Speedy
2008
This is the mixed bag of all the mixed bags.
I love the artstyle, both gameplay styles at their best are fantastic, the Story is decent for sonic standards, I like the amount of extra content with NPCs & Extra Missions and I love the globe-trotting theme
But when gets bad, it gets bad
Sometimes the playstyles aren’t used to their fullest of their potential and feel quite lazily put together at points in terms of Level design, the story is just non-existent in the middle but has somewhat satisfying end, the game is not optimised at all especially on the PS3, even then sometimes it doesn’t look that great, the extra missions feel undercooked, the entire concept of leveling up & medal collecting and the game doesn’t control very well in both playstyles.
Overall I love and hate this game, with every step forward it takes a step back and I can't be more happier and sadder.
I love the artstyle, both gameplay styles at their best are fantastic, the Story is decent for sonic standards, I like the amount of extra content with NPCs & Extra Missions and I love the globe-trotting theme
But when gets bad, it gets bad
Sometimes the playstyles aren’t used to their fullest of their potential and feel quite lazily put together at points in terms of Level design, the story is just non-existent in the middle but has somewhat satisfying end, the game is not optimised at all especially on the PS3, even then sometimes it doesn’t look that great, the extra missions feel undercooked, the entire concept of leveling up & medal collecting and the game doesn’t control very well in both playstyles.
Overall I love and hate this game, with every step forward it takes a step back and I can't be more happier and sadder.
2010
A Masterpiece of a game imo, everything is what I look for in the platformer besides the simplistic story & some horrible motion control gameplay present but I couldn't care less.
The challenge is not too hard nor too easy like the original game was imo, levels are fun, fast-paced and filled with new, original and interesting game mechanics through each level while also revisiting a few themes from the original game and making it the definitive version of it through the harder challenge and the presentation is godly, 480p does not make this game more beautiful than it is, the music is amazing and filled with love & passion throughout every track.
Overall this is a peak platformer and one of my favourite games of all time, go play it any way you can even use [REDACTED]
The challenge is not too hard nor too easy like the original game was imo, levels are fun, fast-paced and filled with new, original and interesting game mechanics through each level while also revisiting a few themes from the original game and making it the definitive version of it through the harder challenge and the presentation is godly, 480p does not make this game more beautiful than it is, the music is amazing and filled with love & passion throughout every track.
Overall this is a peak platformer and one of my favourite games of all time, go play it any way you can even use [REDACTED]
2002
Why is this game so good for being so early in the PS2 lineup? Granted it’s 2nd Act is significantly weaker than the other 2, Ratchet’s character is a bit off an asshole, it’s sometimes pretty unfair at points and the gameplay is a bit slow and Jank but the game is saved by it’s fun & varied missions with some pretty creative level designs/aesthetics and music weapons, I love how whenever you first enter a level you can tell what it’s about, the culture and what it looks like. The story & characters is a highlight pretty good for me since it’s one of the few platformers I’ve where the main characters undergo an arc, which makes Ratchet’s character somewhat justified and most of the other characters/NPCs are memorable and pretty fun in their own self-contained way.
Overall a surprisingly good start for a fantastic franchise
Overall a surprisingly good start for a fantastic franchise
A game with a pretty fun and unforgettable cast of characters highlights being Gumshoe, Edgeworth and Phoenix himself, with some fun, simplistic yet addicting gameplay/graphics with a very good soundtrack however some parts can be very Trial & Errorr based (Pun not intended), Rise from the Ashes takes too long imo and some parts of the story do feel a bit convient and have some glaring plot holes but it’s overall a very enjoyable experience.
This review contains spoilers
Yikes what a rollercoaster of a game, it kinda sucks and is in some cases the best AA game up to date, it feels like one of the many games i’ve played that takes a step forward and then a step backwards, I normally didn't talk about development history but this game had a significantly smaller development time than the other games in the trilogy with only a few months to write the story and it shows, so i’m gonna do a review of each Turnabout since it’s the best way to get my thoughts across in a rational way.
