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Offline Jonnyboy117

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Sonic Heroes Review
« on: January 30, 2004, 03:01:39 AM »
Sorry little Timmy, but your pet hedgehog needs to take a one-way trip to the vet.

Review by Jonathan Metts

What the hell happened to this series?  Although I’ve always preferred the Mario games, I had a blast with Sonic 2, 3, and Knuckles back on the Genesis.  The games had tight controls, cool levels, great graphics, and just the right amount of challenge.  I never played much of Sonic Adventure, but I rented SA 2 Battle on GameCube and played through a good bit of it.  I was shocked at the sloppy controls and spastic camera.  I was bored with the terrible level design and alternative gameplay styles.  Even the classic speed-based Sonic levels had been turned into cut-scene fests that felt like they were on autopilot.  Then there was the dumb story, forced upon me by abundant voice-acting and horrendous cinematics.

Three years after the Dreamcast release of SA2, Sonic Heroes has arrived with hardly any of these issues addressed.  The gameplay has been unified by instituting teams of three characters at once, but this mechanic drags in a whole new set of problems in place of the boring shooting and digging levels in the last game.  I’m shocked that a group as talented as Sonic Team couldn’t tighten up their star series in this amount of time.  Sonic Heroes is inexcusably lame, a product so unpolished and poorly designed that every one of my friends I showed it to couldn’t help but laugh at its expense.

The game does set admirable goals for itself.  In broad terms, the levels and gameplay are much more like the old 2D games than either of the Adventures offered.  The teams let you control three characters at once, and switching among them is quick and easy.  And, in theory, having four different teams means you can play the game four times for four different experiences.  But none of these promises is fully realized.

The dark heart of Sonic Heroes is its controls; though there are many other problems, the game would at least be fun to play for short bursts if its controls weren’t completely broken.  It is this failure that makes the game irredeemable.  You can’t play for more than one or two minutes without being distracted or even killed by the absurd control issues.  The homing dash may home in on the nearest enemy, or it may simply shoot you off into the nearest bottomless pit.  The power characters’ attacks send them forward with so much momentum that they very often tumble off ledges even after connecting with enemies.  Hit detection for moves like the tornado spin are unpredictable at best, while moves like the rocket accel may not even execute at all.  There’s no consistency in jumping from rail to rail while grinding.  On any given level, there are hundreds of places where one of these control snafus will send you careening into the void (though not before you are forced to watch the team fall helplessly for ten seconds or more).  It’s absolutely maddening.  There may be some games in which sloppy controls aren’t a huge detriment, but a 3D platformer has to feel natural and responsive or the immersion process will not kick in.  While playing Sonic Heroes, I feel like I am herding the characters more than controlling them directly.

There are about a dozen levels in the game, grouped by pairs into various stereotypical world themes like an ancient temple and an oversized forest, as well as more interesting environments like a squadron of flying battleships, a rail-infested canyon, and the return of the Casino Zone.  Some of the level design is quite inventive, and there are often multiple paths to take, but there are also some serious problems with how platforms are positioned, the pacing of speed and combat sections, etc.  The Casino Zone is particularly bewildering, a nightmarish gauntlet of pinball machines way too large to play with any sort of strategy, since you can never see more than 10% of the board at a time.  The would-be triumphant return of these classic levels also inflicts upon us “bingo”, in which you can roll through numbers to win a prize… when you’re not rolling right off the stage thanks to the cheap embankments and surprise drop-out holes.  Nearly all of the levels suffer from a general confusion about just what you’re supposed to do, despite the characters constantly barking their patronizing advice on which formation would be most appropriate.  Many of the battles take place on fairly small platforms where it’s easy to fall off, thanks to the control problems described above.  Or, perhaps even worse, you may end up fighting in a small room or corridor, which brings into focus yet another huge flaw: the camera.

