Not gonna make a review cause I really can't say or add much that hasn't been said already, so instead here're some notes I thought of when replaying it via Xenia
- Though not as mature as RPCS3 (this can get choppy and has one extremely weird bug, though pressing F5 when needed can fix it for a good while), it's kind of incredible how far Xbox 360 emulation has come. Playing this on 1440p with, like what I experienced w/ Sly 4, reduced load times, was pretty nice. On that note, yea I used patches and a mod for this thanks to the Sonic 06 Mod Manager. Nothing too extreme aside from the 99 Lives Code (I do not care I used this), just some basic QoL.
- I feel like everyone has a Hot Take when it comes to SOMETHING regarding this game, so here's mine: Silver's story was actually my favorite of the whole game. Sure, I would've liked him to move a bit faster, and some sections sucked - I outright glitched my way past the Billiard Puzzle room to avoid doing it lol - but his gameplay was honestly the closest to feeling like it was polished. His psychokinesis stuff is pretty fun and doesn't really reach the point of repetition despite how limited it is, the levels feel just as branching and open like Sonic's are, and there were very little times I felt like the game was fucking me over. Blaze is also, hands down, the best companion gameplay in the game since she's just Sonic but without the wonky physics getting in your way. The only remotely bad things I can say is that his story, as well as characterization, is pretty nothing, and any moment with Amy is a snoozefest.
- Also yea lemme just rapid fire some of the more basic opinions, OST good (though I must be honest and say, since this is around the end of the Adventure Era, it's on the weaker tier of the games released by then) and is the only thing I can say 100% is fully polished and well-done, level design has some shockingly solid foundation for the most part (Dusty Desert and Aquatic Base SUCK), and some of the aesthetics and coloring is neat.
- Man I know this story focuses on the Past, Present & Future with Shadow & Mephiles, Sonic & Elise, and Silver & Iblis respectively, but a majority of the cool moments are robbed cause again, the focal points are pretty nothing. The CLOSEST that happens is Shadow's arc, and even then that doesn't quite kick in until halfway in his story. Also, cribbing from this section in SomecallmeJohnny's review, these dang hedgehogs can time travel at will to fix ANY of the problems once they learn them, yet they just don't..?
- Splitting this from the last point since it's a more general thing, I also think the "so bad it's good" crowdwhich to me usually screams people being insecure about somewhat enjoying anything in this game and wanting to Fit In really exaggerate that aspect of the game, there's not that many moments I enjoyed from the hilarity of, I got pretty annoyed or even frustrated more often than not.
- Finally, since I replayed two of the commonly cited bad Sonic games, I can now more strongly back up an opinion I had before (and I could've sworn I rated it as such when first creating my Backloggd account until I fixed a little recently, as well as now slightly changed this game's score), which is that I think this game is better than Secret Rings. I very much understand this is a "lesser of two evils" scenario, but despite the BS in 06, I can definitely say I had some fun and enjoyment from it, unlike SR where I experienced misery and frustration throughout a majority of it. The best moments of that game don't even come anywhere NEAR the best moments of this one, either.
People say with about an extra year this would've been great, but I dunno, the most that'd change is the physics being more consistent and maybe the story having meat in it. Sure it would've been of POSITIVE quality, good even, but not really deserving of a Sonic Anniversary badge if you ask me, especially since Adventure 2 before, Generations after and even Sonic Riders in the same year did the honor much better.
- Though not as mature as RPCS3 (this can get choppy and has one extremely weird bug, though pressing F5 when needed can fix it for a good while), it's kind of incredible how far Xbox 360 emulation has come. Playing this on 1440p with, like what I experienced w/ Sly 4, reduced load times, was pretty nice. On that note, yea I used patches and a mod for this thanks to the Sonic 06 Mod Manager. Nothing too extreme aside from the 99 Lives Code (I do not care I used this), just some basic QoL.
- I feel like everyone has a Hot Take when it comes to SOMETHING regarding this game, so here's mine: Silver's story was actually my favorite of the whole game. Sure, I would've liked him to move a bit faster, and some sections sucked - I outright glitched my way past the Billiard Puzzle room to avoid doing it lol - but his gameplay was honestly the closest to feeling like it was polished. His psychokinesis stuff is pretty fun and doesn't really reach the point of repetition despite how limited it is, the levels feel just as branching and open like Sonic's are, and there were very little times I felt like the game was fucking me over. Blaze is also, hands down, the best companion gameplay in the game since she's just Sonic but without the wonky physics getting in your way. The only remotely bad things I can say is that his story, as well as characterization, is pretty nothing, and any moment with Amy is a snoozefest.
- Also yea lemme just rapid fire some of the more basic opinions, OST good (though I must be honest and say, since this is around the end of the Adventure Era, it's on the weaker tier of the games released by then) and is the only thing I can say 100% is fully polished and well-done, level design has some shockingly solid foundation for the most part (Dusty Desert and Aquatic Base SUCK), and some of the aesthetics and coloring is neat.
