Sonic Forces Review (Old)
Okay, it's time for my own review of Sonic Forces. And before you go assuming what kind of person I am if reading this, I do consider myself a true Sonic Fan, having played and owned most of the Sonic games and overall being hooked on Sonic since I was a kid until a few years ago where I kinda lost a little interest. That doesn't mean I don't like him, though. I still do. Now enough babbling, onto my review. It will be in parts. This will be very long. WARNING: SPOILERS WILL BE IN THIS REVEIW
Edit: I will include DLC in at a later date.
Story:
The story is good for a Sonic game. Shying away from it's light-heartedness, the game takes itself almost completely seriously, aaaand... It actually works. Sure, Sonic pops in a few jokes, but becomes more serious later down the story. It's a breath of fresh air compared to Lost World and especially Colors. It's an interesting narrative from beginning to end, though sometimes it dives in too deeply to the dark. One moment Sonic is just saving the day from Eggman, the next he gets absolutely DESTROYED by Eggman's Sinister Six-like collection of generals, captured and taken into the Death Egg, and was apparently tortured for months (though when we see him again after he gets MAULED, he seems perfectly fine for someone who's been tortured.) I wish we delved more into the Phantom Ruby's power, more specifically what are the Phantom Ruby Prototypes? Why were they even created if they can stop then power of the actual Phantom Ruby? I would also like to know more about Infinite's backstory besides the fact that he was a jackal mercenary, was hired by Eggman to protect one of his bases from Shadow, only to get obliterated by Shadow (which then drove him to become Infinite). I'm asking for the details, since they are important. Besides that, the bond between our character and Sonic later on becomes strong, though not as strong as I was hoping. Though the fact that Metal, Zavok, Chaos, and Shadow were all just fake copies with the same power as the original (we don't even get to fight Fake Shadow or even Chaos. Chaos would've made an AMAZING boss fight, but the former is explained because the Real Shadow 06'ed Fake Shadow), the story, despite missing some context, is a good narrative, and I think you can enjoy it.
The Characters:
Let's start off with the titular character, Sonic himself. He's still the same as he was in Colors, Generations and Lost World, but expresses his serious side way more than his comical side, which also works with the story, considering that he's at war with Eggman. Infinite is a pretty good villain with just enough edge, though in some parts of the game, he does get a little too edgy (his relationship with the Custom Character, for instance. Dude told them to run and scream in fear, and he'll let them live. This was AFTER Infinite straight up murdered their friends.) As I've said before, Eggman is actually threatening and serious, and makes an impressive and epic (BUT INFURIATINGLY HARD) last stand (though not an original one. How many Sonic games are just gonna reuse the Colors Final Boss? Hell, the final boss is almost literally a white reskin of the Nega Wisp Armor). The side characters are all fine, and their radio chatter, in my opinion, gives life to the situations, and thank God Knuckles the Enchilada isn't a block head in this game. Amy I actually enjoyed, since 50% of her lines aren't OMGILUVSONIKKUMARRYMEPLS!!! In fact, she only makes one quote on this, saying that two Sonic's are "dreamy" and that's it. The rest of the Resistance members are fine in their own right. Now we're on to, in my opinion, the two poorly-used characters. Firstly is Classic Sonic. SPOILERS FOR MANIA Honestly, he should've stayed in Mania (which I own on Switch). The only reason he's here is because of the true nding after getting the Chaos Emeralds, which apparently transports Mania Sonic to Modern Sonic's world. MANIA SPOILERS END HERE. Besides the fact that he's playable, he feels really unnecessary to the story. The game really could've done without him and we would be fine. Plus, I'm now confused, is this Younger Sonic, or Sonic from another Dimension?The worst offender, however, is the use of Tails. Oh boy. Tails, besides giving a few great ideas, is basically near useless in this game, and he bonds more with Classic Sonic than his own Sonic, which I find wierd, but understandable, considering that Tails hasn't seen Sonic, his practical brother, for a very long time by the time Classic Sonic shows up. I almost forgot to talk about the Custom Character, who is obviously the heart and soul of the game, which I thoroughly enjoy. The customization is bonkers and amazing, and it feels like I am making my own OC (JOJO THE HEDGEHOG, DO NOT STEAL!), But one that can fit into the Sonic Universe. While they're the stock silent protagonist besides a few "mmhmmm's" and grunts, they fit pretty well into the story, and an overall well-used asset to the games' story.
