Review by Nick Wheatley
UK certification 7 | UK RRP £44.99 | Region PAL | Developer Sonic Team | Publisher Sega
Back in the early 90s, this reviewer had his first ever video game experience courtesy of the Sega Mega Drive system. Sonic The Hedgehog was my first love in gaming and racing the blue blur racing around the Emerald Hill Zone was an enthralling experience and I've always held the spikey hero in high regard. As time moved on Sonic remained in the past as rivals made the jump from 2D to 3D, Sonic couldn't make that transition. The gameplay never felt the same with the new style not performing to the heights that original fans want from a Sonic game. The character has been limping on since then, beginning to look like a product of the nineties, never seeming capable of adapting to the modern gamers needs. So now the much heralded arrival of Sonic Generations looks to change that. On the hedgehogs 20th anniversary can they turn the tide?
Sonic Generations' protagonist is the Time Eater, who is erasing the world and friends of Sonic along with it. The hedgehog soon finds himself in a strange dimension along with a mysterious ally, himself. Two Sonics (classic and modern) then have to team up to stop this new villain, travelling through retro and fresh levels with a combination of 2D and 3D gameplay.
It's nice to see a game developer willing to compose simple 2D levels with a twist, that was and still is the essence of a Sonic game. The classic levels take me back to my favourite memories of the games' past and the updates and designs add an extra challenge. The new levels are also very enjoyable and having the opportunity to play as either classic or modern Sonic adds extra depth to the game. The graphics aren't going to win any awards but they are good enough. The nostalgia factor is cranked to eleven with even music tracks from the past popping up. This is truly a love letter to Sega's most famous creation.
This may be the best game for quite a while in the series but there are still some major issues. The game was not large enough and the boss battles were very limited in challenge and entertainment. The cringeworthy cut scenes involving Sonic and his gang were embarrassing, lowering the intellectual level to that of a toddler. With the irritating Tails providing much of the dialogue to explain the games primitive plot. The controls were extremely solid for the usual gameplay but on occasion when the level design shifted the controls or objectives weren't made clear. Meaning the player has to go through a trial and error stage to discover what to do and how to do it. In particular the final boss for the game proves to be a massive obstacle, which feels more like an incomplete game than a worthy challenge. It's an experience that leaves the gamer frustrated by the closing credits and with little replay value on offer, the game feels like a missed opportunity.
If you'd like to relive those Sonic classics then simply buy a mega drive or better yet download the old games which are available on the PlayStation Store or Xbox Live. This is the closest Sonic will get to return to his former glory but it's still not enough.