Review for Sonic Forces. Game for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 07/11/2017
Since the days of the first consoles the video game industry has understood how important it was to identify a specific generation with one or more mascots in order to retain users. Well before Lara Croft, Crash Bandicoot and Spyro accompanied the incredible commercial success of the first PlayStation, the gaming market tended to be just red or blue: on the one hand Super Mario, the plump plumber from Nintendo, and on the other Sonic the irreverent porcupine of SEGA.
Years later we are not that far from that world: even without a console to support, Sonic Forces aims to revive the image of Sonic and his large party of supporting actors. Needless to say, we were hopeful towards this title which, although able at times to entertain, does not stand up to the competition and proves to be able to carve out only a place - and we hope at least - in the hearts of the most nostalgic fans.
A ruby to rule them all
The story of the one ring - although in Sonic's world there is certainly no lack of rings - was already sufficiently inflated and deepened by the recent Shadow of War: for this reason the Sonic Team has probably decided to focus on precious stones, mindful of the emeralds of chaos always so dear to the evil Doctor Eggman. The adventure opens in an atypical way: powered by the power of the ghost ruby, a new gem that grants the ability to manipulate reality, the dark Infinite and Doctor Eggman defeat Sonic and imprison him in space, taking control of the world in a few months.
This gimmick is the forerunner of the real novelty of Sonic Forces, which is the presence of the player within the world of Sonic with his own avatar: before throwing yourself into the action you need to create your own avatar by choosing an animal, some clothing and the main facial features. As the adventure progresses, new costumes can be unlocked at the end of each level and - literally - hundreds of customization options. The avatar thus created (and from time to time modified at will) will interact with the other characters by actively participating in the plot and, obviously, playing a fundamental role in the defeat of Eggman.
At the narrative level, the game does not offer anything memorable: good feelings, heroism and friendship are as always the fulcrum of the plot, which although in titles of this genre can be relegated to the background, with a few small tricks could have made a difference. A pity that in the most epic moments, like the one that sees Knucles launch the army against Eggman's armies, the narrative plot presents the simplicity of a children's cartoon.
The positive side of such a simple story is the ease with which all the supporting characters of the series have been inserted: from Classic to Modern Sonic through Metal, Shadow and Silver, without forgetting Tails, Knukles, Amy, Rouge and of course Doctor Eggman and all his bizarre creations. Fans will find old and new friends, discovering the pleasant addition of being part of the cast with your own avatar, probably the only really curated element of this Sonic Forces.
Reflexes or memory?
Sonic Forces has a twofold objective: on the one hand there is the obvious attempt to modernize the gameplay to adapt it to three-dimensional environments and to the spectacularity so much requested by the new generations today; on the other hand there is the desire to wink at the (few remaining) fans loyal to the porcupine, winking at the glories of the past and focusing much of the in-game experience on the customization of their virtual avatar. This second aspect, as we have already pointed out, is the only one to be developed in a precise (almost maniacal) way within the game: the completion of each level, including missions and secondary challenges, adds numerous customization possibilities, unique an element that tempts you to repeat missions chasing the best scores, virtually increasing the longevity of the main adventure, which due to its "action at full speed" nature ends in about five hours of play.
The gameplay tries to combine the best of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional world, alternating moments in which to jump from platform to platform with phases in which to whiz along the paths, with the camera behind the protagonist. When we use the avatar we created, he will have a wipo, a weapon / grappling hook with multiple functions, customizable from the character customization menu: you can choose to shoot flames or lightning, slow down enemies or even transform them in blocks full of rings, for a style of play that is as close to your needs as possible. Too bad, however, that this possibility completely distorts the spirit of the purest Sonic, traditionally made of wild races, jumps and spikes: in some phases of the game the grapple makes the experience more like a Batman game, not to say that the 'inability of our avatar to do the classic ball inevitably slows down the fluidity of the action. Add to us that the key used for the use of the weapon responds with a slight delay and you will understand the title of this paragraph, chosen to highlight how launched at crazy speed it is impossible to rely on your reflexes: to reach the end of the levels unscathed it is more useful to memorize the position of enemies and obstacles in a sometimes frustrating trial and error process.
It is therefore with a bit of bitterness that we find ourselves admitting how - except for a couple of funny boss fights that recall Spiderman Unlimited - the most successful and entertaining game sessions are those that recall the levels of the first three Sonic for Sega Mega Drive: Fast, fun, colorful and, above all, smooth as a Sonic the Hedgeog should be. The three-dimensional moments sometimes recall the futuristic tracks of Sonic R, with the difference that the racing game released on Sega Saturn in 1991 was able to be more inspired, fun and replayable than Sonic Forces. We would not want to be so terse, but after the moderate success of Sonic Mania it was reasonable to expect that a game directly developed by the Sonic Team would make sparks, so we cannot afford to turn a blind eye to gameplay choices (such as the frequent quick time events during 3D racing) that will inevitably distance other fans from the brand.
Colorful horizons, colorful distractions
The technical sector of Sonic Forces suffers the compromises linked to any multi-platform title, defending itself well and maintaining a high level with some (rare but present) cues of excellence. While the 30 FPS framerate on Nintendo Switch requires some compromise, we believe that the visual experience of Sonic Forces on the Nintendo semi-portable is better than on other consoles: for the review we played on Playstation 4, and on the big screen the feeling is of a technical sector that is well cared for, but which could have offered more in addition to maximum fluidity.
The most impressive element of the game is the action in the background: both in two and in three dimensions, long shots are wasted, with Eggman's gigantic machines destroying the landscape and inexorably approaching until they reach the foreground. Similarly, remakes of historical levels breathe fresh air, with animated elements and bright colors that finally do justice to the work done by the Sonic Team.
Unfortunately, the speed of the action forces you to focus on the character and the enemies, so it is almost more pleasant to enjoy Sonic Forces as a spectator than as an active player. The latter risks getting lost in the majesty of the game world, so rich as to distract and lead to certain death when an enemy or an obstacle get confused with the scenario.
Interesting and without negative sides, however, the audio sector: menus and dialogues are entirely localized in Spanish with the voices already known in the Sonic cartoons, with a care that at this point we would not have expected. The sound effects are well calibrated, with just the right nostalgic flavor from the noise of the loaded attack or the jump of the classic Sonic in 2D sessions. Likewise, the music satisfies all tastes: from Wipeout-style techno to Japanese Power Metal, without obviously forgetting the classic themes of Green Hill or Mystic Jungle, Sonic Forces offers a catalog of everything that has been heard in decades of ran with the Blue Hedgehog.
Sonic Forces had all the credentials to bring back SEGA's blue hedgehog, reducing the distance in the historic clash with Nintendo dating back to the heyday of Japanese consoles. Too bad that the Sonic Team has lost this very important opportunity to whiz at the speed of sound, sliding tumbling to the ground without excuses while that great piece of Mario plumber finds himself the protagonist of one of the most beautiful games of this generation. The great customization of the avatar is one of the few noteworthy pros that, combined with the spectacular backdrop and the nostalgia linked to the remake of some cult areas of the saga, will pleasantly entertain the most loyal fans. Sonic deserves a very different treatment and we are the first to hope that one day he will be the protagonist of the game that will bring new generations closer to his pointed blue quills. Unfortunately, that day is not today.
► Sonic Forces is a platform-type game developed by Sega Sonic Team and published by Sega for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 07/11/2017
