Character Quotes

 

"Killing someone...to save the world...is that really the right thing to do?" 

-Silver the Hedgehog, Sonic 06

Sonic Rivals 2 Reveiw

Rank @ End

Summary

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Visuals, Level Design, and Graphics

The graphics are horrible. The game art/card art or whatever is fine, but other than that...visually, this handheld game may be one of the worst. As far as setting, they try to do new things, but the graphics are just so bad they are barely salvageable.  

On the other hand I liked the different "racer"/etc outfits. Looked neat/funny. 

Gameplay

The idea of racing the other characters is a clever way to capitalize on the idea of speed. This type of gameplay, where almost every level is a race where the players also attack each other, likely inspired many of Sega's future apps. It's a neat idea, and if it worked as well as the Metal Sonic race of Sonic CD or a 2-D version of the Sonic/Shadow race in SA2, it would be awesome. Unfortunately it's not at the same quality. 

Even though the controls should be simple, they can get confusing. Press this button, press that button! I liked the special moves, but some work better in this case than others. For example, Tails' flight is virtually useless because of the level design--not a good choice. If the "rush" boost wasn't used so much nowadays, "Sonic Boom" might not bother me, but this version of the boost seems so inferior. I think Shadow's "Chaos Control" as well as Silver's "Psychic Control" are the best. 

Even though it's 2-D, it does not play out nearly as smoothly as the classic games or the Advance or Rush series. There are also rival fights/challenges that would be nice as a bonus mission but are instead required and therefore unwelcome. The boss fights varied from being what I'd expect to something more frustrating.     

Story and Characters

Each character is linked to another. Playing Sonic's story, for example, also means playing as Tails, even though Tails has a separate story. This is a little excessive--maybe it should have been one story per pair rather than per character. 

Sonic and Tails have a pretty basic story, but the character interactions are funny. This game is kind of like Heroes in that sense, driven by the characters involved. Only instead of all working together, the different pairs turn on each other, ha ha. 

The plot involving Rouge and Knuckles is like SA2, and though they are allies it works just as well. Silver and Espio seem like and odd combination, but it was a smart way to include the two. Shadow and Metal Sonic may be Sonic's biggest rivals, but it's still odd to see them together. Since Metal doesn't talk, it's more of Shadow's story (which is fine by me!) but Metal proves he isn't totally worthless in the end. 

Like with the first one, it would be nice if there was more of an explanation with Nega. Also, while I like that some characters get "the full story" and others think it's just Eggman, I think Sonic should have at least been suspicious. Considering Heroes and the first Rivals, being fooled a 3rd time makes the Sonic seem like an idiot. 

Music and Sound Effects

The music is pretty harsh and not very memorable. The Mystic Haunt one was okay. "Race to Win" is awesome/impressive for a handheld, but it could get annoying being in the first level. 

One of the main advantages in comparison to the last Rivals game and the Rush series is that the cutscene audio is not as limited. Whereas previous games just had small clips ("getreadytobeschooled," etc), every character had several sayings and spoke during the cutscenes. Though the cutscenes were still limited, it was nice to actually hear the characters talk.    

Mike Pollock handles the shift between Eggmans with ease. Pete Capella seemed to perfect his version of Silver, which wasn't that bad to begin with. I've begun to wonder if it was maybe a script issue rather than voice acting, but this is another case where Kathleen Delaney's Rouge voice better than in Sonic X. Amy Palant's Tails has the opposite effect, though. Her voice for him was great in season 3 but seemed higher-pitched in the games for some reason. Most of the voice acting was perfect, and the cast did a good job. 

Metal Sonic had no voice, so he was basically voiced by Eggman, lol. 

