When I tell people I'm a Sonic fan, the first question is, unsurprisingly, "Why?" That's not an easy question to answer, but a big reason I've always loved Sonic is the characters. I've loved this cast, for better or worse, before I even had a way to play the games; I voraciously read the Archie Sonic comics as a SNES/N64 kid.
I can't say that I've always agreed with Sega's depiction of Sonic's cast, though. For a long time, it felt like Sonic Team was at odds with the fandom's interpretation of their characters. For example: fans love the dynamic of Shadow, Rouge and Omega, aka Team Dark, depicting them as a dysfunctional odd trio. Despite this, Sonic Team claimed Team Dark were never friends and would never hang out. Fans loved Tails' plucky resourcefulness, yet he spends like an hour in Sonic Forces crying in a corner wondering where Sonic is. For years, it felt like Sega couldn't figure out what to do with Amy Rose except make her a creepy stalker obsessed with marriage and having kids.
All of this is to say that The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, a mystery visual novel released on April Fools by the Sonic social media team, is full of the kind of character moments and interactions I've wanted Sonic games to have for years. It's very clear this game was written by fans for fans, and all of the characterizations are on-point. Amy is emotional and passionate, so of course she'd get a bit too invested in a murder mystery game; Tails is a little naive but kind and strong willed, immediately befriending the protagonist; And Shadow, despite constantly keeping up appearances as a gruff loner, still cares about his friends when no one is looking. A+, no notes.
As for the game itself, it's a very charming little adventure clearly inspired by the Phoenix Wright series. The gameplay is mostly just a vehicle to get to the dialogue, but it never feels obtrusive. Even the little endless runner minigame that happens during climactic moments is surprisingly competent and helped with the pacing even if there isn't much to it. And it's cool that the player character (canonically nonbinary!) has their own personality and eccentricities, including their steadfast belief that there's always a secret in the garbage can. They're the perfect little weirdo to fit right into a cast of lovable weirdos.
While Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is explicitly not a Sonic Team game, the fact that Sega greenlit it as an official Sonic product is a genuinely heartening development. Between this and the character writing in Sonic Frontiers, it feels like Sega finally understands why people love these characters so much, and it's made me considerably more optimistic about whatever happens next. We're one step closer to that comic about Rouge being angry at Shadow for making Kraft Dinner wrong becoming canon.
I can't say that I've always agreed with Sega's depiction of Sonic's cast, though. For a long time, it felt like Sonic Team was at odds with the fandom's interpretation of their characters. For example: fans love the dynamic of Shadow, Rouge and Omega, aka Team Dark, depicting them as a dysfunctional odd trio. Despite this, Sonic Team claimed Team Dark were never friends and would never hang out. Fans loved Tails' plucky resourcefulness, yet he spends like an hour in Sonic Forces crying in a corner wondering where Sonic is. For years, it felt like Sega couldn't figure out what to do with Amy Rose except make her a creepy stalker obsessed with marriage and having kids.
All of this is to say that The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, a mystery visual novel released on April Fools by the Sonic social media team, is full of the kind of character moments and interactions I've wanted Sonic games to have for years. It's very clear this game was written by fans for fans, and all of the characterizations are on-point. Amy is emotional and passionate, so of course she'd get a bit too invested in a murder mystery game; Tails is a little naive but kind and strong willed, immediately befriending the protagonist; And Shadow, despite constantly keeping up appearances as a gruff loner, still cares about his friends when no one is looking. A+, no notes.
As for the game itself, it's a very charming little adventure clearly inspired by the Phoenix Wright series. The gameplay is mostly just a vehicle to get to the dialogue, but it never feels obtrusive. Even the little endless runner minigame that happens during climactic moments is surprisingly competent and helped with the pacing even if there isn't much to it. And it's cool that the player character (canonically nonbinary!) has their own personality and eccentricities, including their steadfast belief that there's always a secret in the garbage can. They're the perfect little weirdo to fit right into a cast of lovable weirdos.
While Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is explicitly not a Sonic Team game, the fact that Sega greenlit it as an official Sonic product is a genuinely heartening development. Between this and the character writing in Sonic Frontiers, it feels like Sega finally understands why people love these characters so much, and it's made me considerably more optimistic about whatever happens next. We're one step closer to that comic about Rouge being angry at Shadow for making Kraft Dinner wrong becoming canon.