That’s right, the epileptic camera system from Sonic Adventure 2 Battle is back with a vengeance in Sonic Heroes.  To be fair, it has improved somewhat, in the sense that it wigs out less frequently.  It also helps that the gameplay has more straightforward speed sequences, the only time when the camera seems to settle down and do its job.  But if you slow down or, heaven forbid, try to backtrack to pick up missed items, be prepared for a battle.  In almost any given situation, the camera seems to have one angle that it really likes, and it takes a lot of struggling to wrangle it elsewhere.  Sure, the shoulder buttons rotate the camera around the characters any time you want, but take three steps and the camera will jump back to its previous position.  It zooms in way too close during fights, so much so that enemies can be easily close enough to hit you even though you can’t see them.  You can imagine what happens when the same thing occurs with nearby ledges, combined with the super-momentum attacks.  The camera is nothing short of disastrous for any kind of flying.  It doesn’t give enough vertical perspective for platform climbing, and it doesn’t angle up enough to show your shadow when trying to fly across long distances, so landing on small spaces becomes a guessing game.

All these problems, big and small, compound to make Sonic Heroes one hell of a frustrating experience.  It’s really a shame, because there are some good ideas here, such as the team/formation mechanic, but even this feature is poorly implemented and rarely capitalized on by the levels in any sort of clever puzzle or platforming challenge.  Sonic fans who have stuck through the series this long will probably be glad to see more speed-based areas, but there is still plenty of messy combat and clunky platforming, it’s just now all mixed up in the same levels.  Then there are those of us who aren’t satisfied with how the Sonic speed runs have been done in 3D.  I for one don’t appreciate that the game frequently takes over the controls for me, only to give them back with no warning right before I’m expected to jump or dodge something.  In the game’s most glorious moments, it’s not even clear whether you’re controlling the characters at all.  I absolutely hate how every character, including the “Power” ones like Knuckles, feel incredibly vulnerable because so many of their moves send them dashing around uncontrollably with no protection at all.  That’s not what the original games were all about.  Where did Yuji Naka get the idea that I actually want to play as a character like Espio the Chameleon, who has a completely useless stealth move obviously thrown in just because it looks good in his bio?

Sorry guys, three strikes and you’re out.  Sonic in 3D sucks, and Sonic Heroes does little to show that the development team is even headed in the right direction to restore this franchise to being great.  It’s playable and has perhaps two or three memorable sequences, but not nearly enough to justify the frustration of playing through a game that had enough problems in its basic design before it was utterly crushed under the weight of technical buffoonery.  This is a rental at best for all but the most devoted Sonic fans.

Pros:
  • Great visuals and framerate
  • Switching team members is quick and simple
  • Plenty of stuff to do (four teams, extra missions, multiplayer)

    Cons:
  • The controls are laughing at you
  • Uncooperative camera
  • Teams are all the same
  • Brain-melting voiceovers repeat themselves constantly

    Graphics: 9.0
    It’s not the best-looking game on the system, but Sonic Heroes looks like a full-fledged GameCube title, much better than either of the Sonic Adventure ports.  The characters are modeled very nicely, and of course there are at least three of them on the screen at all times.  The levels look great, especially the more unusual ones like Rail Canyon and the fleet of airships.  And perhaps best of all, the framerate is robust and stable, which makes all the difference in speed sections.

    Sound: 4.0
    The soundtrack is not nearly as memorable as that of SA2 Battle, but the music is sampled well and tends to fit the levels.  The problem here is in voice-acting.  Out of over a dozen speaking characters, hardly any of them sound older than three years old.  Tails, in particular, enjoys screaming his comments at you at every opportunity, including the haunting “I’m falling!” sample that is sure to be heard again and again.  All of the characters speak way too often, giving useless “hints” about character selection and mundane puzzle elements even in the final stages of the game.

    Control: 3.0
    Controlling Sonic & co. in this game has to be one of the least pleasant gaming experiences I’ve had in quite a while.  There is just no excuse for a 3D platformer with controls this loose and unpredictable.  The camera is still terrible and can’t be manipulated by the player beyond short-lived (and very slow) rotations.

    Gameplay: 5.0
    The disparate gameplay styles from the Sonic Adventure games have been simplified and consolidated with the team system, which works on a fundamental level but fails to mend the underlying problems with level design and pacing.  The speed sections are now more prominent, but they are still basically auto-piloted.  The more frequent combat sequences are very easy, but you’ll still die a lot thanks to the controls.  The four teams are all essentially the same, so it’s hard to understand why they are presented as having different gameplay styles.  Bosses are underwhelming, including a few simple enemy gauntlets and absurd duels with rival character teams.

