Thread:Genesjs/@comment-4702105-20150119012158/@comment-1669199-20150122005845

Ah. Well then...


 * 10: Sonic 3 and Knuckles

I actually have yet to play this title, surprisingly enough considering I bought this title years ago. So I'm afraid I really can't offer any thoughts on it. Sorry.


 * 9: Shadow the Hedgehog

I think I played this title enough to have something of an opinion on it. So here goes: I think the gameplay could've used some tweaking, especially in the gunplay mechanics. While I found the idea of a morality system that affects gameplay and the endings you receive to be an interesting concept, this is pretty much the only aspect about the gameplay that I truly enjoyed -- everything else, besides the gunplay, has been done before and has been implemented questionably IMO, such as a balance between speed and platforming and accuracy while using any kind of attack -- the only reliable attack IMO is just the dash attack. Also, the frequent repeating of lines by bosses gets annoying extremely quickly ("You know what they say, the more the merrier!"), which leads to my thoughts on the overall quality of the voice performances. Like several aspects of actual gameplay, I felt that much of the voice work sounded awkward and forced, especially when lines containing swearing were uttered -- it seemed like the voice directors wanted the actors to place as much emphasis on the swear words themselves as possible, in what I consider a clear attempt to draw the audience's attention to the fact that, "Hey, that character said 'X'! That came out of nowhere -- this story must be serious!"... only, for me at least, it took away some of the seriousness the narrative was trying to convey, which arguably only hurt its cause rather than help it.

Storywise, its a spin-off Sonic game that tries to tell a tale that's darker than most Sonic games in existence, handling themes and concepts that some consumers would undoubtedly question them being there (considering that Sonic is a children's franchise), such as genocide, use of (rather awkwardly sounding) swearing, albeit mild admittedly, and the very idea of being allowed to due villainous things that can lead to a bad outcome in the story in general. Such things don't bother because I'm used to them and that I actually prefer stories that aren't afraid to pull any punches about any dark themes when its trying to present itself as a serious narrative. After all, many children are smarter than most people give them credit for, and are fully aware that just as life has its happy moments it also has its darker, sadder ones. If some of them wish to view/play a work that has specific themes attached, as far as I'm concerned they should be free to do so so long as they're fully aware the difference between reality and fiction and understand what performing some of the stuff they may see will mean for them in real life. But I'm getting a bit sidetracked.

Overall, its a game that's ambitious in its story, but seriously lacking in its gameplay. I'd give it a 2/5 star rating, because despite its flaws I don't consider the game a total failure. Also, on a final note, it at least has a somewhat decent soundtrack, but that's par the course for a Sonic game.


 * 8: Sonic Labyrinth

Unfortunately, I've played very little of this game at this point, but I will say this much: I'm not a fan of the pinball physics -- specifically how they were implemented. I felt it was done rather poorly, therefore making the core aspect of the gameplay admittedly frustrating at times. As for the story, its rather simple but uses a concept that's canocity has been put into question by later titles (the idea that Sonic gets his speed from his shoes rather than it being a natural ability). I'll probably try playing the game again sometime in the future, but I'm not too optimistic over how the experience will turn out for me.


 * 7: Sonic Riders

I have a rather interesting relationship with this game. I haven't played much of the story mode, but I have played a little bit of the other modes where I could play by myself. Although I've read a summary of the story a long time ago, I won't comment on it since I don't have a full understanding of the overall plot, especially its sequels. Instead I'll just comment on the gameplay.

The game plays like a typical racing game that has a couple gimmicks (for example, tornados in one stage that racers can ride) thrown throughout the tracks that help create the atmosphere of the tracks themselves, although they don't really offer much in terms of actual gameplay that would really justify their existence IMO other than just helping to create the scenery. Customization of your riders and their gear is very basic, with nothing truly unique about it. It just has a few options that allow you to alter your rider's natural abilities in some way or another, but that's about it -- a concept that I'm quite familiar with in other racing titles. Overall, the game was decent based on what I've experienced of it. However, since I never experienced the title in its entirety, I will decline giving it a rating.