Before the there’s some universal issues across the board, first of all the soundtrack is okay but sorta forgettable there are some stand out themes like Matt Engarde’s and Adrian Andrews theme but it’s sorta overall kinda bad comparing to the first game and even Trials and Tribulations, second I don't like Von Karma’s gimmick, she’s a cool character but her gimmick gets old very quickly and isn’t really funny after that and finally it may have been due to ROTA and Translation but the way Phoenix’s talks about Edgeworth is so melodramatic and poorly written, I don't mind him being out of the story but the way it’s done in the trilogy kinda sucks I’ll get more into that in T&T, well without further ado let’s review each turnabout.
The Lost Turnabout
A boring start imo, I don't like most of the new characters in this game as they try to make them way more comedic and it doesn't work, but more in that later, but first it’s sorta shooting yourself in the foot with a tutorial segment like this given how every single game in the franchise does have some interesting ways of doing it, mainly with PW, T&T, AJ and DD have you play as a rookie attorney with the help of a mentor figure (Haven't played SOJ yet so I don't know how it’s handled there). So I sorta understand why it’s like this, but amnesia? That’s not a good way to reintroduce the mechanics imo, a cool idea would be to play the case of when Edgeworth was a kid defending Phoenix in his school, which would also tie into the main themes of the game, sure they may had to make a ton of new assets which couldn't be feasible for the time this game had but maybe imagine them as adults (?) idk i’m just brainstorming. Anyway, the case's biggest issue is it’s too handholdy, even compared to the first case of the first game and I feel each new character introduced here wasn’t good, Richard is so annoying and I get that was the idea but make him endearing like Frank Sawhit and Maggey only has one joke and that she has bad luck, I don't like it and it gets older very quickly. Overall a terrible beginning for this game.
Reunion, and Turnabout
A huge step-up from the last case, we get introduced to one of the better characters of the game, Pearl, we also get introduced to Psyche Locks (Or Psycho-Locks as I and Edgeworth like to call them) and learning about Maya’s Heritage is really interesting, however, before long it plunges into mediocrity in terms of characters, Morgan Fey while having a cool motive doesn't really leave much of an impression on me all around, Von Kormas aforementioned whipping, Grey Turner is interesting as the victim we meet I guess but doesn't really have much in terms of personality, Miney despite having a cool twist again doesn't leave much to me due to not really talking to her that much. And Director Hotti is probably my least AA character lol. But putting those aside I still really enjoyed the case it’s fun and the twists while predictable is still very good.
Turnabout Big Top
Fuck this case, every new character is either boring or horrible with the exception of maybe Acro but even that is somewhat ruined by something I'll get into this Turnabout. Moe is unfunny and rude but we're supposed to sympathise with him, Regina Berry doesn't have a personality despite her sheltered nature and everyone wants to date her for some reason? Even know she's a minor lmao. Ben & Trilo aren't as endearing this game thinks they are, they’re just kinda there and aren't written as the great dynamic duo that they're written as and Max, Max is such a bad character, being selfish, withholding information that could help with the case, trying to justify it with a redneck persona is the cherry on top of this crapcake of a character. The main 2 issues that plagues this turnabout is the insane amount of padding, Max being a catalyst for this especially with his psyche locks, and the way the murder is carried out of awful, it’s just plain stupid. Overall, a terrible case
Farewell, My Turnabout
A Masterpiece of a turnabout and my favourite case in the series, the case has some pretty high stakes, we see a lot of old and new characters, The new characters are actually really good because they aren't here to tell jokes or be “quirky” but instead are well-written characters, Matt Engarde being a great highlight to me as a stellar twist villain, using psyche-locks in an amazing & thrilling way and Edgeworth returning with his more colder personality is great and I overall have no major complaints about this turnabout.