Visuals and Music:
The Music in Forces is pretty good, but in my opinion isn't very memorable (Let's be honest, the only memorable tracks are Fist Bump, Shadow's Mystic Jungle, and Infinite's Theme, and some of the of the other tracks released before the game released) I probably won't find myself looking for the song name of a track on the internet to listen to it over and over again until it gets stuck in my head and I get tired of it. Visually, the game is gorgeous, though mainly on the PS4. I bought it for Switch and it still looks pretty good, despite running on 720p at 30fps with some downgraded graphics. There a lot of detail in the backgrounds, and it gives more depth to the levels.
And now it's time for the elephant in the room. The most fundamental part of every single game ever made and to be made.
THE GAMEPLAY/LEVEL DESIGN:
Oh God, where do I even begin with this? Let just say that it's all over the place when using both. For gameplay, it's as straight as a straw stick. Literally. One of my greatest fears that I hoped they improved upon as they developed the stages was the linearity (who hasn't heard that before?). Unfortunately, that's what the majority of the stages are. Linear as crap. There are alternate paths, but those are just as linear as the path you were on before. Dude, Colors was linear, but not THIS badly. You can literally beat nearly all stages in under 3, no, TWO MINUTES! Sonic stages using the boost formula usually are completed in over 3 minutes at the shortest and 5-7 minutes at the longest. That's just terrible, comparing the level length of Forces to games like Unleashed, Colors, Generations, and even Lost World. A good amount of the levels levels are good, I will admit, but others are just... RRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!! With how short the levels are though, I keep wanting more, knowing that this is the end of the stage. The levels are so short, I'm actually not fully satisfied. This applies to the game length too. It took me an entire day (with a 1h30m break and a few other breaks in between playing) to beat Colors. I completed Forces in a few hours. With one break. On launch day. Dang, that's too fast even for Sonic. When it comes to controls, they are a bit wierd, but I got used to them later on as I played. Except for Classic Sonic, but I'll get into that soon. Sonic plays somewhat oddly. His wind-up Sprint controls nice, but once he breaks into a run, he's super stiff, making it hard to steer at times. You know how people call the boost formula "Boost 2 Win"? Yeah, Sonic's gameplay in Forces is the literal epitome of that statement. You boost to win. You mostly have to think about when to boost, but that's all too it. And also, there's too much 2D in the stages at times. Feels like I'm playing Generations 3DS at times. Besides a few alternate paths, Modern Sonic's gameplay is actually a step down from Unleashed, Colors and Generations. Also, there's no drifting. Who the heck though it was a good idea to remove that in the game. Heck, the game has some parts in levels that could've used drifting to great effect, but fail because drifting isn't in the game (LOOKING AT YOU, METROPOLIS!) There are some great levels, I will admit. I like Egg Gate, Sunset Heights is pretty cool, and fighting Infinite is awesome. But I wish that Sonic Team would've done better. The Custom Character I like a lot. I got used to the controls pretty fast, and to be honest, their levels are some of the best in the game, in my opinion. Their version of Metropolis is my favorite, especially with the GIANT FREAKY MONSTER VERSIONS OF INFINITE that pop up in the background and does influence a few level design elements. Some levels, like Sonic's, are a pain to get through (The last Custom Character level, for example. Wall jumping and a Giant Death Beam following you don't mix well at all. You touch it, you die. Even with rings.) The Wispons are a pretty neat addition to the Custom Character's arsenal of abilities, though I wish there were more types of Wispons to get besides the same one with different skills. There are only 7 types: Burst Wispon, Lightning Wispon, Cube Wispon, Asteroid Wispon, Drill Wispon, Hover Wispon, and Void Wispon, each having their own way of blasting enemies and getting to new areas with their own movement abilities. Classic Sonic... Ugh. I hate playing as him. He's too slippery, and some of the physics for him are jank as heck (HOW THE F*** DO YOU LOSE MOMENTUM GOING DOWN SLOPES!?) If you're not careful with him, especially in the platforming sections, you will probably miss the platform and either fall back to a lower