 * 6: Sonic Heroes (GameCube)

I do own this game, but not for the GameCube. Another title I have yet to finish, but I know enough about the story to comment on it, and I think I've experienced enough of the gameplay to give my thoughts on it too.

The gameplay: Compared to Shadow the Hedgehog, I felt the unique gameplay aspect -- the different abilities between team members you can switch on the fly with -- was implemented better than the gunplay mechanics of the former title, and it required more creative thinking on the player's end in order to proceed through the stages and their numerous enemies and puzzles. Beyond that, the gameplay is pretty straightforward -- get to the end of the stage as fast as you can, while being thorough in collecting collectibles in order to get a higher score and achieving the best results by the end of the game. Just as long as you keep an eye on your surroundings and are willing to be a bit daring from time to time, there's nothing more that needs to be said about the gameplay other than what's already been said. The only gripe I remember having with the game (although playing the game again will undoubtedly jog my memory) is the camera. On a final note, the voice acting could've used work, like most earlier Sonic games back in the day -- or all of them, I guess.

As for the story: The overall story is divided between 4 different teams, each having their own motivation for going on their respective quests, which all tie in together with the other teams at various points due to having several common elements, the most obvious one being Eggman hatching another world-domination scheme and being the main source of conflict throughout the story -- or at least, that's what it appears to be on the surface, as the plot, along with Eggman's overall role, is a little more complicated than that. Eventually all the teams confront the main enemy of the game, they kick serious butt, and everyone goes home, similar to classic storytelling in earlier Sonic games at the time.

The game had a few unique concepts that were interesting and fun but overall it wasn't the most unique Sonic game that I've played and seen. I'd give the game a 3/5 for having decent enough gameplay (although the camera made it annoying at times) and for having a simple story with a few decent twists. That is all.


 * 5:Tails Adventure

I haven't played this game yet, so I have nothing to say about it.


 * 4: Sonic and the Black Knight

I have yet to play the last stages of the game, but like with some of the other games, I think I've played enough to comment.

The gameplay of this game seems to be a love it or hate it deal with most people who played it. For me, I can see the grey areas. I found the swordplay aspects of the gameplay while playing the normal stages to be fun and addictive, but only with Sonic. The other playable characters are more divisive with me. Basically, with Sonic, I feel like I'm slicing through enemies at bullet speed, and in a simple, stylish manner that I couldn't help but feel invincible at times. But when it comes to boss battles, the swordplay is definitely lacking -- it feels clunky and lacks variety when it comes to how you can fight, forcing you to usually rely on good timing in both using simple attacks and blocking. I honestly would've preferred the boss battles to incorporate faster gameplay that could've made them more fun and interesting, such as being constantly on the move and having to parry and counter your opponent's attacks while trying to avoid theirs. Beyond that, its like most Sonic games in which you need to race to the end of the stage as fast as you can while trying to be thorough about collectibles in order to get the best results at the end of the game. Oh yeah, and the voice acting is better than the other examples I've already talked about, so I'm pleased to report the fact -- the lines sound much more natural, no forced lines or words in sight. It allowed me to take the narrative more seriously.

Story: Like with its predecessor Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic gets pulled into an altered storybook-like world that has some glaring inconsistencies with the original tales, such as King Arthur apparently being an evil king that rules Camelot with an iron fist -- and Sonic, being caught up in these events, has no choice but to help resolve them in order to set the stories right, all the while finding a way home. Along the way he encounters characters in the story who look and sound like his friends (and enemies) in the real world, causing some brief bouts of confusion to relationships that already have plenty of friction between them -- because in this case, half of these look-alikes are actively seeking to end Sonic, by order of King Arthur. Basically, the meat of the story is Sonic trying to find out what went wrong with King Arthur and the rest of the story, all the while fending off the forces of darkness that appear to plague virtually every corner of the story world. Like with Sonic Heroes, the story has a twist -- and admittedly, one I found more shocking than the Sonic Heroes example. However, I won't comment on it, since I'm sure you already know what I'm talking about. Overall, the story is a little more complex than your average Sonic game, and I honestly liked that. It was a story that had a specific objective, and I think it did a decent job of sticking to it.

