It's a millennial rite of passage to realize this game is ass, just as realizing "Spaceballs" sucks was one for the generation before us.
The quintessential game you played when you weren't allowed to play many of the good ones yet.
The quintessential game you played when you weren't allowed to play many of the good ones yet.
O segundo jogo de Sonic no mundo 3D consegue ser ainda mais chato e desinteressante.
A trilha sonora é um destaque positivíssimo, inclusive um dos pontos altos do jogo. Diferente do primeiro, abandonei.
A trilha sonora é um destaque positivíssimo, inclusive um dos pontos altos do jogo. Diferente do primeiro, abandonei.
LIVE AND LEARN
Overrated. I've only like the Shadow and sonic Stages. Everything else was not good. The music was good though.
FOLLOW ME, SET ME FREE, TRUST ME AND WE WILL ESCAPE FROM THE CITY
Man I just do not like this game at all, most of the levels were so frustrating to me that it just became a chore to play.
A really solid improvement over the original. I do prefer the Dark Story over the Hero one, and I do think that it hasn't aged very well in a few places, and, I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion, but I really did not like the Knuckles stages gameplay wise. I think this game could benefit from a modern remake to just touch up some of the dated stuff but otherwise, the story is good, every other type of level is fun, the bosses are cool, and the music is amazing!
Really like this one.
Really like this one.
This game introduced so much to the Sonic franchise like grading you at the end of a stage, Shadow and Rouge, and a fucking fantastic story that goes over themes like overcoming your past mistakes and achieving a better future, nature vs artificiality, and of course Hero vs Dark. The fact that a dumb blue rat who's all about being free could make me cry like a baby shows how special this franchise truly is.
3d Sonic bad. I played a small bit of this one on my brother's Dreamcast as a kid and even then I was kind of like "This isn't fun? Why isn't Sonic fun?" Going back and watching Let's Plays of SA1&2, the animations are some of the worst I've ever seen, and the gameplay is just...people who call this one of their favorite games have some kind of ultra-powerful nostalgia goggles I've never been able to get my hands on. The soundtrack slaps though. ♪ Got places to go, gotta follow my rainbow! ♪
5 stars for the GOAT Chao Garden
...What do you mean there’s more to the game than that?
...What do you mean there’s more to the game than that?
I enjoyed this game a lot as a teenager. I hated it in my 20s. I feel extremely middling about it in my 30s. The music holds a special place in my heart and there are things about the story that are branded into my brain like a horrible curse. Things that I remembered being torturous a decade ago turned out to be barely mild challenges now. In some ways, that made the game more disappointing than if it had been unmitigated garbage. It still broke in the ways I remembered, but that didn't even have the same infuriating charm to it that I felt so long ago.
horrible, unbeareble game play with the mechas, treasure hunting not as bad as could be but not as great, the racing levels is where this game makes its way for recent sonic games, amazing soundtrack and scenarios, could've been a masterpiece, chao garden is beautiful, love the dudes
Sonic Adventure 2 is my favorite game of all time. It's a huge comfort game for me, and I love it to pieces.
The mech stages and treasure hunting levels are not my favorite, by any means, but I don't think they're bad. Playing through them once for the main story isn't horrible, and once you get a hang of them and start going for max points it's pretty fun. Though some stages are better than others, obviously. Regardless I see why people dislike them and don't blame them. But they aren't a game breaker in my opinion.
The best part of the game by far are the speed levels, aka Sonic and Shadows levels. If you like platformers, racing games, or really any fastpaced action shit, you'll probably really like these stages. They're incredibly well designed and kick ass. It's just a lot of fun.
The thing I love about this game, though, is the vibe. The aesthetic, story, soundtrack. It's all so unique and distinctly early 2000s. It's just a blast to experience, and like nothing else I've played before.
Overall the outlook I have on Sonic Adventure 2 is that the game is insanely fun. Good? Bad? Who cares. I enjoy it, you might enjoy it, it's worth a try. If you don't like the mech or treasure hunting stages, just download a save online and play through the speed stages.
The mech stages and treasure hunting levels are not my favorite, by any means, but I don't think they're bad. Playing through them once for the main story isn't horrible, and once you get a hang of them and start going for max points it's pretty fun. Though some stages are better than others, obviously. Regardless I see why people dislike them and don't blame them. But they aren't a game breaker in my opinion.
The best part of the game by far are the speed levels, aka Sonic and Shadows levels. If you like platformers, racing games, or really any fastpaced action shit, you'll probably really like these stages. They're incredibly well designed and kick ass. It's just a lot of fun.
The thing I love about this game, though, is the vibe. The aesthetic, story, soundtrack. It's all so unique and distinctly early 2000s. It's just a blast to experience, and like nothing else I've played before.
Overall the outlook I have on Sonic Adventure 2 is that the game is insanely fun. Good? Bad? Who cares. I enjoy it, you might enjoy it, it's worth a try. If you don't like the mech or treasure hunting stages, just download a save online and play through the speed stages.
the greatest game ever made along with sonic adventure 2 battle for the nintendo gamecube
Unfortunately this game has a bit too much bullshit to be considered a true peak in gaming
Still goated though!!
Still goated though!!
The story is definetly better than the first one. As well as the soundtrack.
But the overall gameplay is much worse in my opinion. Still a cool game tho.
But the overall gameplay is much worse in my opinion. Still a cool game tho.
8 levels I enjoy. 23 I don’t enjoy. Do the math.
Treasure hunting stages are oversized with an intentionally gimped radar.
Mechs are slow, clunky, and not much else beyond a moving fireworks simulator.
Speed stages can be fun, but they trade the smaller and somewhat more open ended design of Adventure for faster and more spectacle ridden stages. They can be fun, but I’d rather play Unleashed for spectacle-filled stages.
