Sonic Generations – PlayStation 3
- Each incarnation of Sonic in Sonic Generations comes complete with his trademark special move, Spin Dash and Spin Attack for Classic Sonic, and the Homing Attack and Sonic Boost for Modern Sonic.
- An innovative new interactive menu system allows for complete immersion in Sonic’s universe with favorite characters and hidden treasures gradually being revealed throughout the game.
Set across three defining eras from 20 years of Sonic the Hedgehog video game history, the instantly recognizable environments of Sonic Generations have been re-built in stunning HD and are now playable in both classic side scrolling 2D from 1991, as well as modern 3D style found in Sonic’s most recent adventures. Sonic Generations is a single player Action Platforming game that blends 20 years of the adventures of Sega’s iconic video game hedgehog into a single release not to be missed by longtime and new fans alike. Travel through time, sprinting through side-scrolling levels on a race for rings as you play as either the modern version of Sonic or one inspired by classic game releases on Sega specific gaming consoles from the past. Additional features include: levels inspired by Sonic games releases stretching back to 1991, the ability to play as either version of Sonic, release specific power-ups and moves, infamous Sonic bosses and rivals, side missions, unlockable content and com
List Price: $ 14.99
Price:
|
85 of 94 people found the following review helpful
 Not one, but two Sonics finally return to their former glory!, By
Relytia (Portland, OR) – See all my reviews
This review is from: Sonic Generations – PlayStation 3 (Video Game)
It can hardly be argued that the past decade hasn’t been very kind to Sega’s blue Erinaceus mascot. For years now, the quality and direction of Sonic console games have ranged from… questionable, to put it politely, to downright terrible, to put it bluntly (His handheld titles have been consistently excellent, however). I grew up loving Sonic. His Genesis adventures were the first video games I ever played as a child, and my love and obsession for Sonic as a series continued from my toddler days throughout his stellar Dreamcast outings (I even devoured the comic series for years. Over a hundred issues are still at my parents’ house). I’ll be honest, Sonic Adventure 2 was the last Sonic game to hold my attention as a fan, and it was after that particular Dreamcast masterpiece that Sonic started to lose his unique way of doing “what Nintendon’t” (Some argue Sonic Heroes was his last great game. I never played it myself, so I can’t judge). It seemed that all was lost for Sonic, and with each lousy game his fans felt more and more disheartened and angry when dealing with the haters, more of which came out of the paneling with each crappy game. First, a little history about Sonic’s quality increasing in recent years, culminating in this disc of pure adrenaline inducing awesomeness: Sonic Unleashed’s daytime levels were a true success at retaining the past greatness of Sonic’s unique, classical “fastest thing alive” approach to platforming, but overall Unleashed was an experience marred by horrendous Werehog nighttime levels that were slow and boring, the antithesis of what Sonic has always stood for. Then came Sonic 4 Ep. 1, which made even more progress to return to Sonic’s 2-D roots and past glory, despite some missteps and questionable gameplay design choices (I’m a lot kinder here than a lot of 4’s detractors). Sonic Colors was next, and was FINALLY a wholly stellar Modern Sonic title, of which there are few things to complain about; by far the best Sonic title in years, until now. These three titles have set the table that Sonic Generations has come to, seen, and conquered. The fastest thing alive is back on his 20th anniversary, and to commemorate this most special occasion for their #1 mascot, Sega has invited not one, but two distinctly different Sonics to come celebrate. We are the guests of honor, and this is the best present a Sonic fan could have ever asked for. This is a long intro, I know, and this review will be a long one, but please, let me indulge the inner 4-year-old in me that would be obsessed with Sonic for years. This is the game Sonic fans have yearned for for over a decade. I will try to be as detailed as I can to give you an accurate picture of the game. Ok, here we go: Story: Sonic and friends find themselves the target of an evil, malevolent force that threatens the universe and time itself! Amid the chaos, Sonic and Tails find themselves in some void, face to face with a chubby Sonic n’ Tails from the past, from circa early-mid 1990’s specifically. Both “Classic” and “Modern” Sonics team up and set off from this pure-white hub world to journey through their most memorable past exploits in order to attempt to right the wrongs and save everything they’ve ever known. Is it a great, ground-breaking story? No way, but it doesn’t have to be. This is Sonic, and if Sonic and the Secret Rings or Sonic 06′ (shudders) were games that tried to put a heavier story into the mix, I’ll thank the chaos emeralds and chao that this title doesn’t. The story merely gives context to the action and then steps back so the player can enjoy what you and I have always picked up Sonic the Hedgehog titles for: Excellent platforming gameplay at extreme speeds, cool style, and awesome music. Let’s talk about gameplay. I’m sure many of you out there were probably worried, first of all, about whether or not Sonic Team screwed up the gameplay/control mechanics of classic Sonic. Sonic 4 really changed the physics and control behavior from the classics and that really upset a lot of fans (not me so much, but…