Final Thoughts

• This is a good game for those who like the characters and their various personalities and abilities. However, Sonic's own role isn't the biggest.
• I liked that even though, for example, Shadow and Rouge were not allies in this game, they weren't at each others' throats, either. The same could be said for Knuckles among Sonic/Tails.    
• It would have been interesting to see a Rivals 3 (---with Blaze the Cat). Maybe they could have upgraded things. 
• The races in Sonic Generations were inspired from these.   
• Silver calling Tails HALF-PINT is the best Silver quote. "It's no use" is nothing. 

 

Final Ranking: C 

This is another case where the characters make the game very enjoyable, but eliminating that does not leave much behind. Barfy graphics, cute plot. 

Okay, I guess he noticed the laugh was off...

Sonic and the Black Knight Reveiw

Rank...at the end.
What good is a review that goes on forever?!

Summary

The second edition to the storybook series had many shockingly good moments.

Characters and Voice Acting

The 4kids group's last appearance would be a spectacular send-off. Jason Griffith's Sonic voice was perfect. Thanks to both script and good acting, the "other versions" of the characters (Lady of the Lake, Lancelot, Percival, etc) are able to sound similar to their normal counterparts but with more nobility or maturity. The new comers (voicing Caliburn, Merlina, etc) also do well.

"King Arthur" was kind of a lame villain, but I was very happy with the later plot-twist. I really like Merlina and how she is relatable despite being in the wrong.

Caliburn seemed strange at first, but I like how unique his character is. No, I'm not talking about the fact that he is a talking sword. He becomes Sonic's mentor, a position that has never really been seen in the games before.

I was glad this game included more "other version" characters than Secret Rings. It's both comical and interesting to see these characters. It was especially nice to see Percival (Blaze) since she's usually side-lined in favor of Silver. Being able to play as these rivals was a welcome surprise.

Sonic himself was on point. He was showing-off making jokes, and suddenly he was serious.  Refusing to give in, Sonic was willing to fight until the end. Plus, he actually proved he has the chivalry of a Knight. This version of Sonic really had what it took to be a hero. 

Plot

The story has elements similar to Sonic and the Secret Rings, but also keeps itself unique. As mentioned, the characters are on point and the dialogue is great.

The beginning cutscene is epic, but the beginning of the game is a bit slow. Time is taken to establish elements, which is good but still "slow" for a Sonic game. The scene with Merlina and the flower was perfect, and introducing Caliburn was humorous.

The rivals help the story pick up a bit, and the false climax with "King Arthur" is similar to the Secret Rings, as expected. Still, it doesn't feel as if everything is resolved...

Because that's not the end! Black Knight is similar, but not equal to the Secret Rings. Merlina takes a stance that sets up the main theme of wanting an "eternal" world and Sonic trying to be "the bad guy" to stop her. The ending is satisfying and handled better than the "mountain of handkerchiefs" line from Sonic and the Secret Rings. The bonus with Sonic telling the story to Amy is also a delight. 

Music

The music matches the setting and takes on an "older" mood while keeping a heroic theme. Though the instrumentals are appropriate, they are generally slower than that of a typical Sonic game.

Meanwhile the vocal tracks are outstanding. Crush 40 created the perfect theme for the game, "Knight of the Wind," as well as the beautiful closing, "Live Life." "With Me" and other songs in the game also fit quite well.

Graphics and Visuals

The graphics for gameplay are barely an improvement over 2007's Sonic and the Secret Rings. Nasty. A shame because the architectural level design is quite nice.

The CG cutscenes are alright but have not aged as well as others from around the same time.

The 2-D cutscenes are beautiful, though. I like the similarity to Sonic and the Secret Rings, but also the contrast like the darker, inkier look. As with the last, it's a brilliant way of tieing in the "Story" and not having uglier, poorer quality scenes. It's reasons like these that make the storybook series missed.

The gallery also has some nice 2-D unlockables.

Gameplay and Controls

It's true, gameplay is not very smooth. Being on the Wii always seems to bring up this problem...The remote as well as the nunchuck must be used, which is a bit of a hassle.

The similarities in style to Sonic and the Secret Rings (in this area) were probably a mistake.

