Sonic X: Shadow Generations Review

Initial release date: October 22, 2024

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows

License: proprietary license

Genre: Platform game

Developer: Sonic Team

Publishers: Sega, SEGA of America

Series: Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic fans are an interesting lot, with a variety of reasons for admiring the blue blur and the games he appears in. With such a broad audience, it’s no surprise that they rarely agree on anything, particularly when it comes to Sonic titles. Sonic Generations is one game that every Sonic fan I know loves, and it’s easy to see why. Combining classic and modern Sonic for the ultimate nostalgia journey was a brilliant idea that ensured this title won a place in many fans’ hearts. Thirteen years later, Sega has decided to bring this iconic game back to life for a modern audience with Sonic X Shadow Generations, which includes a whole new game in addition to the original.

If you missed it over a decade ago and are here for your first Sonic Generations encounter, here’s the elevator pitch: Sonic’s buddies are about to throw him a birthday celebration (complete with chilli dogs) when a gigantic purple wormhole swallows them all up. Sonic, determined to save them, enters this vortex as well, landing in The White Space. This place is essentially a strange Sonic-themed purgatory, complete with entrances to stages from the whole franchise. In this strange environment, our heroine encounters Classic Sonic, a spruced-up Mega Drive version of our hero who can’t speak but is eager to assist race through stages to save the day. It’s a fantastic way to toss two versions of Sonic into familiar but different stages, which is a huge nostalgia trip.

Classic Sonic includes all of the abilities you’d expect from an old school Sonic experience, with gameplay consisting primarily of sprinting from left to right through loops, spin dashing, and jumping on robotic animals. Playing as this retro fella feels just as amazing as it did in the 1990s, but with the extra benefit of some of your favorite 3D stages being remade a little flatter. The genuine delight of witnessing 2D City Escape is still as strong in 2024 as it was in 2011, and it remains a highlight of Sonic X Shadow Generations.

Modern Sonic may feel more familiar to younger players than his older version, as he has a homing attack and the ability to easily grind through stages. Without a major makeover, I must agree that controlling this version of Sonic feels a little less accurate after bingeing on the more current Sonic Frontiers, but he does the job in this more linear setting.

There are plenty of other features to keep you interested in Sonic Generations, such as secret medals that unlock art and songs from the series’ past. You also gain special points for completing levels with the highest possible rank, which you can spend on talents in the shop to enable a variety of useful perks. It’s exciting to experiment with these to make Sonic the best he can be, whether it’s increasing the speed of our already fast heroes or starting with more rings.

Sonic Generations hasn’t altered much in this updated edition, but that’s only half of the Sonic X Shadow Generations package. The other included campaign, set alongside Sonic’s adventure, stars everyone’s favourite edgier Sonic character. While the rest of the characters are being dragged into another world, Shadow is on the space station where he was born, trying to figure out his past. This results in his being sucked into a large purple hole, however his White Space differs from Sonic’s.

Whereas Sonic Generations was all about racing from stage to stage as quickly as possible, Shadow Generations has a massive center area filled with surprises to discover. This was undoubtedly influenced by the open world hit Sonic Frontiers, but with Shadow and his abilities at your disposal, there are a plethora of new methods to go about and uncover trinkets and chests.

Shadow controls better than current Sonic right away (because to his stronger homing attack), but as the game progresses, you’ll discover more powers that make him even better. All of these abilities are based on the evil adversary “Black Doom” and are hence gloomy tentacle themed. Doom Missiles can be fired to hit numerous targets and open up new paths, a new flashy combo attack allows you to fling an enemy across the skies and then teleport to it to traverse gaps, and there’s even an evil gloop-powered manta ray you can ride. All of these abilities are extremely useful while exploring The White Space, as well as during the game’s linear stages.

Shadow’s stages, like those in the other Generations titles, are based on prior games in the series. However, because “The Ultimate Lifeform” first appeared in Sonic Adventure 2, many of those great games are absent from this compilation. I would have loved to see a charming retro Shadow racing through Casino Night and Mushroom Hill, but his stages are mostly devastated towns and metal structures. They are, however, the greatest stages in the game due to Shadow’s move set, and they are a lot of fun to go through.

Shadow Generations includes both standard and challenge stages, which must be completed in order to access boss doors. These all last about a minute or two and are modified versions of the main zones. Each of the challenges has a distinct objective to achieve in addition to obtaining the goal, such as surviving with a single ring or killing a particular amount of foes, and they provide a welcome change of pace.

Sonic X Shadow Generations is a fantastic collection of Sonic classics, although it has a few flaws. Sonic’s adventure feels antiquated in 2024, and it is easily outperformed by Shadow’s, for starters. However, Shadow Generations has its own set of faults, such as the fact that its core area is a touch uninteresting owing to the excessive amount of white, and the items hidden in it are rarely things you’ll be interested in obtaining.

Sonic X Shadow Generations is a bundle of two amazing Sonic games with a lot of classic content. Shadow’s new campaign is especially impressive, thanks to the same mix of wide environment and epic stages that made Sonic Frontiers so memorable. If you’re not a huge Sonic fan, this won’t be the game that makes you want to buy every piece of Sonic apparel you can find, but those of us who adore these hedgehogs will have a great time with Sonic X Shadow Generations.

Review Overview

Gameplay: 88%

Controls: 85%

Aesthetics: 90%

Content: 83%

Accessibility: 82%

Value: 87%

Overall: 86%

VERY GOOD

Summary:

“Sonic X: Shadow Generations” expertly combines the popular high-speed action of Sonic games with Shadow’s distinct gameplay style, resulting in a thrilling experience for aficionados and beginners alike. The game’s breathtaking visuals and adrenaline-pumping soundtrack bring Sonic’s renowned universe to life, while the many levels keep the action going. Although minor camera glitches and difficulty spikes may spoil the experience, the game’s snappy controls and fascinating content make it a noteworthy addition to the Sonic brand. It’s a must-play for everyone looking for a thrilling, nostalgic platformer that will keep them entertained for hours.