Not very fun for me.
Treasure hunting stages are oversized with an intentionally gimped radar.
Mechs are slow, clunky, and not much else beyond a moving fireworks simulator.
Speed stages can be fun, but they trade the smaller and somewhat more open ended design of Adventure for faster and more spectacle ridden stages. They can be fun, but I’d rather play Unleashed for spectacle-filled stages.
Not very fun for me.
The trick to enjoying a 3D Sonic game is to play through it once & unlock the level select, then just keep replaying the handful of stages you actually liked. Eventually the amount of time spent having fun outweighs the 50-90% of the game that kinda blows.
This usually works for me, up to and including the latest, but I'm afraid I missed the boat on this one. I could never find a copy when it was new on the Dreamcast, and now it's aged so poorly I can't get into it at all. I've played all the future games with their quality-of-life improvements, I've seen all the lore & characters from this one stinking up the series for years.
I hate the dim, plasticky visual style & the gross little square mouths on everyone. I hate how like a third of the entire game is a tribute to the Sandopolis Zone (the slow, overlong one from Sonic & Knuckles), and how that's practically a highlight because the other stage themes are so bland. I hate the wibbly Chaos noises that play constantly in the space levels. I hate King Boom Boo, viscerally, with my whole body.
I gave it a fair shot, played it all the way through, killed the dumb lizard thing & deleted it. Never want to see it again.
This usually works for me, up to and including the latest, but I'm afraid I missed the boat on this one. I could never find a copy when it was new on the Dreamcast, and now it's aged so poorly I can't get into it at all. I've played all the future games with their quality-of-life improvements, I've seen all the lore & characters from this one stinking up the series for years.
I hate the dim, plasticky visual style & the gross little square mouths on everyone. I hate how like a third of the entire game is a tribute to the Sandopolis Zone (the slow, overlong one from Sonic & Knuckles), and how that's practically a highlight because the other stage themes are so bland. I hate the wibbly Chaos noises that play constantly in the space levels. I hate King Boom Boo, viscerally, with my whole body.
I gave it a fair shot, played it all the way through, killed the dumb lizard thing & deleted it. Never want to see it again.
A decent Sonic game that I feel is a bit overhyped.
Speed stages are definitely the best part, although as someone who's more of a fan of the classic games' approach to design (which I feel is emulated in other 3D Sonic games like Heroes and Generations well) it is a bit too linear and reaction-based for my liking, plus I did find the controls somewhat janky especially when going at full speed.
Treasure Hunting stages can be fun - having bigger size and more scope than they did in the first Adventure title, although at the same time, some stages can feel a bit frustrating (in particular, Mad Space and Death Chamber).
Mech stages weren't my cup of tea - I guess they're fine if you're into score attacking games but they feel pretty monotonous to me and the controls of the mechs themselves just feel really clunky.
I'd say this game appeals to most to people who are into the "ranking" aspect of Sonic games, and I can understand that, although even my efforts of getting the best ranks in each stage just felt somewhat frustrating to me and something I wouldn't go back to.
Overall, it's worth a shot, but I wouldn't call it my favorite Sonic game by any means.
Speed stages are definitely the best part, although as someone who's more of a fan of the classic games' approach to design (which I feel is emulated in other 3D Sonic games like Heroes and Generations well) it is a bit too linear and reaction-based for my liking, plus I did find the controls somewhat janky especially when going at full speed.
Treasure Hunting stages can be fun - having bigger size and more scope than they did in the first Adventure title, although at the same time, some stages can feel a bit frustrating (in particular, Mad Space and Death Chamber).
Mech stages weren't my cup of tea - I guess they're fine if you're into score attacking games but they feel pretty monotonous to me and the controls of the mechs themselves just feel really clunky.
I'd say this game appeals to most to people who are into the "ranking" aspect of Sonic games, and I can understand that, although even my efforts of getting the best ranks in each stage just felt somewhat frustrating to me and something I wouldn't go back to.
Overall, it's worth a shot, but I wouldn't call it my favorite Sonic game by any means.
black
An intensely frictional experience that sometimes becomes too much to deal with (it is difficult to overstate just how much two of Rouge the Bat's levels in particular are frustrating) but ultimately ends up being an experience far more than the sum of the parts.
This game has such an infectious energy to it, such a cheeky sense of flair and personality, that its impossible to stay mad at it, even after Sonic falls through the level architecture on Final Rush for the third time in a row. Say what you will about the Knuckles/Tails levels, the Sonic and Shadow levels are fantastic fun: a unique platforming experience where you genuinely feel like you are struggling to control your character, just barely leashing their immense power. It makes for some annoyances, to be sure, but when you pull off a stylish run through a level, all those annoyances become worth it because suddenly, you are soaring, a high you can only appreciate because of the lows that contrast it.
The much-mocked story is one of the highlights. No parody fandub could possibly capture just how much of a riot this game's story is, it has the exact manic energy of a game made up by kids on the playground, leaping from tone to genre to plot with nonexistent restraint. It has to be experienced to be believed, and enjoyed without cynicism, without irony. Those without sincerity in their hearts will not survive contact with Sonic Adventure 2.
I love this stupid, messy, awful, brilliant game. I'll treasure my time with it. If I ever have to play Mad Space again I will snap my controller in two.
This game has such an infectious energy to it, such a cheeky sense of flair and personality, that its impossible to stay mad at it, even after Sonic falls through the level architecture on Final Rush for the third time in a row. Say what you will about the Knuckles/Tails levels, the Sonic and Shadow levels are fantastic fun: a unique platforming experience where you genuinely feel like you are struggling to control your character, just barely leashing their immense power. It makes for some annoyances, to be sure, but when you pull off a stylish run through a level, all those annoyances become worth it because suddenly, you are soaring, a high you can only appreciate because of the lows that contrast it.
