Shadow in the limelight, yet again, in Sonic X Shadow Generations.
Sonic X Shadow Generations seems like one heck of a package on paper, bringing past elements from 2011’s Sonic Generations with a brand-new experience in the Shadow campaign. Sonic platformers will always have a timeless charm to them in my eyes; you can tell that Sega has mastered its craft over the years.
Sonic X Shadow Generations incorporates lessons learned from previous titles and blends them into something that feels familiar and new at the same time. It’s a dizzying mash-up of 2D side-scrolling and 3D platforming that really makes the game enticing. I was eager to see how Sega would balance nostalgia with innovation and how much of a polished experience they would offer to veterans of the series and newbies alike.
This remaster of Sonic Generations offers a fresh bout of nostalgia with up-to-date graphics and classic gameplay that we all grew to love. Shadow’s new campaign is more of a parallel story to Sonic’s, where it covers a darker theme and revisits key moments from Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic 06. The Level of Shadows campaign contains some of the tightest, most exhilarating 3D designs we’ve seen in Sonic games, which is a treat.
Sonic X Shadow Generations is a pretty neat and simple remaster. If you’ve never played the game, essentially, 2D Sonic and 3D Sonic are integrated. It’s like a modern take on old Sonic levels, such as Green Hill Zone, Hydro City, Casino, and much more. However, the improved graphics still look the same to me as they did on the Xbox 360. Sonic Generations has cool additions that you can unlock, collect and find. But it’s pretty much the same as the original.
Shadow’s new campaign in Sonic X Shadow Generations is great. I was excited to try it out from the get-go, as I have always been a fan of his. I applaud Sega for doing this because it has the exact same vibes as Sonic Generations, but this time around, you’ll be playing as Shadow. The developers like to call it “Shadow Evolved” as it has cutscenes, newer levels, and a lot more content.
As you play through Shadow’s campaign in Sonic X Shadow Generations, you unlock these unique Doom skills; the skill allows you to do things like pause time with Chao Control, fly by growing wings, or surf on the water by turning into an electric eel.
I really enjoyed seeing how the character evolves as the game progresses. You start out with Chaos Control, Shadow’s signature ability letting you stop the clock during g the levels, meaning you can even use them in the trial stages, which is nice.
With each unlocking skill in Sonic X Shadow Generations, you can revisit the stages you have beaten previously in hopes of getting a better rank. There are a few tedious and time-consuming parts in the game that you can improve upon with the new abilities in hopes of getting an S rank.
The new levels are really fun to play, and the stages are designed to be in constant motion and not stop. At one point, Shadow is riding rails through space and punching missiles, and then he’s flying down a waterfall and being chased by killer trains, winding through a city of twisted skyscrapers.
Just like Sonic, each stage is split into two parts, the first being fully 3D and the second being side-scrolling. However, in Sonic X Shadow Generations, you don’t get a “Classic Shadow” model like Sonic has. The latter was a great improvement over Sonic Superstars, which tried to win fans by trying to capture past glories.
Aside from the spectacle of both acts of Sonic X Shadow Generations, the stages are very important for keeping momentum and flow going. It doesn’t often happen that you’ll find Shadow to stay put and stop moving; he always runs or jumps to get to the grind rail, or he’s charging towards an enemy.
The enemies in Sonic X Shadow Generations are placed well so that they don’t throw you off rhythm but instead keep it going. Even though Sonic X Shadow Generations is pretty linear, the game tries to make you use multiple paths to encourage exploration.
The Doom powers you get as Shadow in Sonic X Shadow Generations are mostly optional, but I like them as they add a layer of complexity to Shadow’s character, increase the skill cap, and propel him against his blue nemesis.
Shadow’s basic move set is a joy to use as Sega made the wise decision to give Shadow a double jump and assign his homing attack to a separate button – what appears to be a minor change from Sonic, the latter giving significantly more control over the character. When combined with the lock-on, it eliminates sloppy targeting and infuriating confusion between jumps and attacks.
For Sonic fans, Shadow is a breeze to control in Sonic X Shadow Generations, which is a welcomed relief as in the past Sega was notorious for misfires with this character – to simply put it, it just feels refined. For the first time in a long time, it didn’t feel like we were fighting the controls on the verge of crashing through the environment. Sega’s ideas in Sonic X Shadow Generations appear to have finally come together.
