Sonic 06 Review

Rank at the End!

Summary

Despite being the most hated Sonic game, I've defended 06 before. However, I'm honestly uncertain how it will hold up in my ranking system.

Basic Gameplay

• On the surface, the gameplay is similar to that of the Adventure series. Many of the attacks (homing, spindash) and other moves (lightdash) have appeared in those games. This style is generally allows more exploring than "boost to win" but takes longer, too. Many previous elements like grinding also appear. 
• Something unique is the addition of "Mach" speed. Surprisingly a lot of people seem to like these portions, but I've never taken to it. 
• While holding Elise, Sonic has access to a shield-like skill.  
• The style differs a bit with the other characters: 
• Shadow has decided not to pick up arms in this game, instead opting for a series of smaller attacks (which technically originated in Shadow the Hedgehog). 
• He can use Chaos Spears to freeze enemies, and Chaos Blast for fiercer attacks. 
• I generally liked Shadow's methods and that it was separate from Sonic's. Still, the Chaos Blast doesn't seem to work properly and it far more useful in Shadow the Hedgehog. 
• Oh, there's also some vehicles that...eh.  
• Silver is a bit slower than the others hedgehogs, but speed is not his skill. He uses psychokinesis. 
• Though interesting, it doesn't match the "speed-based" gameplay Sonic is usually known for.  
• Many of the amigos adopt moves similar to Adventure 1/2, Heroes, Battle, or Rush (Blaze). Most are a fair speed. 
• Blaze and Rouge seem fast. 
• Tails, however, is oddly one of the slowest characters. 
• The boss styles were all unique. I like the rival fights, Mephiles (1/2), Iblis (excluding phase 2), and Egg Wyvern. The rest weren't so great, and even those had some glitchy problems...   

Glitched Gameplay 

• Unfortunately 06 is an "unfinished" game. Common glitches include: 
• lag
• being able to "see" below the ground or into another room 
• becoming stuck or slow on a loop-de-loop
• falling off in areas that character should not
• unintentionally running into things and losing rings 
• having the "buddy" or "amigo" character randomly die
• performing the wrong attack
• unintentionally getting into a spot the character was not meant to be in. 
• The battle with Silver is infamous for both:
• throwing Sonic onto a part of the roof he can't escape 
• for locking Sonic into an endless "it's no use" hold (Sonic loses ring, Silver drops Sonic, Sonic picks up ring, Silver holds Sonic, Sonic loses ring, so on). 
• My biggest problem was with the Mach Speed sections, which were impossible to do without losing rings and nearly impossible to do without dying. 
• When Sonic jumps, he'll usually run into something and lose rings or fall off and die. 
• The other enemies and obstacles make an already difficult path deadly.   
• In addition, the humans in Soleanna and the other hub worlds generate and behave strangely.  
• It is also possible to use intentional glitches to play as another character or finish the level faster. 

Graphics and Level Design

• Somehow the CG cutcenes still look amazing, though their low quality in-game engine ones not so much. 
• No, the graphics haven't aged well, but it's not as bothersome as some of the older games and I don't think it was that bad for 2006. 
• Generally the designs are very good. 
• Crisis City is a personal favorite for it's post-apocalypse, "bad future" design. 
• Generally the buildings and backgrounds are fine, it's mostly those rocky, ugly formations like in Flame Core that suck. 
• Silver's Tropical Jungle is confusing as heck. There are like, a thousand possible paths. Not good for such an early level. 
• Most other complaints are glitch related...  

Plot and Characters

Sonic's Story

• Though the first and last cutscenes are awesome, Sonic's episode is just constantly rescuing Elise. 
• It's similarity to a Mario (save the princess) plot is an insult, especially for an anniversary game. 
• Worse, Sonic might not have any feelings for Elise, making the attempted romantic sub-plot a bomb. 
• There is barely enough interaction between the two to even call it a friendship. Look Sonic's friends Sharah and Chip in contrast. They're constantly talking with Sonic, making comments about the setting or their situation. 
• Elise had some potential, but instead of talking about her doomsday hallucination she was busy getting kidnapped. 
• Meanwhile Tails and more-so Knuckles are hardly in the game at all, which is, again, for an anniversary game, practically a crime. 
• In total, Sonic's story is a bland "okay."    