    Lastability: 7.5
    It doesn’t take very long to go straight through with one team (especially Team Rose), but there are additional mission objectives for replaying the levels, as well as the standard Chaos Emerald subquest and decent two-player modes.  Playing through as a different team isn’t as refreshing as you would hope.

    Overall: 5.0
    Sonic Heroes is a mediocre platforming game with great graphics, recognizable characters, and a dumpster full of dirty little control bugs and poor design choices.  Elements like the voice-acting seem determined to make you hate the game.  There are a couple of cool levels, but Sonic Heroes is annoying or boring at least as often as it is entertaining.  It’s hard for me to recommend this game unless you’re just dying for a 3D platformer fix regardless of quality.  Diehard Sonic fans will be disappointed but of course will buy it anyway.  
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    Offline KDR_11k

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    RE: Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #1 on: January 30, 2004, 03:34:44 AM »
    You said you liked Sonic 2, 3 and &Knuckles, what happened to the first one?

    Offline Odeix

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #2 on: January 30, 2004, 05:11:18 AM »
    I agree. Sonic's leap into 3D has disappointed Sega fans over and over again (although I think your particular review for Heroes was a bit harsh).

    Sonic Team just doesn't even seem to know what they're doing anymore. It's one of those times when I have to wonder if they even play the game before they release it. The games are decent but the series is definately not on the upswing.
    >>>

    Offline SearanoX

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    RE: Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #3 on: January 30, 2004, 05:31:35 AM »
    No surprise here after the last review.  While I think that you are probably being a little too harsh on them, everybody has their own opinions, and I haven't even played the full game (just the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Demo Disk version), so I'm not really one to judge.

    I can tell you that after being depressed at the fact that Sonic Adverture DX would feture few updates aside from graphics, I don't expect much from Sonic Team anymore.

    Offline joshnickerson

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #4 on: January 30, 2004, 05:56:35 AM »
    I was optimistic about the game, even after buying it and playing it for a few days. However, one of the bonus rounds finally broke me. While chasing the emerald through the pipe level, I kept getting stuck running on the top of the pipe and no matter what I kept getting sucked back up to the top, which resulted in me finally losing the race.
    I honestly wonder if they actually played the game as they developed it. I think Sega needs to send Sonic Team to Nintendo's EAD to learn how to make a GOOD 3-D game.

    Offline Jonnyboy117

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #5 on: January 30, 2004, 08:35:22 AM »
    I actually own the original Sonic the Hedgehog game on Genesis, but it's not that great.  Sonic 2 improved on it drastically and brought the series to the top tier of gaming.  3 and Knuckles were just as good.  Overall, 3 is probably my favorite in the series.
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    Offline Bill Aurion

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #6 on: January 30, 2004, 08:44:19 AM »
    Best review opening ever...
    ~Former Resident Zelda Aficionado and Nintendo Fan~

    Offline Plugabugz

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    RE: Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #7 on: January 30, 2004, 09:00:05 AM »
    Having read this, I think it would be an interesting experience (experiment?) if Amusement Vision and Sonic Team "swapped" games.

    Offline TheYoungerPlumber

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #8 on: January 30, 2004, 09:37:11 AM »
    PGC's multi-review format was DESIGNED for games like Sonic Heroes.   Jonny's review is completely separate from mine, so you shouldn't assume one review is any indication of a future one from another staff member, SearanoX.

    It isn't that Jonny and I have very different opinions of this game--he elaborated on many of my issues with the game--but we come from different camps.  I enjoyed (the Sonic) parts of the last two 3-D games, despite their problems.  Jonny did not.  It says something that we mostly agree on this game.  People reacted strongly to my "harsh" 6.5, but I may have been a tad generous in my review.  Numbers don't mean very much below the 7 cut-off, anyway.

    Quote

    Having read this, I think it would be an interesting experience (experiment?) if Amusement Vision and Sonic Team "swapped" games.
    You know, that's not such a bad idea.  Amusement Vision is excellent at boiling a game down to its essence, and Sonic has gained quite a few pounds in recent years ;-)  One could argue Yuji Naka has moved on from the franchise, anyway, leaving development mostly to Dimps and Sonic Team USA.  That's probably an unfair statement, though, as he is in a more supervisory position with all of his games nowadays.
     