24 of 28 people found the following review helpful
“Sonic, he’s the fastest thing alive!”, By
R.J. Robledo (Planet Earth) – See all my reviews
This review is from: Sonic Generations – PlayStation 3 (Video Game)
Come on guys, sing it with me: “Sonic, he’s got an attitude. Sonic, he’s the fastest thing alive…” Ahem. What were we talking about? Ah, yes, the review! Sonic Generations. Just about brought me to tears. If you ever liked a Sonic game, from any era, you will be hard-pressed to dislike this game. Each level is based a zone from past Sonic games. Here, you can play either as “Classic Sonic” (as seen from 1991-1998), rolling through the levels in 2D side-scrolling fashion; or “Modern Sonic” (as seen from 1998 onwards), racing through the stages in 3D. One level from every major Sonic game is remade in Sonic Generations. The fairly simple plot is concerned with the fact that during Sonic’s 20th birthday, some dark creature crashes the party and takes away all of Sonic’s friends. As Sonic chases after them, he finds they all have traveled through time. The mysterious being is some “Time Eater”, wreaking havoc across history. To stop this threat, Modern Sonic teams up with his younger, “Classic” self. The resulting game is fantastic. All of the levels and boss battles are beautifully rendered, featuring multiple pathways to the goal. Classic Sonic plays very closely to the way he played in the early 90s, and Modern Sonic plays like he did in Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors. The result is not only a great variety of level design, but also well-thought-out gameplay physics. And the music, oh, THE MUSIC! Sonic games are known for great soundtracks, and this is no exception. The remixes presented here are beautiful (Rooftop Run, how I love thee!). Classic Sonic features remixes in a early 90s techno style (in many ways mimicking the 16-bit limitations of the SEGA Genesis), while Modern Sonic features more layered, rock-inspired music(no, NOT Shadow The Hedgehog style. More in line with Sonic Unleashed). Now as a gamer, I think this title is excellent. It is high-quality, fun, and light-hearted. As a Sonic fan, however, this game is nothing short of EPIC (even though the main story can be beaten in under ten hours. Shame)! There are so many homages to Sonic’s history spread throughout this game. Not only are past titles referenced, but even (albeit in subtle ways) the classic TV show Sonic The Hedgehog – The Complete Series and the comic book series are hinted at. The story is full of in-jokes known throughout the series and fandom. Plus, as you play, you unlock various bits of music from the past. These music tracks can then be selected to play during ANY LEVEL OF THE GAME! This just adds to the variety presented here. This game, of course, is not perfect. Maybe 95% so, but like anything, it still leaves room for armchair quarterbacks to leave “helpful suggestions”. Here’s me being an armchair quarterback (and I don’t even like football!). Every once in a while, while traveling at high speed or transitioning to another portion of the stage, a momentary (read: fraction of a second) freeze of motion is seen. It is not common, but when it happens, it is noticeable. On some occurences, slight framerate slowdown is apparent. Now, for me, growing up playing Sonic on the SEGA Genesis, where this was fairly common, playing “Sonic in slow-motion” was something I thought was awesome as a little kid, so even this has a tinge of nostalgia for me. The story, like with Sonic Colors (being that the same writers worked on this title), is still very light-hearted. Nothing —-I repeat—-nothing, is wrong with that. It was not terribly executed in Colors, and it was even more enjoyable here. The fact that this game’s story ties directly to Sonic Colors just makes me smile with happiness (narrative continuity in a series Sonic title? Amazing!). I’m still holding out for an “epic” storyline like Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 featured. The game, though detailed and fairly expansive, can be completed in under ten hours (story mode). To collect all of the little souvenirs and unlockable skills will take some more time, but all in all, this is a relatively short…
22 of 26 people found the following review helpful
 A Spindash Towards The Top, By
Elias (Nowhere In Particular) – See all my reviews
This review is from: Sonic Generations – PlayStation 3 (Video Game)
Sonic has fallen from grace and risen from the ashes more time than perhaps any video game character. Sonic Team graced us with two fantastic entries on the Dreamcast with Sonic Adventure 1&2, then burdened us with the mediocre Sonic Heroes and the god-awful Shadow the Hedgehog. Things were improved by the fantastic Sonic Rush titles, only to fall to the pits again with the notorious Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) and the middling Wii entries. However, a consistent pattern in likability reminiscent of Sonic’s Genesis days has been taken up in recent years with the past two or three games. Sonic Generations continues this steady progression towards greatness, while simultaneously putting to bed something Sonic fans have begged for over the past decade: bringing back old-school Sonic gameplay.
