I have taken the time to review this highly-anticipated gem. This applies to the console versions.
*Note: Minor spoilers. (Stages and bosses that have already been revealed)
It's hard to believe Sonic is 20 years old, eh? From humble beginnings on the Genesis in 16-bit glory and now being in epic 3D form. But he hasn't had the smoothest few years though, many would say. Sonic 06 was a disappointing mess, Sonic Unleashed's wherehog angered many, his spin-offs weren't the best, and I despise Sonic 4. BUT all that changed once Sonic finally got it right with Sonic Colors, back on the Wii released last year. And for his latest outing, SEGA has kept the awesome gameplay of Colors and combine it with some awesome classic gameplay to make a 20th-anniversary game he truly deserves: Sonic Generations. But... is it another disappointment?
So, how did today's Modern Sonic meet up with chubby li'l Classic Sonic? It starts off with Sonic (Modern) celebrating his 20th birthday with his friends (the whole gang is there: Tails, Knuckles, Amy, e'rybody). It's going good, Sonic's eating a chili dog, everybody is talking with good voice actors, when suddenly, a giant purple monster guy who is called the Time Eater comes and captures all of them. Why? Because he f*ckin' can. It isn't long before Sonic wakes up in a weird place looks familiar to him, and after he finds Tails, they do some investigating. But of course, they eventually cross paths with... themselves!... of the past. That's when Tails and Tails piece together that they are in a weird place with no time and Sonic is met with places from his past, ranging from Sonic the Hedgehog on Genesis all the way to the recent Sonic Colors. And so, the only way to return time to these places is to run really fast through each place and restore time with SONIC SPEED! It doesn't do much - in fact, you could call it rather weak - but it gives us an excuse for both Sonics to meet up and for us to replay past stages with both Genesis-era gameplay and modern-era gameplay (and it doesn't really matter, Sonic's main focus shouldn't be story). Good enough.
There are 2 different styles of gameplay going on here. Classic Sonic has gameplay reminiscent of his Genesis days, but with 3D graphics and high-definition. Gameplay remains very similar to, well, Sonic the Hedgehog on Genesis (as stated about 20 times already in this review so far). You jump, run with circle-y legs, and cannot homing attack. Y'know, the Sonic everyone loves. You can perform the famous spin dash with a simple press of the square button without having to hold down and furiously smash jump, which is quite an improvement surprisingly, as it makes the overall pace of the game faster, which is important in a Sonic game. Sonic also takes a bit more time to hit top speed in Generations, making this improvement feel like more of an improvement. And improvements should feel like improvements. Kind of why they are improvements.
Modern Sonic is the fast and furious guy. Taking after gameplay that originated in Sonic Unleashed, he simply runs fast, faster, FASTER, FASTER! With emphasis on speed (in case you haven't figured this out yet), he must get to the goal as quickly as he can. Holding square allows you to boost with insane amounts of speed, until of course your meter runs out. Collecting rings, defeating enemies, and performing tricks can help ensure your gauge remains full and you can run as fast as you can. Unlike his pudgey companion, he can, infact, use a homing attack on enemies, which is rather useful for him, because you will need the extra precision when you can get it. It's so blistering fast you might not even be able to control him! But aside from the control issues, it's still a fast and hella fun ride.
And with 2 different gameplays going on hurr, we have varying level designs. Classic Sonic has - get ready for it - level design similar to Genesis games! With a focus on 2D platforming and not just running bloody fast, you will reach a goal post by finding the best route and avoiding evil traps. The faster you complete the level, the higher your rank, so those hidden routes are important. Some of these can only be reached through some well-timed jumps, while others involve bouncing on enemies to reach new heights or cross secret gaps. However, there is the occassional platform that feels just out of reach, which will annoy some and causes some aggrivation occasionally. Enemy placement could also be better. But aside from that, there isn't much wrong.
With Modern Sonic, there's a lesser focus on platforming and more focus on SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED! Lots of straight paths, some curves here and there, and plenty of jumps and such. At the end of each stage is a goal ring you run into and you finish, yay! Again, faster times mean faster ranks. And, of course, there are alternate paths, most of them requiring quick reflexes and some fast button pressing. Unlike Classic Sonic, Mr. Modern here can go into both 3D and 2D, like a boss. His 3D segments mostly involve lots of running, while 2D is where he does most of his platforming. However, oddly enough, Sonic doesn't control that well when he's just slowly walking or jogging, which makes 3D platforming segments or maneuvering difficult when he isn't going fast. His 2D platforming isn't top-notch either: in Colors, he had the double jump which could make these parts easier, but this isn't in Generations, which is a surprisingly noticeable change in how well you can platform. But of course, once you're going fast and furious and know what you're doing, you shan't be having many to any problems.