It takes a while to adapt to the different controls, swords, and styles. It takes too long, especially for a new player. Generally the boss fights are easy enough, though, to balance this.

The game is slower than a normal Sonic game but faster than comparable sword-based Wii games like The Force Unleashed.

Generally the missions are less annoying than in Sonic and the Secret Rings. Some of the differences between characters were awesome, but others (like the jump) could be hard to adjust to. There should have been more instructions explaining moves (like Gawain's wall-climb). The many different swords available were a plus.

The combination of typical Sonic speed and the newer, slicing fight element was interesting, but could have used improvement. Still not as bad as critics claim, though.

Final Thoughts

• This story is beautiful. The art is beautiful. The characters are perfect. I doubt anyone who actually played through could hate the game. 
• It's hard to believe Sega finally made Sonic 100% in-character and perfect...only to give the character a massive rude, egotistic, and over-joking personality change.    
• And because of Sega's over-reliance on critic opinion in the 2010s, "Black Knight Sonic" hasn't been seen since 2009 and "Colors Sonic" was permanently rooted into the character. 
• I'd like to see more characters like Merlina, who are relatable but misguided. A combination of Merlina and Mephiles would be very intriguing. 
• Along those lines Eggman's absence was a slight bother story-wise since he's usually always there...
• It would have been cool to see Jet and Silver, too, but I'm glad they stuck with Shadow, Knuckles, and Blaze when they decided to narrow it down.     
• IGN is an outrageous crime. 

Rakning (S is best, E is worst): A

The story is one of the best; the cutscenes were beautiful; the voice acting was great; the new characters were unique. I'd like to give this game an S. But I can only ignore gameplay so far.

It's okay after a while, but it doesn't have the same flow as an S-rank level game, so for being almost perfect (but not quite), Sonic and the Black Knight receives an A.

AS I SIT. AS I STAND. BY THE TABLE I COMMAND...

Sonic Rush Review

Total Score is at the end.

Summary

Sonic Rush debuted the boost mechanic and characters Blaze the Cat and Dr. Eggman Nega.

Plot and Characters

• I love the story. Blaze is a very relatable and sympathetic character. Her introverted personality makes her a good contrast for Sonic. The friendship between her and Cream is cute, though I love seeing Cream with Amy, her friendship with Blaze feels more developed.
• This game shows both the ups and downs of having to do things alone and the importance of being able to rely on others.   
• The final story brings Sonic and Blaze together for an epic showdown and a sweet good bye. I've always admired the handshake scene and how it summarizes how far Blaze/her relationship with Sonic and Cream has come.
• Blaze has awesome qualities. Her backstory is a bit complex, but it's unique, too. Combined with her thoughts and sparkling fire powers, Blaze makes a new and welcome addition to the Sonic cast. 
•  Eggman Nega is very similar to Eggman, but it's revealed that he is more insane. This makes him a humorous yet dangerous foe. It was nice to see the two be the main villains (rather than a monster 3rd party again). 
• The inclusion of Knuckles and Amy is funny but doesn't feel necessary. 

Graphics, Visuals, and Level Design

• The graphics, being on a 15 year old DS game, are not good. For it's age, I'll call it average. 
• It features a bit of art in the game as well as expressions for the cutsenes. It's fair, I guess, and the expressions are nice at least. 
• The levels are mostly original and have interesting looks and backgrounds. It borrows some ideas from previous games, both classic and from the Advance series, but the locations have a bit more of a realistic look. 
• The added mechanics (hanglider, rocket, etc). It can be annoying. Some are fine, but the majority slow the stage down. 

Gameplay and Controls

• The boost is fueled by tricks, and it works well in the game. It brings a new, fast element that works properly and looks cool. 
• Many of the qualities of a classic game are still present, making it easier for a classic fan to transition. 
• The only cons are the A-B smashing that some of the bosses require and the parts were the R-button is necessary. That should have just been an extra move, and the A-B is frustrating. 