The much-mocked story is one of the highlights. No parody fandub could possibly capture just how much of a riot this game's story is, it has the exact manic energy of a game made up by kids on the playground, leaping from tone to genre to plot with nonexistent restraint. It has to be experienced to be believed, and enjoyed without cynicism, without irony. Those without sincerity in their hearts will not survive contact with Sonic Adventure 2.
I love this stupid, messy, awful, brilliant game. I'll treasure my time with it. If I ever have to play Mad Space again I will snap my controller in two.
tons of fun. big fan of all the different characters to play as. they brought back the over-the-top edge and cranked it up to the moon. janky as hell though. good modding community. sort of a shame the dark gameplay is basically the same as hero
My only real complaints are common ones. The music is too loud, the dubbing is somehow worse than SA1's at times, and some of the treasure hunting stages are unbearable. Other than that though, I really enjoyed getting to play through this game after all these years. I didn't actually mind the Tails/Eggman levels, and I'd love to see another 3D Sonic game with the same controls Sonic/Shadow have in this one. And despite sometimes being louder than the dialogue at points, the soundtrack for SA2 is one of my favorites. This isn't the masterpiece a lot within the Sonic fandom would like you to believe, but it's still a really solid game that has a lot of charm and risks missing from newer games in the series.
Damn bitch that's your "best Sonic game ever"?
This used to be my favorite game.
Yeah, I knew Sonic 3 & Knuckles was better, but this was new and in 3D! And it had Shadow in it!! I had such an embarrassing crush on him. (I now have a much less embarrassing crush on him.)
One trope I have always loved is a hero having to fight an "evil" version of themself. So Shads was my favorite villain (even though he isn't a villain for long), the Green Ranger was my favorite Power Rangers villain, I ate up Batman vs new Batman, Dark Link was my favorite baddie in Zelda, Venom was my favorite Spider-Man villain, I liked the idea of Wario as a baddie in Mario (though in retrospect WOW Bowser is better), etc etc ad nauseum. So this game is kinda entirely built around that idea, with Sonic vs Shadow, Knuckles vs Rouge, and me vs … sigh Eggman. So yeah, as a kid I was all about that.
Now… yeah, this still totally rules! Don't get me wrong. But I can already tell that Sonic Adventure 1 is my preference.
First of all, Sonic Adventure 1 just feels like Home, and you can't really beat that. It just really Gets It, at least for me. On top of that, I really like its structure! Having separate, coherent stories for all the major characters really makes it feel like a true ensemble piece where everyone gets to shine. While weaving their stories in and out of each other’s like Sonic Adventure 2 does does certainly make the story less confusing, it also makes each individual feel less important.
Worst of all, I really don’t like my parts in the game! They decided that me and Eggman are counterparts, so all my gameplay has me stuck in a mech. And the result is that I just don’t look forward to my own gameplay at all. I get that this is a hella specific and selfish complaint, but yeah. It bears mentioning.
Again, this game is still amazing and I love it. Just saying, there’s a reason I prefer the first one even though this one is hella more polished and introduces a very important cutie.
Hero Story
Yeah, so, aside from the mech thing which I already complained about, this kinda rules. You mostly play as Sonic which makes sense (and is fine because like I said I prefer his levels to mine, and when you get right down to it I prefer Knux’s too, Emerald hunting ain’t half bad). Not only is City Escape iconic, it is blatantly modeled after San Francisco which I love now that I live in the Bay Area. And I guess that makes sense as the Capital City of whatever country this takes place in, because it’s the gay capital and we’re all hella gay.
Although this doesn’t feel quite as close to Home as Sonic Adventure 1 did (mostly because of the writing), it still feels about right? And there are some pretty choice character moments in here. When Eggman traps Sonic and is about to launch him into space and he gets a moment to say something to both me and Amy, he tells me he’s counting on me (essentially leaving me in charge) and tells her “take care of yourself” (“uhhh idk” basically), which… yeah. That one’s about right.
Ugh, Amy… y’know what? We’ll come back to her.
That moment was extremely hard, because it isn’t hard to feel what I would feel in that situation, thinking I had just seen Sonic die. (Oh hey, Sonic Forces writers!! Notice how what I did next, despite being less experienced than I am by that game, is KICK EGGMAN’S ASS? Not, y’know, curl up into a sad ball and abandon all my friends? WEIRD. Almost like I’ve been learning from my hero and am more inclined to fight than to give up. WEIRD!!!)
Anyway. This game is full of emotional terrorism. Like, when I get defeated I say “Sonic…!” in a scared or sad voice. Yeah. Uh. Yeah. THANKS FOR THAT NIGHTMARE FUEL, GUYS. (Accurate, though.)
So, yeah, we were gonna get back to Amy. Much earlier in the game, me and Amy break into GUN’s prison to save Sonic (well, mostly I break in and then Amy kinda shows up), and then she ends up getting to Sonic’s cell first because I’m busy smashing all the defenses. And she tries to trap Sonic into marrying her in exchange for freeing him??? Which at least turns out to be a halfhearted attempt that she abandons immediately when he’s like, “Uh, NO?” but STILL, not cool Ames. (Also, like… she literally told Sonic that she came here with me, so obviously if she did decide to be a dick about it he’d just… wait for me?)
Anyway, yeah. I get to kick Eggman’s ass a bunch, Knux gets to have a rivalry with Rouge that comes to blows but he ends up saving her (from the peril of… falling??? when she has WINGS??? and can FLY??? shrug), and Sonic fights Shads a few times. I’m kinda annoyed about being stuck with Eggy as a direct antagonist even though it makes perfect sense, but all the Sonic/Shads stuff rules and yeah the fact that this game came out right around the tail end of when I was going through puberty sure was a thing.