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    Offline Crono454

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #9 on: January 30, 2004, 03:03:40 PM »
    I own the game and have played it for quite a while. While it is a bit disappointing that it's not the best platformer on the market I'd probably give it an overall 8 out of 10 and once you get used to the controls it's fine. The only way you'd have a problem with the controls is if you suck. I am assuming Jon here sucks at Sonic Heroes, I should make a video of me slickly switching between characters and getting rank A's. The switching is seamless and I am quick and blaze quickly through the levels. If you know how to attack each puzzle you shouldn't have problems. The game is pretty easy and I never fought with the camera. I will admit that the Amy and Chaotix sections do blow. Play those first so that the game leaves a good taste in your mouth. Shadow's stages let you completely bypass the battle and while actually longer than Sonic's, reward your skill by making them really short if you're good and can time everything well. I think the game deserves a rental for all you skeptics. The game needs time, it grows on you. Unless you suck at gaming, in which case you should be playing Jak 2 so I dunno why you're here. Lol.

    Offline Deguello

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    RE: Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #10 on: January 30, 2004, 05:49:35 PM »
    It's really a shame about Sonic Heroes.  It COULD have been a fantastic game.  The potential was there.  The drive was there.  The ideas were there.  but it just didn't flesh out.

    I blame the fact it was mutli-platform.  Trying to make it work on 3 systems instead of working out the bugs on just one platform drained any potential time they had to do so.  The special stages are one big glitch.  I mean, why didn't they just make them like a hyper-graphical Sonic 2' special stages?  Because in essence, that is what they are anyway.  Instead we get something like it, but bugged out beyond belief.  

    Voice acting's a problem, and leads to my theory that voice acting adds zero to a game while at the same time can totally detriment from it.  I don't mean paltry stuff like Mario going "Wha-hey" and the princess saying a couple of sentences.   When the game can't go 3 minutes without somebody saying something.

    One crucial part about the Sonic Series is speed.  Another equally crucial part is level memorization.  That's where Sonic Heroes failed.  They have a Battletoads-like quality of expecting you to know the entire level's layout and map beforehand.   Earlier games had this too, but only at the expense of some rings, maybe a special stage,maybe an alternate route for forgetting the path.  In Sonic Heores it means death.  Bingo Highway is a prime example.  I didn't know about the damn holes until I fell into one.  It's try-and-die crap like that I hate and it cheapens Sonic Team.

    I agree with the sentiment about Sonic Team.  They are better than this.  They KNOW they are better than this.  They really should think about proving it.
    It's time you saw the future while you still have human eyes.

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    Offline Eclipse

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #11 on: February 01, 2004, 06:03:23 AM »
    Quote

    Originally posted by: Crono454
    I own the game and have played it for quite a while. While it is a bit disappointing that it's not the best platformer on the market I'd probably give it an overall 8 out of 10 and once you get used to the controls it's fine. The only way you'd have a problem with the controls is if you suck. I am assuming Jon here sucks at Sonic Heroes, I should make a video of me slickly switching between characters and getting rank A's. The switching is seamless and I am quick and blaze quickly through the levels. If you know how to attack each puzzle you shouldn't have problems. The game is pretty easy and I never fought with the camera. I will admit that the Amy and Chaotix sections do blow. Play those first so that the game leaves a good taste in your mouth. Shadow's stages let you completely bypass the battle and while actually longer than Sonic's, reward your skill by making them really short if you're good and can time everything well. I think the game deserves a rental for all you skeptics. The game needs time, it grows on you. Unless you suck at gaming, in which case you should be playing Jak 2 so I dunno why you're here. Lol.


    I Agree with this more i also own Sonic Heroes and it isn't that bad. Yes the camera can really suck sometimes
    but its an overall better game than what jon says it is. The music really isn't bad to me either, its just more retro.
    Team chaotix really does suck and so does Team Rose but at least Team Sonic and dark make up for it. The CG looks
    great to me. switching the characters is extremely easy as what Chrono said. This game is alot better than any of  the Sonic Adventure games. All you really need to do is learn the controls and you will be fine. Also great multiplayer if you have anyone to play it with. The  teams really are all the somewhat the same. Only difference is this.
    Team Sonic: Longer stages
    Team Dark: Same as Sonic just alittle easier if you know what your doing
    Team Rose:Shorter stages-somewhat good if you are new to sonic
    Team Chaotix:Mission based-get ten of these things and such
    Watch out for Bingo Highway as Deguello said though its a real pain.
    Watching the other characters(the two that you aren't playing as) of the team fall the the cliff die and return
    out of nowhere is funny.this reminds me of the immortal tails on sonic 2&3
    8/10 also