Music and Sound Effects

• The music is lively, energetic, and upbeat. It's funky use of voices can get tedious, though, sorta' making the music "an acquired taste." 
• The voices clips are good and match the characters' personalities. I like how genuine Sonic sounds when he says "Alright!" and how Blaze seems hopeful as she says, "Again." 
• Still, it would have been better if the cutscene lines were spoken (like on a main console).  

Final Thoughts

• The only way to dislike Sonic Rush is avoiding it. It's a very good game and I encourage playing it; it is key to understanding Blaze's character. 
• It's become a fan-favorite and that is a well earned title. 
• However, it's often forgotten in favor of other "main" titles like 06. 
• I am glad Blaze was in 06. It was fun to play as her. But it started a confusing problem.
• Along those lines, I think that Sonic/Blaze makes a better team than Silver/Blaze. I don't just mean as a couple, I mean as friends in general. Blaze and Sonic are opposite personalities, yet they share speed and a similar purpose. Combined with some of the tension of being former rivals and of different universes (literally), this is bound to create a story that benefits the both of them. 
• As for Sliver/Blaze plots, I feel as though Silver gains (for being seen as the caring friend) and Blaze is just "the friend." Her role to be constantly seems pushed aside for him.   
• It's also a shame we haven't seen Blaze and Cream interact much since this game. 
• It would have been a nice feature if the player could re-view cutscenes. 
• As for the Boost: when it started out, it was a new and exciting element. It was not an overused, boring excuse to breeze past a level like it is now. 

Ranking (S is best, E is worst): S

It has good values, characters, and gameplay. It's only main con is the A-B, and that's a small problem.

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.

Best Silver VA

Best to Worst

1 Pete Capella (2006-2010)

Although his take on Silver can sometimes be annoying (I'm actually thinking of Zero Gravity, not 06), Capella is defiantly the best Silver. His voice is youthful, pitiful, and naive. In particular, he does a very good job with the lines in his opening cutscene (06) that establishes the scene just as well as the location's design.

Besides, "annoying" has kind of become a part of his character by now, hehe.

2 Bryce Papenbrook (Team Sonic Racing)

I didn't like Papenbrook's voice at first because it sounded nerdy, kinda' like Silver had braces? On the other hand, it seemed cute. His version of Silver is young and confident with just a twinge awkward geekiness. 

3 Quinton Flynn (2010-2017)

Flynn is an okay Silver. Sometimes, he acts Sliver-ish, such as speaking to Infinite. Yet in the same game he constantly fails to bring the needed emotions that come with the situation. Flynn's Silver sound effects can be irritating, and it seems to vary whether he tries to make the character young or more mature.

Who Might Be in Sonic Movie 2? (Game Characters)

Last time I went over who from the movie may come back. This time, I'm reviewing the "main" character's of the Sonic video game series and seeing who's more likely to show up. Note that because they were already in the movie, I'm excluding Sonic and Tails.

Knuckles--85%

While I am worried the movie will slow down and just focus on introducing Tails (in order to avoid the dreaded "CONFUSING NEW VEIWERS?!"), I wouldn't be surprised to see Knux showing up, too. For one thing, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are a tight combination--"Team Hero." Knuckles is pretty recognizable, appearing in nearly every game (and, yes, in some...internet memes...).

The Sonic Movie increased his chances even more be showing some Echindas' in the "Baby Sonic" flashback. This could mean some origin changes for "movie Knuckles." One the other hand, Knuckles has been tricked over 7 times across different incarnations, so it's just as likely he'll be very similar to the Knuckles who debuted in Sonic 3. 

Metal Sonic--60%

It's hard for me to say this, (because I have no desire to see this as a reality) but there is a good chance Metal could be in the next sequel.

I'd say it's either going to be Metal Sonic, or Shadow. I don't think there's room for both.