Anyway! Again, the Hero Story rules, it’s like a slightly less perfect version of Adventure 1 but it’s okay because Shads is there and he’s hot. And now I can ogle all three of my boys. (And watch them fight over me. Okay fine, watch them fight for completely unrelated reasons. But still.)
And the last cutscene for this RULES and even though it’s kinda abrupt I almost wish it were the game’s actual ending. Because it focuses on me and Sonic, because DUH. I thought he was dead, and I saved the day, but it turned out he saved the day too! And he tells me I did an awesome job and AAAAAAA. Yeah. Extremely good.
Dark Story
Compared to the Hero Story, this kinda blows.
Instead of Sonic’s counterpart being the focus character, Eggman is. So that means you have to play a lot of stages as Eggman. And I mean a LOT. If this had been more of a mirror image of the Hero Story and you had been playing as Shadow most of the time, I think I woulda had a lot more fun with it. But then again, I get that they were kinda trying to save Shadow’s mystique and have the stuff with him feel more special.
But seriously. You’re having me play most of these stages as Eggman, AND fight myself twice, AND one of those fights is the one where I think he killed Sonic and I’m out for blood but I have to defeat myself in that context? I’m gonna complain about that a bit, yeah!!
I’m not saying this is the Worst Thing Ever, or anything like that. I just remember being way more into it as a kid, and now I’m like yeahhhhhhhh the Hero Story is WAY better, dang.
Last Story
Chaos is a better final boss than Finalhazard and I’m gonna tell you why.
Like, okay. Finahazard is actually a much better boss FIGHT, but Chaos is a much more nuanced character and you spend the whole game learning what his deal is and he ends up becoming an increasingly sympathetic figure even as he becomes more imposing to the point of being pretty terrifying. And he starts out (when he has no Emeralds) as a vaguely Mobian-sized character. He’s cool!
Having all the characters (except Shadow) have to team up for a level and then have the other character (Shadow) have a boss fight right after is kind of the perfect concept for this kind of game. And it’s hard as HECK which feels right for a final challenge. So, yeah. Big ups there.
And I do really love the scope of the final boss fight, and the fact that Shadow and Sonic are both in their Super forms just feels right. I know pretty much all these 3D games escalate to a fight where Super forms are used, but I still think it’s rad as heck and this one blew my mind when I was a kid. And I love that it has the badass “Live and Learn” by Crush 40 blaring the whole time.
Alright, with all that out of the way, it’s time for me to bitch about a few things.
Imagine being Knuckles and seeing Sonic go Super with Shadow instead of him even though he’s standing right there. Hmm. Guy who’s become a hard-won ally and who has a steadfast sense of duty? New guy who tried to kill me a bunch? Hard choice, that! I mean, yeah. It fits the entire structure of the game for it to be Sonic and Shadow, and I like seeing them fight together. It’s just kinda funny when you zoom out and think about it for a second.
(Heck, why not zoom back to the control room and share your super form with ME. I’m by far your most trusted comrade here. And it’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.)
So, yeah, okay, that’s a half-serious complaint because it doesn’t quite track if you think about it from the characters’ POV, but I kinda understand why it HAD to go this way in this particular game, regardless of whether it makes sense from our POV.
What REALLY gets me is the ending credits.
I kinda like the whole, have everyone talk during the credits thing. I think that’s pretty great, honestly. And most of the pairings of people talking together make sense. EXCEPT FOR ME AND EGGMAN??? Like, first of all, okay WOW you’re gonna give Sonic and AMY screentime together, but not ME and Sonic??? REALLY?????? And the one person you DO have me have a conversation with is Eggman??? The guy who’s kidnapped and/or tried to kill me on countless occasions, tried to kill Sonic on countless occasions, and just tried to kill Sonic right in front of me???? And I’m on FRIENDLY TERMS with him???? Because he helped ONCE???? C’mon, guys!!!! This ain’t it!!!!!
I know this is a very small part of a much larger game, most of which I happen to love, actually. But WOW does it ever irritate me!!
But, yeah. Like I said, in spite of all the reasons I like this one a little less than Sonic Adventure 1, I really do love it. So, yeah. As is customary, let’s close by ranking some stuff.
I’m only gonna rank Sonic and Shadow’s stages, because it’s kinda hard to compare the others and those will be the ones that will fit the most neatly into my big ratings of all the rest of the games which of course you know I’m gonna do when I finish this lmao. I’ll do everyone’s bosses, though, because why not.
Oh, and I don’t hafta rank Amy’s theme this time because they just reused her SA1 theme even though the rest of us all got new versions! Because even the soundtracks knows “fuck Amy,” I guess XD. (Look, again, I love Amy on a good day but these games are VERY MUCH NOT HER FINEST HOUR. Did I mention she TRIED TO TRAP MY HEDGEHOG INTO MARRYING HER? Who DOES that?)
One thing you’ll notice in these rankings is that there are a lot of stages that are way more highly rated than in SA1! This game was way more polished and had way more memorable stages on the whole. Like, I’m still tempted to say that it’s a better game even though I like SA1 better for deeply personal reasons, but also idk. It’s such a different experience, and I really do think having each character’s story be a separate, coherent story worked so well that it’s just hard to compare them. Like, SA2 feels like one long game, and SA1 kinda felt like you got to play a bunch of separate games. It’s just a totally different experience so they’re hard to compare.
Oh, since I’m not ranking Knuckles’ stages, let me also just say: PUMPKIN HILL RULES I LOVE IT SO MUCH IT IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS IN ANY OF THESE GAMES IT IS SO COMPLETELY MY AESTHETIC AAAAAA I LOVE IT.
Zones
City Escape (S-Rank)
Radical Highway (S-Rank)
White Jungle (S-Rank)
Green Forest (S-Rank)
Final Rush (S-Rank)
Cannon's Core (S-Rank)
Final Chase (S-Rank)
Pyramid Cave (A-Rank)
Metal Harbor (A-Rank)
Sky Rail (B-Rank)
Crazy Gadget (B-Rank)
Bosses
Finalhazard (S-Rank)
Sonic vs. Shadow 2 (S-Rank)
Tails vs. Eggman 2 (S-Rank)
Sonic vs. Shadow 1 (A-Rank)
Egg Golem (Sonic) (A-Rank)
King Boom Boo (A-Rank)
Biolizard (B-Rank)
Knuckles vs. Rouge (B-Rank)
Hot Shot (B-Rank)
Bigfoot (B-Rank)
Flying Dog (B-Rank)
Tails vs. Eggman 1 (B-Rank)
Egg Golem (Eggman) (B-Rank)
Soundtrack
Live and Learn (S-Rank)
Won't Stop, Just Go! (Green Forest) (S-Rank)
A Ghost's Pumpkin Soup (Pumpkin Hill) (S-Rank)
Escape from the City (City Escape) (S-Rank)
E.G.G.M.A.N. (Eggman’s Theme) (S-Rank)
Highway in the Sky (Final Rush) (A-Rank)
The Supernatural (Final Chase) (A-Rank)
This Way Out (Prison Lane) (A-Rank)
Masters of the Desert (A-Rank)
It Doesn’t Matter (Sonic’s Theme) (A-Rank)
Space Trip Steps (Meteor Herd) (A-Rank)
Mr. Unsmiley (Sky Rail) (A-Rank)
Suitable Opponent (A-Rank)
Vengeance Is Mine (Radical Highway) (A-Rank)
Believe in Myself (Tails’ Theme) (A-Rank)
On the Edge (Eternal Engine) (A-Rank)
Trespasser (Lost Colony) (B-Rank)
Crush 'Em All (Weapons Bed) (B-Rank)
I'm a Spy (Security Hall) (B-Rank)
Soarin' Over the Space (Cosmic Wall) (B-Rank)
That's the Way I Like It (Metal Harbor) (B-Rank)
GUN Mobile (B-Rank)
Cooperation (Cannon's Core) (B-Rank)
Scramble for the Core (Cannon's Core) (B-Rank)
Deep Inside Of... (Cannon's Core) (B-Rank)
Throw It All Away (Shadow's Theme) (B-Rank)
Deeper (Death Chamber) (B-Rank)
Rumbling HWY (Mission Street) (B-Rank)
Kick the Rock! (Wild Canyon) (B-Rank)
Fly in the Freedom (Rouge's Theme) (B-Rank)
Unknown from M.E. (Knuckles’ Theme) (B-Rank)
Rhythm and Balance (White Jungle) (C-Rank)
Shut Up, Faker! (C-Rank)
Chasing Drive (Kart) (C-Rank)
Way to the Base (Sand Ocean) (C-Rank)
Down in the Base (Hidden Base) (C-Rank)
34°N, 12°E (Mad Space) (C-Rank)
Dive Into the Mellow (Aquatic Mine) (C-Rank)
For True Story (C-Rank)
Supporting Me (C-Rank)
Unstable World (Crazy Gadget) (C-Rank)
Keys the Ruin (Pyramid Cave) (C-Rank)
Lovely Gate 3 (Egg Quarters) (C-Rank)
Remember Me? M.F.M. (Iron Gate) (C-Rank)
The Mad Convoy Race (City Escape) (C-Rank)
Can't Stop, So What? (Metal Harbor) (C-Rank)
Bright Sound (Dry Lagoon) (C-Rank)
Yeah, I knew Sonic 3 & Knuckles was better, but this was new and in 3D! And it had Shadow in it!! I had such an embarrassing crush on him. (I now have a much less embarrassing crush on him.)
One trope I have always loved is a hero having to fight an "evil" version of themself. So Shads was my favorite villain (even though he isn't a villain for long), the Green Ranger was my favorite Power Rangers villain, I ate up Batman vs new Batman, Dark Link was my favorite baddie in Zelda, Venom was my favorite Spider-Man villain, I liked the idea of Wario as a baddie in Mario (though in retrospect WOW Bowser is better), etc etc ad nauseum. So this game is kinda entirely built around that idea, with Sonic vs Shadow, Knuckles vs Rouge, and me vs … sigh Eggman. So yeah, as a kid I was all about that.
Now… yeah, this still totally rules! Don't get me wrong. But I can already tell that Sonic Adventure 1 is my preference.
First of all, Sonic Adventure 1 just feels like Home, and you can't really beat that. It just really Gets It, at least for me. On top of that, I really like its structure! Having separate, coherent stories for all the major characters really makes it feel like a true ensemble piece where everyone gets to shine. While weaving their stories in and out of each other’s like Sonic Adventure 2 does does certainly make the story less confusing, it also makes each individual feel less important.
Worst of all, I really don’t like my parts in the game! They decided that me and Eggman are counterparts, so all my gameplay has me stuck in a mech. And the result is that I just don’t look forward to my own gameplay at all. I get that this is a hella specific and selfish complaint, but yeah. It bears mentioning.
Again, this game is still amazing and I love it. Just saying, there’s a reason I prefer the first one even though this one is hella more polished and introduces a very important cutie.