Now, time for a bit of a discussion about these gameplays. Now, when you are first playing each stage, first playthrough, it may seem horrible to you: bad controls, bad level design, etc etc. But that's because you need to actually play a bit. I thought the same thing at first, you know, thinking these were some bad level designs, but after playing through them some more, and got the hang of things, there felt pretty well done. Sonic has those games where you need to get a feel for the level and play it a couple times to actually get used to and appreciate it. And this is really applicable to most of his games, even his Genesis titles.
As mentioned previously, the way to obtain an S rank - the highest ranking possible in an act - is to complete a level as fast as you can. The amount of rings you have is a minor influence on your final rank. However, no matter how fast you beat a stage, it's impossible to obtain an S unless you get a Perfect Bonus - that is, complete the stage without death. This makes the focus on trying to memorize hidden paths and where you can be safe from danger more important. While not necessary for obtaining a high rank, you are also scored by points you obtain (by defeating enemies, collecting rings, etc), which is nice for those who like to compare scores with friends and go for top score. Sonic Generations features plenty of reason to come back to a stage - which is good, as it has a short main game (about 5-6 hours long). Each act also contains 5 Red Rings to obtain, hidden within a stage and often located in secret paths. Collecting them can earn you collectibles and extra skills (both of which will explained more in-depth later in the review).
Now, what are these levels? There are 3 eras, each with 3 zones, each zone with 2 acts (1 act of Classic, 1 act of Modern), equalling 18 acts/levels. The 3 eras are Classic (Sonic 1, 2, and 3/Knuckles), Dreamcast (Adventure 1, 2 and for some reason Heroes), and Modern (the not-to-be-mentioned game, Unleashed, and Colors). Representing Classic is Green Hill (Sonic 1), Chemical Plant (S2), and Sky Sanctuary (S3/&K). Dreamcast has Speed Highway (SA1), City Escape (SA2), and Seaside Hill (SH). Modern is with Crisis City (06), Rooftop Run (SU), and Planet Wisp (Colors). All of them have been beautifully remade in 2D and 3D, and some even have a few gimmicks found within the original versions of the levels (for example, in Seaside Hill, you can use a bobsled), plus, since every stage is remade from the ground up, no glitches (looking at you, Crisis City)! It's also interesting that some stages even incorporate some ideas from other stages not used (Sky Sanctuary has those weird platformy things you run on that were in Marble Garden zone from Sonic 3). The way the stages are remade makes them feel both familiar and brand new, which is a very nice plus.
For the first time in some time, I feel proud to say that the boss fights were quite nice and not repetitive. You are up against 3 rival battles and 3 bosses, one for each era. Your rivals consist of Metal Sonic, Shadow, and Silver, with bosses being Death Egg Robo, Perfect Chaos, and Egg Dragoon. You can fight a boss once you collect the 3 boss gate keys located in the era. Each battle is quite different from their originals and are varied from each other: no more fighting the same boss multiple times! They are all quite fun and awesome. Plus, they don't have annoying catch phrases (You know what they say, the more the merrier!). The only problems I have is that some are too easy, and a couple are too short. I would kind of wish they had more length and difficulty.
Next topic we shall discuss: challenges! Once you complete every stage in an era, you have access to multiple different challenges. There are 5 in each zone for each Sonic, meaning 30 in each era, so you have 90 different challenges in total to complete. They range from racing your evil clone or having to complete a stage in a certain time. Sadly, the challenges are mostly hit or miss; some can be clever and pretty fun, others are bland or just plain annoying. I mean, one challenge involves pressing triangle to have Knuckles come out of nowhere and dig and look for coins... that's not fun. But when they are done right, they are, indeed, done right. A certain mission in Crisis City with Vector, who throws you across platforms, is well implemented. While completing every one of these challenges is optional, you'll need to complete at least one for each zone so you can get a boss gate key to take on the boss, so you'll have to beat at least 9 of them, which is bad in no way whatsoever. Completing a challenge has a bell appear over the gate leading to it that, once hit, has a music note float about. Grabbing it gives you a collectible as well (which, again, is to be explained more in-depth later on).
As expected within a 20th anniversary game, there are various collectibles and memorabilia to obtain within Generations. Previously mentioned was the fact these are obtained through finding Red Rings and beating challenges. The most common find is art, which has some concept art and many different cool-looking drawings of things in the game. You can find music from past games as well - all of his past games! What's cool about music though is that there's an option to the change the music of any stage you please with any music you please. You can play Green Hill zone while listening to Sonic Boom! The other two things in the collection room are character biographies (obtained once you encounter that character) and movies (obtained by viewing a cutscene). Plenty of collectibles mean plenty of replay and fun to have in the game!