    Offline elessar

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #12 on: February 02, 2004, 07:32:13 AM »
    I think Sonic Team should just walk away and hand this series to Amusement Vision. It's sad, but they just don't have it anymore. Why should AV get the Sonic Series? Remember F-Zero GX? For one thing, AV knows how to simulate speed in 3D. Also, with F-Zero, they gave what was previously a mindless racer something of an interesting story. They firmly established the rivalries, and gave each character a unique history. I would LOVE to see Sonic get the F-Zero treatment. Sound off, what do you guys think about it?

    Offline mouse_clicker

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #13 on: February 02, 2004, 07:37:30 AM »
    No, Sonic Team DOES still know how to make great Sonic games- look at Sonic Advance 1 and 2 for the GBA. The problem is they're trying to take the series in a direction it was obviously not meant to go. If Sonic Team were to simply make a 3D version of their classic speedster games- maybe even sidescrolling- I think it would be great.
    "You know you're being too serious when Mouse tells you to lighten up... ^_^"<BR>-Bill

    Offline evilnate

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #14 on: February 02, 2004, 07:44:09 AM »
    Quote

    Originally posted by: mouse_clicker
    No, Sonic Team DOES still know how to make great Sonic games- look at Sonic Advance 1 and 2 for the GBA. The problem is they're trying to take the series in a direction it was obviously not meant to go. If Sonic Team were to simply make a 3D version of their classic speedster games- maybe even sidescrolling- I think it would be great.


    Exactly.  Unlike Mario, which lends itself well to 3d exploration, the whole theme of the Sonic series is better off as a sidescroller.  Maybe you could make it 3d - sort of like Viewtiful Joe - but a new sidescrolling Sonic would be better than the latest offerings on the GC.


    Offline Bill Aurion

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    RE: Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #15 on: February 02, 2004, 07:46:10 AM »
    Sonic Team didn't work on Sonic Advance...It was made by Dimps... ^_~
    ~Former Resident Zelda Aficionado and Nintendo Fan~

    Offline mouse_clicker

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #16 on: February 02, 2004, 07:52:42 AM »
    True enough, Bill. But that doesn't change the fact that 2D Sonic games still work magnificently, and I think if Sonic Team would go this route with their console entires into the series, they would find their lost muse.
    "You know you're being too serious when Mouse tells you to lighten up... ^_^"<BR>-Bill

    Offline evilnate

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #17 on: February 02, 2004, 07:59:59 AM »
    Quote

    Originally posted by: mouse_clicker
    True enough, Bill. But that doesn't change the fact that 2D Sonic games still work magnificently, and I think if Sonic Team would go this route with their console entires into the series, they would find their lost muse.


    I'd be curious to see how well Sonic Mega Collection sold in comparison to SA and SA2.  If it did sell well in comparison to the Adventure titles, then maybe that would be the evidence that Sega and Sonic Team might need.

    Offline Bill Aurion

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #18 on: February 02, 2004, 08:20:15 AM »
    Yes, a 2.5-D Sonic would be very, VERY awesome...Throw in 3d bonus stages similar to Sonic's stages in the adventure games and that would be the perfect mix...But here I sit tweedling my thumbs waiting for Sonic Team to realize this... -___-

    And I still need to get the Mega Collection!  But thanks to some "necessities" I've been pretty low on cash recently...*puts on "want" list next to Skies* ;____;
    ~Former Resident Zelda Aficionado and Nintendo Fan~

    Offline mouse_clicker

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #19 on: February 02, 2004, 08:46:13 AM »
    It wouldn't even need to be 2D, or sidescrolling- I thought the 3D speed levels from Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 were great, It was the rest of the games that dragged them down- I mean, honestly, who wants to spend an hour fishing for a frog with a tail?
    "You know you're being too serious when Mouse tells you to lighten up... ^_^"<BR>-Bill

    Offline Wutswrong

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    RE:Sonic Heroes Review
    « Reply #20 on: April 06, 2004, 04:08:41 PM »
    What wrong with you people? Sonic Heroes is perfect. Its you with the messed up minds. All of you are messed up or something.