the more i spend time with this game the more i think that it's literally just a run and gun but hey we have these COOL and AWESOME church-inspired enemies, mid ost AND a "combo" system
overhyped

this game is a lot more impressive than sa2, my old review can go fuck itself. there's definitely this feel of adventure and childlike joy, and the story is closer to the series' core instead of being y2k edgekino as good as that is to some extent. all of the character types control and play better than in adventure 2 (knuckles' radar not being fucking horrendous helps a lot) and (except for big) they don't feel shoehorned in, they play at least some part in the story and lead up to the finale. adventure hubs definitely make this game a lot more soulful as well as the shoddy cutscenes, it's just got a lot of charm
story is actually very impressive for a sonic game and the game itself is just very innovative for the series and for gaming in general, in terms of graphics and gameplay for the time, this definitely deserves a 7 at least but i'll add a point for nostalgia factor

/v/'s biggest psyop is convincing you this is a shit game, it's actually amazing
it isn't anything like the first game sure, in terms of atmosphere or gameplay, but it's such a blast to play and considering the sci-fi theme is basically implemented in every quake game except 1 it'd be a lie to convince yourself this game isn't true to the series now. also fucking AMAZING industrial ost, same with q1 and q3

untouchable masterpiece that still holds up to this day, a masterwork of level design (although it gets slightly less impressive in late game) and storytelling. it really makes you think about the parallels between the game and the real world, it's fucking crazy man. the best immersive sim pioneer, still the best in the genre and my all time favourite

it's not anywhere near as bad as the rating suggests
it's not a masterpiece, but i enjoyed my time with it outside of the clunky motorcycle interludes, fuck those. the story is impressive, engaging and feels like a 80s movie in a good way. i found the shooting to be pretty good here, even better than MGS because of some re-like mechanics and because i'm a filthy casual that likes auto aim on consoles.
while not sweet, it doesn't leave a sour taste in your mouth at all - the whole vibe is just kickass. oh yeah and the puzzles have zero to none visual clues, use gamefaq if confused

this shit is so fucking boring bruh
every level is like the other and there's no real challenge

with amazing highs and horrendous lows, this game is extremely flawed but remains being great fun and it's a modern sonic story that doesn't make you want to blow your brains out like forces
also big nostalgia factor

if you take this game seriously like i did you'll be really disappointed to find out that it's just a shitty version of scarface, otherwise it's a neat add-on to gta 3 that improves on that game's mechanics (but it still feels jank at times) and has a shiny 80s city (that i never really liked)
also contrary to popular belief i think the ost in this game is ok at best and annoying at worst, and v-rock is exceptionally shitty

replaying it after like 5 years i come to the conclusion this game is fucking awesome. it doesn't have any of the cheesy, overlong writing and linear missions present in the series' future, it's just a big, grimy and most importantly EXPLOSIVE city where you are a killer on the quest of revenge. this game feels a lot bigger than vice city and more polished than san andreas, it looks and feels and sounds amazing. the radio in this game is the best the series has to offer in my opinion with one of my favourite musicians (the scientistt) and one of my favourite labels (moving shadow) having their own huge sets. and, if can i repeat this again, it's EXPLOSIVE. lots of shit just happens in front of your eyes, the missions are super speedy yet challenging, and it's just a fucking bliss.
was one of my favourite games back then, and it's one of my favourites now yet again

"You know, I suppose I misjudged you Al Quaeda boys. You guys aren't so bad after all. Guess I'll be on my way now. Oh, and sorry about that whole 72 virgins thing not working out for ya!"

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU COULD USE A PORK BUN

good game that's obviously a love letter to Yakuza, but remains creative (and more engaging than most Yakuza games) throughout.

TEN YEARS IN THE JOINT MADE YOU A FUCKING PUSSY

this game will obliterate you the first time you come in, but as you progress it starts shaping up as one of the most action-packed and story-driven shoot-'em-up games to this day, it's batshit crazy and hasn't aged a bit. awesome soundtrack as well and there's plenty of replay value with a lot of endings to the game.

"oh look it's the dame da ne guy" HIS NAME IS JOHN YAKUZA

real bad problems with pacing where sometimes you just go around getting booze for some randoms, a mediocre battle system, a plot that gets a bit confusing but in general i enjoyed the game

snoooore mimimimi snoooore mimimimi
massively overrated story and gameplay that will bore you to death, name a worse duo. the characters are slightly better than persona 4's but that isn't really a great achievement