The plot is simple enough, and voiced with perfection by the new voice cast Sega brought in with last year’s excellent Sonic Colors. Sonic’s friends get sucked into a sort of time vortex by an ominous enemy known as the Time Eater. In order to get them back and defeat the new villain, Sonic must travel back through some of his past adventures, teaming up with his younger (and more portly) self from the Genesis games. Nothing too deep, sure, but it’s an excuse to travel back and see the best of Sonic’s levels put into glorious HD. And glorious is the best word to describe the makeover these levels have gotten. Sega didn’t skimp on the budget this time around, obviously hellbent on making their mascot relevant again. Each level is filled with vibrant colors that suck you right into the cartoonish world that the blue hedgehog and company inhabit, making for a more immersive experience than past entries. This is the best-looking Sonic game in years, and the visual spectacle alone is worth the price of admission. But looks aren’t everything, which is why Sega didn’t neglect the gameplay aspect of things. In order to tackle a Zone, a player must utilize both Modern and Classic Sonic in one Act each. Both Sonics control with an entirely different moveset that suits what area of the franchise they’re representing. Modern Sonic controls much like the ever-evolving character he’s been since Sonic Adventure in 1999. Complete with sliding, griding, and homing attacks, this version of the hedgehog is an incredibly versatile character who seamlessly nails both 2D and 3D gameplay. This is the most refined gameplay to come out of the franchise in quite some time, and Sonic Team should be proud of the work which went into this part of the game. What I didn’t like so much, however, was Classic Sonic. I’m a sucker for the old Sonic games, I’ll admit, but the inclusion of the retro controls in a new game feels done out of obligation and not out of genuine concern of whether it feels natural or not. It would be a bold-faced lie to say that these levels are bad, because they are, in fact, quite fun. It’s a blast revisiting Genesis-era levels with the control scheme that they are made for, and seeing 3D levels done with 2D in mind is an interesting treat. However, these levels never really reach the level of raw energy and speed exuded by the Modern Sonic levels. While I do acknowledge that the point of these stages was to capture the more steady pacing of the older titles, it made me want to actually play the old Sonic games instead of seeing their gameplay shoved into a new entry. Perhaps this will dispel the notion from people’s heads that they want more Retro Sonic, and remind them that if the new Sonic has excellent gameplay, they won’t need to sit around and wish for the “good old days” to return. Still, the notion of putting these levels in was still a nice gesture from Sega, and a good trip down memory lane for longtime fans. Even with my gripes, Generations still stands as a great entry in the Sonic franchise, and brings together the best of both worlds from the hedgehog. Sega’s commitment to restoring their flagship franchise to it’s former glory is admirable, and is beginning to be what fans always wanted Sonic in 3D to be: fast, inventive, edgy, but most of all, fun. And at the end of the day, you can’t find much fault in that. Story: B+ |
Not one, but two Sonics finally return to their former glory!,
It can hardly be argued that the past decade hasn’t been very kind to Sega’s blue Erinaceus mascot. For years now, the quality and direction of Sonic console games have ranged from… questionable, to put it politely, to downright terrible, to put it bluntly (His handheld titles have been consistently excellent, however). I grew up loving Sonic. His Genesis adventures were the first video games I ever played as a child, and my love and obsession for Sonic as a series continued from my toddler days throughout his stellar Dreamcast outings (I even devoured the comic series for years. Over a hundred issues are still at my parents’ house). I’ll be honest, Sonic Adventure 2 was the last Sonic game to hold my attention as a fan, and it was after that particular Dreamcast masterpiece that Sonic started to lose his unique way of doing “what Nintendon’t” (Some argue Sonic Heroes was his last great game. I never played it myself, so I can’t judge). It seemed that all was lost for Sonic, and with each lousy game his fans felt more and more disheartened and angry when dealing with the haters, more of which came out of the paneling with each crappy game.