platform or die by a pit (which is WAY more likely to happen). The worst level in the game happens in his last stage, where near the end, you're forced into the most random autoscrolling section ever, and it's absolutely abysmal. Thank God he doesn't have many stages and only one boss battle (unless you count the Final Boss. Even his part is infuriating to play). The Tag-team stages, the 4th style of gameplay, are really the best-designed stages in the game by far, but there's so few of them, and two of them are SUPER short. The 2 best stages, in my opinion, comes from this style, in the form of Arsenal Pyramid and Null Space (Btw, NULL SPACE IS A LIE). Arsenal Pyramid is completely 3D, and Null Space is great to travel through, though I wished the level actually took place mostly IN Null Space. (When I first heard of the level and saw some screenshots, I was hyped for the stage. Imagine my disappointment when you stay in the actual Null Space for all of about 15 seconds.) The level design has some jank to it at times, like in Aqua Road, where you can easily fall off the stage when sliding on the water, or in Mystic Jungle where when you boost down a long half-pipe, if you don't slow down, you will also fall off (Half pipes are not your friend in general in this game.) The placement of Red Rings is so simple, anybody with half a brain can notice them in plain sight, though some are hard to get to. The Boss Fights, while cool, are underwhelming, which is unfortunately what some Sonic Games are known for (ex Lost World, Secret Rings, Rush, some of 06 [IT'S NO USE] just to name a few.) Infinite's Final Battle is mostly a reskin of Metal Sonic's battle in this game, which is disappointing. Overall, the gameplay has it's risings and pitfalls, and the level design can be wierd at times.
The Verdict:
Sonic Forces is a mixed bag. There are some highlights in the game, such as the overall presentation, story, and music. But when it comes to the gameplay and level design, the core values of any video game, it's all over the place. Modern Sonic is okay, the Custom Character is pretty cool, Classic Sonic is horrible (this is coming from someone who owns, and still plays, Mania on the Switch), and the Tag-team stages are some of the best. Replay Value-wise, the only thing really worth it is getting all S-Ranks, Collecting all Red-Star Rings, getting the Number Medals, and acquiring all the Custom Hero cosmetics. By the time you beat the game, most of that is already done. I wish I could find the use for replaying the game more, but unfortunately, there isn't much of one.
I would rate this game a 5.5/10. While it's excellent in it's presentation, music and story, it fails to keep up with itself by it's flawed gameplay. If you play Sonic games, then hey, this might be the game for you. However, I wouldn't really recommended this to any general gamer.
Edit: I will include DLC in at a later date.
Story:
The story is good for a Sonic game. Shying away from it's light-heartedness, the game takes itself almost completely seriously, aaaand... It actually works. Sure, Sonic pops in a few jokes, but becomes more serious later down the story. It's a breath of fresh air compared to Lost World and especially Colors. It's an interesting narrative from beginning to end, though sometimes it dives in too deeply to the dark. One moment Sonic is just saving the day from Eggman, the next he gets absolutely DESTROYED by Eggman's Sinister Six-like collection of generals, captured and taken into the Death Egg, and was apparently tortured for months (though when we see him again after he gets MAULED, he seems perfectly fine for someone who's been tortured.) I wish we delved more into the Phantom Ruby's power, more specifically what are the Phantom Ruby Prototypes? Why were they even created if they can stop then power of the actual Phantom Ruby? I would also like to know more about Infinite's backstory besides the fact that he was a jackal mercenary, was hired by Eggman to protect one of his bases from Shadow, only to get obliterated by Shadow (which then drove him to become Infinite). I'm asking for the details, since they are important. Besides that, the bond between our character and Sonic later on becomes strong, though not as strong as I was hoping. Though the fact that Metal, Zavok, Chaos, and Shadow were all just fake copies with the same power as the original (we don't even get to fight Fake Shadow or even Chaos. Chaos would've made an AMAZING boss fight, but the former is explained because the Real Shadow 06'ed Fake Shadow), the story, despite missing some context, is a good narrative, and I think you can enjoy it.
