Genre: Platformer
Modes: Single-Player
Developed by: Sonic Team
Published by: Sega
Release Date: October 25th 2024
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC
Reviewed on: PS5
I have been vocal about my feelings towards Sonic the Hedgehog on this website. I have never been a massive fan of the franchise and have never seen the appeal of the characters. Aside from a few exceptions, most Sonic games have not left an impression on me, and I am not too fond of some of them. Sonic Generations has always been an exception. I loved the game when I first played it on the PS3, and it made me realise the franchise's appeal more. Now, with Sonic X Shadow Generations, I am astounded. Not only do we have the definitive version of Sonic Generations, but we have a brand new campaign as a bonus. The latest campaign, Shadow Generations, is my new favourite 3D Sonic game. It used to be Sonic Generations, but Shadow Generations takes the best elements of its predecessor, refines them to fit the gameplay of Shadow the Hedgehog, and introduces new power-ups that work seamlessly in the gameplay.
HELLO THERE, OLD FRIEND
90% of Sonic Generations has been left untouched since its release. The game comprises Nine different areas, each consisting of two levels: Act 1 and Act 2. In Act 1 levels, you play as Classic Sonic and progress to the end of a level from a 2D perspective. These levels are a nostalgic callback to Sonic's heyday on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Classic Sonic does not have the over-the-top speed of Modern Sonic, but the level design compensates well and is more focused on platforming over obstacles rather than flat-out speed.
The 2D stages are great, for the most part. In the later areas, the 2D level design often discourages players who want to go as fast as possible. While this is okay and can keep the player aware of when and where they can increase their speed, it does lead to many areas where you take a hit and lose most of your rings. It can be frustrating if you're going for the S rank in a level. The 2D levels in Crisis City and Planet Wisp are the best examples. You will have a straightforward area where speed is the best way to progress. However, the game will trick you with a small gap or spiked path, causing you to lose your momentum and lose your rings. It can feel harsh in places but does not lessen the fun of playing as Classic Sonic.
Act 2 levels see you playing as Modern Sonic with the boost formula, first introduced in Sonic Unleashed. Playing as Modern Sonic, you have a boost gauge that fills up when you collect rings or defeat enemies with Sonic's homing attack. Sonic runs ridiculously fast when you activate boost and eliminates any enemy before him. The boost formula is controversial amongst Sonic fans, and differing opinions about its implementation are vast across the internet. The boost formula works best in Sonic Generations. The boost does not feel as slippery and out of your control as it does in Sonic Unleashed, and there is still a lot of thought and precision platforming for you to make, unlike Sonic Forces. The level design of Act 2 stages also has more variety for the boost formula. In slower areas, platforming is necessary to get the best path, so using the boost would prove problematic. The boost also works at the last minute, saving you if you need extra horizontal distance when jumping. Sonic Generations is the best game to highlight the purpose of the boost formula.
The level design of Sonic Generations is unchanged from the original game, as are the challenge levels you complete to earn boss keys and the brilliant soundtrack. The soundtrack consists of remixed versions of songs from previous Sonic games, but it is still a delight. The game's graphics are also close to identical to the 2011 game. Still, the current generation of consoles and hardware allows the game to perform at a consistent 60fps without any noticeable frame drops. The performance impressed me the most about this edition of Sonic Generations. I own the game on PS3, but the game does not perform at a stable frame rate. Whenever masses of enemies appear on screen or you are boosting your way through a level, the PS3 version slows down significantly. However, I played this remaster on the PS5 with Performance Mode on, and it is by far the best performance I have ever seen in a Sonic game.
The most noticeable difference in this version is the revised dialogue during cutscenes. I do not know why Sonic Team decided to rewrite this game's dialogue because it does not add anything new to the experience, and the original voice acting was fine as it was. Sadly, where Sonic Team changed the game's dialogue, they did not change any part of the game's story. Sonic Generations' narrative is easily the weakest part of the game. It's forgettable and bland. There was so much potential for interactions between Classic and Modern Sonic, as well as justifying why both Sonic's were travelling through areas from their history. However, Sonic Team should have made more effort to fuse these elements.