First, a little history about Sonic’s quality increasing in recent years, culminating in this disc of pure adrenaline inducing awesomeness:
Sonic Unleashed’s daytime levels were a true success at retaining the past greatness of Sonic’s unique, classical “fastest thing alive” approach to platforming, but overall Unleashed was an experience marred by horrendous Werehog nighttime levels that were slow and boring, the antithesis of what Sonic has always stood for. Then came Sonic 4 Ep. 1, which made even more progress to return to Sonic’s 2-D roots and past glory, despite some missteps and questionable gameplay design choices (I’m a lot kinder here than a lot of 4’s detractors). Sonic Colors was next, and was FINALLY a wholly stellar Modern Sonic title, of which there are few things to complain about; by far the best Sonic title in years, until now.
These three titles have set the table that Sonic Generations has come to, seen, and conquered. The fastest thing alive is back on his 20th anniversary, and to commemorate this most special occasion for their #1 mascot, Sega has invited not one, but two distinctly different Sonics to come celebrate. We are the guests of honor, and this is the best present a Sonic fan could have ever asked for. This is a long intro, I know, and this review will be a long one, but please, let me indulge the inner 4-year-old in me that would be obsessed with Sonic for years. This is the game Sonic fans have yearned for for over a decade. I will try to be as detailed as I can to give you an accurate picture of the game. Ok, here we go:
Story: Sonic and friends find themselves the target of an evil, malevolent force that threatens the universe and time itself! Amid the chaos, Sonic and Tails find themselves in some void, face to face with a chubby Sonic n’ Tails from the past, from circa early-mid 1990’s specifically. Both “Classic” and “Modern” Sonics team up and set off from this pure-white hub world to journey through their most memorable past exploits in order to attempt to right the wrongs and save everything they’ve ever known. Is it a great, ground-breaking story? No way, but it doesn’t have to be. This is Sonic, and if Sonic and the Secret Rings or Sonic 06′ (shudders) were games that tried to put a heavier story into the mix, I’ll thank the chaos emeralds and chao that this title doesn’t. The story merely gives context to the action and then steps back so the player can enjoy what you and I have always picked up Sonic the Hedgehog titles for: Excellent platforming gameplay at extreme speeds, cool style, and awesome music.
Let’s talk about gameplay. I’m sure many of you out there were probably worried, first of all, about whether or not Sonic Team screwed up the gameplay/control mechanics of classic Sonic. Sonic 4 really changed the physics and control behavior from the classics and that really upset a lot of fans (not me so much, but…
Read more
Was this review helpful to you?
|“Sonic, he’s the fastest thing alive!”,
Come on guys, sing it with me: “Sonic, he’s got an attitude. Sonic, he’s the fastest thing alive…”
Ahem. What were we talking about? Ah, yes, the review!
Sonic Generations. Just about brought me to tears. If you ever liked a Sonic game, from any era, you will be hard-pressed to dislike this game. Each level is based a zone from past Sonic games. Here, you can play either as “Classic Sonic” (as seen from 1991-1998), rolling through the levels in 2D side-scrolling fashion; or “Modern Sonic” (as seen from 1998 onwards), racing through the stages in 3D. One level from every major Sonic game is remade in Sonic Generations.
The fairly simple plot is concerned with the fact that during Sonic’s 20th birthday, some dark creature crashes the party and takes away all of Sonic’s friends. As Sonic chases after them, he finds they all have traveled through time. The mysterious being is some “Time Eater”, wreaking havoc across history. To stop this threat, Modern Sonic teams up with his younger, “Classic” self.
The resulting game is fantastic. All of the levels and boss battles are beautifully rendered, featuring multiple pathways to the goal. Classic Sonic plays very closely to the way he played in the early 90s, and Modern Sonic plays like he did in Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors. The result is not only a great variety of level design, but also well-thought-out gameplay physics. And the music, oh, THE MUSIC! Sonic games are known for great soundtracks, and this is no exception. The remixes presented here are beautiful (Rooftop Run, how I love thee!). Classic Sonic features remixes in a early 90s techno style (in many ways mimicking the 16-bit limitations of the SEGA Genesis), while Modern Sonic features more layered, rock-inspired music(no, NOT Shadow The Hedgehog style. More in line with Sonic Unleashed).
Now as a gamer, I think this title is excellent. It is high-quality, fun, and light-hearted. As a Sonic fan, however, this game is nothing short of EPIC (even though the main story can be beaten in under ten hours. Shame)! There are so many homages to Sonic’s history spread throughout this game. Not only are past titles referenced, but even (albeit in subtle ways) the classic TV show Sonic The Hedgehog – The Complete Series and the comic book series are hinted at. The story is full of in-jokes known throughout the series and fandom. Plus, as you play, you unlock various bits of music from the past. These music tracks can then be selected to play during ANY LEVEL OF THE GAME! This just adds to the variety presented here.
