Reviews

Sonic Generations: The Retro Review

It finally came out. Sonic Generations, the game that has been hyped beyond belief since its initial reveal in April of this year is now in the hands of the masses of the western gaming public. Containing the hopes and dreams of three generations of Sonic fans within, the title is perhaps the most fitting way one could celebrate 20 years of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Starting with the first game that lit up homes the world over and wrapping up with last year’s Sonic Colo(u)rs, Sonic’s entire gaming career is chronicled in some fashion inside Generations. With everything that has been said about the game on message boards and game sites across the globe, how much more can be said? How much can one review dictate whether or not someone should go out and buy it? Or at the very least, ask to get it for Christmas? Seeing as the game is a retrospective on Sonic’s greatest gaming moments (and a few of his misses), it only makes sense that the game is not perfect. But I want to make something absolutely clear: just because the game is not perfect doesn’t mean that it is not fun. On the contrary, I’ve had a blast going through it. Of course, if you’re reading this review in the first place, more than likely you’ve already at least played the demo, if not outright own and unlocked everything within. Which is perfectly fine, since this website is called Sonic Retro. Sonic the Hedgehog is our figurative bread and butter. You’re not coming here to read our reviews on the latest Final Fantasy game. So with that said, there isn’t much more to do than jump right into things. If you can curl, now’s the time to do so. The premise of the game is simple enough: Sonic the Hedgehog is having a birthday, and all of his friends decide to throw him a surprise party. Located in some nondescript park with balloons and chili dogs abound, everything seems to be going smoothly until the mysterious “Time Eater” shows up, in the process kidnapping everyone there except Sonic the Hedgehog. Before you can say “oh man they should have used a level from Sonic 3D: Flickies’ Island so Sonic would have been captured,” Sonic wakes up in some mysterious white void, with only the echoed remains of his past exploits. Going level through level, it is up to Sonic to free his friends, defeat the Time Eater, and save the world. Of course, he isn’t going into things alone. Unless you’ve been in a bubble for seven months, the shtick for this game is that Sonic teams up with himself. Dubbed “Classic Sonic,” the short, tubby character that became synonymous with the early 90’s shows up, the younger version of the Sonic we’ve been seeing since 1998. Though silent, Classic Sonic’s design is loaded with the charm that won over the first generation of fans. Since the story isn’t much more than an excuse to have the game happen, there isn’t a whole lot to it. That isn’t a bad thing in of itself. After all, even though the early Sonic games did have a storyline, it was mostly confined to the manuals, never forcing the player to watch through anything more than a few seconds of a level transition on the trusty Genesis. In a whole, it’s inoffensive, the best lines being those that are able to poke fun at the series. And though I’m trying to avoid spoilers to some degree, I’ll only say that the last handful of cutscenes make everything about the story worthwhile. Before the game even plays the first cutscene, however, the player is rewarded with what all video games should be about: the game itself. Pressing start at the title screen and being sent right to the beginning of the Green Hill Zone, I must admit that nostalgia got the better of me. Running through the checkerboard landscape. Jumping onto Ganiganis and Beetons. Bouncing on springs and flying through loop-de-loops. All of it brought me back to that six year old kid in 1991 who couldn’t help but stare at the Genesis kiosks in the store, waiting until I could get my hands on that three-buttoned controller and play through the whole thing myself. The rush of nostalgia that even Sonic seemed confused about continued on through the rest of what the game defines as the “Classic Era” and through most of the “Dreamcast Era.” But once Sonic slips into more modern territory…well, the flaws in the game become far more evident, although at this point one would already have grown accustomed to them. Classic Sonic does not play as an exact 1:1 to his Genesis counterpart, but that’s not necessarily a deal breaker. The physics are certainly leagues above what Sonic 4 provided, but at the same time…if someone is playing this immediately after playing Sonic the Hedgehog 3, it is not going to feel right. There are scripted moments in the game that just shouldn’t be there, because the physics should be strong enough to let them happen on their own. The spin-dash being mapped to a button works in the context of the game, but at the same time feels like a quick fix that is only there because the designers of the game realized there were moments in certain zones that were impassable without it. It is disheartening to see Sonic trying to run up a loop, but then fall right back down when he already has momentum built up. There should never be a loop where Sonic needs to spin-dash to get through, or have a spring help him. And the rolling…there are times in the game that just scream for you to press down so