A feature used in some previous spin-offs of the series is the idea of skills. Basically, you can equip up to 100 points of skills that enhance Sonic's abilities, such as making him faster or giving him a shield. Skills are purchased at the skill shop for skill points, and there are 4 different skill sets that you cah have. More skills are found by completing certain challenges and collecting Red Rings, for example one that allows infinite boosts, but you can only take 1 hit before dying. The skills are a nice edition, and don't really mess with the gameplay, and if you don't like them, don't equip them: they are completely optional.
Let's discuss the music of this game. I love it. I really love it. I really, really love it. The game features bloody awesome remixes of some already awesome songs. I could go on for quite some time going through every track and saying what I like about it. Generations simply has one of the best video game soundtracks I ever heard, from it's new and remixed music to the returning classics. Sonic has always been known for awesome soundtracks, and Generations is no different. Visually, the game looks fantastic: incredible detail has been placed into some of these stages, and are all beautifully remastered from their original forms. The Hedgehog Engine really makes the game look great.
Pros:
*It's not a disappointing anniversary game!
*Two different, but awesome, gameplay styles.
*Encourages replaying stages.
*Ranking system worked in well.
*Plenty of collectibles.
*Plenty of well-remade stages.
*Bosses don't suck.
*Plenty of good challenges.
*Well-used skill system.
*Epic soundtrack.
*Great visuals.
Cons:
*Story is mostly filler.
*Main game is short.
*Modern Sonic doesn't control as well as in recent titles.
*Bosses, however, are sometimes a tad short or too easy.
*Some challenges are rubbish or rather meh.
Score Breakdown:
*Presentation: Colorful
*Gameplay: 9
*Replay: 9
*Graphics: 9
*Sound: 10
*Story: 6.5
Final Score: 9
Sonic is slowly returning to glory. After the successful Sonic Colors and another A+ title with Generations, it's safe to say he's getting back up there. The few issues of this game are easily overlooked by this blistering speed and awesome that is Sonic, and with Classic Sonic bringing Genesis gameplay, all fans, old and new, can be pleased.
*Note: Minor spoilers. (Stages and bosses that have already been revealed)
It's hard to believe Sonic is 20 years old, eh? From humble beginnings on the Genesis in 16-bit glory and now being in epic 3D form. But he hasn't had the smoothest few years though, many would say. Sonic 06 was a disappointing mess, Sonic Unleashed's wherehog angered many, his spin-offs weren't the best, and I despise Sonic 4. BUT all that changed once Sonic finally got it right with Sonic Colors, back on the Wii released last year. And for his latest outing, SEGA has kept the awesome gameplay of Colors and combine it with some awesome classic gameplay to make a 20th-anniversary game he truly deserves: Sonic Generations. But... is it another disappointment?
Mandatory shuttle loop image
So, how did today's Modern Sonic meet up with chubby li'l Classic Sonic? It starts off with Sonic (Modern) celebrating his 20th birthday with his friends (the whole gang is there: Tails, Knuckles, Amy, e'rybody). It's going good, Sonic's eating a chili dog, everybody is talking with good voice actors, when suddenly, a giant purple monster guy who is called the Time Eater comes and captures all of them. Why? Because he f*ckin' can. It isn't long before Sonic wakes up in a weird place looks familiar to him, and after he finds Tails, they do some investigating. But of course, they eventually cross paths with... themselves!... of the past. That's when Tails and Tails piece together that they are in a weird place with no time and Sonic is met with places from his past, ranging from Sonic the Hedgehog on Genesis all the way to the recent Sonic Colors. And so, the only way to return time to these places is to run really fast through each place and restore time with SONIC SPEED! It doesn't do much - in fact, you could call it rather weak - but it gives us an excuse for both Sonics to meet up and for us to replay past stages with both Genesis-era gameplay and modern-era gameplay (and it doesn't really matter, Sonic's main focus shouldn't be story). Good enough.
There are 2 different styles of gameplay going on here. Classic Sonic has gameplay reminiscent of his Genesis days, but with 3D graphics and high-definition. Gameplay remains very similar to, well, Sonic the Hedgehog on Genesis (as stated about 20 times already in this review so far). You jump, run with circle-y legs, and cannot homing attack. Y'know, the Sonic everyone loves. You can perform the famous spin dash with a simple press of the square button without having to hold down and furiously smash jump, which is quite an improvement surprisingly, as it makes the overall pace of the game faster, which is important in a Sonic game. Sonic also takes a bit more time to hit top speed in Generations, making this improvement feel like more of an improvement. And improvements should feel like improvements. Kind of why they are improvements.
umad, Metal Sonic?
