Sonic Forces Bonus Video (Cut Content and More)

Sonic Forces Cut Content, Unused Audios, Betas, Demos, Trivia and Secrets
Follow me on Twitter: / cifesk
Special thanks to:
‪@Cybershell13‬ for coming up with the video / title idea
‪@TheDuckDealer‬ for providing footage, making the modding tutorials and running the Sonic Forces Facts account
‪@codenamegamma‬ for providing footage and making the Forces Cheat Table
‪@Radfordhound‬ for developing HedgeLib
‪@brandonj_300‬ for providing footage and some mods
‪@blueskythlikesclouds‬ for developing SFPac
‪@MarioTainaka‬ for providing footage
‪@Knuxfan24‬ for providing footage
‪@TwiZoney‬ for providing footage
‪@Xinerus‬ for providing footage
Windii: / girlbossuran
Sonic Forces Facts: / sonicforcesfact
Sajid (for developing HedgeCnvrsEditor): / sajidur78
And all contributors!
Sources:
tcrf.net/Sonic_Forces_(Windows)
sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_F...
Music:
Sonic 30th Anniversary Symphony - Chao Garden Intermission
Sonic Forces - Fighting Onward (Spaceport)
Sonic Forces - Fist Bump
Sonic Forces - Justice (Park Avenue)
Sonic Forces - Lost Valley
Sonic Forces - Luminous Forest
Sonic Forces - Mortar Canyon
Sonic Forces - Nowhere to Run (Prison Hall)
Sonic Forces - Red Gate Bridge
0:00 - Intro
1:14 - Cut Content
14:56 - Betas & Trailers
20:45 - Trivia

[@devinsauls9137]

You know it's bad when Aaron Webber made notes and suggestions to the earlier scripts

[@pAirA_]

Aaron Webber spoke for all of us, it's like nobody else in the writing room knew what they were doing 🤣

[@Vaffle_1231]

I mean they technically didn't

[@littenfire3563]

If only they listened to Aaron Webber

[@Terminal_Apotos]

Such an interesting game to go through, it just leaves you asking “What if?”

[@STICKOMEDIA]

Ikr

[@GamerScoreInfinite]

Nah ‘06 takes the “what if” cake considering it was only 25% done. Go watch this guys video on it!

[@Terminal_Apotos]

@@GamerScoreInfinite Nah 06 is really only missing Polish, like a rough draft of an Essay you worked on for a Week. Forces is polished but lacks substance, like an Essay you scrambled to do the Day before the Due Date but spent time proof reading and grammar correcting.

[@ctpp64]

@@Terminal_Apotos another way to put it is that Forces is like an outline for an essay that didn't actually get written and on that note, I guess Frontiers would be an essay where the last paragraph got written at 11:58 on the night it was due lol

[@Itz_YoshiMelon]

Sonic Forces his way into a bonus video

[@dmk_yt]

3:41 That aerial shot of the fortress looks so sick, I would've loved a better view of the maze-like structure surrounding it in the game.

[@Mr_Gamer-Random]

One thing I'd like to mention, in the final Boss theme (specifically the 3rd phase) there's a guitar solo, and in the OST there is still a guitar solo except for some reason, the guitar solo heard in the OST is different to the one heard in-game

[@playbossthebest936]

Bruh, why does the early script sound like an acceptable plot which makes sense and has remarkable aspects... Well, we got what we got

[@elimBaz]

It seems like "having bad story" was a rule in the 2010s Sonic Games, at least Frontiers gave us a banger of a story

[@playbossthebest936]

@@elimBaz ma chi si rivede

[@elimBaz]

@@playbossthebest936 Massalve!

[@Robowil]

10:26 I actually took that screenshot way back in 2019. The reason it's in Crisis City is since I was working on a mod that ported that stage over to Forces at the time. Also, there's something I really want to document at some point in the future: all of the differences between the PC/PS4/Xbox One and Switch versions, as the Switch actually has many more differences besides the stages having lower polygonal counts/texture quality. Unfortunately I'm always busy with random stuff so that's been on the back-burner for a long time.

[@TheSuperPastaPower]

Man, looking at all this unused stuff makes me wish forces had more development time and more people working on the game. It could have been great.

[@funkysoda]

it was being developed for 6 years.

[@TheSuperPastaPower]

@@funkysoda actually, the engine took 5 years and the game was made in one year

[@funkysoda]

@@TheSuperPastaPower damn.

[@Cifesk]

Forces started development after Lost World's launch (2013) Engine took 3 years and actual development was just 1 year

[@funkysoda]

@@Cifesk thnx for letting me know bro, u a real one fr 🙏.