Sonic can curl into a ball just to call back to the aerobatics of the Spring Yard Zone, but more than once I pressed down and Sonic just stopped dead in his tracks, especially if he was rolling down a wall. Once he hit the ground, he would just stop, do one of those pathetic “I can roll for half-a-second because I have no momentum” bits, and then I’d just stare at him as he was crouched down, looking at the ground for who knows what. Even so, Classic Sonic doesn’t feel broken. I can see myself in the future sitting down, popping in the disc and just randomly playing Sky Sanctuary or Speed Highway for the fun of it. Even if the physics aren’t one hundred percent there, the level design shines in ways it hasn’t for years. Since 1999, the only 2D fields we’ve really gotten are from DIMPS, and regardless of what side of the argument you fall on, you can’t argue that Sonic Rush is meant to be designed in any way like the classic games in terms of level layouts. SEGA has been so obsessed with the idea of showing off that Sonic is a speedy character that they seemingly forgot that, first and foremost, the Sonic games were platformers. Sometimes, you have to slow down. Even in the Genesis titles, there were times you just had to stop. The sense of speed was only something you gained if you became good at the game. Luckily, the 2D maps, for the most part, remember that. Yes, there are times where Classic Sonic is just running like there’s no tomorrow. But there’s also plenty of moments where he has to stop so he can jump on platforms, traverse obstacles, or even just run to the left of the screen. And the fact that there are numerous alternate paths, especially in those earlier levels? There’s actually a reason to play again. As for those moments where the momentum physics actually do work? They are incredible. Trying to run up a slope, failing, then going back a ways and finally being able to overcome it? There is something so rewarding about that. Of course, Classic Sonic is only one half of the coin (or should I say ring haha I made a joke). On the other side is Modern Sonic, in all of his lanky glory. Racing through stage after stage at blistering speed, if you’ve played through Sonic Colo(u)rs or the daytime stages to Sonic Unleashed, you know what to expect. Since Generations was built from Unleashed, there are a couple additions that were found in Colo(u)rs that are no longer present, such as the double jump, but on the other hand moves such as the quickstep are ready for Sonic to use at any time he’s in the 3D perspective, which can be nice. All in all, though, while there has been a subtle evolution of the way Modern Sonic controls, there isn’t anything all that new to it. If you’ve enjoyed the last two major releases, you’ll enjoy this. If you didn’t…well, you’re going to be forced to play through it anyway. At least one of the positives is that, unlike Unleashed, there are levels that aren’t just perilous hallways over a bottomless pit. Although it’s mostly in the earlier stages, it is nice to see Sonic fall and not die immediately. There were levels in Colo(u)rs that did the same thing, but its reassuring to know that SEGA is keeping in mind that not every level needs a million pits every five minutes. That’s not to say there are no pits…there are still way more then there should be. But at least they’re trying, right? Sadly, hitting boost to win still works way more than it should. The first couple times, you’ll careen off into the abyss, but running straight ahead and colliding into enemies without dying? Yes, I know that is how Modern Sonic works, but it still doesn’t feel right having the game play itself in these moments. I’m sure some people find it really cool to watch Sonic do all these incredible things with little input, but they shouldn’t be as prevalent as they are. It doesn’t annoy me as much as it did in Unleashed, though, and that may be because you can play through most of the game without constantly hitting boost, though it will certainly want you to. The urge can be resisted most of the time, but not always. There is one evolution of the style that exists in Colo(u)rs that luckily extends into this game, and that is the 2D segments of the levels. It helps add variety to the play style, and often takes advantage of the specific abilities Modern Sonic possesses. Of course, that isn’t always the case. One of the odd things I noticed the first time I played through Planet Wisp with Modern Sonic was that, during the 2D portions, I began to control Sonic just like I would Classic, and was doing so easily. I shook myself awake only when I realized that Sonic wasn’t staying curled up in a ball as he jumped and was able to get hit by enemies. Does this mean that Modern Sonic’s gameplay is actually stronger than what some would give it credit for? Or does it mean that SEGA bent their engine as far as it could go without building it from scratch to try and appease those still longing for a new experience in the vein of yesteryear? Either way, I was wholly unsettled by the experience. One aspect of the game itself which is less unsettling but more upsetting is the length. I know I’ve said that the earlier levels are some of the best, but you can replace “earlier” with “first half” and let it mean the same. With only nine levels, the core game goes by faster than Sonic, leaving you with wanting more. Sure, there are the numerous missions (which I’ll