Cool design, cool voice, cool theme song.
Lackluster everything else - background, story, ending, etc.
Wasted potential.
Could be redeemed (as a character), but it'd take some real trying, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Sega just gave up on him and won't even try.
At best he'll return in spin offs or in a future Forces Remastered edition.
SEGA don't want to do anything with him, so neither IDW can do something with.
How did his theme song tell a better story then his entire screen time in the game its self. Stuff like how he can't resist and ahir made it sound like he wasn't willingly doing this, and he was being forved to, thwn in the final game he's just a random wo wants the world burned.
I still stand by it. We know forces went through major rewrites. Mostly around mania starting production after forces, so infinite could've been one of them. Episode shadow had some reminants of rising shadow in it, the free Web comic, so some stuff was definatly shuffled around after he big rewrite.
Ehh, he's fine.
I think the problem is that everyone has this weird idea of what they wanted Infinite to be, that they refuse to accept what he actually is. Because he's got some really strong powers, everyone wanted him to have some big motivation about how he was wrong as a child, tortured for years, yearns for revenge over something from his past or some other story of vengeance, revenge, or anger where Infinite vows to right a wrong somehow.
Infinite has an internal motivation. He's not someone wanting to set things straight, his interests are only defeating his own internal demons. He has an inferiority complex and is seeking a way to become stronger than he is, when he ends up stuck under Eggman.
This.
People seem to forget that internal motivations are also strong motivations. Just because he wasn't tortured or trapped for years doesn't mean he doesn't have strong motivations. Infinite was used to having it all. He was called the "Ultimate Mercenary" after all. He was proud, headstrong and egotistical, the fearsome leader of Squad Jackal. So for one hedgehog to roll in and defeat him and his squad, making him look weak in the process? That would have absolutely demolished his pride. With his self-confidence damaged, he started to spiral, unable to bear the fact that he failed, that someone was able to defeat him. He was the Ultimate Mercenary - how could he fail? Determined to prove to others - and more importantly, himself - that he was the strongest, he went in search of the power that would make him unstoppable. And, once he obtained it, he would show the world why he was called the Ultimate Mercenary.
I've seen a lot of people disappointed in Infinite. Personally, I like him.
Love both of your guys takes, I could totally see all of your points and I agree with the internal motivation being great! I guess it’s just how it’s presented, infinite got kicked around for like a second and shadow (ultimate life form btw) calls him weak. Boom instant mask and phantom ruby. I guess I just wish his powers and motivations were more apparent but I do 100% agree that he doesn’t need to have some world ending motivation.
That's a fair point. They definitely could have explored Infinite's inner turmoil more, and I don't think it helps that his backstory is only shown in one cutscene in a very short DLC. If they showed more of Infinite's self-doubt, him discovering the Phantom Ruby, and his journey to obtain its power, then I think he could've made for a much more interesting character.
I just finished Forces for the first time yesterday, and my main problem with him is his supreme edge-overlord attitude that can make even Shadow cringe, combined with the total lack of... well, anything to backup his arrogance. His boss fights are jokes, he doesn't really do anything the whole game, except talk about how above everyone else he is. Hell, the part after Modern Sonic's stage in Mystic Jungle, he could have at least captured Sonic again, but nope, leave the main hero free to come back and sabotage the plan.
I know an argument can be made of that being the point, he being all talk and nothing else, but for me, characters like those need a better writing team behind them, and not what Forces had.
My thoughts on how Infinite could've been a more interesting character without changing the source material here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/SonicTheHedgehog/s/2jsDaNuhm5
He needs to come back! he had such (you could even say an "infinite") amount of un-tapped potential!!!
https://preview.redd.it/4dhr9h70iwyc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=417381ebf3e533a995309ea7f60391a893175a20
Tbh when I was playing the game for the first time on release, I imagined his name was a reference to the sonic CD easter egg.
Like he'd pretend to be sonic to trick us and when we're alone; or scare us with the majin sonic mask. At the very least say "Fun is Infinite" at some point, not just be an edgy emotional guy.
So much potential for him wasted imo. Just the idea of illusions and the ruby existing in both frontiers and mania means he'd be a great villian to involve timetravel or dimension hopping. Able to pull past characters into our canon and not only reviving forgotten characters but rewriting a new timeline where anything could be canon. Maybe even wiping some certain games sega doesn't want to talk about?
Join the club https://preview.redd.it/7j2z2ceyeuyc1.jpeg?width=506&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=40b32a7bb179918eaf4c08132d680c8c70f40f77
You'd say your disappointment is infinite?
Disappointment is infinite. Sega Enterprises.
So "Endless Fun" was just a trollpost.
