SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS Review

Sonic has always been one of the classic gaming franchises. There is nothing quite like the way Sonic games handle fast-paced platforming. I consider most great platformers timeless in terms of how fun they are, and the original Sonic games are no different.

While Sonic as a franchise has done great from the 90s to the early 2000s, the years that follow have been rough, especially with the divisive 3D Sonic games that have come out. Having played titles like Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic Colors, Sonic Rush, and Sonic Unleashed as a kid growing up, it's safe to say that I loved Sonic. I even love the Sonic X animated series!

As I enjoyed these older games from the franchise, one thing I failed to notice was how the franchise was sort of dying out with no hype or rumbling surrounding it. Sure, the dedicated fanbase has always been strong, but Sonic had not been mainstream for almost a decade.

The original Sonic Generations came out to celebrate the game's 20th anniversary in hopes of rekindling what the IP once was. While it was a valiant effort, it wasn't until the movies and Sonic Frontiers came out that the series truly had its resurgence.

Now, the franchise is thriving, with the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie starring Keanu Reeves coming out in two short months and SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS now playable. I cannot stress enough how happy I am to report that this game is excellent. 2024 truly is the year of Shadow. Sonic Team has simply outdone themselves this time.

As a remaster of Sonic Generations, SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS plays exactly how you remember it, with more Chaos to find and collect in each level. The gameplay remains similar, with classic Sonic levels with slightly strange mechanics but providing a broadly enjoyable experience. The current Sonic stages have some of the best boost-style gameplay in the series.

If you've never played the original Sonic Generations, it's a fantastic concept. Essentially, there is a time break, so 2D Sonic and 3D Sonic join forces. It's a throwback remix of some of the best Sonic levels of all time, from Green Hill Zone and Hydro City to Casino and so on.

I must confess that the improved graphics still seem as they did on the PlayStation 3—at least to my eyes. Maybe it's simply because it's been too long since I played it, but I can't tell if the graphics have improved. Instead, the wonderful thing about Sonic Generations is that they've included new unlockables, collectibles, and hidden items in the levels—extra small nods and stages.

While the remaster will appeal to lovers of the original, it's the all-new Shadow Generations that really seals the deal. I adore Shadow; I think he is hilarious and quirky. The fact that an emo-goth hedgehog occasionally carries a gun is great.

Shadow's journey parallels the events of Sonic Generations. The black-and-red Hedgehog is likewise drawn into the Time Eater's antics, leaving him in a white abyss with scenes from his history. In addition to dealing with all of this, it looks like Black Doom has returned, waking odd alien talents in Shadow as he goes. Shadow has lots to sneer about.

SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS, which builds on the foundations created by Sonic Frontiers, seems smoother to play than the remaster. Furthermore, Shadow is a more intriguing character to play.

While he matches Sonic's speed and homing attack, he also has access to a stun projectile and Chaos Control, which builds up as foes are defeated and temporarily pauses time. This allows you to avoid hazards or use them as platforms, and during this phase, you can find light trails that allow you to dash past sections of the level.

Now, the new story is also quite awesome. They are bringing back Doom in SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS. Now, he is a creature that I'm not going to get into too much detail because I don't want to spoil anything, but he's been around for a while.

He's also a retro villain because he's associated with Shadow's creation, all of the essences, and Shadow's terrible origin story. They investigate it in the same way as Sonic Generations does.

The primary game, for example, is a massive remix of classic Sonic—2D Sonic, 3D Sonic—and they do it here. They have this interesting time break, these fractal prism odd time warps that allow us to travel to different stages while also seeing distinct events from Shadow's main story from a different perspective.

I think it is great. Without spoiling the story of SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS, I will mention that the ending of the story does not make complete sense to me, nor does it entirely pay off. Admittedly, it is difficult to write a time travel plot after 20 entire games that manage to rewrite the timeline or replay particular scenes. If you don't care about the plot, the levels are excellent

I think the element that most amazed me in SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS was not only how much fun all of these stages are but also how wonderful it is that we can play 2D and 3D stages. The main Generations campaign has two types of shadow levels: 2D and 3D, and both are really enjoyable. They frequently have not only completely distinct layouts but also somewhat different puzzles, emotions, and unlockables—all of which feel really fantastic.

But the one issue I have with this game—despite the fact that I really, really enjoy it—is that there is still that thing called the white void, or the white space, where you have to physically go to unlock new stages.

You're frequently moving around in this 3D area, completing springboards, grinding bars, and other similar tasks. The new white space for Shadow is clearly modeled on Sonic Frontiers. It's much more open, which I really don't like. Something about going around to unlock stages in this vast white nothingness didn't always make sense to me.

Maybe I'm just being fussy here, but it feels like something about how it tried to express where you're supposed to go didn't always make sense, which is kind of a bummer. It's not fun to be stuck staring at the objective and trying to figure out what springboard-dash combo will get me there. I wish there was a straight-up stage-select option so that once you unlock anything, you could simply stage-select it. It sort of feels like it gets in the way of the great levels sometimes.

The second thing that really blew me away was all of the new Shadow phases in SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS. So, when Sonic Generations came out, there weren't many Sonic games available at the time, but they were able to select the finest levels from all of them. However, in the 15 years after Generations, there has been a plethora of new, utterly great Sonic content.

So these new Shadow stages are remixing a lot of stuff that wasn't in the original game. It's great to see levels referencing Frontiers and Mania or stuff referencing Sonic Forces, which I didn't like. Still, even the Sonic Forces stage is better than it was in the original game—that's absolutely great.

SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS is the type of game in which I am impressed by how much they were able to improve on a tried-and-tested formula. If you're a Sonic fan, you'll undoubtedly buy this, but I'm going to implore people who don't usually care about Sonic to go watch some extra gameplay of it, watch a streamer play it, watch someone play it, or even just watch the trailer because this is the type of game that I believe will be exactly your vibe if you grew up with Sonic the Hedgehog and enjoyed the games or even just played them with a passing fondness.

SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS captures the essence of what Sonic fans love most about the series. Adding classic levels, along with Shadow's unique gameplay mechanics and an interesting storyline, is a big plus. At least that shows Sonic Team's passion for the rebirth of this series.

Barring little nitpicks, such as the White Void each stage unlocks, the game is a complete delight and a pleasure to play. SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS is great for fans of the franchise and anyone who is remotely interested in Sonic or Shadow. It is a game that really demonstrates that Sonic is a mainstay in the gaming world as a franchise.