The Characters:
Let's start off with the titular character, Sonic himself. He's still the same as he was in Colors, Generations and Lost World, but expresses his serious side way more than his comical side, which also works with the story, considering that he's at war with Eggman. Infinite is a pretty good villain with just enough edge, though in some parts of the game, he does get a little too edgy (his relationship with the Custom Character, for instance. Dude told them to run and scream in fear, and he'll let them live. This was AFTER Infinite straight up murdered their friends.) As I've said before, Eggman is actually threatening and serious, and makes an impressive and epic (BUT INFURIATINGLY HARD) last stand (though not an original one. How many Sonic games are just gonna reuse the Colors Final Boss? Hell, the final boss is almost literally a white reskin of the Nega Wisp Armor). The side characters are all fine, and their radio chatter, in my opinion, gives life to the situations, and thank God Knuckles the Enchilada isn't a block head in this game. Amy I actually enjoyed, since 50% of her lines aren't OMGILUVSONIKKUMARRYMEPLS!!! In fact, she only makes one quote on this, saying that two Sonic's are "dreamy" and that's it. The rest of the Resistance members are fine in their own right. Now we're on to, in my opinion, the two poorly-used characters. Firstly is Classic Sonic. SPOILERS FOR MANIA Honestly, he should've stayed in Mania (which I own on Switch). The only reason he's here is because of the true nding after getting the Chaos Emeralds, which apparently transports Mania Sonic to Modern Sonic's world. MANIA SPOILERS END HERE. Besides the fact that he's playable, he feels really unnecessary to the story. The game really could've done without him and we would be fine. Plus, I'm now confused, is this Younger Sonic, or Sonic from another Dimension?The worst offender, however, is the use of Tails. Oh boy. Tails, besides giving a few great ideas, is basically near useless in this game, and he bonds more with Classic Sonic than his own Sonic, which I find wierd, but understandable, considering that Tails hasn't seen Sonic, his practical brother, for a very long time by the time Classic Sonic shows up. I almost forgot to talk about the Custom Character, who is obviously the heart and soul of the game, which I thoroughly enjoy. The customization is bonkers and amazing, and it feels like I am making my own OC (JOJO THE HEDGEHOG, DO NOT STEAL!), But one that can fit into the Sonic Universe. While they're the stock silent protagonist besides a few "mmhmmm's" and grunts, they fit pretty well into the story, and an overall well-used asset to the games' story.
Visuals and Music:
The Music in Forces is pretty good, but in my opinion isn't very memorable (Let's be honest, the only memorable tracks are Fist Bump, Shadow's Mystic Jungle, and Infinite's Theme, and some of the of the other tracks released before the game released) I probably won't find myself looking for the song name of a track on the internet to listen to it over and over again until it gets stuck in my head and I get tired of it. Visually, the game is gorgeous, though mainly on the PS4. I bought it for Switch and it still looks pretty good, despite running on 720p at 30fps with some downgraded graphics. There a lot of detail in the backgrounds, and it gives more depth to the levels.
And now it's time for the elephant in the room. The most fundamental part of every single game ever made and to be made.
THE GAMEPLAY/LEVEL DESIGN:
Oh God, where do I even begin with this? Let just say that it's all over the place when using both. For gameplay, it's as straight as a straw stick. Literally. One of my greatest fears that I hoped they improved upon as they developed the stages was the linearity (who hasn't heard that before?). Unfortunately, that's what the majority of the stages are. Linear as crap. There are alternate paths, but those are just as linear as the path you were on before. Dude, Colors was linear, but not THIS badly. You can literally beat nearly all stages in under 3, no, TWO MINUTES! Sonic stages using the boost formula usually are completed in over 3 minutes at the shortest and 5-7 minutes at the longest. That's just terrible, comparing the level length of Forces to games like Unleashed, Colors, Generations, and even Lost World. A good amount of the levels levels are good, I will admit, but others are just... RRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!! With how short the levels are though, I keep wanting more, knowing that this is the end of the stage. The levels are so short, I'm actually not fully satisfied. This applies to the game length too. It took me an entire day (with a 1h30m break and a few other breaks in between playing) to beat Colors. I completed Forces in a few hours. With one break. On launch day. Dang, that's too fast even for Sonic. When it comes to controls, they are a bit wierd, but I got used to them later on as I played. Except for Classic Sonic, but I'll get into that soon. Sonic plays somewhat oddly. His wind-up Sprint controls nice, but once he breaks