This game, of course, is not perfect. Maybe 95% so, but like anything, it still leaves room for armchair quarterbacks to leave “helpful suggestions”. Here’s me being an armchair quarterback (and I don’t even like football!).
Every once in a while, while traveling at high speed or transitioning to another portion of the stage, a momentary (read: fraction of a second) freeze of motion is seen. It is not common, but when it happens, it is noticeable.
On some occurences, slight framerate slowdown is apparent. Now, for me, growing up playing Sonic on the SEGA Genesis, where this was fairly common, playing “Sonic in slow-motion” was something I thought was awesome as a little kid, so even this has a tinge of nostalgia for me.
The story, like with Sonic Colors (being that the same writers worked on this title), is still very light-hearted. Nothing —-I repeat—-nothing, is wrong with that. It was not terribly executed in Colors, and it was even more enjoyable here. The fact that this game’s story ties directly to Sonic Colors just makes me smile with happiness (narrative continuity in a series Sonic title? Amazing!). I’m still holding out for an “epic” storyline like Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 featured.
The game, though detailed and fairly expansive, can be completed in under ten hours (story mode). To collect all of the little souvenirs and unlockable skills will take some more time, but all in all, this is a relatively short…
Read more
Was this review helpful to you?
|A Spindash Towards The Top,
The plot is simple enough, and voiced with perfection by the new voice cast Sega brought in with last year’s excellent Sonic Colors. Sonic’s friends get sucked into a sort of time vortex by an ominous enemy known as the Time Eater. In order to get them back and defeat the new villain, Sonic must travel back through some of his past adventures, teaming up with his younger (and more portly) self from the Genesis games. Nothing too deep, sure, but it’s an excuse to travel back and see the best of Sonic’s levels put into glorious HD.
And glorious is the best word to describe the makeover these levels have gotten. Sega didn’t skimp on the budget this time around, obviously hellbent on making their mascot relevant again. Each level is filled with vibrant colors that suck you right into the cartoonish world that the blue hedgehog and company inhabit, making for a more immersive experience than past entries. This is the best-looking Sonic game in years, and the visual spectacle alone is worth the price of admission.
But looks aren’t everything, which is why Sega didn’t neglect the gameplay aspect of things. In order to tackle a Zone, a player must utilize both Modern and Classic Sonic in one Act each. Both Sonics control with an entirely different moveset that suits what area of the franchise they’re representing.
Modern Sonic controls much like the ever-evolving character he’s been since Sonic Adventure in 1999. Complete with sliding, griding, and homing attacks, this version of the hedgehog is an incredibly versatile character who seamlessly nails both 2D and 3D gameplay. This is the most refined gameplay to come out of the franchise in quite some time, and Sonic Team should be proud of the work which went into this part of the game.
What I didn’t like so much, however, was Classic Sonic. I’m a sucker for the old Sonic games, I’ll admit, but the inclusion of the retro controls in a new game feels done out of obligation and not out of genuine concern of whether it feels natural or not. It would be a bold-faced lie to say that these levels are bad, because they are, in fact, quite fun. It’s a blast revisiting Genesis-era levels with the control scheme that they are made for, and seeing 3D levels done with 2D in mind is an interesting treat.
However, these levels never really reach the level of raw energy and speed exuded by the Modern Sonic levels. While I do acknowledge that the point of these stages was to capture the more steady pacing of the older titles, it made me want to actually play the old Sonic games instead of seeing their gameplay shoved into a new entry. Perhaps this will dispel the notion from people’s heads that they want more Retro Sonic, and remind them that if the new Sonic has excellent gameplay, they won’t need to sit around and wish for the “good old days” to return. Still, the notion of putting these levels in was still a nice gesture from Sega, and a good trip down memory lane for longtime fans.
Even with my gripes, Generations still stands as a great entry in the Sonic franchise, and brings together the best of both worlds from the hedgehog. Sega’s commitment to restoring their flagship franchise to it’s former glory is admirable, and is beginning to be what fans always wanted Sonic in 3D to be: fast, inventive, edgy, but most of all, fun. And at the end of the day, you can’t find much fault in that.
Story: B+
Gameplay: B+
Graphics: A-
Sound: A-
Overall: B+
Was this review helpful to you?
|