[@gengargamer5657]

A couple of things I'd like to say. 1. I heard once that Sky Sanctuary was going to be in this game, something that's backed up by it being the only Speed Battle stage that's not in Forces 2. The instrumental version of Fist Bump does go used as Modern Super Sonic's theme.

[@Cifesk]

It does go used, although the instrumental SXSW version I put in the video sounds different at the beginning, it was dumb of me to put the part that sounds IDENTICAL to the final '^^

[@gengargamer5657]

@@Cifesk Heh

[@TheAmazingPyro99]

Sky sanctuary actually isn't the only stage in speed battle that isn't in forces, but the other two stages are basically promotional stages for sonic 2 (emerald city) and sonic colors ultimate (planet wisp)

[@BDSFormula1]

@@TheAmazingPyro99 and Golden Gate Bridge, the stage promoting Sonic '20

[@calebproductions1264]

It’s a good thing we didn’t get Sky Sanctuary in this game, though they could’ve just given us an old stage we don’t have yet if they really cared about nostalgia that much.

[@MiltonGagliardi]

Seeing all the cut content and concept art makes the final product even more depressing. It's a shame Forces couldn't live up to its true potential.

[@KingTvlip]

This has to be your best video yet. Even though Sonic Forces doesn't have enough Beta builds or cut content like previous games you covered, the formatting of the video is great. Also I can't stress enough how amazing the level transitions for the chapters are!

[@40kkidlock18]

i mean you'd think from how rushed the game was there would be more cut content then this

[@KingTvlip]

@@40kkidlock18 I don't think rushed = more cut content, since the game we got is clearly unfinished. In this case rushed = no content at all

[@40kkidlock18]

@@KingTvlip what i meant to say was unfinished yeah

[@sebastianhernandezvazquez4922]

When I'm thinking about unused content l thought l would find unused cutcenes or evidence that some characters were planned to appear

[@Boykee1]

You forgot one thing: In the e3 demo, Sonic doesn't get that sudden burst of speed while just running. It had better acceleration in the demo

[@Cifesk]

I knew that for a long time, only remembered when editing and I forgot to add it but it's kinda whatever haha

[@kevinm.5951]

29:38 finally, somebody brings this up in a mire convinient format for more people to watch. Its something I wish more people knew about. It shows that sega/sonic team know when they have a bad product they have to release, judt look at how different frontiers marketing and interviews were...excluding the rocky IGN start

[@zenar30]

Well, at least Frontiers is a good game

[@gameman5804]

The main base plot in this game is fine, but based on this video, you can clearly tell it’s the writing that needed work.

[@TOP0AllainModSkin]

9:16 shadow finally has his chaos control 7 years later

[@noah_ignis]

To me Sonic Forces is just a okay game. I can tell that Sonic Team were afraid to release this game because they knew it was incomplete but Sega still didn't let up on the release year at all and it's also even more sad that the engine was developed for 3 years while the game itself was developed in 1 year so they pretty much had no choice. If the game was given another year I think it could have been a decent game.

[@sebastianhernandezvazquez4922]

One thing is made something in a hurry and another thing is made something without desire

[@wesshiflet2214]

the only reason you can tell the silhouette at 18:11 isn’t Bubsy is bc Bubsy doesn’t wear the minstrel gloves

[@Julia-wq3bv]

Amazing vid! Also, did you know that Infinite’s giant illusion is believed to originally be planned to be chaos, as if you phase through the body you can see a strange water-like texture!

[@Overlord_Henry]

Bro the development of this is a Tragedy like damn

[@blur7491]

15:02 that transition was so cool

[@medicfox1756]

20:29 'foxes, koalas, monkeys- *ESPIO*'

[@MarioTainaka]

I didn't even know you had a channel. Well done. I'll be sure to check out your other videos!

[@anitube3053]

I remember Aaron Webber telling us that tails dies in this game on stream

[@silveramyknux241]

Finally we got that Sonic 2 bonus video. (Last game of the Adventure gameplay style edition)

[@pandupsko7127]

I love your videos! Keep up the good work

[@bmonke2505]

I wonder how Aaron feels about Frontiers and how the writing got better lol

[@Theodore574]

Great video keep up the good work

[@oh5079]

The idea of egomaniac trapping sonic so he could see him take over the world and the idea of tails hallucinating are great

[@Ersymondequartiere312]

As always amazing & complete video! Sorry I came late 🎉

[@yoshimilkman3692]

Peak just dropped

[@MMX2GD]

11:19 this might imply that the death animation was just a "high height" fall animation when he comes in contact with the ground and the old death animation was (speculation alert) similar to the classic sonic one.

