Shadow The Hedgehog

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Actually the game isn't too bad.

Shadow the Hedgehog is essentially a more combat-oriented Sonic game. In the story mode you go through six long stages which you can choose depending on your progress in the game.

Say for example you go around helping the good guys like Sonic, Tails, etc. If you complete their goal to level "A". If on the other hand you complete the bad guy's goal you get level "B" and if you just don't give a fuck and complete no goals you get level "C". Cutting your own path through the story(Which apparently has 10 endings plus 1 secret one) adds a lot of variety to the stages.

The controversial addition of weapons is rather downplayed in this game to be honest. In the boss fights I've gotten a gun wasn't required in order to defeat them. As Shadow is in essence a Sonic clone he has the same abilities such as the homing attack and the light-speed dash. The weapons themselves number in over 30 I believe, everything from standard handguns to assault rifles, bazookas, sniper rifles(wtf). Also the "realistic" weapons are balanced out by a variety of wacky Eggman weapons like javelins and silly looking laser guns, as well as the evil alien race having their own arsenal. The weapons all carry limited ammo and you can stack extra amounts by picking up more of the same weapon. However you can only carry one at a time but your abilities are not hindered by carrying one.

Aiming is fairly automatic as if you're facing the general direction of an enemy it will fire at them. The homing attack is still rather wonky as you can end up homing in on enemies you'd rather not fight(Obviously annoying).

Camera still sucks, but hey that's par for the course in a Sonic game.

The game adds a number of interesting ideas I'd hope the next 3D Sonic game implements.

While on a checkpoint you have the ability to transport to other checkpoints in the stage, so if you missed something you can go back for it without restarting the stage.
Shadow can actually grab onto to ledges and to keep from running off a ledge he'll stumble a bit so you have a chance to recover your footing. Also Shadow does a nice stopping animation when slowing down from a run. There's also a wall-run though it's a bit difficult to get the hang of.

Graphically it's..well yeah.
I wouldn't quite call it DC level as the game throws around some pretty nice special effects and the texture work seems better. However this is counteracted by some rather annoying framerate drops(when the action gets a bit crowded).

More on this game later, but for now I have to work.

[Frogacuda]

I want to hear if the level design is better than Sonic Heroes. That's going to be what seals it for me.

[Kev]

So, like, is this game kind of like Sonic Adventure Action Stages with Max's levels from MDK2 thrown in? Because I'd be all over that.

[Dolemite]

Sonic Team = Most overrated developer ever.

[Frogacuda]

Sonic Team = Most overrated developer ever.

SA, SA2, Billy Hatcher, and Samba were all great games. Fuck sonic heroes.

[Dolemite]

SA, SA2, Billy Hatcher, and Samba were all great games. Fuck sonic heroes.

SA = pretty good

SA2 = crap

Billy Hatcher = um...never played it, but something about it made me want to try it. So, it's good?

Samba = not my kind of game.

I'm not saying Sonic Team sucks, I'm just saying they don't deserve their way overblown rep. Actually, that rep seems to be going down the tubes anyway.

[sixteen-bit]

Sonic Team = Most overrated developer ever.

Treasure FTW.

[Frogacuda]

Billy Hatcher = um...never played it, but something about it made me want to try it. So, it's good?

Yeah. It takes some getting used to the unconventional controls, but I loved it. It's more of a Mario 64 kind of game, though, so don't expect Sonic.

I'm not saying Sonic Team sucks, I'm just saying they don't deserve their way overblown rep. Actually, that rep seems to be going down the tubes anyway.

Sonic Team hasn't exactly ever been immune to criticism. They have a fanbase that I think they've earned, and they have their critics, who they've earned too. That doesn't really make them overrated.

[Jeremy]

Burning Rangers is probably my favorite non-Sonic Sonic Team game, and one of the Saturn's best games period. Billy Hatcher takes some getting used to, but it's incredibly fun once you get into it. This should be like that, and once I knock out every other purchase I've got planned for the holiday season, and some backlog stuff, I'll get it.

[SonofdonCD]

Sonic Team = Most overrated developer ever.

I've never seen them as overrated, cause I've never seen anyone praising them that much. Yeah, plenty of people gave the Sonic Adventure games higher scores they would in hindsight, but they never claimed the games were flawless, nor that they were at Nintendo-levels of polish. They are just a well liked developer from everything I've ever seen. I think they've earned that.

EDIT: Frogacuda beat me to it.