get to in just a second), but those missions are meant to be extra side quests for when I get bored, not be a way to force the game to be longer than five hours. I feel as though Sonic Team, when developing the game, had this great idea to split everything into threes (even though there are only two Sonics playable) and ignored anything that existed outside of this magic number. Would it have been so wrong to throw in at least one more level into each era? And if they were worried about repeating any games, it’s not like there is a shortage of Sonic titles in any of the three eras they defined. This game is built on obscurity, so why be afraid now? Of course, in any conversation about the level selection, you can’t avoid the “oh there are tons of city and green levels and nothing else.” And it’s hard not to argue that. The development team did make a concentrated effort to make sure that each was distinct, and I do give them credit for that. One of the major examples of that would have to be Classic Sonic’s version of Seaside Hill, which nearly begins in an underwater area reminiscent of Aquatic Ruin and Hydrocity. I was excited to see these nods to the classic underwater levels, but looking back, all I can really think about is how I’d have rather seen one of those levels transformed for Generations instead of relying on Seaside Hill for my underwater exploits. And Crisis City. Oh, poor poor Crisis City. You’re never going to get a break, will you? It’s ok as a classic level in terms of design, but even then there are some absolutely frustrating moments. I’m just thankful that not every level is laid out like that. The level arc does help point to something that I’ve seen mentioned elsewhere: the game follows the evolution of Sonic strangely well, with the Classic Era levels being considered great, the two Adventure title levels being good, Seaside Hill more often than not being forgettable, and Crisis City just reminding everyone why no one should be reminded of that game. Things start to pick up with Unleashed but just barely, and then finally everything is wrapped up in Planet Wisp, which also decides to take ten minutes to play through. It’s funny how Planet Wisp decides to remind me of one of the greatest moments in Hill Top Zone but then just a few steps later decides it must be the prerequisite Eggman base stage. I know that in Colo(u)rs the level was both the green level and an Eggman level, but even though it likes to give nods to Metropolis, I still can’t buy it as the penultimate encounter. I would have much rather preferred an amalgamation of Scrap Brain/Metropolis/Eggmanland leading up to the final boss than what we got. That’s not to say Wisp is bad. It’s not. It can be fun, if long. It just reminds me of something that isn’t there. Same as the Eggman airships that float above Rooftop Run. Even if they are used to artificially lengthen the game, I can not outright criticize the mission mode in the game. With ten missions in each level, half for each Sonic, they range from being fun to just infuriating. Some of them are simple time trials where you race against a ghost doppelganger, others feature the characters that you’ve saved through the rest of the game. Just like the homages to other levels in the main game, there are certain nods to past Sonic exploits that, while nice to see, make me suddenly want more. Seeing the classic version of Miles “Tails” Prower carry Sonic about as he flies through the sky makes me ask why they couldn’t slip in some 1.5 player action. SEGA does own the patent to it, after all. And the missions where you have to free Sonic’s animal friends from Egg Capsules? You bother to model and animate them for the game, yet you refuse to have them pop out of enemies when you destroy them. That confuses me more than anything. Regardless, they are fun to play, with some of them almost serving as a completely separate act of content. And who doesn’t love bouncing the Sonic signpost for all time? I feel weird saying this, but some of those missions are far more thought out than the one aspect of the gameplay that I haven’t mentioned – the boss fights. Including the final Time Eater boss at the end, there are seven, but all of them seem to be lacking something, with perhaps the exception of Perfect Chaos. The Metal Sonic and Death Egg Robot battles, though promising, end up finishing far too early. Shadow‘s encounter with Sonic proves frustrating since it’s the only boss fight that plays by slightly different rules. Silver‘s fight is leagues above how you fought him in Sonic 2006, but to be honest, that’s not a terribly difficult feat. And the Egg Dragoon…well, sadly it just feels generic, even if it shouldn’t. It’s the second time you get to fight Eggman, so it should feel like more than what it is. I don’t even want to get into the final boss, because no matter how nice the rest of the game is, the last boss will infuriate you like no other. I don’t understand how that is possible, since the three main bosses are all either the final or penultimate bosses of their respective games. They should know what makes a final battle work and last in the mind of the player. Not present something awkward that simply gets in the way of the final amusing cutscene of the game. One part of the game that I’d be hard pressed to find fault in, however, is the visual presentation of Generations. From the beautifully reimagined worlds of the