A classic fan will recognize Metal from Sonic CD, or the "old" movie (OVA). A modern fan will sight Heroes and possibly Rivals 2. A version also made it into Sonic Boom. Usually, he's simply Eggman's robot.

Still, since the character doesn't have a real personality (aside from in Heroes and beyond the games), his purpose could be swapped for any robot. The "unique" thing about Metal is that he's literally a copy off of Sonic...and there are a lot of in-game robots that are "copies."

Then again, having little to no details to explain could work in the robot's favor. He would not need an introduction besides a few words from Robotnik, saving time for focusing on the other characters.

Oh no...what if he uses Sonic's quill as a power source...DON'T DO IT PARAMOUNT!

Shadow--50%

Before actually seeing the movie, I would have ranked Shadow much higher. Although he's less familiar to non-Sonic fans, he's been in almost every "main console game" and a few handheld ones, too. He also appeared in several comics and the shows Sonic X and Sonic Boom. He's the second most popular character in the series (second to Sonic himself). He is often considered Sonic's greatest rival.

Shadow's popularity not only caused the character to return to the series (after his "death") but earned him his own spin-off. Shadow the Hedgehog is the only spin-off starring another character released in the 2000s (in the 90s there was Knuckles' Chaotix and two Tails-related 8-bit games). Although Shadow the Hedgehog was his only game, Shadow would go on to co-star in his own "story" or "episode" within other Sonic games.

Shadow's background features humans, mainly Gerald and Maria Robotnik, rather than "Mobians." This also makes him a prime candidate for the Earth-bound Sonic Movie.

However, the Sonic Movie wasn't Earth-bound. Sonic apparently has rings that can go wherever. The movie also showed Tails and echidnas, meaning Tails and Knuckles are more likely to have a big role. With that in mind, it's hard to imagine they'll have enough time for Shadow's complex story.

Amy--30%

Amy has appeared in over 15 games, two TV shows, and all the comics. And she is certainly popular among Sonic fans.

Still, I'm not sure what purpose Amy would serve. Although she's Sonic's main love interest, Sonic usually goes out of his way to avoid her...something that might seem out of character for "movie" Sonic. I'm also assuming Sega's rule would limit how far they could pursue the "movie Sonamy" relationship. If Metal Sonic does appear, she might be taken hostage, but that role could be swapped for any other character important to Sonic.

It'd be nice to see her peppy attitude and huge hammer on the big screen. But considering the amount of other characters (and the times she's been excluded in the past...like the old "movie" where they had a human/cat-girl instead) I'm not sure if she'll make it in.

EDIT: I have seen an article since writing this that claims Amy will be in the movie. But I'm not sure if this will be accurate. 

Blaze--20%

Blaze has two things going for her. Maybe three. For one, she's from another dimension, fitting in with the "dimension" plot. For another, she has "special powers" as well (pyrokinesis). She also lived an "isolated" life (in-part) because of her powers. Plus, she's a princess--what else could a movie ask for?

Unfortunately, Blaze is even less known than characters like Shadow and Silver. She's never managed to make it onto television, either. Though Sonic-fans generally adore her, she doesn't get as much attention. A new fan would likely call Blaze "obscure" despite being a re-occurring character.

Also--like Shadow--she'd need more time to explain her background...time that's being used by Tails and probably Knuckles.

Rouge--10%

Wherever Shadow goes, Rouge seems to follow. But if Shadow's not in the movie, Rouge doesn't have as good a chance. Even an introduction just with Knuckles seems unlikely since (so far) there is no Master Emerald.

Rouge's main problem is that she can't work for the government. Maybe she could in a Sonic X fashion...when the "aliens" become more common place, but if/when would that be?

While it would be weird, perhaps she would appear as a human...[shudders]. Then she could work as a spy for the government without complications.

To keep her the same, they might instead only focus on her as a treasure hunter. But how would that fit into the story?

Add in the fact that Rouge's appearance might not sit well with those unfamiliar with her, and Rouge's chances become even thinner.