I wouldn’t call Sonic X Shadow Generations entirely linear. The game has a hub world that is gradually revealed as the story advances; Shadow’s White Space pays homage to Sonic Frontiers’ open zones. While that part of Sonic X Shadow Generations lacks speed, it makes up for it with the addition of rails and platforms without the pop-ins.
Additionally, you can add art, music, and more to your collection by unlocking treasure chests with icons you collect on each level. Sometimes, you’ll have to use controls that aren’t really ideal for platforming in order to reach these chests, but it’s fine, considering how great the main stages of Sonic X Shadow Generations are.
I didn’t feel like the ending of the story adds up well, and the conclusion doesn’t really make sense. It feels like it doesn’t really deliver to its potential; I can see how it could be difficult to reiterate a time travel story over and over and revisit certain moments.
Even if the story isn’t to your liking, the level of design is great. Being able to experience the 2D and 3D stages was the cream of the crop for me. The main Generations 2D Shadow levels and 3D Shadow levels were really fun to play. The different layouts come with unique puzzles, vibes, and unlockables too. Making it very enjoyable.
In Sonic X Shadow Generations, Sonic seems upbeat and full of energy, while Shadow has a more serious demeanor with his grunts, intense expression, and classic hero action stances. These make Shadow the more enjoyable character to watch and a blast to play—overall, I found him to be much cooler. It makes sense that someone like Keanu Reeves is the one voice-acting Shadow in this year’s film.
Transitioning back into Sonic Generations levels was really frustrating at times and brought back painful memories. Shadow has jumped ahead; besides the impressive remaster of Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant Zone, Sonic’s level tends to falter into similar pitfalls like tricky targeting and frustrating enemy placements and a camera that can be awkward at times. I mean, it’s defense. I kind of get it – it’s old. Shadow’s levels were so much more enjoyable in comparison to Sonic’s; I was sort of in a rush to get Sonic’s bits over with
When seen as a while, Sonic X Shadow Generations begins to disappoint. When placed side by side, the campaigns beg for comparison, and the Sonic part of the game, when compared, can’t hold on its own. Instead of serving as a satisfying conclusion to the Sonic Series, this game is just a painful reminder of times we’d rather not go back to.
Visually, there is a lack of detail in the character models and textures, but the overall visuals have been sharpened to meet the requirements of modern platforms. The disparity in quality is immediately noticeable when comparing Shadow’s character model to the bosses in his campaign and his BS model in Sonic Generations.
When compared to Shadow’s lively and thrilling cutscenes, Sonic Generations seems stiff with repeated animations. But you’ll be pleased with the visuals most of the time; the vibrant colors and the clear indicators really help you navigate smoothly toward your goal, all while you aim for the fastest time.
The music in Sonic X Shadows Generations is great. Shadow’s campaign has a rock music vibe that is perfect for those angsty teen moments, and you can switch the tracks at any stage, which is nice.
Sonic X Shadow Generations is truly the best of what Sega can offer: taking that formula we know and love and building upon it in meaningful ways. This is a no-brainer if you’re a long-time Sonic fan, blending the best of the franchise under one roof for the very first time by fusing nostalgia with fresh ideas and an exciting new Shadow campaign.
It’s a mix of 2D and 3D platforming, pulling off everything people love about Sonic while pushing the boundaries with Shadow’s unique set of skills and a much darker storyline. But what stands out is its level design, containing segments that are genuinely thrilling and that keep you moving and on your toes.
For those who do not usually care about Sonic, this game could very well be a change of mind. Whether you grew up with Sonic or have only a passing fondness for platformers, Sonic X Shadow Generations may be the perfect gateway back into the series. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, this game is a great way to dive back into the Sonic universe.
I highly recommend checking out some gameplay or streams because, man, once you get to see it in action, it gives a great sense of entertainment and just how polished this title is. It’s a great balancing act between new kicks and nostalgia, and it pulls it off really well. Give it a try; you might find yourself diving into the world of Sonic with rejuvenated passion.
