW!!!!!! Great video as always. Love your stuff

[@AustinAngelus723]

Great to see you get to this as soon as I was curious on your take of it. I found this as a one off experience same with Secret rings, but good for what they were too.

[@Kenish.]

I'm glad to see that you got some enjoyment out of this game. Sonic and the Black Knight has always been my third favourite Sonic game (right after the Adventure games), so seeing it constantly getting bashed online does make me a bit sad.

[@shadowjoker285]

Thank for playing and experiencing one of my favourite sonic games, I can agree on Alot of your points however I still love and enjoy this game. With amazing music (like usual) and probably one of the best super forms sonic as ever had ^>^. Im glad you played this game, I'm glad you gave it a try even aftet u didn't all those years ago. I hope you have a great Christmas and a happy new year ^>^

[@Furluge]

Thanks again for another great video as always.

[@YoungObedMusic]

After hearing your opinion on Secret Rings, I was keen on hearing what you had to say on Black Knight. Loved this review and loved your post-thoughts on the overall outlook of the franchise. I look forward to more videos from you! Happy New Year!

[@TehJellyLord]

That is exactly how you have to be to be a Sonic fan. You have to treat each new game as it’s own things, don’t go into it hoping and praying it’s like the games you like in the series, and have an open mind.

[@19Szabolcs91]

Awesome video again, and once again it's about a game I didn't even enjoy, but I'm very glad you found so much worthwhile about it.

[@ketchysapphire]

Discovered this channel and it's already one of my favourite

[@IceisNice_FollowingChrist]

Outstanding video, I have nothing else to say. It was on point and well worth the hour of watching.

[@waytoobiased]

This is great! Can’t wait for the Boost-era series, or whatever else you make :)

[@phelixfuxfell2221]

Love the fact that you put the Whisper the Wolf mod into the snippet of Forces shown at the end

[@originalElctric]

Glad I don’t seem like the only crazy person saying sonic and the black knight had some great aspects anymore. Glad to see you experience how it is and sharing it with everyone. Always love your videos.

[@Snacko0]

You've gotten so good at these that I'd love to see you revisit the Genesis games with the talent for research, introspection and essay structure that you have now.

[@S1erra107]

pausing at 43:30 just to let you know I'm laughing in outright glee at your reaction to what is still one of my favorite twists in kid friendly games. It's so out of left field but so justified and I have zero complaints about it all. Found you the other day and i've been waiting for this review, keep it up.

[@Lightningflash10]

This is my first time watching one of your videos and I loved it! Amazing critique of one of my, admittedly guilty pleasure games growing up! I will say, from what I remember, making the new weapons for Lancelot, Gawain and Percival does change up their gameplay styles a bit. While I can't remember what happens with Gawain and Percival, Lancelot's upgraded weapons add a projectile in the form of chaos spears to every slash of his attacks! Not a huge difference, but something that does change up the gameplay loop a bit!

[@rizallenmikani8297]

And aso Lancelot SoulGage Change to Chaos Judgement where Instead of teleporting then Slash, Lancelot do a chaos blast that wipe enemy on the large area

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

This is one of those games that I'd honestly like to try someday, it seems like it would've been a very unique experience if nothing else -- but I just can't see myself ever having the right hardware for it, and I can't imagine it being very fun to control through an emulator when I don't have access to the style of control it was designed for. The music at least has been a big influence on a mod project I've been working on over the past year.

[@Catt0]

The dougdoug reference was absolutely on point

[@Skylancer727]

I grew up in the dark age of Sonic. Still unironically love and replay Shadow the Hedgehog all the time. I remember Secret Rings was one of the few Sonic games I vehemently hated. The only other at the time was Heroes as the random combat took the phenetic feel away from the game and replaying through basically the same game 4 times was soul crushing. And I never bothered getting the final boss as I honestly didn't understand how keys worked. But I loved Black Knight, may be one of the more played Wii games I had. I think as a whole Unleashed on Wii was still a better game, but Black Knight's story was really solid in my eyes, the combat was pretty sweet when you got it down, and the art style was pretty nice. Still not a huge fan off the only left or right controls, but I feel the controls for Black Knight really make it an objectively better game to me. Those controls for Secret Rings were like the most wrist pain inducing on the entire system only compared to with Zero Gravity, but that was a racing game.

[@Aranesque]

I couldn't help but to stop the video after that "wind is my master" thing. I had to laugh. It is such a thing Sonic would say, corny as hell, cool if I were 10. Had to laugh a bit more when you immediately said pretty much the same. It is somehow reconforting that someone from an entire continent away feels the same about a cartoon blue hedgehog, that somehow got to be important in our lives. Great work Josh, as always. Your videos always make me smile a lot, maybe even cry a little. Happy holidays, I love your work dude.

[@Breakaway-ic5gj]

You don't seem very fun

[@CorelicuumOGaraVG]

I was not ready for the moment you talk about Fandoms. That hit something, it landed deep and resonated. And now I'm in an existential crisis. :)

[@paulf631]

I been looking forward to this i been under the Weather lately and been a little down as well thank you for giving your thoughts on my favourite sonic wii game made me feel much better

[@EonTheAien]

Absolutely spoiling us with the back-to-back sonic videos lately

[@phantomstrider]

58:10 Damn Josh. Beautifully said.

[@deshawnwilliams503]

5:20 Dragon Road is one if the best stages in Sonic history. The music. The stage design. The scenery. All incredible

[@SmashHistory]

Very much looking forward to (what I assume will be) the reviews for the boost games when you return to the series. The general perception of them has shifted so much in the intervening time, examining that will certainly be something, lol.