game to the remixed soundtrack, it helps to fuel that nostalgia, but in a good way. The Green Hill Zone hasn’t looked this good since 1991, and seeing the Sky Sanctuary Zone full of cues from Marble Garden and Hidden Palace, all with the Death Egg looming in the background…I can forgive the fact that a level from the first half of Sonic 3 wasn’t included. Even the modern levels look as crisp as ever. Crisis City…well, Sonic Team did the best they could do with it. The level certainly looks like a half destroyed, lava-filled wasteland. Even the hub world is put together nicely, the levels coexisting in a white void, all with Sonic’s Apartment hiding out to the left filled to the brim with unlockable goodies. There are worse ways to waste a Saturday afternoon. And who could forget the soundtrack? So many musical cues merged together in a remixed, remastered package, I can not wait for an official release. While Sonic soundtracks are usually great, this one is able to rank up there, because of all the memorable themes the game is able to revisit. Being able to hear the original Sonic the Hedgehog theme once more is something I couldn’t be happier with. This review could go on for a while if I really wanted to. I could talk about how I wished other classic characters showed their face, or how I can’t get enough of the parrots in Sky Sanctuary, or how I get way too excited being able to now run through the parking garages of Speed Highway. I could even be ridiculous and ask why there wasn’t a “Saturn Era” in the game (c’mon, who wouldn’t want a section dedicated to Flickies’ Island, Sonic The Fighters and Sonic R?), but at the end of the day, all that really matters is if the game is fun or not. And just like I said before, yes, the game is fun. Some of it may be just nostalgia glasses, but that is what this game is trying to celebrate. Not many franchises have been able to exist for two decades with a steady stream of titles connected to it. And even though I went on at length about certain flaws in the game, none of them were truly game-breaking. At most, they are annoyances that crop up here and there. When you look at them all at once, yes, it can be frustrating. But just playing the game from beginning to end, you’d be hard pressed to not enjoy yourself at some point. It is definitely the best game since Sonic Adventure. I don’t know if I can say it is as good as Adventure or even better, though. There are moments where everything shines through perfectly, but others when the faults decide to break your concentration. And it is those moments that prevent the game from being as great as so many people wished it to be, or for that matter how great the team behind it hoped for. Still, if you’ve been a fan for the long haul, there is no reason why you shouldn’t go out and get a copy. The games have been steadily getting better, even if they haven’t reach that critically, commercially, and artistically acclaimed peak from the early 90’s. While it would be nice if Sonic Team could make a game that could best Sonic 3 & Knuckles, all that SEGA needs to do is focus on making solid titles that try to live up to a legacy with a team that no longer works for them. Sonic Generations is the closest they’ve come in a decade, and hopefully the next big release will bring them closer still. Just remember, Sonic’s 20th has now come and gone. You don’t have a deadline for the next one. …is it wrong that I’m still bothered by the fact there’s no Bridge Zone music in the game? SECOND OPINION by Slingerland: Everybody is saying that this game “shows great promise for the future” and is “a step in the right direction.” I hate to break it to you, but Sonic Generations is a one-off deal that’ll never be happening again anytime soon. Classic Sonic is going back into the vault and Iizuka is already looking to create a new Modern Sonic. This game only services the present and the past; reminding us of the crazy ride we’ve all been on. Sonic Team put all of their eggs into the presentation and fan-service baskets to win back the hardcore, yet jaded fans and the fans that haven’t paid attention in years. The marketing for Sonic Generations was nothing like we’ve seen before. It certainly worked. They’re paying attention now. However, nostalgia is a temporary fix unique to this game, a crutch that Sonic Team has been leaning on for the past few years. Bringing back Classic Sonic, Genesis stages and strictly 2D gameplay does not a good game make. These changes are simply cosmetic. Sonic Generations’ existence is conspicuously born from years of criticism and complaints, but the real ills with Sonic today still weren’t addressed. The remedy isn’t hermetically sealed in Green Hill Zone and has been apparent for over ten years; Sonic Team has no idea what’s wrong with its games on a fundamental level. Until they realize that tight controls, physics and level design ultimately trump presentation and nostalgia, we’ll continue to be stuck in our own Sonic purgatory. For having a mostly mediocre existence, Sonic gets an average adventure to celebrate with no indication on where he is headed. Sonic Generations is an inoffensive title that has frequent flashes of brilliance, but is once again hog-tied by legacy issues. Its strongest feature isn’t within the game, but rather, your memories. To read in detail what Slingerland thought of the game, check out his full review over at The Sonic Stadium.

