Definitely the best Boom game, which isn’t saying a whole lot but at the same time I would definitively put this game in the decent to pretty good camp.
I do get the impression that Sanzaru games acknowledged the criticisms against Shattered Crystal, since in a lot of ways this does carry a lot of what worked decently well about that game and improved it. Level design is more dynamic and interesting compared to the more blocky, Metroidvania-esque level design of the previous game, while still keeping a lot of that exploration aspect. And on that note, exploration and completion isn’t forced in this game like it was in Shattered Crystal, meaning that replayability actually feels more meaningful outside of just beating the game.
Controls have some improvements too, feeling more fluid and the ‘Fire and Ice’ mechanic adds a bit to the moveset. Though I still feel the other characters feel too situational (I can only recall a couple instances where I even used Knuckles), and while it’s nice to have Amy playable there’s still not a lot of development on that element.
Still, I’d say this game is worth trying. Not the best handheld Sonic game (I’d still give that to Advance 1, 3, Rush Adventure and Triple Trouble), but definitely the best out of the Boom games and even out of the 3DS Sonic games.
I do get the impression that Sanzaru games acknowledged the criticisms against Shattered Crystal, since in a lot of ways this does carry a lot of what worked decently well about that game and improved it. Level design is more dynamic and interesting compared to the more blocky, Metroidvania-esque level design of the previous game, while still keeping a lot of that exploration aspect. And on that note, exploration and completion isn’t forced in this game like it was in Shattered Crystal, meaning that replayability actually feels more meaningful outside of just beating the game.
Controls have some improvements too, feeling more fluid and the ‘Fire and Ice’ mechanic adds a bit to the moveset. Though I still feel the other characters feel too situational (I can only recall a couple instances where I even used Knuckles), and while it’s nice to have Amy playable there’s still not a lot of development on that element.
Still, I’d say this game is worth trying. Not the best handheld Sonic game (I’d still give that to Advance 1, 3, Rush Adventure and Triple Trouble), but definitely the best out of the Boom games and even out of the 3DS Sonic games.