[@yilli_9109]

I'm just speculating here, but the "VR Demo" doesn't necessarily mean that they were looking into implementing VR, it more relates to the plot of thr game somewhat involving VR

[@Cifesk]

It's also believed that the Sunset Heights layout that plays itself was gonna be used for this "VR" Demo, since it uses a "v" letter in its name which is not used in any other layout, used or unused

[@Firey_bunnyboi]

"In the files, we found a better game. It turns out they accidentally released the first beta version instead of the actual game"

[@Cifesk]

😭😭😭

[@Fbsktphoon.]

Frontiers moment

[@jefftakesdscakes30]

@@Fbsktphoon. y

[@Blanktester685]

@@Fbsktphoon. incorrect

[@tuangaming4910]

Yep that why I recommended you made video about this game

[@Khxs_rage]

Bro that title card was unique

[@prodwink]

To be honest the whole game should be cut content

[@aortaplatinum]

I really hope we eventually get literally any development material on the VR mode, that shit sounds insane Those images at 20:38 look like they're testing HDRIs, which are like the skyboxes of 3DCG work but they emit lighting and effect how models look. Which means the skyboxes in Forces might actually just be HDRIs, with the only added light sources being literal artificial lights in each environment like the neon signs and the streetlights.

[@emiliowalls192]

Wake up babe, new Cifesk video dropped

[@lologamer1293]

Great Viedo !

[@swwwaag]

Great video cifesk! do you wanna play sonic manhunt with me? I'll be Shadow!

[@sebastianhernandezvazquez4922]

That triumphant we all hoped for will never arrive

[@elimBaz]

10:05 isn't that animation used in the game select map from Sonic Origins?Idk I never played that game

[@hype5456]

The surprising thing out of all this is the fact Sonic Xtreme was referenced

[@HighLifeProds17]

28:54 - Ironically, Frontiers would be the one to (sort of) succeed here. Why did we get what we got instead of Beta Forces?! It sounded cooler...

[@TajirMusil]

Oh God, could you imagine a Sonic game in VR?

[@BDSFormula1]

I do believe that the SXSW version of Fist Bump is Super Sonic's theme

[@Cifesk]

It is, although a different version of the song. The SXSW version has some slight differences

[@BDSFormula1]

@@Cifesk oh, neat

[@JrSmoov]

they sold the bag by not addin some of these ideas

[@sebastianhernandezvazquez4922]

I would to see the trick action system

[@BraveBlitz]

Forces might be my least favourite game ever but this was very interesting to watch. The early scripts seemed interesting but I have no idea if they would be actually better than what we got.

[@inkchariot6147]

If Sega would have butt out and given Sonic Team an actual budget and time to really put something together, imagine what we could've gotten. They have just recently began to learn this lesson.

[@spritvio639]

A consequence of the Boom franchise failing ig.

[@calebproductions1264]

Not at all, just because midtiers is better than forces doesn’t make it automatically as good as Unleashed and Generations.

[@jefftakesdscakes30]

@@calebproductions1264 exactly was there any cut content for shadow or I infinite?

[@Nitrooncrack]

Is it just me or are the drafts better then all the dialogue combined in the final game?

[@exr_879]

9:16 This sound effect isn't unused and actually can be faintly heard when boosting normally. 20:41 NO WAY SONIC IS REAL!!!11

[@psga5555]

Nice video, now do frontiers. (Obvious/s)

[@Splonton]

5:58 you mean the entire game?

[@MayoTheNnaise]

Yo are you gonna do frontiers?

[@Cifesk]

One day, probably. Just not soon. The game has been released very recently so there's still a lot of stuff to be found (cut content and oddities in general), especially when the game is about to receive more updates and basically a completely different story, and in the update files there will probably be many leftovers and unused content to explore so yeah

[@playerback7722]

Yep

[@TheDuckDealer]

you missed arguably the largest bits of unused content which were my findings on a crabmeat enemy mentioned in a test stage as well as the earliest development layout of Sunset Heights

[@Cifesk]

I do mention the crabmeat enemy - 7:05 The "earliest development layout of Sunset Heights" I probably missed, but with a video this large it's normal to miss a few things :)

[@E-6481]

Hearing all this just makes Forces even more infuriating to me. The earlier plot sounds like it would’ve been way more interesting than what we actually got

[@JoseAlberto-dh8pf]

