PAL copy played on an Xbox One X.
Over ten years later and it's a shame that Generations remains to be the last consistently solid Sonic title - and even then it feels like a "just" at times. The main series of levels feel solidly designed and while the bonus missions feel like padding at the best of times, the game has an overall solid presentation with good art direction and song remixes.
My main complaints relay to the length - easily a 5-6 hour game if you're not going for a completionist route and the lack of a third, "Adventure"-era Sonic with the more exploratative level design feels like a missed opportunity. It also feels a bit rushed with a number of features feeling entirely underbaked such as the bonus anniversary features and the final boss being a bit of an anti-climax. Thankfully it doesn't reach the disappointing lows of the 15th anniversary celebration with '06 but with this being only 5 years and several games later it does feel like Sonic Team should have maybe been allowed more time.
This is overall a fun game and perhaps the truly last "great" Sonic title whilst being a decent summation of the franchise's then 20 year history, but it's not without its flaws and they feel more evident as time goes on.
Over ten years later and it's a shame that Generations remains to be the last consistently solid Sonic title - and even then it feels like a "just" at times. The main series of levels feel solidly designed and while the bonus missions feel like padding at the best of times, the game has an overall solid presentation with good art direction and song remixes.
My main complaints relay to the length - easily a 5-6 hour game if you're not going for a completionist route and the lack of a third, "Adventure"-era Sonic with the more exploratative level design feels like a missed opportunity. It also feels a bit rushed with a number of features feeling entirely underbaked such as the bonus anniversary features and the final boss being a bit of an anti-climax. Thankfully it doesn't reach the disappointing lows of the 15th anniversary celebration with '06 but with this being only 5 years and several games later it does feel like Sonic Team should have maybe been allowed more time.
This is overall a fun game and perhaps the truly last "great" Sonic title whilst being a decent summation of the franchise's then 20 year history, but it's not without its flaws and they feel more evident as time goes on.
3 Comments
this just a half baked version of Forces
"what if there was a game that reminded you of better games while you played it?"
"what if there was a game that reminded you of better games while you played it?"
I certainly agree Mania is the superior title but since it wasn't a Sonic Team project (and the fact it feels like a total fluke) it seems silly to consider these games in the same breath.
Forces had some redeeming qualities - I really dug the OC creator and I actually grew to really like the music (as if that's ever been a problem with Sonic games). But the half-assed level design (some barely taking a minute to finish), bringing "classic" Sonic back for nostalgia baiting, and the plot both trying really hard whilst not putting the effort in felt like an entirely wasted opportunity. I want to respect Forces more for what it tried but Generations is just all around the better end product.
Forces had some redeeming qualities - I really dug the OC creator and I actually grew to really like the music (as if that's ever been a problem with Sonic games). But the half-assed level design (some barely taking a minute to finish), bringing "classic" Sonic back for nostalgia baiting, and the plot both trying really hard whilst not putting the effort in felt like an entirely wasted opportunity. I want to respect Forces more for what it tried but Generations is just all around the better end product.
Weatherby
2 years ago