Overall, I liked the game. Even though I acknowledge its flaws, I'm of the opinion that its one of the more fun titles I've played in the series, even if the gameplay can get a bit repetitive. So I'll give the game a 3/5. On a final note, I sinked a ship made from this game. I have no regrets.


 * 3: Sonic Adventure

I've played beaten this game, so I'll get straight to the meat of things.

Gameplay: Its one of the earliest 3D Sonic titles, so many aspects of the gameplay felt awkward, and the camera definitely was far from perfect. Plus the game had a couple glitches here and there, although it didn't inhibit overall gameplay all that much. But despite its flaws, the gameplay was visually impressive for its time and had its fair share of fun moments, such as outrunning objects in the scenery that tried to kill you. Boss battles didn't require much effort most of the time, and had simple patterns, so admittedly many of the boss battles are a little too easy. But on yet another positive note, there's a few easter eggs and sidequests/games that you can find that can prove to be fun and somewhat addictive. Overall, the gameplay has its fair share of pros and cons, so I'd give it an average rating at best.

As for the story, its a story that's definitely more complex than earlier titles in the series at the time, and despite things like the lacking voice acting and goofy-looking lip-syncing, it was a narrative that took itself seriously. However, its been a while since I played the game, and I feel I'll undoubtedly get a few details wrong if I try to sum it up from memory now, so for convenience's sake I'll simply link you to the article we have here on the site. I don't feel much like talking about the plot, other than I considered it to be a pretty decent narrative for a Sonic title, and consider it a classic in its own right.

Overall, I give Sonic Adventure a 3/5 rating for me, because while the gameplay was lacking, I don't consider it horrible, and I think everything else in the game, from the story to the soundtrack, made up for a portion of the gameplay's shortcomings.


 * 2: Sonic R

A game I've played and beaten before, thoroughly, so I shall get to the point on this as well.

Gameplay: For a racing game, I feel Sonic R is a bare-bones title that offers absolutely nothing unique that other racers at the time didn't already offer, so its a title I found tolerable but I certainly don't love it. While I didn't encounter any glitches in the game, I found the random weather generator to be a wild card in the overall experience because not only do you not have any control over it it affects the stages in various ways from solidifying bodies of water to even obscuring your vision at points. There's not much I can say about the gameplay that's good, but it goes the same way for the bad as well, because neither side of things has much to offer. As for the game's soundtrack, I personally enjoyed it, but it doesn't have the best soundtrack I heard in a Sonic game. Plus I find it nice that you have the option to listen to the instrumental versions during gameplay, just in case you can't stand the vocals for any reason.

Story: The story is simple even for a classic Sonic game: Sonic and co. see an advertizement for a big race going on that boasts having the best racers in the world competing, and Sonic sees that Eggman is also participating -- so they decide to join the race as a result of these facts, for pretty much the sole purpose of winning the race and beating their arch enemy. But apparently the race is, predictably, a "trap" set by Eggman to lure Sonic and his friends to their defeat... by beating them in said race and somehow acquiring the Chaos Emeralds along the way. I can't exactly call the story award material by any means, and I didn't the idea terribly exciting to be honest.

Overall, Sonic R is a game that I feel is lacking in both gameplay and story, having nothing unique or interesting in either thing. I wouldn't be surprised if the game was made to be something of a cash grab. But regardless, I don't consider the game terrible. So I give it a 2/5.


 * 1: Sonic Advance

A title I have yet to play, so no comment.

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