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31 Comments

  • Reply

    In my opinion, this is the best 2D/3D Sonic game so far. 🙂

  • Reply

    It’s unbelievable how much MORE I enjoyed Sonic Colors, but I think everything you guys have said is spot on.

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    Having played the full game on a friend’s PS3, the excitement and disappointment continue in equal measure. Yes, great fun, but oh so frustrating when it all goes wrong. Odd glitches, physics problems, it’s all still there and sadly reminiscent in 2006.

    But the aesthetic presentation of the game is its strongest point by far. It is simply sublime. Chemical Plant Zone and Starlight Speedway (what little there was) are my personal highlights.

    It’s just galling to know that after this game, all that effort to recreate classic era gameplay and icons is going back in the vault, effectively.

    Sonic 4, Episode II is the clincher in the deal. If Sega don’t up their game for that, we’ll know that Generations was the one off lip service that Slingerland has described (and so eloquently, I might add).

    A shame as this should be a celebration, instead it feels like a wake, mourning the passing of Classic Sonic, perhaps forever.

  • Reply

    Quite frankly, I like Modern Sonic much better than Classic Sonic in this game. Everyone here was concerned that Modern Sonic would become the Wherehog, but for me Classic Sonic is. I’m looking forward to the next Sonic game, without Classic Sonic.

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    While I’d agree the game is nice to look at, I felt a lot during my play through that it was too nice to look at. It’s easy to spot all the details in the background you would normally miss due to the game’s speed when the game sputters and struggles to run on my 2007 Laptop.

    Is it me, or is SEGA and Sonic Team focusing more on how the games look and how it looks in motion then it does on how the player controls that motion? Might explain all the scripted segments.

    The game did impress me, despite my handicap of playing the PC version. The Hub World never got boring; transversing it never felt like a chore like many hub worlds suffer from. It’s almost on par with traversing Peach’s castle when selecting levels and the mission select feels nicer then the mission select in previous games like Sonic Adventure 2 (though obviously not as easy as a menu screen).

    I just really wish I could play as the side characters in the missions that used them, instead of just relying on calling them out.

