The twentieth anniversary game is finally here! But is this a double-Sonic grand slam, or is it a project that should never have reached the public like Sonic 4? Read on to find out!
Story: Sonic’s birthday bash is interrupted by a giant worm-hole creating monster who sucks up all of Sonic’s friends and places, shoving both Modern and Classic (from 1991) Sonic into a sort of white limbo. It’s up to the team of Sonics to save the day, rescue their friends and history itself before all is lost!
Sound: This is some of the best video game music I’ve ever heard. Period. Classic and modern levels have their original music, but when classic meets modern and visa-versa, epic remixes play. Some of the remixes are so good I actually like them more than the original. Chemical Plant modern version? Too epic. Voice acting is superb as well. Sound: 10/10
Presentation: Using the exact same graphical engine that Sonic Unleashed ran on, this game looks slick and extremely polished. While not quite up to Unleashed caliber in terms of detail, it’s still a pretty awesome-looking game. Menus are pretty bland though, being this tacky grey color that sort of takes away from the usual flow of rainbow colors. Presentation: 8/10
Gameplay: While I’m not as big of a fan of Classic Sonic as some are, even I have to admit that his levels are pretty freakin’ fun. 2D gameplay is smooth and while not exactly the original, it’s as close as you’ll ever get to the classic physics. One thing I especially like is that on top of the normal two dimensions, 3D scenes are occasionally integrated into scripted parts of the levels. As for Modern Sonic, he’s basically a carbon-copy of Unleashed Sonic with the exception that controls are slightly altered (which is a pain because Unleashed-habits kick in and mess you up constantly). It’s still the blazing fast boost to the goal gameplay, complete with somewhat slippery controls and way too precise platforming. It’s a great change of pace though, being one of the fastest things any video game has to offer. The interesting new twists on classic boss fights are great additions as well, making everything feel fresh. My only major gripe with the gameplay is that although level design is good for the most part, bottomless pits of doom are EVERYWHERE. Yes, there is a tiny little warning marker, but when you’re going at three-thousand miles an hour that thing might as well not even be there, due to the fact you’ll already be dead by the time you see it. Gameplay: 7.5/10
Multiplayer: N/A
Length: For a big twentieth anniversary bash, this game is a little disappointing in length. It only take about three and a half hours to complete, on average. There are a large amount of red rings to collect though (a la Sonic Colors) which adds some replay value, and there are a lot of challenges. But for me the big catch is getting every level S-Ranked, which practically doubles time spent playing (and cursing in frustration). In the end though, this game just isn’t very long and will be over just as you get into it. Length: 4/10
Overall: Sonic Generations gets 7.4 loop-de-loops out of 10, being a good way to celebrate the big twentieth anniversary. Personally, I think this game was a bit of a step down from Unleashed (fans will kill me for saying that, I know) in terms of content and creativity, but it’s still a great game full of fun that I highly recommend to everyone.
Robert's Interstellar Soapbox 