Sonic Generations Review

Sonic the Hedgehog has been a staple in the games industry since the 1980s. It's hard to ignore how much SEGA used Sonic and his friends to influence and shape the industry during the inception of the home console. Even though Sonic has prior, time has been a harsh mistress. The series has been relegated to the bowels of the bargain bin.

To mark the character's 25th anniversary, SEGA have taken to reviving Sonic and friends for one more try at mixing the old with the new. What we're left with is Sonic Generations, a title that takes the most famous levels in Sonic history and moulds them into both 2D and 3D outings for players to indulge in. With each level comes a different version of the blue streak as the 2D content features original Sonic and the 3D content featuring the moody older Sonic.

Sonic Generations features nine levels from Sonic's history. Classic's like the Green Hill Zone, Chemical Plant and Speed Highway are present along with more up-to-date content like City Escape, Crisis City and Planet Wisp. There's a decent mix of old versus new here and with each level being rendered in 2D and 3D it makes for eighteen veritable zones all-together.

While the story in the game is a little hit-and-miss, there's enough to gain a decent grasp on why the character's have been thrown back into the fray. A monster known as the Time Eater is messing with the gang's timeline, ripping apart the fabric of time and bringing both original and new Sonic together to face off against old zones and foes. Each must be completed to make the timeline repair itself with the overall objective being to stop any more damage being done. While it's not the worst storyline in Sonic's 25 year history... it doesn't really hook players into the plight before them.

The game itself is a testament to the best times I've ever had with Sonic. The side-scrolling 2D content feels like I've been ripped back to the Mega Drive days (albeit with way better graphics) as I made my way through collecting rings and defeating the many re-imagined foes. Original Sonic handles like a dream with his only abilities once again being jump and roll. It's one hell of a nostalgia trip for many of the levels, but with City Escape and other zone's also having been turned into side-scrolling areas, it's been fun to see what could have been.

The 3D content is also good but it doesn't live up to the 2D content. Here, I took control of new Sonic and while it was nice to see the Green Hill Zone and many other's re-imagined as 3D landscape levels; it didn't alleviate the fact that Sonic handles like crap for most of it. I was bouncing off walls way too often. With the return of the homing attack and the fact that new Sonic can't roll... it was all very hit-and miss at the best of times. I honestly won't say I hated the content as not all of it was bad, but as I got closer to the newer Sonic content re-done in Generations, I could feel once again feel the jarring monotony brought in when SEGA took Sonic into the 3D space.

There are several boss fights in Sonic Generations which feature some of the most important bosses from the past. With Dr. Eggman, Metal Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog being just a few of the boss encounters in the game. While these boss battles don't last as long as other content in the game, it's still nice to have these old battles back once again.

While there's only nine levels -- eighteen zones -- overall, the game doesn't stop there. There are many challenges that can (and sometimes must be) be undertaken to unlock in-game extras like artwork and music from some of the most influential Sonic levels that didn't make the cut. With racing duels, rival battles, and score challenges to be undertaken, there's no shortage of content to be taken on in Sonic Generations.

The graphics are the true stand-out feature of Sonic Generations. The designers have gone over and above to bring back the levels that every gamer grew up with, no matter the generation. The levels have been masterfully tweaked to allow for the same nostalgic feelings but also throw in new ways to traverse the lands. The pacing is immense and for the first time ever, I truly felt that Sonic was the fastest thing alive.

The music in Sonic Generations brings the old and new together in all their remixed glory. The soundtrack is every Sonic fans dream, encompassing the best game tracks ever to grace one's ears. With the return of key composers and bands from Sonics' past, the music for the game has been brought into the 21st century. With remixed versions for all 18 zones, it's not to praise the game's audio quality. With the ability to unlock older tracks and use them during level runs, it's a joy to once again hum or sing along to the catchy tunes.

While the game offers up plenty of content, I can't help but feel that there's a lack of levels overall. I would have loved some of the spin-off's levels to grace the game but they aren't represented here. Games like Sonic and Knuckles, Sonic Blade and Sonic Unleashed would have made for interesting extras to do in the game but for what's given, I'm content enough with the choices made in regards to the level list.

Sonic Generations stands as one of the best game in the series. It's taken ten years for SEGA to once again make a Sonic game that will speak to all Sonic fans. While the series has been marred with issues since the early 90's, Sonic Generations has offered up a thrilling little trip down memory lane, portraying the good times we all once had with the famous blue streak.

If you're in the market for a platformer and are a fan of Sonic, then it's time to pick up Sonic Generations and let this slice of nostalgia take over for a few days. You won't regret the memories. If you've never played a Sonic title, then this is certainly a good starting place. Either way, Sonics' back and can be enjoyed by all generations.

Reviewed on: Intel Core i5 @ 3.30GHz, 8gb RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit