Sonic Generations serves as a reminder to both old and new players that Sonic The Hedgehog was distinctive. It is one of the most fun Sonic games to play in ages. Widely considered to be just as good as if not better than the legendary Genesis Games. And I'm all up for it.
Back in 2011, Sonic was turning 20 years old. SEGA obviously didn't want to make the same mistake they made with Sonic '06 for his 15th Anniversary. So SEGA took this project a lot slower and tried not to rush it out. And it shows. Sonic Generations is the ultimate tribute to the franchise's 20-year history and it makes it even better that the game plays beautifully.
This tribute of Sonic is tied to the narrative as well. Sonic is celebrating his birthday with the majority of the cast of characters. Until an evil creature known as the Time Eater ruins the birthday, and sends Sonic's friends to different points in time. It's up to Sonic, Tails, and their "Classic" counterparts, Classic Sonic, and Classic Tails to save their friends, collect the Chaos Emeralds, and stop the Time Eater.
Unfortunately, this is the weakest part of the game. The story works in giving a reason why we are traveling through time. But the writing, acting, and much of a story progression are almost nonexistent. As with most modern Sonic games to have come out after 2010 unfortunately. The Cast that Sonic has to rescue only serves as cheerleaders for the end which is underwhelming.
That said, the presentation and levels are amazing. Each level goes through a different stage in Sonic's history. You got 3 Genesis Era Levels that represent Sonic The Hedgehog (1991), Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & Knuckles. You got 3 Adventure Era Levels that represent Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Heroes. And finally you got 3 levels from the Modern Era which are represented with Sonic '06, Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors. Making up 9 total levels, as well as bosses from throughout the series. The music is a great remix of older games. The design of these levels looks incredible and I had a smile from ear to ear. It feels cool playing this as I've played the previous games in this retrospective and to see them all represented reminds me how much work I've put in. I do wish there were more Game Representation. But for what we have, I'm satisfied.
The gameplay is split into two which is great. Each of the 9 levels has a total of 2 Acts in them. The 1st Act is Classic Sonic. It's traditional 2D platforming like the Genesis games of old but with a fresh coat of paint over it. Act 2 is Modern Sonic. The boost gameplay is carried over from Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors and it's been perfected in my eyes. Playing as Modern Sonic just feels fun and I never felt like I was being screwed. The glitches in this game are so minor that I'm not bothered by them. Seeing 2D Sonic in a 3D Sonic Level and vise versa is so cool and it is one of the most satisfying to play in the series because of it. Unfortunately, it takes almost no effort to get an S rank which should be challenging. It's a shame. There are 5 Red Rings on each level and collecting them unlocks concept art from older titles, you get character bios from saving others, you even get music from older games. And in a secret room, you can use secret codes to unlock statues of characters from the series.
The best part about Sonic Generations is that while the game is supposed to be a reminder of Sonic's history, It also doesn't feel like that. It doesn't pander you with the old imagery. And I respect that. It still feels like a new Sonic game.
Sonic Generations is the best possible tribute SEGA could've come up with. And even though the story is very lackluster and way too short. The gameplay is fantastic, the music is amazing, and it is an overall great celebration of the 20 Year Long History of the Blue Blur.
4/5
Would Recommend