Hero Story
Yeah, so, aside from the mech thing which I already complained about, this kinda rules. You mostly play as Sonic which makes sense (and is fine because like I said I prefer his levels to mine, and when you get right down to it I prefer Knux’s too, Emerald hunting ain’t half bad). Not only is City Escape iconic, it is blatantly modeled after San Francisco which I love now that I live in the Bay Area. And I guess that makes sense as the Capital City of whatever country this takes place in, because it’s the gay capital and we’re all hella gay.
Although this doesn’t feel quite as close to Home as Sonic Adventure 1 did (mostly because of the writing), it still feels about right? And there are some pretty choice character moments in here. When Eggman traps Sonic and is about to launch him into space and he gets a moment to say something to both me and Amy, he tells me he’s counting on me (essentially leaving me in charge) and tells her “take care of yourself” (“uhhh idk” basically), which… yeah. That one’s about right.
Ugh, Amy… y’know what? We’ll come back to her.
That moment was extremely hard, because it isn’t hard to feel what I would feel in that situation, thinking I had just seen Sonic die. (Oh hey, Sonic Forces writers!! Notice how what I did next, despite being less experienced than I am by that game, is KICK EGGMAN’S ASS? Not, y’know, curl up into a sad ball and abandon all my friends? WEIRD. Almost like I’ve been learning from my hero and am more inclined to fight than to give up. WEIRD!!!)
Anyway. This game is full of emotional terrorism. Like, when I get defeated I say “Sonic…!” in a scared or sad voice. Yeah. Uh. Yeah. THANKS FOR THAT NIGHTMARE FUEL, GUYS. (Accurate, though.)
So, yeah, we were gonna get back to Amy. Much earlier in the game, me and Amy break into GUN’s prison to save Sonic (well, mostly I break in and then Amy kinda shows up), and then she ends up getting to Sonic’s cell first because I’m busy smashing all the defenses. And she tries to trap Sonic into marrying her in exchange for freeing him??? Which at least turns out to be a halfhearted attempt that she abandons immediately when he’s like, “Uh, NO?” but STILL, not cool Ames. (Also, like… she literally told Sonic that she came here with me, so obviously if she did decide to be a dick about it he’d just… wait for me?)
Anyway, yeah. I get to kick Eggman’s ass a bunch, Knux gets to have a rivalry with Rouge that comes to blows but he ends up saving her (from the peril of… falling??? when she has WINGS??? and can FLY??? shrug), and Sonic fights Shads a few times. I’m kinda annoyed about being stuck with Eggy as a direct antagonist even though it makes perfect sense, but all the Sonic/Shads stuff rules and yeah the fact that this game came out right around the tail end of when I was going through puberty sure was a thing.
Anyway! Again, the Hero Story rules, it’s like a slightly less perfect version of Adventure 1 but it’s okay because Shads is there and he’s hot. And now I can ogle all three of my boys. (And watch them fight over me. Okay fine, watch them fight for completely unrelated reasons. But still.)
And the last cutscene for this RULES and even though it’s kinda abrupt I almost wish it were the game’s actual ending. Because it focuses on me and Sonic, because DUH. I thought he was dead, and I saved the day, but it turned out he saved the day too! And he tells me I did an awesome job and AAAAAAA. Yeah. Extremely good.
Dark Story
Compared to the Hero Story, this kinda blows.
Instead of Sonic’s counterpart being the focus character, Eggman is. So that means you have to play a lot of stages as Eggman. And I mean a LOT. If this had been more of a mirror image of the Hero Story and you had been playing as Shadow most of the time, I think I woulda had a lot more fun with it. But then again, I get that they were kinda trying to save Shadow’s mystique and have the stuff with him feel more special.
But seriously. You’re having me play most of these stages as Eggman, AND fight myself twice, AND one of those fights is the one where I think he killed Sonic and I’m out for blood but I have to defeat myself in that context? I’m gonna complain about that a bit, yeah!!
I’m not saying this is the Worst Thing Ever, or anything like that. I just remember being way more into it as a kid, and now I’m like yeahhhhhhhh the Hero Story is WAY better, dang.
Last Story
Chaos is a better final boss than Finalhazard and I’m gonna tell you why.
Like, okay. Finahazard is actually a much better boss FIGHT, but Chaos is a much more nuanced character and you spend the whole game learning what his deal is and he ends up becoming an increasingly sympathetic figure even as he becomes more imposing to the point of being pretty terrifying. And he starts out (when he has no Emeralds) as a vaguely Mobian-sized character. He’s cool!
Having all the characters (except Shadow) have to team up for a level and then have the other character (Shadow) have a boss fight right after is kind of the perfect concept for this kind of game. And it’s hard as HECK which feels right for a final challenge. So, yeah. Big ups there.
And I do really love the scope of the final boss fight, and the fact that Shadow and Sonic are both in their Super forms just feels right. I know pretty much all these 3D games escalate to a fight where Super forms are used, but I still think it’s rad as heck and this one blew my mind when I was a kid. And I love that it has the badass “Live and Learn” by Crush 40 blaring the whole time.
Alright, with all that out of the way, it’s time for me to bitch about a few things.
Imagine being Knuckles and seeing Sonic go Super with Shadow instead of him even though he’s standing right there. Hmm. Guy who’s become a hard-won ally and who has a steadfast sense of duty? New guy who tried to kill me a bunch? Hard choice, that! I mean, yeah. It fits the entire structure of the game for it to be Sonic and Shadow, and I like seeing them fight together. It’s just kinda funny when you zoom out and think about it for a second.
(Heck, why not zoom back to the control room and share your super form with ME. I’m by far your most trusted comrade here. And it’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.)
So, yeah, okay, that’s a half-serious complaint because it doesn’t quite track if you think about it from the characters’ POV, but I kinda understand why it HAD to go this way in this particular game, regardless of whether it makes sense from our POV.