NOT JUST A REMASTER
Getting a remaster of Sonic Generations was already exciting, but Sonic Team decided to go above and beyond. As well as a remaster, Sonic X Shadow Generations comes with a brand new campaign, set during Sonic Generations and stars Shadow the Hedgehog. The campaign, titled Shadow Generations, is the main selling point of this collection, and I did not expect the game to be as fantastic as it was.
Shadow Generations is structured very similarly to Sonic Generations. Each area has two acts, one played in 3D and the other in 2D. Similarly, after you complete each location, you must beat several challenge levels to unlock boss keys to progress. Once you have the keys, you fight a boss from a past game in the franchise. All of this is identical in both games. Still, Shadow Generations takes the pitfalls of Sonic Generations and improves on them, adding new abilities, visual styles and a much better story.
The stages themselves are stages from Sonic and Shadow's past games. For example, the opening stage, Space Colony ARK, is from Sonic Adventure 2. I do not have as much nostalgia for Sonic as I do with other platforming mascots, but I will freely admit that Rail Canyon's appearance from Sonic Heroes brought a smile to my face. Not only do the stages reference previous games, but the bosses do as well. Biolizard from Sonic Adventure 2 appears, as does Metal Overlord from Sonic Heroes; even Mephiles from Sonic 06 makes an appearance.
The story follows Shadow the Hedgehog as he traverses through the White Space, a hub world stripped of colour, much like the one in Sonic Generations. Shadow meets Gerald Robotnik, Eggman's grandfather, and Maria, the young girl with whom Shadow has a connection. Shadow's quest is to repair the time anomaly he finds himself in and stop Black Doom from stealing his abilities for world domination.
The story is easy to understand and carries a surprising amount of emotional weight compared to other Sonic games. Shadow Generations is Shadow's second game in the spotlight, and it is the game that made me a fan of the character. His backstory is tragic, and his interactions with Gerald and Maria are fantastic in this game. Shadow is a broken character, filled with suppressed rage. But instead of falling into his darkness, he trundles on, using his abilities for the greater good.
THE ULTIMATE POWER
Shadow Generations is the most satisfying Sonic game I have ever played in terms of gameplay. The boost is slightly slower than in Sonic Generations; however, this is a necessary change to complement the much heavier emphasis on platforming. The level design features precise jumping, obstacles and tricky enemy placement, and the game encourages you to pay attention to every crevice of its level design. I was not a fan of the way Shadow stops momentarily in the air whenever you execute a homing attack; it is not as satisfying and fluid as Sonic's homing attack, but I eventually got used to it.
Shadow now has new abilities, which you obtain after beating a boss. I will not spoil all of these power-ups as they complement the story and the conflict between Shadow and Black Doom; but I will praise the Chaos Control ability. The ability lets Shadow freeze time quickly, stopping enemies and upcoming projectiles. It can also help the player get a better score at the end of a level because the ability also freezes the stage timer. The Chaos Control ability, and every other power Shadow receives, is a fantastic addition to the game.
Something that Shadow Generations massively improves on is its hub world. Sonic Generations is extremely basic. You can head to the right or left, and the occasional platform challenge will get you to bonus levels or bosses. Shadow's hub world feels like an evolution of the open zone layout of Sonic Frontiers. There is much more platforming in the hub world, and there are dozens of collectibles to find. The collectibles consist of different tokens in both the hub world and levels. Some tokens unlock concept art from Shadow's previous appearances, tokens that unlock music from the past, and tokens that dive deeper into the lore of Shadow the Hedgehog and why he exists.
My only complaint with Shadow Generations (aside from its awkward homing attack) is that it needs to be longer. The campaign took me just over four hours to finish. Adding my playtime from Sonic Generations, the collection took me 10 hours to finish. Sonic Team should consider the length an enormous compliment rather than the length being a criticism.
VERDICT
Sonic X Shadow Generations already had one of the best Sonic games included. Still, Sonic Team exceeded people's expectations by including a brand-new campaign that trumped the original game. Before playing Shadow Generations, I was not a fan of the character. Now, though, I love Shadow the Hedgehog. His backstory is well written, his gameplay is satisfying, and his new abilities make the game much more varied and enjoyable than Sonic Generations.
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