Silver--10%

While the character does achieve a fair amount of attention, it's within the Sonic community. Recently he's been given more opportunities than Blaze, but he's received some criticism for being "another rival hedgehog" and debuting in the (over) hated game, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).

He, like Blaze, does share some similarities with Sonic: powers and isolation. However, Silver has a complex background that would be hard to fit into the movie. Especially since there is more of a "dimension" angle than time travel.  Perhaps his "future" could be re-worked into a dimension, but I still don't think his chances are very likely.

Chaos or other villains--10%

With both the possibility of an adaption and the limitless creations other worlds could spawn, an alternate conflict could be possible. I'd say the "monster" villains are more likely than the calculating ones because they would be easier to explain (and it's hard enough to get Mephiles or Eggman Nega around as it is). Still, they might just make up their own creature, or rely on Robotnik and his robotic skills.

Cream, Big, The Choatix, Babylon Rogues, other game characters--1%

While a cameo or small reference may come to be, I don't see any of these characters having a big role. It's not that I don't want them in. But the amount of characters and backstories that would accompany them is too complex (even if that backstory is simply "polite" or "likes frogs and fishing"). And the characters don't have the same popularity or occurrences as those mentioned.

Obviously if a certain game is adapted, the chances increase. But it's not looking like "Sonic Riders: the Movie," it's looking like "Sonic 2" (better hope it's at least "Sonic 2: & Knuckles"). 

Non-game Characters (Comics, Cartoons, etc) .01%

It's harder to allow this for copy-right issues. I'd like to see a "Turtles Forever" multiverse...thing...but the chances are very small, even for a cameo.

Sonicomics: Crisis City Review Pt 2 (IDW # 20)

I got busy with other stuff, but when I created my review for "Crisis City Part 1" I intended to review the second part, too. Let's see if it seems any better...

"Crisis City Part 2"

How many Zombot-take over covers do we need? The dark-take over? It's already been done. How about something with a little more grunge for our metallic zombies?


As if the "Story So Far/Roll Call" wasn't enough, Sonic starts the issue with his own recap--even including the cruddy "I told you so" comment again.

The action through out the pages is interesting, but a little overwhelming. Once again, Jack Lawrence proves disappointing...I should wait until the end...

"You're too slow!" I'm guessing "Come on, step it up!" is not far behind.

Rouge's lines are still normal, but her role at the start is little disappointing. She can drive. Whoo. Where's that screw-kick move? Afraid of infection? Where's her heart-bombs? Or that cute little flying-explosive thing from Battle?

Omega's comments are also "normal" although between this and the Archie Comics I'm getting annoyed with the "Urge to maim--Rising" joke. However the Karate Kid reference ("No Mercy") is welcomed.

I'm not pleased with Shadow's Zombot design. It's lame, it's...cute? It's not threatening in any way. And really...why is he red? To see him easier, no doubt...but is he actually red and no one else is? WHY? Why wouldn't he be gray like the rest of them?

"Not so fast when you don't know how to work your rocket skates, are ya?" Oh great. Now the Wiki knows what to call Shadow's shoes, thank you Ian Flynn. UGH. Oh, there's another fast character here? We now have to demean them further by reminding everyone that SONIC is the fastest character. It's an annoyingly obvious statement. Something similar happened to Blaze in the Archie Comics...

This is one of those "Show, don't tell" moments. Maybe the audience needs to know that Zombot Shadow isn't as fast. This isn't the way to do it. Confirming the "Shadow's only fast because of his shoes" theory while also making Sonic visibly (/vocally?) faster is a slap-in the face to the character.

Speaking of slaps in the face...

Oh no, now Omega's caught the off-character infection. Omega would never openly acknowledge "caring" for Shadow or Rouge (maybe "tolerating"), but usually he uses his anger to show it. Declaring revenge on an enemy on the other's behalf, for example.

Now, which makes more sense?