Conclusion
Overall, this game was a roll-coaster of emotions, lot of good, a lot of bad but it can only go up from here. Though I’ll definitely revisit this game for the 2 cases only.
Before the there’s some universal issues across the board, first of all the soundtrack is okay but sorta forgettable there are some stand out themes like Matt Engarde’s and Adrian Andrews theme but it’s sorta overall kinda bad comparing to the first game and even Trials and Tribulations, second I don't like Von Karma’s gimmick, she’s a cool character but her gimmick gets old very quickly and isn’t really funny after that and finally it may have been due to ROTA and Translation but the way Phoenix’s talks about Edgeworth is so melodramatic and poorly written, I don't mind him being out of the story but the way it’s done in the trilogy kinda sucks I’ll get more into that in T&T, well without further ado let’s review each turnabout.
The Lost Turnabout
A boring start imo, I don't like most of the new characters in this game as they try to make them way more comedic and it doesn't work, but more in that later, but first it’s sorta shooting yourself in the foot with a tutorial segment like this given how every single game in the franchise does have some interesting ways of doing it, mainly with PW, T&T, AJ and DD have you play as a rookie attorney with the help of a mentor figure (Haven't played SOJ yet so I don't know how it’s handled there). So I sorta understand why it’s like this, but amnesia? That’s not a good way to reintroduce the mechanics imo, a cool idea would be to play the case of when Edgeworth was a kid defending Phoenix in his school, which would also tie into the main themes of the game, sure they may had to make a ton of new assets which couldn't be feasible for the time this game had but maybe imagine them as adults (?) idk i’m just brainstorming. Anyway, the case's biggest issue is it’s too handholdy, even compared to the first case of the first game and I feel each new character introduced here wasn’t good, Richard is so annoying and I get that was the idea but make him endearing like Frank Sawhit and Maggey only has one joke and that she has bad luck, I don't like it and it gets older very quickly. Overall a terrible beginning for this game.
Reunion, and Turnabout
A huge step-up from the last case, we get introduced to one of the better characters of the game, Pearl, we also get introduced to Psyche Locks (Or Psycho-Locks as I and Edgeworth like to call them) and learning about Maya’s Heritage is really interesting, however, before long it plunges into mediocrity in terms of characters, Morgan Fey while having a cool motive doesn't really leave much of an impression on me all around, Von Kormas aforementioned whipping, Grey Turner is interesting as the victim we meet I guess but doesn't really have much in terms of personality, Miney despite having a cool twist again doesn't leave much to me due to not really talking to her that much. And Director Hotti is probably my least AA character lol. But putting those aside I still really enjoyed the case it’s fun and the twists while predictable is still very good.
Turnabout Big Top
Fuck this case, every new character is either boring or horrible with the exception of maybe Acro but even that is somewhat ruined by something I'll get into this Turnabout. Moe is unfunny and rude but we're supposed to sympathise with him, Regina Berry doesn't have a personality despite her sheltered nature and everyone wants to date her for some reason? Even know she's a minor lmao. Ben & Trilo aren't as endearing this game thinks they are, they’re just kinda there and aren't written as the great dynamic duo that they're written as and Max, Max is such a bad character, being selfish, withholding information that could help with the case, trying to justify it with a redneck persona is the cherry on top of this crapcake of a character. The main 2 issues that plagues this turnabout is the insane amount of padding, Max being a catalyst for this especially with his psyche locks, and the way the murder is carried out of awful, it’s just plain stupid. Overall, a terrible case
Farewell, My Turnabout
A Masterpiece of a turnabout and my favourite case in the series, the case has some pretty high stakes, we see a lot of old and new characters, The new characters are actually really good because they aren't here to tell jokes or be “quirky” but instead are well-written characters, Matt Engarde being a great highlight to me as a stellar twist villain, using psyche-locks in an amazing & thrilling way and Edgeworth returning with his more colder personality is great and I overall have no major complaints about this turnabout.