  • Reply

    Definitely agree with the notion that the bosses are lacking. One odd thing was that Time Eater became a hair more bearable if I stayed in 3D exclusively and changed the music to “Endless Possibility.” Still the worst final boss in 3D Sonic though.

    And while this game was fun and offered some interesting ideas, I’m still saddened that most of the ideas are buried behind a blatant mask of nostalgia instead of a game with its own new levels. The reimaginings certainly aren’t bad, at least early on, but the later stages feel lacking, especially when you look at Planet Wisp and Rooftop Run.

    That said, Modern Sonic is on point in how he works. I have much more fun playing through his stages and being able to dick around and not boost all over the place. His 3D platform is surprisingly on point, a stark contrast from his 3D platforming segments in Unleashed (hard due to slippery controls or because it was mostly lazy homing attack chains.)

    This isn’t to say Classic Sonic was bad, as he had his own unique takes on the later levels. The only real complaint I had was how odd the jump was. It feels lower than it should and jumps that should easily be made aren’t unless you’ve got a little momentum.

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    This game was great. But for the most part it came down to the fact that I expected to be given crap

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    I’m hoping by Christmas the price will have gone down so I can buy the game. Seriously, I just wanna run through Green Hill in FRICKING HD. And Modern makes it ok. Green Hill in 3D is awesome.

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    I’m feeling that the Rival battles were more enjoyable than the boss battles. Really dissapointed. At least has more variety than in Colors.

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    Whenever the “sloppiness” of the 3D platforming is brought up I am oh so very confused. Maybe I’m just really good at the game, but I had no problems with it at all, and I enjoyed Crsis City sans lava stomping.

    The amount of bottomless pits is also entirely exaggerated; the final level, does not even contain ANY bottomless pits (perhaps 2) once you get into the factory section. There are also maybe all of 2 pits in Rooftop Run. The only levels where they are frequent are Crisis City, Sky Sanctuary (but if you fall off you’re retarded sorry), and Seaside Hill *see: Sky Sanctuary)

    Also, the sidestep segments are the weakest part of modern Sonic; they are glorified QTEs and are quite shallow.

  • Reply

    Best Sonic game so far? No, Colors was much better in terms of length, gameplay and writing. But I do enjoy Generations a lot and I like that other people do too. It’s just, way too easy to beat and get all Sranks on. Hell, I have every achievement in the game already.

  • Reply

    WHY IS EVERYONE COMPLAINING ABOUT CRISIS CITY!! THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT IN GENERATIONS!!

    And for a site dedicated to how good sonic is you seem rater eager to criticise modern sonic, even for stuff I never had trouble with.

    And I would have liked some stuff from black knight or secret rings. To be honest there’s a good chance we will get DLC with stuff like that though so fingers crossed.

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    I don’t agree on ENTIRELY all of the points, but I think this is a pretty fair review of the game nonetheless. It is definitely not an outstanding game, (Colors currently ranks higher in my mind, although I’m not entirely certain yet what it is that Colors has that Generations does not) and I was honestly kind of disappointed by the plot, but Generations sure as heck no where near a bad game. So at the end of the day, it really pretty much works out for everybody in some shape or form, and I think that with Generations, that was entirely the intent, so Sega pretty much succeeded on that point. 🙂

    And no matter how you look at it, Generations still continues the trend of Sonic games being more…how shall I say it…refined, and more enjoyable. And because of it, there is hope for the franchise yet. It’s way too early to say it’s on it’s way back to greatness, because it probably isn’t.

    But who knows. Maybe Sega will one day surprise us. And Generations just says to me that this is becoming more likely than we probably give them credit for.

  • Reply

    Man, all of these reviews on Sonic Generations have been getting me pretty pumped into buying the game. . . . If I had a console of choice or a proper computer to play said game in 60 fps.
    I gotta say though, a lot of these aspects and issues that I’ve read from both David and Brad’s reviews are certainly going to be remembered once I get a hold of a controller or a proper graphics card (or both). I hate knowing that I had to spoil the game early when I shouldn’t of, so I’ve already seen what both are talking about. . . . which could be “bad”? I don’t know, but really, I shouldn’t care just yet.

