The Sonic Cycle.
Sega fans are all too familiar with the roller coaster of expectations and disappointments that are an inevitable part of each new Sonic the Hedgehog game release. For those unfamiliar with this formula of failure, it can be summarized as follows:
A Sonic game announcement will initially create large amounts of anticipation and excitement. However, as more information is revealed about the game (inevitably referring to an unnecessary gameplay gimmick or the introduction of furry friends), that anticipation turns to doubt and worry. Finally, the game is released to sub-par reviews and dreams of a triumphant return for the Blue Blur are shattered.
Sonic has had a lot of ups and downs over his many game releases over the last few years. Some would argue his transition to 3D was handled less gracefully than other 2D gaming icons like Mario and Zelda. The early 3D titles on the Dreamcast had their good and bad points, but the series continued to lose its luster as it attempted to reinvent itself during the PS2/Xbox/GCN era (with multiplatform games such as Sonic Heroes and Shadow the Hedgehog leading the charge). Following that period of experimentation came the straw that broke the furry’s back – Sonic The Hedgehog (2006). Almost universally lauded for everything from loading times to glitches to human-on-hedgehog makeout sessions, this rushed next-gen Sonic didn’t have the impact Sega was hoping for. With the introduction of the Wii, new games were produced that were “inspired by” Arabian Nights and The Once and Future King – games meant to appeal to children and casual gamers. These games combined sometimes unresponsive waggle controls with quirky gameplay, and would be unrecognizable to fans of the original games. 2008′s Sonic Unleashed didn’t fare much better. It did include gameplay elements that were recognizable to fans of Sonic, but also contained an annoying gameplay mechanic designed to pad the game’s length: the WereHog beat-em-up levels. Factor in all the spinoffs, such as Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, and it’s very easy to see why long-time fans of Sonic have been disappointed with his more recent outings.
Surprisingly, though, it appears Sega has finally begun to own up to its mistakes with its treasured gaming icon. This year, Sega is attempting to increase the image and value associated with the Sonic brand by increasing the quality of game releases and removing the glut of older titles from retail shelves. This year’s new releases (including the next-gen Sonic The Hedgehog 4 and the Wii exclusive Sonic Colors) are part of this initiative, and in my opinion are two of the best Sonic the Hedgehog games to see the light of day in many, many years.
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 manages to blend next-gen visuals with the gameplay elements of a classic Sonic title. Co-developed by DIMPS, the game does indeed provide the classic Sonic gameplay fans have been clamoring for. However, it comes at the cost of floaty physics and a reduced sense of speed in the game’s levels. Additionally, the game’s episodic release schedule drew the ire of both reviewers and fans alike. These issues don’t detract from the core experience of a next-gen Sonic title, and Sonic 4 is certainly a worthy addition to the classic series.
Though the Wii has had many Sonic titles over the last few years, none was received as well as the recently-released Sonic Colors. For a Wii title, the game is gorgeous and contains an unparalleled sense of speed. The addition of alien Wisps that grant Sonic special powers at certain points throughout the game’s levels is somewhat gimmicky, but it works. The setting of Eggman’s amusement park is a bit unorthodox but allows for lots of variety in the levels, and the cinematic camera sweeps for some of the on-rails segments are both clever and well implemented. There are no awkward “friend” levels to plod through this time, and the amount of content the game provides is staggering. In some ways this feels like a true sequel to the Sonic Adventure series rather than a spinoff title. It is a shame that the brand is so watered-down at this point that I wonder if the Wii’s casual audience will take notice.
With Sonic 4 and Sonic Colors, the Sonic Cycle has been broken. But that doesn’t give Sega a free pass on releasing one of the biggest control nightmares in recent memory: Sonic Free Riders.
Now, I fully admit that I read the reviews of Sonic Free Riders before trying the game and was fully expecting to have difficulty with the controls. What I didn’t expect was the amount of difficulty I had. There were times – many times – where I was fully at the mercy of where the Kinect wanted to steer my board. The recalibration routine at the start of each race did not appear to solve my issues, nor did manually recalibrating the Kinect device itself. The saddest part is that outside of the control issues, it could have been a competent Mario Kart clone. Instead, it’s a barely-playable mess – another title for the Sonic stink pile.
The point is this: the varying quality of Sonic titles this year reeks of lack of brand quality control on Sega’s part. To put so much effort into competent releases like Sonic 4 and Sonic Colors only to kick Sonic Free Riders out to retailers a few weeks later goes firmly against their public statements to increase the Sonic brand’s value. Maybe I’m giving Sonic Free Riders too much criticism as a launch title for a yet unproven peripheral, but this is not the path that Sega needs to chart for Sonic. Unless Sega can begin to exercise some quality control over Sonic, the Cycle will not only begin again, but continue ad nauseum, just like Dr. Eggman’s plots for world domination.
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