Sonic Generations (XB360/PS3)

[Shadow Fire]

Director: Hiroshi Miyamoto

Producers: Takashi Iizuka

Music: Jun Senoue

Starring: Junichi Kanemaru, Ryo Hirohashi, Nobutoshi Kanna, Koji Yusa, Chikao Otsuka (I'm not too fond of the English voice cast, and since you can switch languages, I chose Japanese.)

Rating:


Plot
Sonic and friends are celebrating the blue hedgehog's birthday, when things are thrown into disarray by a strange creature, known as the Time Eater, who kidnaps Sonic's friends, and sends him into a world that is covered in whiteness, his friends all frozen like statues. He finds himself in a familiar hillside, which he blasts through, and restores Tails to life and heads for the next area. Just as he leaves, another Sonic arrives, though a little shorter, chubbier, and lacking the ability to speak. He too dashes off for the distance.

The two Sonics eventually come face to face, and discover that they have been taken through time. The two must work together in order for the world to be restored to its former glory, and so that space-time can be repaired.


Review
I am not going to lie. I have been looking forward to this game since it was announced. The idea of Classic and Modern working as one to save time is a very unusual concept to me, though not unwelcome. As a Sonic fan, I have found some of the games over the years have not been planned out very well, have elements that are just outright ridiculous, or are extremely bugged to hell. I'm looking at you, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). However, working on what people have been asking, have Sonic Team finally made a winner? In a simple word, yes.

The gameplay is awesome. Going through each level twice is what people would usually consider tedious, but considering one is a classic mode, while the other is modern? Yes, please! The levels are well thought out, and adapt on their original counterparts. From the classic Green Hill Zone from Sonic 1, to the beautiful (if not extremely challenging) Planet Wisp from Sonic Colours, each level is filled with different paths you can take. Classic Sonic focuses a little more on platforming than his modern counterpart, but that only makes things a little more interesting.

Music is amazing. Every piece of music used in the game has had a remix, regardless of its originating game. And now, for the first time, you can select which music you want each stage to play, after collecting them. There are a few of these collectibles that are not remixed, but that doesn't make them any less enjoyable. I have actually changed the music I have playing in the main levels, because I like the selection.

Options are customisable, and for the first time in a Sonic game, you can have diversity in which voice language you select. English and Japanese are of course selectable, but now, you can hear Sonic and friends in French, German, Italian and Castillian Spanish.

Finally, Sonic's abilities and physics. Classic Sonic is only equipped with two powers. The Spin Jump and the Spin Dash. Quite simple, but his controls seem to handle them fine. My only gripe is that the controls are sometimes a little too responsive, but I can adapt to it. Modern Sonic has all of his abilities, such as the Homing Attack, Sonic Boost, Stomp, Wall Kick, and more. Let me tell you, blasting through levels at high speed, in environments as beautiful as those... it's breathtaking. Not only that, you can customise which additional abilities Modern Sonic can use.


Overall
So, while this game may not impress EVERY Sonic fan out there, I tend to find that Sonic Team have finally listened to what their fans want, and have provided us with a wonderful game to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our favourite blue hedgehog. This game is also available on PC and 3DS (the latter which has many differences). If you're wondering if you should get this game, I would say, definitely.