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    With the exception of some object blinking in and out of existence, i didnt really have many problems with the game. I really am just a person who can look through the faults and just enjoy the game. I will however not say the same thing about sonic labyrinth, shuffle, or 06.

  • Reply

    I didn’t care for Seaside Hill and Crisis City the first time I played ’em, but every subsequent playthrough I’ve gotten better and better, and now they both rank right up there as some of my favorites.

    I don’t know, guys. So many reviewers have bashed the game, calling the early levels the best, looking at the Genesis stages through rose-colored glasses. And don’t get me wrong. Sonic 3 & Knuckles is still the best game I’ve ever played.

    But I had high, high, HIGH hopes for Generations. I’ve been pumped about this game since it was announced. And it didn’t let me down.

    Of course, I adored the daytime stages in Unleashed, and was even able to squeeze a modicum of fun out of Sonic ’06. Adding to that, I’m not nearly as jaded as most of my fellow older fans.

  • Reply

    I just finished the game an hour ago. I both love it and hate it at the same time. The first 3rd of the game I absolutely adored and loved. The 2nd third was pretty cool. Speed Highway was excellent. Its was at seaside hill where I got frustrated for the first time and the game started to go down hill. Then came Crisis City… God do I hate that zone. Its just as bad as it was back in the day. It was at this point that I felt like I was now playing an entirely different game. I was frustrated and miserable for the most of the second half of the game, but absolutely loved the first half. How bizarre. There also was no flow or consistency to the game. Take sonic 3 and knuckles for example. Everything flowed so perfectly and the zones transitioned into each other. In generations you are just jumping from place to place.

    This game could have been so much better. I’m actually somewhat disappointed.

  • Reply

    I just finished the game and I liked it alot! the only thing I have to freak out about was the final boss. I mean that thing was so rediculous to beat i seriously took 2 hours to try to use the homing attack to hit the thing. I ended up looking it up and it turned out that it did nothing!? I seriously had an AVGN moment at that point and ended up beating it on my final life. Looking forward to episode 2!

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    “Of course, if you’re reading this review in the first place, more than likely you’ve already at least played the demo, if not outright own and unlocked everything within.”

    Oh, I’d love to have done so, but unfortunately I bought it on PC. The configuration tool doesn’t recognize that my computer even has a graphics adapter, meaning I can’t run the game, and that’s only an improvement from the pre-patched state in which the configuration tool wouldn’t run in the first place. $20 lost. (Well, $30, but it did come with S3&K and 3D Blast, so.)

  • Reply

    This game is really good, its just missing a couple of things that could’ve have put it over the top:

    1. More levels, it is just too short and I would have loved to have seen Mystic Ruins, Casino Night, and Angle Island. How cool would it have been running through a burning island in HD. The should have also made Starlight Speedway its own level, with each Sonic having to race Metal Sonic. If you have seen the ending of Sonic CD, you know how cool it would have been with modern Sonic racing Metal. Added bonus if they played “Sonic Boom” for the race.

    2. More bosses. They should have included the end boss for each level in both classic mode and modern. It would have been seeing how modern sonic would take on robotnik swinging the ball and chain.

    3. Special stages, they could have included an updated version of all the special stages throughout the franchise (one of each version).

    4. At one point in the game Mario should have come out and given Sonic a high five and commented on the olympics or something. Cue classic Sonic with jaw dropped not believing what he is seeing. hmmmm…. maybe just this cutscene alone would’ve put the game over the top.

    But overall a very good game, I hope they come out with a lot of DL content soon.

  • Reply

    This review seems to show that the game is exactly what I was expecting.
    Well, better than what I’m expecting but still the same crud.

    The demo really puts me in a bad mood, the physics and level design of the 2D sections just gripe me to no end.