Shadow's Story

• Shadow's story is one of the few things ever praised about 06, and rightfully so. 
• It begins with Shadow alone, and ends up gathering all of Team Dark. Both Omega and Rouge play a part in the story, not being sidelined or written out. 
• One highlight is Mephiles, a cold, creepy villain that has a grudge against Shadow. 
• Even better is Shadow's reaction to this villain. 
• For the first time, Shadow has no doubts about himself or his purpose. So when Mephiles tries to (essentially) "turn him to the dark side," Shadow stands his ground and tells Mephiles, "Whatever you wanna' do...do it alone." 
• Shadow's story follows a typical structure and leads up to a climax. It's easily one of the best parts of 06. 

Silver's Story

• Despite Blaze's unexplained presence, Silver's story starts out alright. 
• I like Silver's introduction to Crisis City, and the way he admires the present. 
• I also like his struggle with ethics and how he decides to create a better future instead of trying to change the past. 
• Blaze's friendship and her role in the end were sweet. 
• However, Mephiles' enlisting Silver to kill Sonic...that's sketchy. 
• The excuse of going to a location to find Sonic gets old fast. 
• His connect to Elise's past seems somewhat misplaced, and it's obvious Amy was meant to have a bigger role in his episode. 
• Silver's story was a bit scatter-brained, and could have been better.   

Last Story

• It brought together all characters except Blaze, which feels unfair to her. 
• Sonic's "death" is a cheesy and crappy scene. I think they just should have said he was near death or something, ugh. 
• Compared to the "deaths" of other characters, it lacked purpose and emotion (though at least the characters were shown as unnerved...unlike in Forces). 
• Elise's "little kiss of life" caused more out cry than intended, I'm sure. 
• I don't think it's that bad, but it probably should have been cut just the same. 
• And then, sure. Undo it all. 
• Honestly, the Last Story seems to get worse every time I revisit it. 
• The Super forms were good. "End of the World" and "VS Solaris" were good. Even though I'm not sure I like the outcome, I'd even say the last cutscene was good. But generally it's just more evidence of how all-over and rushed the game was.  

Music and Voice Acting

• Voice Acting was generally good. 
• Jason Griffith's Sonic was fair, and his Shadow voice was perfect. 
• Kathleen Delaney (Rouge), Lisa Ortiz (Amy), Bella Hudson (Blaze), and Dan Green (Knuckles) were spot-on. 
• Pete Capella (Silver) and Lacy Chalbert (Elise) were okay. 
• The only one I'd call bad is Omega (voiced by the late Maddie Blaustein).
• The music was outstanding. The main themes were fitting and matched their characters well. 
• Only complaint: while "Sweet Dreams" was a nice reference to Sonic 2, I think it would have been better without Akon mixed in. 
• Likewise, the level's music was relevant, incorporated different styles, and added to the locations' moods.    

Final Thoughts

• I still think people tend to exaggerate the bad. It sounds far worse than it is.
• I've often wondered what it would have been like if they had actually taken their time with this game... 
• The loading times are long, but it's really the Town missions that get annoying. It loads only for a townsperson to say "hey" and then it has to load the mission.   
• I did like the hub world and interacting with the people or even just running around. 
• I consider it an improvement from Sonic Adventure, and it gives the setting more perspective. 
• I like manipulating the glitches to play as a different character/explore. It's like an unintentional Easter Egg. 
• Despite being a soft-reboot, the game does reference past ones. It's hard to even remember it's a reboot. 
• Eggman's realistic design is creepy, but in a post-movie Sonic world (Jim-Skinny-Carrey), it doesn't look so bad anymore. 
• Mephiles was an interesting villain that I'd like to see more of, or someone else that could bring a more threatening tone (Eggman Nega and Merlina have showed some potential). 
• Unforutnatly, the villains have been WEAK lately.  
• There are some minor continuity errors, but the way time travel was in the game, nearly anything could be explained away.  

Ranking (S is highest, E is lowest) C

Maybe that's being generous, but I think it's a lot of fun. Sega was more willing to branch out and create serious plots, and that's certainly a redeemable part of the game. 06 had potential.

Still, I can't ignore how important gameplay is to a videogame. The game should have been delayed and at least the glitches should have been taken care of. Or they should have tried to patch/fix what they could. Instead they pretty much ignore it to this day.

For it's cons in gameplay and elsewhere, I can not give this game any higher than a C. That's what it deserves.

If  it were by itself I probably would have excused the glitches and given Shadow's story a higher rank.