Modern Sonic is the fast and furious guy. Taking after gameplay that originated in Sonic Unleashed, he simply runs fast, faster, FASTER, FASTER! With emphasis on speed (in case you haven't figured this out yet), he must get to the goal as quickly as he can. Holding square allows you to boost with insane amounts of speed, until of course your meter runs out. Collecting rings, defeating enemies, and performing tricks can help ensure your gauge remains full and you can run as fast as you can. Unlike his pudgey companion, he can, infact, use a homing attack on enemies, which is rather useful for him, because you will need the extra precision when you can get it. It's so blistering fast you might not even be able to control him! But aside from the control issues, it's still a fast and hella fun ride.
And with 2 different gameplays going on hurr, we have varying level designs. Classic Sonic has - get ready for it - level design similar to Genesis games! With a focus on 2D platforming and not just running bloody fast, you will reach a goal post by finding the best route and avoiding evil traps. The faster you complete the level, the higher your rank, so those hidden routes are important. Some of these can only be reached through some well-timed jumps, while others involve bouncing on enemies to reach new heights or cross secret gaps. However, there is the occassional platform that feels just out of reach, which will annoy some and causes some aggrivation occasionally. Enemy placement could also be better. But aside from that, there isn't much wrong.
With Modern Sonic, there's a lesser focus on platforming and more focus on SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED! Lots of straight paths, some curves here and there, and plenty of jumps and such. At the end of each stage is a goal ring you run into and you finish, yay! Again, faster times mean faster ranks. And, of course, there are alternate paths, most of them requiring quick reflexes and some fast button pressing. Unlike Classic Sonic, Mr. Modern here can go into both 3D and 2D, like a boss. His 3D segments mostly involve lots of running, while 2D is where he does most of his platforming. However, oddly enough, Sonic doesn't control that well when he's just slowly walking or jogging, which makes 3D platforming segments or maneuvering difficult when he isn't going fast. His 2D platforming isn't top-notch either: in Colors, he had the double jump which could make these parts easier, but this isn't in Generations, which is a surprisingly noticeable change in how well you can platform. But of course, once you're going fast and furious and know what you're doing, you shan't be having many to any problems.
Truck you.
Now, time for a bit of a discussion about these gameplays. Now, when you are first playing each stage, first playthrough, it may seem horrible to you: bad controls, bad level design, etc etc. But that's because you need to actually play a bit. I thought the same thing at first, you know, thinking these were some bad level designs, but after playing through them some more, and got the hang of things, there felt pretty well done. Sonic has those games where you need to get a feel for the level and play it a couple times to actually get used to and appreciate it. And this is really applicable to most of his games, even his Genesis titles.
As mentioned previously, the way to obtain an S rank - the highest ranking possible in an act - is to complete a level as fast as you can. The amount of rings you have is a minor influence on your final rank. However, no matter how fast you beat a stage, it's impossible to obtain an S unless you get a Perfect Bonus - that is, complete the stage without death. This makes the focus on trying to memorize hidden paths and where you can be safe from danger more important. While not necessary for obtaining a high rank, you are also scored by points you obtain (by defeating enemies, collecting rings, etc), which is nice for those who like to compare scores with friends and go for top score. Sonic Generations features plenty of reason to come back to a stage - which is good, as it has a short main game (about 5-6 hours long). Each act also contains 5 Red Rings to obtain, hidden within a stage and often located in secret paths. Collecting them can earn you collectibles and extra skills (both of which will explained more in-depth later in the review).
Now, what are these levels? There are 3 eras, each with 3 zones, each zone with 2 acts (1 act of Classic, 1 act of Modern), equalling 18 acts/levels. The 3 eras are Classic (Sonic 1, 2, and 3/Knuckles), Dreamcast (Adventure 1, 2 and for some reason Heroes), and Modern (the not-to-be-mentioned game, Unleashed, and Colors). Representing Classic is Green Hill (Sonic 1), Chemical Plant (S2), and Sky Sanctuary (S3/&K). Dreamcast has Speed Highway (SA1), City Escape (SA2), and Seaside Hill (SH). Modern is with Crisis City (06), Rooftop Run (SU), and Planet Wisp (Colors). All of them have been beautifully remade in 2D and 3D, and some even have a few gimmicks found within the original versions of the levels (for example, in Seaside Hill, you can use a bobsled), plus, since every stage is remade from the ground up, no glitches (looking at you, Crisis City)! It's also interesting that some stages even incorporate some ideas from other stages not used (Sky Sanctuary has those weird platformy things you run on that were in Marble Garden zone from Sonic 3). The way the stages are remade makes them feel both familiar and brand new, which is a very nice plus.