[@megamillion5852]

I'd already believed the Secret Rings review to be your magnum opus, and was even worried that you wouldn't have much to say-or worse, yet-much *good* to say for Black Knight... Then, you completely surprised me, and blew away all expectations in titular Sonic fashion. It's difficult to fully express just how much your honest enjoyment of the game during its best moments felt so palpable. It reminded me of my initial playthrough several years ago, wondering how something so surely kinetic and delightful could be so brutally maligned. When you were feeling the medieval fantasy setting, I felt happy for you as though you were a friend! And when you were losing it over the Merlina twist, I was right there with you! I'm more than glad you could find the gem in the rough, here.

[@DarkWingSpartan]

Wonderful video, as always. This got me thinking about something (wall of text incoming). I haven't played it, but I've been watching the discourse around The Callisto Protocol (the recent spiritual successor to Dead Space that's been getting *very* mixed reviews), and I feel like it's got the same kind of... shall we say, "barrier to entry" that a lot of Sonic games have. From what I understand, the combat in Callisto Protocol has apparently got a decent amount of depth and gets more fun once you get better, but it does a horrid job of explaining the mechanics and it's entirely possible to struggle your way through playing the "less fun" way (as a number of reviewers did). I've seen a couple of people comparing it to Resident Evil 6 in that regard, which has the *exact* same split (a decent amount of depth, but it neither explains nor requires any of it). Is it fair to criticize a game that has a decent amount of depth simply because it doesn't *look* like it has much substance to it? On the one hand, if you really can just struggle through the game in the "less fun" way, then all that depth will be inconsequential to some players (they might not even realize what they've missed, perhaps fairly so). At a certain point, it's on the developer to nudge the player into playing the way they "want" you to play. On the other, there are certain games/series/genres where that kind of depth is assumed (you CAN just struggle your way through a Devil May Cry or a Bayonetta, but that genre is pretty well-known for being all about replayability and score-chasing), so maybe we should sometimes expect people to look for depth, even when there might be none (and hope they don't bounce off it)?

[@NinjaV_Editz]

Honest to god, I loved playing Black Knight in every aspect, Sonic is just made so well that I never got tired of him

[@MusicVersa]

I am not a Sonic fan. I was 8 when the first game came out, and rented it or played it at friends' houses as I never owned a Genesis. I liked it a lot, and Sonic 2 as well. I played Adventure a bit on launch, and then didn't play another game until Generations and Mania. I can't stand those games, and going back to the original genesis trilogy, I find them borderline unplayable, for the very many reasons articulated ad nauseum on the internet. But I still watch this series, and really enjoy it. There are lots of things that I love that I recognize are imperfect and janky, and I appreciate that you can articulate objective problems with the games while also expressing your love for them anyway. Even though you'd have to pay me to play Sonic and the black knight for an hour, I will very happily listen to you talk about it for an hour.

[@Jawmax]

You know my brother always thought if the story book series continued the third installment would have been based on Journey to the West and be named Sonic Westward. All new character designs would be used for Sun Wu Kong and his companions. a boss against the monkey king would have phases you could grind on his extending staff and use the homing attack against his clones to find the real one.

[@noahmeyer9756]

You know what, that'd be cool!

[@gamecreaterdude13]

I got this game on my birthday in 09. I think I was turning 13, it was fuckin awesome to me as a 13 year old 😹. So I agree with what the sega exec said. Granted, I was and still am a super sonic fan. And did know about the discourse online, but it still is a fondly remembered game for me.

[@enemyskill4286]

you and pariah covering this game in the same week? that's blessed

[@jms8588]

Josh, I’ve been watching your videos for a while. I just wanted to say thank you for always delivering amazing content. Is Sonic my favorite series ever? No. That will always be Metroid. But after your videos, I tried Sonic Frontiers, and Im having fun, but I decided finally to sit down to play Sonic 2….and I get it now. I understand why those games are so well loved. I don’t comment on videos like ever, but I just wanted to say thank you again for appreciating being a geek!

[@Neutra77]

This was around the time I really got into gaming, and hadn't quite started exploring the internet. So Black Knight was right up my alley, being both a Sonic and fan and a sword fan. Nowadays, I see it as a personal nostalgic gem, simple and fun sword swinging with the cool blue blur.

[@bokobo6295]

I was a kid who only had a wii growing up, reading and loving the Archie comics, so of course when I saw that Sonic was in a game for the Wii, I had to get it! I barely remember anything past not being able to beat the king arthur fight before the credits fake-out, but it must have made a good impression, because one of the very very few things I remember asking for for Christmas as a kid, was Sonic and the Secret Rings (I never did get to play that one). All these years later, as a huge sonic fan now, I’m really glad to see your take on the first official sonic game I ever played, even if I can’t remember it much. The end segment made me tear up, thanks for turning a kinder eye towards this game than most would say it deserves

[@CrossOutBryce]

Gotta be honest, coming off of your glowing appreciation of Secret Rings, I thought you would love this SO much. So I was confused on why you were so all over the place bout it until 23:04. Explains SO much and props for pushing through regardless!

[@greyrifterrellik5837]

As someone who never really lost that childlike wonder and openmindedness towards games, I can confirm that it is the best way to experience *any* game, not just sonic; judge it *on its own*, not against what came before, and plenty of games are revealed to be better than people give them credit for.

[@Waterypeanutbutter]

Finally released it, been waiting for this

[@PersonManGuyMale]

This was my first ever sonic game when I was like 9. We were at the store and my mom said each of my siblings and I could all pick out a game for our wii and I picked this one for no particular reason. I loved the style of the cutscenes and had a ton of fun with it. The storybook games are also probably my favorite portrayals of sonics character. Him willing to be "the bad guy" to do what he thinks is right was great. The game definitely has its problems, but I've always loved it.