Looking at the early script for Forces and the much more nightmare fuel/Epic Mickey looking concept art makes me wonder just how much censorship the game had to go through with Sega Of America since we know from Izuka in the Forces OST that it was the overseas staff who did not wanted vocal themes in sonic games, this is why Generations and Lost World did not have vocal themes, much to the dismay of Izuka who attended fan concerts were Jun and Johnny would perform as Crush 40. If the western offices had this much control to decide that it makes me wonder, were they afraid people (specially millennials sonic fans aka: classic sonic fans and the gaming media)would not take a story like the original version of Sonic Wars seriously and would treat as "another Sonic 06"? Considering how much zoomer Sonic fans want more darker stories instead of the pop style of early 2010's sonic or Classic it makes it so frustrating that what we got was a gutted version of a war story just because "Sonic is a silly franchise, you can't take it seriously and Sonic dark stories don't work" If that's the case then it would have explained why Forces feels so watered down it feels like Avengers Age of Ultron, it also explains Frontiers story, Webber has been in charge of the PR for New Genesis PSO2 since 2020 leaving the Sonic brand which makes me wonder how much feedback he would have given to Sonic Team to remove stuff like The Ancients or Sage if he was still involved with Sonic (Ian didn't create them btw) I can imagine him saying "Why are the ancients relatives of Chaos?" "Ew don't give Eggman a daughter that's gross" "This is so melodramatic, where is the fun Sonic vibe" given he is a fan of Classic Sonic era (he was the guy who introduced Taxman to Izuka which Izuka was the man who gave the name to Mania after seeing Taxman's demo) I can see his perception on Sonic being way more limited to what he knew as a child and early teen.

[@laudj_art]

Even if the early script seems to make more sense, i don't see any reason to bring back Mephiles since at the end of 06 they made nothing of that happened, Mephiles never existed and no one should know or remember him

[@oshawottchannel]

3:30

[@Justanimates_YT]

No wonder why the game feels unfinished

[@littenfire3563]

It's such a shame. This could've been such a good game

[@chelsea9641]

@@littenfire3563 we tend to say this a lot as sonic fans 😢

[@lipika2841]

@@chelsea9641 -& pokemon fans.

[@sebastianhernandezvazquez4922]

It's just unused dialogue and text levels

[@disneyboy3030]

Can someone make a mod based on these ideas.

[@sonichigashikata]

It has potential :(

[@user-xx1nm4bu8o]

Could have been better But It could be worse

[@pumkspice]

This video shows just how much stuff has been reused for this game and it's so bad, like Lost world assets? For real now?

[@jeremiahevans6346]

I feel like since mania was a hit and the undecided way on the game wanted to show. Caused the final product.

[@RiddleMeDess]

Yeah that's right kid we're going in hard and fast 🙂 WAIT WHAT PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

[@alejjtheninja5803]

Heyheyheyheywhoawhoawhoawhoa, hold up, why does the original scripts actually sound good and genuinely entertaining? They referenced Seaside Hill? Cocoa Island?! Infinite existed as a soulless machine rather than a butthurt psychopath? The banter was fun too! This actually sounds good, I wish we'd seen this! Anyhoo, I'd never seen any of this stuff before so I've learned a lot today. Swaggy vid my man!

[@pumkspice]

Bro why did you put the 60fps interpolation in the already good CGI stuff-

[@Cifesk]

😢😢😢😢

[@shaankelly1302]

Very interesting. Idk what happened they had 4 years. Maybe not spend 3 of them developing an engine lol? Anyways this game is medicore but is kinda a guilty pleasure just bc of how brain dead it is. Collecting everything is mindless busywork when i want to relax and shut off my brain i love playing this game, the levels are so easy and luminous forest in particular is just like a power trip when im feeling lazy. Plow through everything in a straight line lmao. There is some speedrunning potential here and it is quite fun. Not a good game, but a game i like, but also i wouldnt put it anywhere near top tier of sonic games. Love these videos and behind the scenes stuff. Right in my wheelhouse

[@fojisan2398]

They cut gameplay that requires actual brain cells

[@solidusgadget]

Webber's comments just prove why he was a mistakes.

[@Inactivechannel-r6]

Wasted Potential the Game

[@randomistough0]

sonic forces is what happens if sonic colors used the 3D gameplay 60% more and had garbage controls

[@duckman2480]

Who tf says sonic forced is a good game?

[@therandom_dude]

They literally just copied and pasted the premise of SATAM sonic and made it 100x crappier which seriously pisses me off , they didn't even have any one from the freedom fighters in it...I would rather play sonic 06 than this game at least the story in that game MADE SENSE. The character creator was awesome though.

[@matti.8465]

Those Aaron Webber notes have to be fake, most of the criticism there is vague, non-constructive, and sounds like it came from a whiny Sonic fan. It'd be very unprofessional.

[@Cifesk]

It's not fake

[@matti.8465]

​@@Cifesk Then it's far from constructive criticism.

[@Cifesk]

@@matti.8465 Okay...?

[@jateyboi1108]

@@Cifeskyou heard the man FIX IT!

[@tomatoesarejustworsecucumb3534]

there should be director cut of forces it could actually be fun to play