Sonic the Hedgehog has been plagued by some less-than-stellar releases over the last half decade or so, but the latest, Sonic Generations, does its best to repair relationships with fans and frankly, did a damn fine job too.
Sega nailed it with their newest release, Sonic Generations, which showcases both Classic Sonic from the Genesis and Dream cast era and Modern Sonic from the GameCube and Xbox 360 era.
Each of the game's nine stages is split into two acts (for a total of 18 acts); Classic Sonic tackles stages in 2D style, while Modern Sonic has 3D traversal. You'll play through the same themed levels, but with a different take for each act. For instance, Green Hill Zone shows up in a 2D form, but also in a new 3D style track for Modern Sonic. Both acts play completely different and offer a fun way to see how the designers took themes and concepts and adapted them for the different styles.
For instance, this is City Escape in classic style:
Similar visuals, similar themes, but very different stages. The 2D style is a lot easier to handle due to it being platforming. However, 3D adaptations take awhile to getting used to due to the fast paced style that is Modern Sonic.
I had a tremendous amount of fun with Sonic Generations, more fun than I can say I've had in the last few years with the Blue Blur. The game's presentation is top notch, particularly the game's music (which deserves a separate album release), and the way the world is represented. The world of Sonic Generations is a free roaming blank canvas and as Sonic and Sonic defeat stages, save their friends and defeat evil foes, they restore the world to color and life. You're able to run around the world and tackle the stages and associated challenge levels in any way you really see fit. There are a few bottlenecks in the design that require you to play specific levels or challenges, but it never impedes progress. I enjoyed the way I could pick away at levels and challenges, never feeling rushed to do one thing or the other.
The levels themselves are creative and fun. I never felt that I was just doing the same thing over and over again; there really is a heavy degree of variety in each stage's (and act's) design. There are a few levels towards the game's back half that will grind your gears and frustrate you, particularly Planet Wisp, the stage inclusion from 2010's Sonic Colors. That level is absolutely painful to play and seems to just go on and on, begging you not to play it again. Other levels are an absolute blast, like the City Escape level and amazing Speed Highway level.
Where the game staggers is in some of its controls and camera work. Controls, particularly for some of the Modern stages can be touchy and a bit clunky. The camera will sometimes freak out a bit as you try to navigate your way up a simple set of stairs, and Sonic himself will get jammed in corners and at awkward angles. They don't kill the Modern sections of the game, but they do detract from the experience. Even the classic sections of the game suffer from some design and control issues. The developers made Sonic's highest jump at just about the level of some platforms, so you'll need to hit things perfectly or be stopped dead in your tracks. A slowed and stuck Sonic in Sonic Generations isn't as bad as in some other games in the series, but it can be an unwanted change of pace in some of the game's levels.
The key to Sonic Generations longevity is the ability to play and replay the game's levels, on the search for new red rings and hidden paths. If you main line the game, you'll beat it in 5 to 6 hours, but the inclusion of a plethora of challenge stages, character battle challenges and other notes and nods to the Sonic's history make this a worthwhile game at a steal of $40.
What do you think?
-Snelling
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