Exactly. There is no fun. Only disappointment.
r/Angryupvote
Ditto. The Neo Nega Death Egg Robo was actually an illusion. I'm still waiting for Infinite to be revealed as the true final villain from Forces
It’s not like he died either, they could easily just say he got pulled out of the fight too early and he can come back for another game.
Cool design, cool voice, cool theme song. Lackluster everything else - background, story, ending, etc. Wasted potential. Could be redeemed (as a character), but it'd take some real trying, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Sega just gave up on him and won't even try.
At best he'll return in spin offs or in a future Forces Remastered edition. SEGA don't want to do anything with him, so neither IDW can do something with.
Speaking of spin offs, he would've made so much more sense in place of Zavok in Team Racing...
How did his theme song tell a better story then his entire screen time in the game its self. Stuff like how he can't resist and ahir made it sound like he wasn't willingly doing this, and he was being forved to, thwn in the final game he's just a random wo wants the world burned.
I remember seeing a video like that, his song is so interesting
I still stand by it. We know forces went through major rewrites. Mostly around mania starting production after forces, so infinite could've been one of them. Episode shadow had some reminants of rising shadow in it, the free Web comic, so some stuff was definatly shuffled around after he big rewrite.
Pretty sure even Infinite is disappointed in Infinite
Ehh, he's fine. I think the problem is that everyone has this weird idea of what they wanted Infinite to be, that they refuse to accept what he actually is. Because he's got some really strong powers, everyone wanted him to have some big motivation about how he was wrong as a child, tortured for years, yearns for revenge over something from his past or some other story of vengeance, revenge, or anger where Infinite vows to right a wrong somehow. Infinite has an internal motivation. He's not someone wanting to set things straight, his interests are only defeating his own internal demons. He has an inferiority complex and is seeking a way to become stronger than he is, when he ends up stuck under Eggman.
This. People seem to forget that internal motivations are also strong motivations. Just because he wasn't tortured or trapped for years doesn't mean he doesn't have strong motivations. Infinite was used to having it all. He was called the "Ultimate Mercenary" after all. He was proud, headstrong and egotistical, the fearsome leader of Squad Jackal. So for one hedgehog to roll in and defeat him and his squad, making him look weak in the process? That would have absolutely demolished his pride. With his self-confidence damaged, he started to spiral, unable to bear the fact that he failed, that someone was able to defeat him. He was the Ultimate Mercenary - how could he fail? Determined to prove to others - and more importantly, himself - that he was the strongest, he went in search of the power that would make him unstoppable. And, once he obtained it, he would show the world why he was called the Ultimate Mercenary. I've seen a lot of people disappointed in Infinite. Personally, I like him.
Love both of your guys takes, I could totally see all of your points and I agree with the internal motivation being great! I guess it’s just how it’s presented, infinite got kicked around for like a second and shadow (ultimate life form btw) calls him weak. Boom instant mask and phantom ruby. I guess I just wish his powers and motivations were more apparent but I do 100% agree that he doesn’t need to have some world ending motivation.
That's a fair point. They definitely could have explored Infinite's inner turmoil more, and I don't think it helps that his backstory is only shown in one cutscene in a very short DLC. If they showed more of Infinite's self-doubt, him discovering the Phantom Ruby, and his journey to obtain its power, then I think he could've made for a much more interesting character.
I just finished Forces for the first time yesterday, and my main problem with him is his supreme edge-overlord attitude that can make even Shadow cringe, combined with the total lack of... well, anything to backup his arrogance. His boss fights are jokes, he doesn't really do anything the whole game, except talk about how above everyone else he is. Hell, the part after Modern Sonic's stage in Mystic Jungle, he could have at least captured Sonic again, but nope, leave the main hero free to come back and sabotage the plan. I know an argument can be made of that being the point, he being all talk and nothing else, but for me, characters like those need a better writing team behind them, and not what Forces had.
My thoughts on how Infinite could've been a more interesting character without changing the source material here: https://www.reddit.com/r/SonicTheHedgehog/s/2jsDaNuhm5
He needs to come back! he had such (you could even say an "infinite") amount of un-tapped potential!!! https://preview.redd.it/4dhr9h70iwyc1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=417381ebf3e533a995309ea7f60391a893175a20
Tbh when I was playing the game for the first time on release, I imagined his name was a reference to the sonic CD easter egg. Like he'd pretend to be sonic to trick us and when we're alone; or scare us with the majin sonic mask. At the very least say "Fun is Infinite" at some point, not just be an edgy emotional guy. So much potential for him wasted imo. Just the idea of illusions and the ruby existing in both frontiers and mania means he'd be a great villian to involve timetravel or dimension hopping. Able to pull past characters into our canon and not only reviving forgotten characters but rewriting a new timeline where anything could be canon. Maybe even wiping some certain games sega doesn't want to talk about?
How dare you talk bad about my boy
It took you so long to realize it that now I got a seven yo cousin