SunlitSonata
2003
City Trial is an incredibly fun mode to play with friends and still holds up really well.
Everything else?........................................................exists, but doesn't leave a lot to go back to you can't get from other racing games.
Everything else?........................................................exists, but doesn't leave a lot to go back to you can't get from other racing games.
The Empire Strikes Back of sandbox games starring talking animals. Bigger, darker, more interesting, better laid out (if somewhat padded), Sly 2 is the perfect example of a game that builds off of the original while crafting a compelling place for its own.
2000
While Kazooie is still a personal masterpiece, Tooie's notably harder to go back to thanks to a lot more dodgy design choices, infinitely more backtracking, and some pretty asinine sections like the FPS levels or first person flying stages. Still a good time even if it's too big for its britches.
A great game in pretty much every regard EXCEPT actually playing it. Top tier storyline, surprisingly, but the gameplay can really drag in the later levels when baby mons go against legendaries. Plus the friendship system blows.
The story is debatably the best in Modern Sonic; despite the utterly bizarre concept it stays surprisingly true to the convictions of its characters and balances its light and dark elements fairly well. The soundtrack rocks as well.
Real shame about the gameplay.....
Real shame about the gameplay.....
1998
One of the most lovably goofy games I've ever played. Yes, it's janky in places, the cutscenes are so bad they're hilarious, the camera can get in your way and yes Big the Cat is a stupid idea (although his section can be over in less than half an hour), but there's a lot of fun ambition and experimentation in the level design that pays off with how strong Sonic's core control feels
A tightly designed game in every sense except for being a strong competitive fighting game. Subspace's length can be a slog but it makes a fun co-op experience.
2019
When you get into combat with the well-thought out Legion system and experience the gorgeously animated sci-fi setting with the well integrated UI, it's great.
When you're doing ANYTHING ELSE, it really isn't. There's nuggets of fun gameplay in here but they're buried under overly long investigation segments, shitty stealth, unfun required side missions and a shockingly bland story. Not awful but could've been much more, and I hope if this game gets a sequel we get a tighter iteration on the formula.
When you're doing ANYTHING ELSE, it really isn't. There's nuggets of fun gameplay in here but they're buried under overly long investigation segments, shitty stealth, unfun required side missions and a shockingly bland story. Not awful but could've been much more, and I hope if this game gets a sequel we get a tighter iteration on the formula.