Replica

"Infinite can create virtual reality projections. They have mass and form, but no heart or soul."

"Virtual reality? So all those familiar faces that were a part of Eggman's army..."

"Replicas. The problem is, they may not be real, but their powers are as formidable as the originals."

- Shadow, Sonic, then Shadow, Sonic Forces

Replicas are characters that appear in Sonic Forces. They are a group of distinct, virtual reality projections of previous friends and foes that Sonic has encountered in the past, created by Infinite with the power of the Phantom Ruby. Serving the Eggman Empire, replicas have all the strengths and powers that their original counterparts possess, though they have no free will. Though there are four types of replicas (those being Shadow, Metal Sonic, Chaos, and Zavok), they each can be mass-produced.

Appearance
Replicas, as the name implies, are virtual reality projections of friends and enemies that Sonic the Hedgehog has ran into in his many adventures. The replicas take on the form of their original counterparts, with little to no differences between comparing the original to the fake. Though replicas can imitate and masquerade as their original counterparts, the replica of Shadow is shown to have different eyes than the original Shadow, likely done due to Shadow being the only member of the four replicas that has his original counterpart show up during the events of Sonic Forces.

Features and abilities
Replicas are capable to using any ability that their original counterpart can utilize. The replica of Zavok, for example, is capable of fighting against Sonic in a brawl with both the personality and strength that the original Zavok has.

History
Using the power of the Phantom Ruby, Infinite was able to create virtual reality projections of familiar faces Sonic and company have met with in the past. In the City, Sonic had rescued Tails and several civilians from the clutches of Eggman, but was shortly subdued by an elusive Infinite and the four replicas, to which Sonic was surprised as Shadow's inclusion to Eggman's Army.

Six months would pass before Sonic was freed inside the Death Egg, to which he fought the replica of Zavok. After defeating the deadly one, Zavok disintegrated, with Sonic noticing the sound Zavok makes when he vanishes, the very same sound used when the Phantom Ruby is in use. Sonic would return to the City after Shadow was spotted leading Eggman's Army to rampage through the desolate town. As Sonic confronts Shadow, this "Shadow" is revealed to be a replica when the real Shadow arrived to cut the fight short, defeating the Shadow replica. After the fight, Shadow reveals to Sonic what replicas are, giving some insight to Infinite's power.

Eventually, the Resistance would reach the Eggman Empire Fortress, where an army of replicas would serve during the climatic battle between the Eggman Empire and Resistance. Once the Death Egg Robot was destroyed and the Phantom Ruby along with it, the replicas that fought against the Resistance began to vanish, leading to their demise.