- Man I know this story focuses on the Past, Present & Future with Shadow & Mephiles, Sonic & Elise, and Silver & Iblis respectively, but a majority of the cool moments are robbed cause again, the focal points are pretty nothing. The CLOSEST that happens is Shadow's arc, and even then that doesn't quite kick in until halfway in his story. Also, cribbing from this section in SomecallmeJohnny's review, these dang hedgehogs can time travel at will to fix ANY of the problems once they learn them, yet they just don't..?
- Splitting this from the last point since it's a more general thing, I also think the "so bad it's good" crowd
- Finally, since I replayed two of the commonly cited bad Sonic games, I can now more strongly back up an opinion I had before (and I could've sworn I rated it as such when first creating my Backloggd account until I fixed a little recently, as well as now slightly changed this game's score), which is that I think this game is better than Secret Rings. I very much understand this is a "lesser of two evils" scenario, but despite the BS in 06, I can definitely say I had some fun and enjoyment from it, unlike SR where I experienced misery and frustration throughout a majority of it. The best moments of that game don't even come anywhere NEAR the best moments of this one, either.
People say with about an extra year this would've been great, but I dunno, the most that'd change is the physics being more consistent and maybe the story having meat in it. Sure it would've been of POSITIVE quality, good even, but not really deserving of a Sonic Anniversary badge if you ask me, especially since Adventure 2 before, Generations after and even Sonic Riders in the same year did the honor much better.
9 Comments
I've not played secret rings. At the time this came out I was still in denial Sonic games were fun and I got 1000 achievement points in it on my 360.
The reality is it's a painfully broken mess with awful controls, terrible loading and optimisation. Interestingly though it was Sonic Unleashed that broke me to make me finally stop caring about Sonic games. I loved Generations though, the last good Sonic game.
The reality is it's a painfully broken mess with awful controls, terrible loading and optimisation. Interestingly though it was Sonic Unleashed that broke me to make me finally stop caring about Sonic games. I loved Generations though, the last good Sonic game.
Unleashed is kind of weird cause on paper and in some parts execution, it's one of the better Sonic games despite coming out in the "dark era", yet it feels too tampered and held back by the Werehog on both versions of the game, and I don't find the Daytime sections to really be all THAT good to hold the game up (not helping is the HD version requiring you to hunt down medals, unlike Wii/PS2 just letting you get an amount depending on ranks). Still like both versions, SD especially, but I haven't touched them since I was around late teens... probably for a good reason. Gonna have to try and fix that regardless though.
I'm a fair bit optimistic about what's been happening with Frontiers, feels like it's gonna be a big step-up for the brand and is the first time in like, a while I was actually rather excited about the Blue Blur getting a new game. Doubly so now that the whole "let the fans do the games!" mentality some fans had is finally dying off with Omens coming out to bad press and making people realize there'd still be some snags regardless (though at least Triple Trouble 16-Bit also came out to good reception, still need to play that).
I'm a fair bit optimistic about what's been happening with Frontiers, feels like it's gonna be a big step-up for the brand and is the first time in like, a while I was actually rather excited about the Blue Blur getting a new game. Doubly so now that the whole "let the fans do the games!" mentality some fans had is finally dying off with Omens coming out to bad press and making people realize there'd still be some snags regardless (though at least Triple Trouble 16-Bit also came out to good reception, still need to play that).
I've never played a fan game unless you count Mania lol.
Frontiers looks awful to me so far but after the first couple of gameplay demos I stopped keeping up with it. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised? I can hope. I grew up with Sonic, I'd like him to return to form, I just have no confidence in Sonic Team.
Frontiers looks awful to me so far but after the first couple of gameplay demos I stopped keeping up with it. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised? I can hope. I grew up with Sonic, I'd like him to return to form, I just have no confidence in Sonic Team.
So far Frontiers looks a very low 6-7/10, and i think I'll see if it's good or not in a few days time at EGX but to me 06 is just barely mediocre and it's not even the worst sonic game let alone one of the worst games of all time
@Speedy - What games are worse than Sonic 06 that you've played? Just curious.
If it Sonic games then Chronicles, Storybook games, Rise of Lyric, Free Riders and a few others are worse in my opinion
If it's just games in general then 06 barely cuts it, I feel like listing my least favourite games here would be slightly redundant but a few would be Balan, Life is Strange and Sonic Chronicles
If it's just games in general then 06 barely cuts it, I feel like listing my least favourite games here would be slightly redundant but a few would be Balan, Life is Strange and Sonic Chronicles
Yea I can't really give 06 a lower score nowadays, not cause "the ambition" but more so cause I can't bring myself to say it shits itself as much as DMC2, AitD08, Secret Rings, and Fable 3 do, plus other notably awful games in the franchise I've yet to play such as what Speedy mentioned, Sonic Chronicles and Free Riders (I doubt RoL is THAT bad, but I'll have to emulate it for myself at some point).
I'll defend Black Knight being pretty fun, but I haven't replayed it in years which I've been meaning to fix at some point.
I'll defend Black Knight being pretty fun, but I haven't replayed it in years which I've been meaning to fix at some point.
Yeah of those I've only played Sonic Chronicles and it really is truly appalling.
BlazingWaters
1 year ago
I really thought it'd be "quick notes" lmao