You’d think that, after the critical and financial success of both versions of Sonic Colors, teaming up Sonic Team with Dimps to make a 2D throwback would be a recipe for success. Unfortunately, this game is absolute trash.
My first Sonic game was actually a fan-made Adobe Flash game utilized music and mechanics from the Advance games. It was short, but it was a good introduction for my 5-year-old self and I played it countless times on my dad’s computer.
That little fan game is LEAGUES ahead of this horseshit.
First off, I will say that although the stupid chip-tune sound is unfitting, the music itself is nice and upbeat. Unsurprising, considering it was made by the series’ lead composer (and Crush 40 songwriter) Jun Sunoue. We love Jun Sunoue. He’s never done us dirty.
Everything else sucks. The game’s art style is atrocious, using an unpleasant mix of 3D models and 2D backgrounds that look disgustingly low-poly, to the point that I unironically think that Sonic Adventure DX looks better. I hate Sonic Adventure DX.
Then there’s the oft-criticized physics. I thought the Internet was exaggerating when they said the physics in this game were awful. The internet actually told me the truth for once. I should’ve listened. Sonic’s movement feels uncanny and stiff; you can’t roll into a ball to gain speed, his top speed is pretty damn slow compared to other games, and he has a habit of just clinging to slopes and standing there like some kinda lifeless, demonic Spider-Man.
The level design sucks. All of the zone themes are ripped straight from Sonic 1 and *2, and all of them (sans Lost Labyrinth; you really can’t get worse than Labyrinth Zone) are just downgraded versions. Green Hill, Casino Night, and… Metropolis Zone? Fucking METROPOLIS ZONE?! Nobody likes Metropolis Zone, yet they decided to make a zone based off of it— shitty enemy placement and all— only much worse due to the lack of momentum-based physics, which makes platforming a slog. In fact, most platforming is a slog due to how slow and janky Sonic’s control is.
I’m fine with 2D Sonic games that are different from the classics; I liked the DS version of Colors and I’m enjoying the Advance* trilogy so far. But this abomination is just not fun to play at all. What the fuck.
My first Sonic game was actually a fan-made Adobe Flash game utilized music and mechanics from the Advance games. It was short, but it was a good introduction for my 5-year-old self and I played it countless times on my dad’s computer.
That little fan game is LEAGUES ahead of this horseshit.
First off, I will say that although the stupid chip-tune sound is unfitting, the music itself is nice and upbeat. Unsurprising, considering it was made by the series’ lead composer (and Crush 40 songwriter) Jun Sunoue. We love Jun Sunoue. He’s never done us dirty.
Everything else sucks. The game’s art style is atrocious, using an unpleasant mix of 3D models and 2D backgrounds that look disgustingly low-poly, to the point that I unironically think that Sonic Adventure DX looks better. I hate Sonic Adventure DX.
Then there’s the oft-criticized physics. I thought the Internet was exaggerating when they said the physics in this game were awful. The internet actually told me the truth for once. I should’ve listened. Sonic’s movement feels uncanny and stiff; you can’t roll into a ball to gain speed, his top speed is pretty damn slow compared to other games, and he has a habit of just clinging to slopes and standing there like some kinda lifeless, demonic Spider-Man.
The level design sucks. All of the zone themes are ripped straight from Sonic 1 and *2, and all of them (sans Lost Labyrinth; you really can’t get worse than Labyrinth Zone) are just downgraded versions. Green Hill, Casino Night, and… Metropolis Zone? Fucking METROPOLIS ZONE?! Nobody likes Metropolis Zone, yet they decided to make a zone based off of it— shitty enemy placement and all— only much worse due to the lack of momentum-based physics, which makes platforming a slog. In fact, most platforming is a slog due to how slow and janky Sonic’s control is.
I’m fine with 2D Sonic games that are different from the classics; I liked the DS version of Colors and I’m enjoying the Advance* trilogy so far. But this abomination is just not fun to play at all. What the fuck.