Sonic Generations is barrels of fun!
For the first time in some time, I feel proud to say that the boss fights were quite nice and not repetitive. You are up against 3 rival battles and 3 bosses, one for each era. Your rivals consist of Metal Sonic, Shadow, and Silver, with bosses being Death Egg Robo, Perfect Chaos, and Egg Dragoon. You can fight a boss once you collect the 3 boss gate keys located in the era. Each battle is quite different from their originals and are varied from each other: no more fighting the same boss multiple times! They are all quite fun and awesome. Plus, they don't have annoying catch phrases (You know what they say, the more the merrier!). The only problems I have is that some are too easy, and a couple are too short. I would kind of wish they had more length and difficulty.
Next topic we shall discuss: challenges! Once you complete every stage in an era, you have access to multiple different challenges. There are 5 in each zone for each Sonic, meaning 30 in each era, so you have 90 different challenges in total to complete. They range from racing your evil clone or having to complete a stage in a certain time. Sadly, the challenges are mostly hit or miss; some can be clever and pretty fun, others are bland or just plain annoying. I mean, one challenge involves pressing triangle to have Knuckles come out of nowhere and dig and look for coins... that's not fun. But when they are done right, they are, indeed, done right. A certain mission in Crisis City with Vector, who throws you across platforms, is well implemented. While completing every one of these challenges is optional, you'll need to complete at least one for each zone so you can get a boss gate key to take on the boss, so you'll have to beat at least 9 of them, which is bad in no way whatsoever. Completing a challenge has a bell appear over the gate leading to it that, once hit, has a music note float about. Grabbing it gives you a collectible as well (which, again, is to be explained more in-depth later on).
As expected within a 20th anniversary game, there are various collectibles and memorabilia to obtain within Generations. Previously mentioned was the fact these are obtained through finding Red Rings and beating challenges. The most common find is art, which has some concept art and many different cool-looking drawings of things in the game. You can find music from past games as well - all of his past games! What's cool about music though is that there's an option to the change the music of any stage you please with any music you please. You can play Green Hill zone while listening to Sonic Boom! The other two things in the collection room are character biographies (obtained once you encounter that character) and movies (obtained by viewing a cutscene). Plenty of collectibles mean plenty of replay and fun to have in the game!
A feature used in some previous spin-offs of the series is the idea of skills. Basically, you can equip up to 100 points of skills that enhance Sonic's abilities, such as making him faster or giving him a shield. Skills are purchased at the skill shop for skill points, and there are 4 different skill sets that you cah have. More skills are found by completing certain challenges and collecting Red Rings, for example one that allows infinite boosts, but you can only take 1 hit before dying. The skills are a nice edition, and don't really mess with the gameplay, and if you don't like them, don't equip them: they are completely optional.
Let's discuss the music of this game. I love it. I really love it. I really, really love it. The game features bloody awesome remixes of some already awesome songs. I could go on for quite some time going through every track and saying what I like about it. Generations simply has one of the best video game soundtracks I ever heard, from it's new and remixed music to the returning classics. Sonic has always been known for awesome soundtracks, and Generations is no different. Visually, the game looks fantastic: incredible detail has been placed into some of these stages, and are all beautifully remastered from their original forms. The Hedgehog Engine really makes the game look great.
Pros:
*It's not a disappointing anniversary game!
*Two different, but awesome, gameplay styles.
*Encourages replaying stages.
*Ranking system worked in well.
*Plenty of collectibles.
*Plenty of well-remade stages.
*Bosses don't suck.
*Plenty of good challenges.
*Well-used skill system.
*Epic soundtrack.
*Great visuals.
Cons:
*Story is mostly filler.
*Main game is short.
*Modern Sonic doesn't control as well as in recent titles.
*Bosses, however, are sometimes a tad short or too easy.
*Some challenges are rubbish or rather meh.
Score Breakdown:
*Presentation: Colorful
*Gameplay: 9
*Replay: 9
*Graphics: 9
*Sound: 10
*Story: 6.5
Final Score: 9
Sonic is slowly returning to glory. After the successful Sonic Colors and another A+ title with Generations, it's safe to say he's getting back up there. The few issues of this game are easily overlooked by this blistering speed and awesome that is Sonic, and with Classic Sonic bringing Genesis gameplay, all fans, old and new, can be pleased.
Last edited by zmanrwks on Sun Nov 06, 2011 7:06 am; edited 1 time in total
