Is it the year of Shadow, or is it the year of the Hedgehog? Sonic’s star has never been brighter thanks to film, television, and video games, yet his counterpart, Shadow, is just now stepping onto a bigger stage. In June, Sega revealed Sonic X Shadow Generations, a remaster of Sonic Generations with new content for the Ultimate Life Form, Shadow the Hedgehog.
When Sonic Generations launched over a decade ago, the reaction was infectious as a Sonic fan. Combining the best segments of classic 2D Sonic and 3D Sonic was a genius move. Then, to bring it all together, it was a celebration of the series as it offered the best levels from both eras while jumpstarting a new wave of fanatics.
Gotta Get Faster
This remaster includes the same content as Sonic Generations, including the Casino Night Pinball content. You get Chao hidden in every level, about the most significant change to unchanged levels. While it isn’t the Chao Garden from Sonic Adventure 2, I hope we see it again.
Sonic Generations celebrated the blue blur, combining the best 2D and 3D elements into one memorable experience. It was an iconic game at the time and holds up even today. The basic premise is that you control the blue hedgehog at two points in his life, with each level containing two acts to complete. The first is always a 2D level, and you must complete it as fast as possible—the second is a 3D level with a similar objective.
Classic Sonic’s levels are pulled straight out of your childhood and are refreshed stages looking better than ever. These levels are filled with loops, rings, and enemies and showcase excellent level design. If you’ve played the original, then the gameplay loop of moving from stage to stage while clearing them as fast as possible remains the same.
Sonic X Shadow Generations Is A Celebration of the Series
The Shadow portion is where the remaster splits into an entirely new campaign which runs concurrently with the events unfolding in Generations. With no clue about his purpose or where he came from, Shadow heads to the ARK before finding the Time Eater, the enemy from Generations, and landing in the White Space hub. Shadow’s nemesis, Black Doom, looks to assume control of Shadow and eventually take over his body to live again.
I spent six hours completing the campaign for Shadow. Although separate from the main story, it has much in common, including the switch from 2D to 3D. Many levels incorporate both elements to great success and are a worthy substitute for Sonic levels. More superpowered movies are granted as you move through the story, thanks to Black Doom. The new moveset complements Chaos Control, a great way to maneuver around enemies in addition to freezing time to prevent damage.
The more Doom Powers you unlock, the easier it becomes to get around. Access to Chaos Spear, for example, makes it easier to hit from long range. A few other Doom Powers become available, making Shadow even more formidable, including an edgy transformation and wings.
Outside the primary stages, expect to find an assortment of challenge stages with objectives like clearing a specific number of targets or completing a hazard-filled level with only a single ring to unlock bosses and the next set of stages. If you’ve played OG Generations, then this is similar.
The team working on Sonic X Shadow Generations adds a lot of story to Shadow’s route that helps fill in gaps in his backstory. I’m talking about story beats, referring to Sonic Adventure 2, which ties into many familiar characters and the necessary context to understand his motives. However, I’m a bit disappointed we don’t get Shadow with a gun in any capacity, but the story makes up for it by allowing us to revisit some of Shadow’s best moments.
Verdict
Sonic X Shadow Generations improves on a brilliant celebration of the franchise thanks to the new and exciting campaign, blazingly fast levels, and excellent upgrades. While Sonic’s story remains unchanged, the introduction of Shadow’s story justifies this remaster more than ever. While I’d have liked to see an entirely new game, Sega understands how beloved Sonic Generations is, so it’s nice to have it available on modern consoles with all the bells and whistles.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
