Star Fox: Assault is surprisingly similar to Sonic Adventure 2: Battle in all the best and worst ways. The aspect of the game that the series is best known for (on-rails shooting / fast-paced platforming) is enjoyable for a good chunk of the levels that feature it. These levels are short, sweet, and just straight up fun, as well as forming the introduction and peak of the games. This is when there's moments that feel like they're pushing the series forward with unique enemies and creative environments. The soundtrack for these levels are also have some of the best music of the series, both for remixed classics and original pieces. Unfortunately, they're also the only sections I would want to replay.
For both these games, about 2/3rds of the main playthrough is bogged down by sections with drastically different and unpolished play styles. For Star Fox: Assault, the ground 3rd person shooter sections are a shocking parallel to Sonic Adventure 2: Battle's treasure hunting levels, both dealing with loose controls and hard to navigate maps. Likewise, SFA's stationary turret bits and SA2B's mech levels both have a very slow-paced feel with gameplay that gets quickly repetitive without the snappier controls of the rest of the game. These parts feel so tacked on, and I wish both Namco / Sega had more faith in the main gameplay style of on-rails shooting / 3D platforming.
On a more ambivalent note, both Star Fox: Assault and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle have aspects that fall into a category of "so bad it's entertaining" that usually only applies to movies. The storyline and voice acting are consistently baffling and bizarre, and feel as though they're the first and only narrative ideas and recording takes the team went with. The games have some moments where it seems to be really going for emotional bits, but a majority of the time seems to embrace the campy and weird furry universe they live in.
Overall both games are so smothered in jank that makes it hard to recommend to those that aren't already die-hard fans of the series. I can at least commemorate the first level of each respective game for providing an exciting foundation for what each series could be. I feel that's where Star Fox and Sonic are both at their best.
For both these games, about 2/3rds of the main playthrough is bogged down by sections with drastically different and unpolished play styles. For Star Fox: Assault, the ground 3rd person shooter sections are a shocking parallel to Sonic Adventure 2: Battle's treasure hunting levels, both dealing with loose controls and hard to navigate maps. Likewise, SFA's stationary turret bits and SA2B's mech levels both have a very slow-paced feel with gameplay that gets quickly repetitive without the snappier controls of the rest of the game. These parts feel so tacked on, and I wish both Namco / Sega had more faith in the main gameplay style of on-rails shooting / 3D platforming.
On a more ambivalent note, both Star Fox: Assault and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle have aspects that fall into a category of "so bad it's entertaining" that usually only applies to movies. The storyline and voice acting are consistently baffling and bizarre, and feel as though they're the first and only narrative ideas and recording takes the team went with. The games have some moments where it seems to be really going for emotional bits, but a majority of the time seems to embrace the campy and weird furry universe they live in.
Overall both games are so smothered in jank that makes it hard to recommend to those that aren't already die-hard fans of the series. I can at least commemorate the first level of each respective game for providing an exciting foundation for what each series could be. I feel that's where Star Fox and Sonic are both at their best.