What REALLY gets me is the ending credits.
I kinda like the whole, have everyone talk during the credits thing. I think that’s pretty great, honestly. And most of the pairings of people talking together make sense. EXCEPT FOR ME AND EGGMAN??? Like, first of all, okay WOW you’re gonna give Sonic and AMY screentime together, but not ME and Sonic??? REALLY?????? And the one person you DO have me have a conversation with is Eggman??? The guy who’s kidnapped and/or tried to kill me on countless occasions, tried to kill Sonic on countless occasions, and just tried to kill Sonic right in front of me???? And I’m on FRIENDLY TERMS with him???? Because he helped ONCE???? C’mon, guys!!!! This ain’t it!!!!!
I know this is a very small part of a much larger game, most of which I happen to love, actually. But WOW does it ever irritate me!!
But, yeah. Like I said, in spite of all the reasons I like this one a little less than Sonic Adventure 1, I really do love it. So, yeah. As is customary, let’s close by ranking some stuff.
I’m only gonna rank Sonic and Shadow’s stages, because it’s kinda hard to compare the others and those will be the ones that will fit the most neatly into my big ratings of all the rest of the games which of course you know I’m gonna do when I finish this lmao. I’ll do everyone’s bosses, though, because why not.
Oh, and I don’t hafta rank Amy’s theme this time because they just reused her SA1 theme even though the rest of us all got new versions! Because even the soundtracks knows “fuck Amy,” I guess XD. (Look, again, I love Amy on a good day but these games are VERY MUCH NOT HER FINEST HOUR. Did I mention she TRIED TO TRAP MY HEDGEHOG INTO MARRYING HER? Who DOES that?)
One thing you’ll notice in these rankings is that there are a lot of stages that are way more highly rated than in SA1! This game was way more polished and had way more memorable stages on the whole. Like, I’m still tempted to say that it’s a better game even though I like SA1 better for deeply personal reasons, but also idk. It’s such a different experience, and I really do think having each character’s story be a separate, coherent story worked so well that it’s just hard to compare them. Like, SA2 feels like one long game, and SA1 kinda felt like you got to play a bunch of separate games. It’s just a totally different experience so they’re hard to compare.
Oh, since I’m not ranking Knuckles’ stages, let me also just say: PUMPKIN HILL RULES I LOVE IT SO MUCH IT IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS IN ANY OF THESE GAMES IT IS SO COMPLETELY MY AESTHETIC AAAAAA I LOVE IT.
Zones
City Escape (S-Rank)
Radical Highway (S-Rank)
White Jungle (S-Rank)
Green Forest (S-Rank)
Final Rush (S-Rank)
Cannon's Core (S-Rank)
Final Chase (S-Rank)
Pyramid Cave (A-Rank)
Metal Harbor (A-Rank)
Sky Rail (B-Rank)
Crazy Gadget (B-Rank)
Bosses
Finalhazard (S-Rank)
Sonic vs. Shadow 2 (S-Rank)
Tails vs. Eggman 2 (S-Rank)
Sonic vs. Shadow 1 (A-Rank)
Egg Golem (Sonic) (A-Rank)
King Boom Boo (A-Rank)
Biolizard (B-Rank)
Knuckles vs. Rouge (B-Rank)
Hot Shot (B-Rank)
Bigfoot (B-Rank)
Flying Dog (B-Rank)
Tails vs. Eggman 1 (B-Rank)
Egg Golem (Eggman) (B-Rank)
Soundtrack
Live and Learn (S-Rank)
Won't Stop, Just Go! (Green Forest) (S-Rank)
A Ghost's Pumpkin Soup (Pumpkin Hill) (S-Rank)
Escape from the City (City Escape) (S-Rank)
E.G.G.M.A.N. (Eggman’s Theme) (S-Rank)
Highway in the Sky (Final Rush) (A-Rank)
The Supernatural (Final Chase) (A-Rank)
This Way Out (Prison Lane) (A-Rank)
Masters of the Desert (A-Rank)
It Doesn’t Matter (Sonic’s Theme) (A-Rank)
Space Trip Steps (Meteor Herd) (A-Rank)
Mr. Unsmiley (Sky Rail) (A-Rank)
Suitable Opponent (A-Rank)
Vengeance Is Mine (Radical Highway) (A-Rank)
Believe in Myself (Tails’ Theme) (A-Rank)
On the Edge (Eternal Engine) (A-Rank)
Trespasser (Lost Colony) (B-Rank)
Crush 'Em All (Weapons Bed) (B-Rank)
I'm a Spy (Security Hall) (B-Rank)
Soarin' Over the Space (Cosmic Wall) (B-Rank)
That's the Way I Like It (Metal Harbor) (B-Rank)
GUN Mobile (B-Rank)
Cooperation (Cannon's Core) (B-Rank)
Scramble for the Core (Cannon's Core) (B-Rank)
Deep Inside Of... (Cannon's Core) (B-Rank)
Throw It All Away (Shadow's Theme) (B-Rank)
Deeper (Death Chamber) (B-Rank)
Rumbling HWY (Mission Street) (B-Rank)
Kick the Rock! (Wild Canyon) (B-Rank)
Fly in the Freedom (Rouge's Theme) (B-Rank)
Unknown from M.E. (Knuckles’ Theme) (B-Rank)
Rhythm and Balance (White Jungle) (C-Rank)
Shut Up, Faker! (C-Rank)
Chasing Drive (Kart) (C-Rank)
Way to the Base (Sand Ocean) (C-Rank)
Down in the Base (Hidden Base) (C-Rank)
34°N, 12°E (Mad Space) (C-Rank)
Dive Into the Mellow (Aquatic Mine) (C-Rank)
For True Story (C-Rank)
Supporting Me (C-Rank)
Unstable World (Crazy Gadget) (C-Rank)
Keys the Ruin (Pyramid Cave) (C-Rank)
Lovely Gate 3 (Egg Quarters) (C-Rank)
Remember Me? M.F.M. (Iron Gate) (C-Rank)
The Mad Convoy Race (City Escape) (C-Rank)
Can't Stop, So What? (Metal Harbor) (C-Rank)
Bright Sound (Dry Lagoon) (C-Rank)
tbh i didn't care for it THAT much. just felt kinda tedious
UPDATE: game is actually pretty good now
UPDATE: game is actually pretty good now
Godlike amount of freedom and fun with the movement and scoring system as all three playstyles. All the characters kinda suck until they get their first upgrade but once they do its an absolute blast to try and ace.