Sonic: "Hold on! That's Shadow!"
Omega: "Negative. He is another Eggman robot. He will be destroyed."

OR

Sonic: "Hold on! That's Shadow!"
Omega: "Negative. Shadow is longer available. Target must be destroyed."

With simply changing a few words, the Omega's situation is seen differently. With the original he's a cold (dimwitted?) robot. As Mephiles would say, "This only proves you were created to stop Shadow the Hedgehog." In the rephrased version, it's easy to see that Omega thinks Shadow can not be saved and that he's destroying a zombot, not his "friend."

Blaming Sega? At the end of the day, Team Dark needs to be shown different from Team Heroes (as seen in: Team Sonic Racing Overdrive Part 2). But as I just demonstrated, Omega could prove he's different from the heroes (who always will try to save the un-save able) and go on to be a ruthless killing-machine without sacrificing his little character development.

For Shadow, I can appreciate the "You're too stubborn to be mind-controlled" comment from Sonic (is that a Shadow Fall reference?), but unfortunately the metal-Shadow doesn't snap out of it.

Things quickly fall apart for Sonic and the situation gets intense (Omega's comments return to their hilarious, destructive form). For a moment, it seems like Sonic might lose.

Aaand WTF? WTF????? Silver comes, grabs everyone, and saves the day. Wait, what?

First of all, I don;t think Silver can do that. Like with Blaze, Flynn seems to push these characters beyond their limits. If Silver can hold half a city's worth of people while hovering, why have Super Silver? How do these "big, bad, Sega Mandates" allow this?!

And I was really looking forward to seeing Sonic save himself. I can see it now: he almost gives up, gives into the infection--then snaps back into fighting action with a classic "I never give up" type of line. Then reinforcements could come. To make the situation worse, the group leaves. I thought "Sonic can't lose." It feels like a loss--not "I lost a friend" or "I can't believe I couldn't defeat them"--just a shabby, "Well, I guess we aren't good enough" type of loss.

At least between this disappointment we have a moment of comic relief with Tails and Omega.

Leaving the city's outbreak (which...kinda' makes the title worthless, now), we get some fresh updates with cutie Cream and humor with Gemerl. Rouge is shown to be affected by having to leave Shadow behind and Sonic checks in with the rest of our frazzled characters. The shift to Restoration HQ almost feels like a different story and it's a welcome change.

We get news that Omega might need a new body (insert Krane TMNT meme here). I'm guessing (hoping?) that he'll have a similar design that's easier to draw. For a reoccurring character, Omega is a very complex character to draw and just as time-consuming. This plot feels like a cheap move, but it could pay-off in the long run (and it is pretty funny).           

On to the ending! I used to like cliffhangers...Unfortunately I think it's been over played in the Metal Virus Saga. In an arc that's been mostly gloomy (in a fairly light-hearted series) it feels like a small victory is due. They didn't save the city. But Tails might have a way to save the day. It could just end there.

But no. Starline has to butt his way into this one and make allusions to the Deadly Six. The guy has officially not a threat. The Deadly Six?! Lame, disgusting excuse for an ending. Sonic X knew how to do a good cliffhanger! The type that I (or at least younger me) would wait a week for. I wouldn't wait a month (or a week) for the next issue. I might not read another IDW comic until the Zombot Story is over (which is obviously very SLOW GOING).

So about the art:

Don't lose your head.

Okay, I was to hard on Lawrence. Omega, Cream, Tails, Silver, and Rouge are all done well or relatively. Sonic's mostly better than before. Zombot Shadow's horrible, though, which makes him hard to take serious. There are still some heads barely connected to bodies and still lots of top teeth and no bottom, but overall it's better than the last issue. Still very expressive, but improvement is (still) wanted.

Summary:

• As expected, Zombot Shadow is lame. Sonic still acts a bit off as well as some of the other characters. 
• Silver saves the day (again). 
• Sonic catches up with how the others are handling the outbreak, slightly improving the plot. 
• Jack Lawrence's Shadow-Zombot art sucked but otherwise the newcomer did a detailed job. 