Conclusion
Overall, this game was a roll-coaster of emotions, lot of good, a lot of bad but it can only go up from here. Though I’ll definitely revisit this game for the 2 cases only.
Definitely going to give this game a full review when a replay it soon in another month or so, though I just want to review other games as of now lol.
2018
is this what being addicted to crack feels like?
2008
[SD VERSION]
Sonic Unleashed SD is a sonic game alright but one thing for sure it’s not the worst. Two things I’m gonna base it on how good of a sonic game it is and how good of a port it is
The story is in practically still in tack from unleashed HD but with one big pro and con.
They run smoothly but they aren’t skippable which is dumb and some plot details aren't explained due to loss of Hub Worlds like why Chip has a random camera or some Mazuri stuff.
The gameplay is less than stellar and feels uninspired
The daytime stages are okay, not fantastic but not the worst gameplay style for a sonic game. They have spacious level design with nothing interesting to add, the boost feels so underwhelming and does feel boring. A few things I’ll give it is the ranking system, some of the level design visuals, some of the level design are ripe for speedrunning and the semi risk-reard system with the boost system but over to how this game represents unleashed as a game
The nighttime stages are really bad, some levels especially the act 1 are okay, nothing special but they easily go downhill from there, dumb enemy placements, bad controls in terms of physics and combat wise, underwhelming platforming.
Persentation is the only thing that unleashed SD does well but is ruined by one thing Hub menus, these are just one of the most laziest things I have ever seen, the soundtrack is fantastic, graphics look okay (That’s not on the PS2) and overall it does unleashed justice for the hardware used.
I’ll give unleashed SD some other points
Gaia temples are a unesesary yet nice addition
Content wise the game is pretty good with soundtests, concept art and more
The story it tells from unleashed HD is good enough
The soundtrack is so good
The bosses are a bit fun sometimes and even better than the HD Unleashed in some areas
Some stages are great, (Specifically Rooftop Run and Dragon Road)
The medals are handled way better in this game then the HD version
But all of that is mostly shadowed by the piss easy, lazy frustrating level design and overall feels unfinished game and not to mention 2 whole levels are missing so it doesn’t even do justice for all of unleashed let alone the parts it has.
Overall I would not recommend you play this game, get PS3 or an Xbox to play unleashed.
Also, don't 100% it, it’s painful and you only get a funny dumpling cutscene.
Sonic Unleashed SD is a sonic game alright but one thing for sure it’s not the worst. Two things I’m gonna base it on how good of a sonic game it is and how good of a port it is
The story is in practically still in tack from unleashed HD but with one big pro and con.
They run smoothly but they aren’t skippable which is dumb and some plot details aren't explained due to loss of Hub Worlds like why Chip has a random camera or some Mazuri stuff.
The gameplay is less than stellar and feels uninspired
The daytime stages are okay, not fantastic but not the worst gameplay style for a sonic game. They have spacious level design with nothing interesting to add, the boost feels so underwhelming and does feel boring. A few things I’ll give it is the ranking system, some of the level design visuals, some of the level design are ripe for speedrunning and the semi risk-reard system with the boost system but over to how this game represents unleashed as a game
The nighttime stages are really bad, some levels especially the act 1 are okay, nothing special but they easily go downhill from there, dumb enemy placements, bad controls in terms of physics and combat wise, underwhelming platforming.
Persentation is the only thing that unleashed SD does well but is ruined by one thing Hub menus, these are just one of the most laziest things I have ever seen, the soundtrack is fantastic, graphics look okay (That’s not on the PS2) and overall it does unleashed justice for the hardware used.
I’ll give unleashed SD some other points
Gaia temples are a unesesary yet nice addition
Content wise the game is pretty good with soundtests, concept art and more
The story it tells from unleashed HD is good enough
The soundtrack is so good
The bosses are a bit fun sometimes and even better than the HD Unleashed in some areas
Some stages are great, (Specifically Rooftop Run and Dragon Road)
The medals are handled way better in this game then the HD version
But all of that is mostly shadowed by the piss easy, lazy frustrating level design and overall feels unfinished game and not to mention 2 whole levels are missing so it doesn’t even do justice for all of unleashed let alone the parts it has.