With the inclusion of the android shadow this game can only rank higher than the last one in my opinion. just cause it has edge doesn't mean it bad. Sonic really became a staple in my game experiences after I played this one.
I'm gonna do an experiment, reply to this review with a quote from the fandub.
I'll start.
"WHAT THE FUCK, IS THAT SHADOW'S DICK?
I'll start.
"WHAT THE FUCK, IS THAT SHADOW'S DICK?
I don't have nostalgia goggles for this game and yet it means so much to me, very few video games have impacted me the way SA2 has. I'm unable to agree with people who claim it has aged poorly or is only enjoyable from a nostalgic viewpoint. It builds upon prior games in such a meaningful way, the cast of characters has never been stronger and the story is a wonderfully paced experience with great themes and messages. It could admittedly benefit from more details in cutscenes, but it never feels like you're told so little to the point of frustrating plot holes either. It's a shame how much has gone lost in translation, so I really do think the best way to experience this game is on pc with mods to adjust the subtitles to the Japanese dialogue (plus the original audio gets rid of the sound design issues present in the Western version, making it easier to appreciate the soundtrack as well as the strong voice acting). But by all means, do check out the dubbed version as well, which features one of the best voice casts the series has yet to see and some really iconic dialogue.
All the different gameplay styles are built really well around the scoring system, rewarding you for mastering the game's use of momentum and being familiar with its environments without overstaying their welcome. The rather linear level designs help in that aspect, allowing you to focus on polishing your skills but also having a lot of replay value thanks to various missions and pathways or objects that were previously locked away, which are now accessible with the right upgrades. Some graphics may be rough around the edges but overall they suit the game really well and are quite charming, it helps that SA2 is backed by amazing art direction and has some wonderful backgrounds in its stages.
The multiplayer also works really well and is great for having fun outside of replaying stages. While I don't care much for this part of the game, it's undeniable that the chao garden is an intricate, complex and charming addition to the game, including content for both those who wish to look into it casually and those who dedicate a lot of time into it and become invested. Either way it's a very rewarding activity to master and spend your time with, the countless online sources which are dedicated to the complexities of the chao garden being a testament to this.
Because of all this I really wish I could give SA2 the full score I would've given it when being completely biased, but I have to acknowledge some issues present in the game aside from those previously addressed, which were minor in comparison. The mechs' movements are a downgrade from SA1's Gamma gameplay and stages like Eternal Engine suffer from occasionally poor enemy placement. Being able to only collect one emerald at a time in the hunting stages feels like a forced way to extend playtime and Mad Space has several gimmicks that test a player's patience, as much as I applaud the developers for the ambition behind it. But even with all that, this game's legacy is undeniable and I think it still holds up really well. I sincerely believe it to be a worthwhile experience for anyone who hasn't had the chance to play it yet and I hope the recent trend of forcing people to believe they only thought it was good due to nostalgia dies down, as it deserves to be held in high regards.
I'm writing this 3 weeks before the game's 20th anniversary, so happy early anniversary SA2, may more people enjoy their time with this amazing game in the years to come.
All the different gameplay styles are built really well around the scoring system, rewarding you for mastering the game's use of momentum and being familiar with its environments without overstaying their welcome. The rather linear level designs help in that aspect, allowing you to focus on polishing your skills but also having a lot of replay value thanks to various missions and pathways or objects that were previously locked away, which are now accessible with the right upgrades. Some graphics may be rough around the edges but overall they suit the game really well and are quite charming, it helps that SA2 is backed by amazing art direction and has some wonderful backgrounds in its stages.
The multiplayer also works really well and is great for having fun outside of replaying stages. While I don't care much for this part of the game, it's undeniable that the chao garden is an intricate, complex and charming addition to the game, including content for both those who wish to look into it casually and those who dedicate a lot of time into it and become invested. Either way it's a very rewarding activity to master and spend your time with, the countless online sources which are dedicated to the complexities of the chao garden being a testament to this.
Because of all this I really wish I could give SA2 the full score I would've given it when being completely biased, but I have to acknowledge some issues present in the game aside from those previously addressed, which were minor in comparison. The mechs' movements are a downgrade from SA1's Gamma gameplay and stages like Eternal Engine suffer from occasionally poor enemy placement. Being able to only collect one emerald at a time in the hunting stages feels like a forced way to extend playtime and Mad Space has several gimmicks that test a player's patience, as much as I applaud the developers for the ambition behind it. But even with all that, this game's legacy is undeniable and I think it still holds up really well. I sincerely believe it to be a worthwhile experience for anyone who hasn't had the chance to play it yet and I hope the recent trend of forcing people to believe they only thought it was good due to nostalgia dies down, as it deserves to be held in high regards.
I'm writing this 3 weeks before the game's 20th anniversary, so happy early anniversary SA2, may more people enjoy their time with this amazing game in the years to come.