    I still want the nostalgia though and I’m still a Sonic fan at heart but the game just doesn’t give me that speed rush I expect and want from a sonic game.

    The 3D sections do feel nice though from what I’ve tried, I almost wish they just did that and nothing else.
    Which is weird really.

    So ya, waiting for this to pop up in the bargain bin before I spend money on a four boss nostalgia teaser game. :/
    Its worth getting but not right away is what this review tells me.

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    I enjoyed the game, some of the classic sections were fantastic but at the same time sonics jumping response felt slow which really annoyed me.. 3D sections were also good but corners in a 3D sonic game have never worked and watching sonic bounce off them like a retarded stiff just frustrates the hell outta me..

    The bosses were absolutely terrible to play, but the rival bosses were more fun needless to say were still average at best!

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    Super Sonic’s rings drain faster than they should (like 2-3 every second), and Classic Super Sonic doesn’t go as fast and doesn’t jump as high as he should.

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    A fair review, I have to say.  I’ve been enjoying the game thus far, up to the broken tedium that is Perfect Chaos…  Then I remember that I have to play levels as Modern Sonic and I become very disappointed.

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    You know, Even though Slingerland has a point, if Sonic Team made another game like this, even without Classic Sonic it’d still be good to me. Just make it longer and continue to tweak the system til’ it truly works. We can’t keep saying that we want the old days back. Times have change.
    I say this while in the back of my head I know we’ll be getting a completely new Sonic in the future, so only time will tell.

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    I was disappointed with how short this game is, how easy the bosses were(The Sonic 4 version of the Death Egg Robot was 100 times better), how annoying the final boss was and some of those missions. Everything else was great, except.that classic remix of Seaside Hill and there were few references to the portable games. Not even a Bridge Zone remake for the soundtrack! That 3Ds version better have the Biolizard and some level/boss from the portable games…

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      3DS version confirmed for no portable stage levels. The closest you’ll get is that Green Hill’s background is more a nod to Sonic 1 on the Game Gear, but even then, that’s a port from the Master System.

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    speaking of scripted segments, the way the rings would come out and sonic would get up after being hurt just made me squirm every time

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    Great review, but honestly the only stage i found disappointing (frustating) is modern crisis city. And modern seaside hill is awesome,too.

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    Amazing game! I had so much fun playing it, it’s almost a crime.
    Both Sonics are good. If the Modern Sonic formula they presented us in this game is what we’ll be having for the future, I AM HAPPY WITH IT. Classic Sonic was classic, that’s it. As long as the community keep supplying users with awesome hacks and fan games that reminds me of how Sonic was in the Genesis era, i can live happily with whatever SEGA put Modern Sonic in.

    Favorite levels with Classic Sonic: Sky Sanctuary, City Escape, Crysis City and Rooftop Run. “+A Platforming.”
    Favorite levels with Modern Sonic: Green Hills, City Escape, Crysis City and Planet Wisp. “Just plain fun running with bits of platforming, tighly put in the right places.”

    It’s strange how Green Hills and Chemical Plant (supposedly the most nostalgia-inducing levels?) play so freaking bad with Classic Sonic. Green Hills does its best to show all of the physic flaws and scripted-bullshit in the game. It’s like they are telling you “Yo, seeing this? Better get used to it, ‘coz that’s how the game will play from now on!”.
    Chemical Plant feels laggy and is SOOOO busy, you’ll find yourself being pushed around by springs without knowing what the hell is going on. (This is incredibly fixed in Modern’s run through the stage.)
    The rest of the levels are neutral, IMO. They aren’t amazing nor genius like those i fave’d. It’s just fun and run; Enjoy your damned game already!
    Keep in mind that i wrote all of this with unique IMO© technology; Thus you should not take it too seriously, as it is an experimental technology and may cause varied (But expected.) results.

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    “Crysis City”? That has got to be the coolest misspelling I’ve ever seen. Just think; Crysis mixed with Sonic! Get on it, Microsoft/Sega!

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