Overall I would not recommend you play this game, get PS3 or an Xbox to play unleashed.
Also, don't 100% it, it’s painful and you only get a funny dumpling cutscene.
2010
This unfortunately has the same exact problem as Sonic Unleashed, with every great thing there's mid to bad thing to follow but not as severe due to lack of werehog. Before I begin, however, I have a lot of history with this game back in 2011-2012 I had Sonic Generations and always wanted to play Colours as I knew a lot of people in my school back then played it and loved it, I unfortunately never played till around 2017-2018 after a few tests where I was allowed one game at my local CEX, and I chose Sonic Colours and I loved it when I first played it and now a bit older and “more” mature, it’s certainly a sonic game that exists.
The story while simplistic and has a clear direction doesn't have many good or memorable jokes which is what it wants to do above all else being a pure comedy, instead it feels like they pull from lowest common denominator for the jokes and drag them on for way too long and then has the audacity to make us care for the characters at the end even though they were made for punching bags throughout the entire story. I don't think it’s suck but it should have been a lot better.
Gameplay-wise, Colours is serviceable enough, it doesn't get terrible but nothing amazing either. Act 1s are Unleashed tier but the other acts get little worse to point of where they’re boring, at worst they are a little frustrating but worst of all they make me feel nothing, I can barely remember any of them that’s not the Act 1’s or some the other stages like Planet Wisp Act 3. They are either the blandest and safe level layouts or taken from other better levels. This also applies to the gimmicks, physics and Bosses, some good and some boring or bland.
One thing I can confidently say that Colours does outstandingly is it’s presentation, I love the graphics and level aesthetics, they show innovation and feel like they tried their hardest to make it look like Unleashed and it works. The music is probably one of the best in the series and you can overall you can tell there was a lot passion in this department and actually properly expanded on Unleashed.
Overall Sonic Colours is fine and only fine, I'm fine with it not being a masterpiece or a disaster it’s a fine game that is a perfect yet flawed entry point for fans.
The story while simplistic and has a clear direction doesn't have many good or memorable jokes which is what it wants to do above all else being a pure comedy, instead it feels like they pull from lowest common denominator for the jokes and drag them on for way too long and then has the audacity to make us care for the characters at the end even though they were made for punching bags throughout the entire story. I don't think it’s suck but it should have been a lot better.
Gameplay-wise, Colours is serviceable enough, it doesn't get terrible but nothing amazing either. Act 1s are Unleashed tier but the other acts get little worse to point of where they’re boring, at worst they are a little frustrating but worst of all they make me feel nothing, I can barely remember any of them that’s not the Act 1’s or some the other stages like Planet Wisp Act 3. They are either the blandest and safe level layouts or taken from other better levels. This also applies to the gimmicks, physics and Bosses, some good and some boring or bland.
One thing I can confidently say that Colours does outstandingly is it’s presentation, I love the graphics and level aesthetics, they show innovation and feel like they tried their hardest to make it look like Unleashed and it works. The music is probably one of the best in the series and you can overall you can tell there was a lot passion in this department and actually properly expanded on Unleashed.
Overall Sonic Colours is fine and only fine, I'm fine with it not being a masterpiece or a disaster it’s a fine game that is a perfect yet flawed entry point for fans.
2011
My God they actually did it, they made a 3D Sonic game that not only improves on what was there in the previous games and removes the issues of the previous game but doesn't have any ifs, ands or buts, it’s simply amazing.
I want to start with the negatives, the story is fine but is non-existent even though there is so much you could do with the concept though I understand since the last time they handled time travel you had 06 lmao. There’s no Secret Rings, Black Knight of Shadow stages which are glaring emissions in my opinion but I can let that slide for the shorter dev time this game had, it’s insane that this game released one year after colours.
