Let’s just lay it out on the table here – the last two Sonic games for Xbox 360 have SUCKED. Sonic Unleashed had some potential by adding some classic 2-D stages, but then blew that when they introduced the Were-hog and the ever-annoying ice cream eating sidekick…I even forgot what his name was. And while the original Sonic the Hedgehog introduced some extraordinary visual ideas, it clunkered with bland level design, awfully placed puzzles (like the “guess the guard” one) and a creepy hint of beastiality. Couldn’t we just have a good ol’ Sonic game, like the old days? It appears we can, because that’s what Sonic Generations is. It’s a game that stands on its own two feet when it comes to being a slick, modern day platformer, while at the same time paying homage to some of Sonic’s greatest moments, from the old-school run through Green Hill to escaping the crumbling ruins of Crisis City. It leans back to when Sonic games were simple and to the point – which is how it should’ve been in the first place. Oh well, better late than never.
The game introduces two generations of Sonic in an interesting storyline that involves a time paradox. Some enemy is starting to tear apart Sonic’s world piece by piece, and “classic” Sonic (from the 1991 days) runs head on with modern day Sonic (2011 version). From there, the player can alternate between the two, either running through a traditional 2-D stage with the old-school Sonic, or go all-out 3D with the current one. No matter which route you take, you’ll want to run through both stages, so you can find secrets like hidden red coins, one-ups and more. The 2D stages, which were first introduced in concept with Unleashed, are much better realized here, and you’ll realize that the first few seconds you run through both Green Hill and Chemical Plant zones. They attempt – and succeed – in grasping the concept of classic Sonic stage design, and they’re wonderful to play through. There are times you’ll come to an awkward stop – leading to an inadvertent death or loss of rings by accidentally touching an enemy – but overall this is the kind of stage design where Sonic really excels. Glad it’s back.
And as for the 3D stages, they’re actually pretty good. Again, there are awkward moments where you’ll either stop, fall off a stage, or hit an enemy by mistake, but for the most part, these are free-flowing stages that are thrilling to run through. Whether you’re running in loops throughout the city or heading down a water slide into a hazard-filled cavern, it’s great stuff. And what’s more, you have your homing attack in stock, so you can zoom in on enemies without interrupting your flow. It would’ve been nice for classic Sonic to have something similar, but he didn’t have that in the older games, so that’s understood. Along with the two types of stages, there are bonus challenges scattered throughout Generations as well. Not only can you compare your best times on these challenges with friends, but you also gain access to boss keys, so you can take on Eggman, Metal Sonic and other dangerous foes head-on. The boss battles are probably the weakest part of the game, though. It’s just way too easy to defeat them, save for the final battle – which I won’t spoil for you.
This feature review concludes on the next page, please click Page 2 below to find out our final thoughts on SEGA's Sonic Generations.