into a run, he's super stiff, making it hard to steer at times. You know how people call the boost formula "Boost 2 Win"? Yeah, Sonic's gameplay in Forces is the literal epitome of that statement. You boost to win. You mostly have to think about when to boost, but that's all too it. And also, there's too much 2D in the stages at times. Feels like I'm playing Generations 3DS at times. Besides a few alternate paths, Modern Sonic's gameplay is actually a step down from Unleashed, Colors and Generations. Also, there's no drifting. Who the heck though it was a good idea to remove that in the game. Heck, the game has some parts in levels that could've used drifting to great effect, but fail because drifting isn't in the game (LOOKING AT YOU, METROPOLIS!) There are some great levels, I will admit. I like Egg Gate, Sunset Heights is pretty cool, and fighting Infinite is awesome. But I wish that Sonic Team would've done better. The Custom Character I like a lot. I got used to the controls pretty fast, and to be honest, their levels are some of the best in the game, in my opinion. Their version of Metropolis is my favorite, especially with the GIANT FREAKY MONSTER VERSIONS OF INFINITE that pop up in the background and does influence a few level design elements. Some levels, like Sonic's, are a pain to get through (The last Custom Character level, for example. Wall jumping and a Giant Death Beam following you don't mix well at all. You touch it, you die. Even with rings.) The Wispons are a pretty neat addition to the Custom Character's arsenal of abilities, though I wish there were more types of Wispons to get besides the same one with different skills. There are only 7 types: Burst Wispon, Lightning Wispon, Cube Wispon, Asteroid Wispon, Drill Wispon, Hover Wispon, and Void Wispon, each having their own way of blasting enemies and getting to new areas with their own movement abilities. Classic Sonic... Ugh. I hate playing as him. He's too slippery, and some of the physics for him are jank as heck (HOW THE F*** DO YOU LOSE MOMENTUM GOING DOWN SLOPES!?) If you're not careful with him, especially in the platforming sections, you will probably miss the platform and either fall back to a lower platform or die by a pit (which is WAY more likely to happen). The worst level in the game happens in his last stage, where near the end, you're forced into the most random autoscrolling section ever, and it's absolutely abysmal. Thank God he doesn't have many stages and only one boss battle (unless you count the Final Boss. Even his part is infuriating to play). The Tag-team stages, the 4th style of gameplay, are really the best-designed stages in the game by far, but there's so few of them, and two of them are SUPER short. The 2 best stages, in my opinion, comes from this style, in the form of Arsenal Pyramid and Null Space (Btw, NULL SPACE IS A LIE). Arsenal Pyramid is completely 3D, and Null Space is great to travel through, though I wished the level actually took place mostly IN Null Space. (When I first heard of the level and saw some screenshots, I was hyped for the stage. Imagine my disappointment when you stay in the actual Null Space for all of about 15 seconds.) The level design has some jank to it at times, like in Aqua Road, where you can easily fall off the stage when sliding on the water, or in Mystic Jungle where when you boost down a long half-pipe, if you don't slow down, you will also fall off (Half pipes are not your friend in general in this game.) The placement of Red Rings is so simple, anybody with half a brain can notice them in plain sight, though some are hard to get to. The Boss Fights, while cool, are underwhelming, which is unfortunately what some Sonic Games are known for (ex Lost World, Secret Rings, Rush, some of 06 [IT'S NO USE] just to name a few.) Infinite's Final Battle is mostly a reskin of Metal Sonic's battle in this game, which is disappointing. Overall, the gameplay has it's risings and pitfalls, and the level design can be wierd at times.
The Verdict:
Sonic Forces is a mixed bag. There are some highlights in the game, such as the overall presentation, story, and music. But when it comes to the gameplay and level design, the core values of any video game, it's all over the place. Modern Sonic is okay, the Custom Character is pretty cool, Classic Sonic is horrible (this is coming from someone who owns, and still plays, Mania on the Switch), and the Tag-team stages are some of the best. Replay Value-wise, the only thing really worth it is getting all S-Ranks, Collecting all Red-Star Rings, getting the Number Medals, and acquiring all the Custom Hero cosmetics. By the time you beat the game, most of that is already done. I wish I could find the use for replaying the game more, but unfortunately, there isn't much of one.
I would rate this game a 5.5/10. While it's excellent in it's presentation, music and story, it fails to keep up with itself by it's flawed gameplay. If you play Sonic games, then hey, this might be the game for you. However, I wouldn't really recommended this to any general gamer.
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