There has been a lot of discussion in recent years of certain subsets of the Sonic Fandom who, devoted to the world of Sonic the Hedgehog, have created a wealth of interesting and varied fan-content. From original characters (pls donβt steal Coldsteel) to strangely erotic fan-fiction, the Sonic community has been a point of ridicule to many for many years. In 2015, an unofficial game, Sonic Dreams Collection, commented on the declining reputation of the franchise and the nature of its fans, but brought with it an OC creator, which piqued the interest of many.
In Sonic Forces, SONIC TEAM have seemingly taken this idea and ran with it, providing what some are calling fan-fiction in official game form; but is it enough to save the ailing 3D aspect of the franchise?
From the get-go, Sonic Forces has the feel of a 90βs tv show. The intro plays like it could easily fit into any fan-fiction or Saturday morning cartoon. The setup is simple; Dr Robotnik (I refuse to call him Eggman, SEGA) gathers together a team of Sonicβs greatest foes; Metal Sonic, Shadow, Chaos and Zavok (Sonic Lost World) to conquer the world. With the help of the powerful Infinite, they defeat Sonic and his friends, before capturing him and successfully taking control of the planet. In the months following, Sonicβs allies form the Resistance, who fight the βEggmanβ Empire with little success, until they encounter YOUR ORIGINAL CHARACTER (OC), who you control in a mission to save the world and become Sonicβs best buddy!
Facetiousness aside, despite this being a bit of a mega-fanβs wet dream, itβs handled surprisingly well. They play the story straight, with plenty of enthusiastic dialogue and earnesty and it works. Itβs everything you would expect it to be and more, with appearances from most of the Sonic cast and a somewhat interesting exploration of the OCβs backstory. This attempt at gritty Sonic may come across as a somewhat campy experiment, but itβs clear that SONIC TEAM knew what they were aiming for and followed through to create an experience that tickles your inner Sonic fanboy fantastically.
Levels themselves are split into a few different types; OC/Avatar, Sonic, Classic Sonic and Tag Team.
Avatar levels star your Original Character; a Bear, Bird, Cat, Dog, Hedgehog, Rabbit or Wolf who left the city after the invasion and joined up with the Resistance. Referred to as βRookieβ, the OC can be dressed in a variety of clothing and use a Wispon (a weapon powered by Sonic Colourβs Wisps) to traverse levels and battle enemies. These levels play as you would expect from a Sonic Game, as you run through various environments platforming and fighting robots. Whilst the player character doesnβt have all the abilities of Sonic, they are able to dash and attack in a similar way to the titular Hedgehog using the Wisponβs wire whilst using a variety of elements based on the Wisponβs type to battle and traverse the stage. These levels feel refreshing and different from the standard Sonic formula, although at times they do break under the strain of the different options. Whilst I havenβt encountered many bugs, at times they can feel formulaic, with clear arena and traversal areas designed for the Wispons which donβt exactly blend with the rest of the level.
3D Sonic levels are arguably the best theyβve been in a 3D Sonic game for a long time. His dashes and boosts feel organic and powerful and itβs incredibly satisfying to rush through an area as him, jumping and weaving through enemies and taking part in awesome set-pieces. A highlight for me was a boss battle taking place on a giant snake which utilised a cylindrical battlefield and environmental obstacles. These are the best levels in the game; well designed for multiple paths and always fun to traverse.
Classic Sonic, on the flipside, isnβt as well done. After the astonishing Sonic Maniaβs mastery of the 2D formula this feels like a real step back. Granted, they did bring forward the jump dash, but it just doesnβt feel as fresh or responsive as it was the last time they combined it with 3D Sonic in Generations. Whilst Classic Sonicβs levels arenβt the worst element of the game, they feel like un-necessary filler. One exception to this was a boss battle in Green hill against the Doctor. I wonβt spoil what happens, but it isnβt the run-of-the-mill boss it seems to beβ¦
Tag Team levels areβ¦strange? In these your Avatar runs alongside 3D Sonic utilising both of their skill sets. Good idea in theory? Not in practice. You control both at once and it just doesnβt feel right. At times it is an awesome combination of elements, but more often than not it becomes a confusing mess of imprecise controls.
Overall, the single character 3D levels are the better ones, though they still have their issues when they transition to 2D sections. The most grievous is the lack of a mechanical change. Whilst the perspective of the level changes, the way the character controls does not and as such the physics just donβt fit. Characters continue to slip around the level despite the need for precise controls, leaving them feeling unfair and badly conceptualised. Itβs an issue that weβve seen before in this series; itβs a shame they havenβt learnt from their mistakes.
Graphically this may be the best Sonic has ever looked. The logo and menu design is fantastic, faithfully presenting the feel of a resistance movement. The cartoon-like aesthetic has been well realised in 3D with a great level of fidelity across the board. Iβm also a fan of how they have mixed up the returning Sonic areas to make them fresh; an example being Green Hill Zone, which has become somewhat of a destroyed desert following Robotnikβs takeover.
Whilst short, Sonic Forces does feel rewarding. After each level you are given a variety of costume pieces for your OC, with more awarded for getting better ranks and multipliers awarded for completing daily achievements. These are fun to equip on your character despite the limited number of Avatar levels, though I would have liked the ability to put them on the Sonic characters additionally.
Overall, Iβm afraid to say that technically this isnβt the best Sonic Game; it isnβt even the best 3D Sonic game. There arenβt as many flaws overall or the number of bugs present in the others, but I canβt argue that itβs anything other than mediocre; as much as Iβd like to. Regardless, I had a lot of fun with it. The environments are fresh and colourful. The Avatar customizer gives you a lot of options and it is enjoyable to go back through certain levels to unlock the red coins and get a better grade. The story is genuinely told with a lot of heart, and thatβs appealing to me as a fan.
Itβs inconsistent, varying wildly from 9/10 moments to 3/10 moments, and itβs frustrating to see. If you love Sonic games, want an entertaining story and a ton of fan-service and can see through a few mis-steps, pick this up. Otherwise, you may be somewhat disappointed.
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