This is an insanely underappreciated Sonic game that takes Rush 1 and just.. makes it better. So much better.
All the surprise traps and time-wasting sections have been significantly reduced to finally let the core gameplay of Sonic Rush truly shine. There's nary a bad zone in this game and the bosses are a lot more fun to take on as you have way more room to deal as much damage as you can, but not in a way that lets you clear bosses easy like in the Classic Sonic games. It's pretty damn rare that I go out of my way to compliment the bosses in a Sonic game.
While Sonic Rush Adventure doesn't have that same funky style to the degree of the first game, it still stands on its own with a greater emphasis on the journey Sonic and co. embark on. There's a real sense of adventure as you discover new islands and sail across the waters with a tropical vibe to keep things bumpin'. Tomoya Ohtani's score for this game is quite different from his other works in the Sonic franchise as you can clearly tell it's inspired by Naganuma's sample-heavy style as seen in the prior game, but with a more atmospheric and grandiose sound thrown in there that perfectly suits the game. My only gripe is I can't say it's as memorable as the first game, although that's not to say there's no tracks in there worth listening to. I think Rush 1's style is way more my tempo in a Sonic game, but I really do appreciate Rush Adventure for standing on its own in terms of presentation.
My only real gripe with the game is the task of collecting all the Emeralds to fight the true final boss. While I really don't mind the sailing as I find all the minigames to be pretty fun, finding some of the hidden islands to unlock more Sol Emerald missions is a bit of a chore when they don't show up on the map; a handful do, yes, but you'll have to sail around a bit aimlessly without a guide. In addition, Johnny's special stage races start out fun but quickly become borderline impossible if you don't upgrade your waterbike at least twice; meaning you have to grind and grind for materials which can quickly get tedious, no matter how fun the stages are.
Aside from a true final boss requirement that's a bit of a chore, Rush Adventure is seriously one of the best Sonic games out there. I think this game truly does deserve every bit of appreciation its predecessor gets, and I can't wait to see what its successor, the DS version of Sonic Colors, has in store.
All the surprise traps and time-wasting sections have been significantly reduced to finally let the core gameplay of Sonic Rush truly shine. There's nary a bad zone in this game and the bosses are a lot more fun to take on as you have way more room to deal as much damage as you can, but not in a way that lets you clear bosses easy like in the Classic Sonic games. It's pretty damn rare that I go out of my way to compliment the bosses in a Sonic game.
While Sonic Rush Adventure doesn't have that same funky style to the degree of the first game, it still stands on its own with a greater emphasis on the journey Sonic and co. embark on. There's a real sense of adventure as you discover new islands and sail across the waters with a tropical vibe to keep things bumpin'. Tomoya Ohtani's score for this game is quite different from his other works in the Sonic franchise as you can clearly tell it's inspired by Naganuma's sample-heavy style as seen in the prior game, but with a more atmospheric and grandiose sound thrown in there that perfectly suits the game. My only gripe is I can't say it's as memorable as the first game, although that's not to say there's no tracks in there worth listening to. I think Rush 1's style is way more my tempo in a Sonic game, but I really do appreciate Rush Adventure for standing on its own in terms of presentation.
My only real gripe with the game is the task of collecting all the Emeralds to fight the true final boss. While I really don't mind the sailing as I find all the minigames to be pretty fun, finding some of the hidden islands to unlock more Sol Emerald missions is a bit of a chore when they don't show up on the map; a handful do, yes, but you'll have to sail around a bit aimlessly without a guide. In addition, Johnny's special stage races start out fun but quickly become borderline impossible if you don't upgrade your waterbike at least twice; meaning you have to grind and grind for materials which can quickly get tedious, no matter how fun the stages are.
Aside from a true final boss requirement that's a bit of a chore, Rush Adventure is seriously one of the best Sonic games out there. I think this game truly does deserve every bit of appreciation its predecessor gets, and I can't wait to see what its successor, the DS version of Sonic Colors, has in store.