sonic, sonic, sonic. the one franchise i can never escape from. it defined my younger years and is the reason im interested in the medium at all. nowadays there’s somewhat of a disconnect between me and actually playing the games (partially due to me having played them so much in the past), but i still think about and discuss them regularly. sonic adventure is the one that i was thinking about recently, but in a broader and more artistic sense than the strictly gameplay-focused mindset i had about the series when i was younger. sonic never changed, but i did. i’ve come to appreciate more of what sonic is in recent years, whether it be the music, atmosphere, or cultural impact. i’m not going to go on about why this is one of the best sonic games or one of the worst, merely just sharing my experience with the game as a whole. when i come back to this game now i don’t dissect its multiple parts and try to make sense of them all, i appreciate it as one of the games i bought a gamecube for and played for hours on end once i had finished that pesky science homework.

its a sit-back-and-relax kinda game. whether it be the grandiose oceanic ruins accompanied by mellow beats, or the self contained beaches filled with mesmerizing waves and summer vibes; it’s what makes this game for me. gameplay wise i was never a fan of hub worlds in sonic but they certainly help everything feel connected in a dramatic sense. every area differentiates itself from one another while still feeling connected thematically. the story is kinda laid-back in a way where its themes are…somewhat relatable? i feel like there’s a sonic, tails, amy, or even big inside every one of us. whether you’re more of an adventurous sonic guy or a dream-chasing tails kinda guy, the themes conveyed here are understandable.
the whole package we get is undoubtedly very early 6th gen. dreamcast do be dreamcasting. this game was both an attempt at a great sonic game but also at a great display of the dreamcast’s power, and in retrospect it certainly delivers. big’s gameplay was solely made because the dreamcast had nice water for the time, but, going back a bit, alternatively i think big’s story helps accentuate the game’s themes? like, the gameplay blows don’t get me wrong, but i feel as if The Vibes present in the game can be soaked in more during his campaign. big is like us. he likes exploring funny little places and getting into funny little situations. he sees the game through a more lax lens that the other characters do. what a dope, just like me fr. you can feel the game’s energy in a less stressful way, at least that’s how i see it. each story represents the differing perspectives people can have when experiencing the same thing together. i do think this was intentional as seen by minor dialogue changes to the scenes that occur in each story. our own feelings and context influence how we see things compared to others, and i think that’s a cool thing for a sonic game to focus on.

with this one i really wanted to write a review that wasn’t strictly tied down by my thoughts on the actual gameplay, but rather a more personal write-up. if you’re a fan of this specific game or not, experiences like this in games are special to each individual that experienced them. dunno how to conclude this, so i really like smashing pumpkins. i listened to mellon collie and the infinite sadness while writing this. listen to it i think. lol.