Just everything in this game is so good, Modern Sonic is fast-paced, has the right amount of challenge, and doesn't overstay it’s welcome nor is too short. And I love Classic Sonic, I love the physics and his level design is top-notch being the best in the series.
Oh man, the presentation, chef’s kiss, the remixes are godly and it’s in my opinion the best looking sonic game there is too date, all in a stable framerate too.
Man I love this game and have played and own it on all consoles (even though it caused my 360 to red ring lol) and never regret each playthrough, it both serves as an amazing love letter to the series both old, new bad, good and obscure and is a near-flawless platformer that anyone can enjoy.
I want to start with the negatives, the story is fine but is non-existent even though there is so much you could do with the concept though I understand since the last time they handled time travel you had 06 lmao. There’s no Secret Rings, Black Knight of Shadow stages which are glaring emissions in my opinion but I can let that slide for the shorter dev time this game had, it’s insane that this game released one year after colours.
Just everything in this game is so good, Modern Sonic is fast-paced, has the right amount of challenge, and doesn't overstay it’s welcome nor is too short. And I love Classic Sonic, I love the physics and his level design is top-notch being the best in the series.
Oh man, the presentation, chef’s kiss, the remixes are godly and it’s in my opinion the best looking sonic game there is too date, all in a stable framerate too.
Man I love this game and have played and own it on all consoles (even though it caused my 360 to red ring lol) and never regret each playthrough, it both serves as an amazing love letter to the series both old, new bad, good and obscure and is a near-flawless platformer that anyone can enjoy.
1985
I don't know if it was me expecting it to be terrible but I had some limited fun with it. It's simple yet poorly aged due to the controls and repetitive level designs and aesthetics.
The only good thing worth to note is You Vs Boo which is very fun, other than that it's one of ports with screen crunch on handheld I've ever played.
Such a bad sequel to the game that feels like a romhack which is probably an insult to other romhacks lol. As a game it has horrid level design and reuses everything from the first game without doing anything interesting with it other than being unfeasible difficult.
Also the Posion Mushroom sucks.
Also the Posion Mushroom sucks.
1988
I actually prefer this over the first game
While I wasn't initially a fan of the new gameplay style it grew on me as it not only is it fun but it made every level more varied and unique, but its just fun to throw stuff at enemies. I like the bosses, more varied level themes and the choice of Playable characters which feel well balanced and equally fun to play.
Overall I had fun with this game though I hate the dream ending lol.
While I wasn't initially a fan of the new gameplay style it grew on me as it not only is it fun but it made every level more varied and unique, but its just fun to throw stuff at enemies. I like the bosses, more varied level themes and the choice of Playable characters which feel well balanced and equally fun to play.
Overall I had fun with this game though I hate the dream ending lol.
1988
This is a great 2d Platformer at points but sucks hard sometimes.
Levels feel varied due to throwing unique gimmicks, enemies and power-ups at you all the time for each stage but aren't introduced as greatly as other games in the series or at the time, though I don't mind it. However it's sometimes ruined due to some levels being insulting short and the odd difficulty balance at times, the bosses also suck.
However the positives do outweigh the negatives, The sprite art is beautiful for the time, the new things included in the series are great and I like the music though I wish there were more of it.
Overall this game is a classic while a little too overhyped I can see why People love it.
Levels feel varied due to throwing unique gimmicks, enemies and power-ups at you all the time for each stage but aren't introduced as greatly as other games in the series or at the time, though I don't mind it. However it's sometimes ruined due to some levels being insulting short and the odd difficulty balance at times, the bosses also suck.
However the positives do outweigh the negatives, The sprite art is beautiful for the time, the new things included in the series are great and I like the music though I wish there were more of it.
Overall this game is a classic while a little too overhyped I can see why People love it.