So the Final Ranking (S is highest, E lowest): C+ (High Average)

This issue is better than the previous, but it's unbalanced. The first half is grim and heavy despite well-timed lines from Omega, and while the second half is slower it's also much stronger. I think Sonic should have linked the two, or the second half should have been an "extra" story. Either way, the Zombot story is getting old fast and this issue did little to change that.

Sonic 06 vs Colors (Part 10)

Welcome to the final--and perhaps biggest--reason the hated game Sonic 06 is superior to the praised Sonic Colors.

Part 10: The Plot

Just at a glance, Sonic 06 has a very complex story. Is it confusing/flawed? Yeah. But it also has a lot of depth and exciting moments (believe it or not). Sonic Colors is the complete opposite. It's very simple. So simple it's shallow and worthless. And it has plenty of errors, too.

Sonic 06

Sonic's Story

Despite being the name of the game, Sonic ended up lamely rescuing a princess over and over again. In the first cutscene, it actually seemed like there was a lot of potential. Unfortunately, in the next Elise is taken and so begins the cycle.

Still, the ending with Sonic and Elise escaping Eggman feels like a good victory, and the cutscene looks cool. The laughing is either creepy or cute, but at least it balances the end and beginning (the "smile" thing).

Silver's Story

Silver's story is interesting. Many sci-fi elements and typical Sonic themes like friendship. I wish there was more of an explanation for Blaze's appearance, and the set-up annoyingly avoids a confrontation with Sonic. It's clear there was meant to be more with Amy, too.

There are a few other bothersome parts. Like, ok--Silver's naive--but would he really trust the creepy dude with no mouth after just meeting him? Overall Silver's side of things is all right, but it's still not the best it could be.

Shadow's Story

Shadow's story is almost perfect. It shows how Shadow has changed after Shadow the Hedgehog, it gives attention to Rouge and Omega, and it has a creepy villain.

Any problems are small continuity errors. Mostly dealing with Mephiles' time travel or powers.

Last Story

The Last Story is mostly trash. The only exception is going super and taking out Solaris. The "death" and the "kiss" were both awkward, crappy scenes. At least they tried to act serious. Unfortunately when people say the worst moment in Sonic history, it's thanks to this. It's a shame, because with a little rewriting it might have been salvageable.

There is some sad beauty in undoing the entire thing, but it also makes everything that happened worthless. Up for debate!

Sonic Colors

Beginning

They drag this out, but: Sonic and Tails are here to save aliens from Eggman! Ugh. I like the Black Arms--I liked the Cosmo and the Meterex--but these guys don't do it. It can't be a character and a power up. How am I supposed to care for that? Wisps aside, annoyingly revised Orbot and *new* Cubot act like a poor villain's Scratch and Grounder. Their attempts at humor suck. I almost wish there was a "rated E-10 for everyone below ten."

Every cutscene has a joke, but none of it's funny.

Middle

The middle quickly turns repetitive. Sonic cracks a shXt joke, fights a robot. The same robots, even. Somewhere in here Eggman tries to mind-control Tails. Pretty cheap. But what makes it worse is that it fails within 2 seconds. No Sonic vs Tails here.

End

One good part of the plot is trying to focus on Sonic and Tails' friendship. In some ways it's there, but for the most part Sonic acts lifeless to his almost-brother while Tails treats Sonic like an idiot as he's trying to save the world. 

There is a nice moment before the boss fight that tries to make the tone more serious. Next, Colors breaks the modern tradition of a ending Super Sonic fight (although there is one on the DS). In the final cutscene Sonic is cheesily saved by the wisps. He also says goodbye to his new friend Yacker, a shXt Chip replacement that hangs out with Tails more than Sonic. Oh, and Tails finally go his hopeless translator working, too. That's. Just. Stupid.   

 Conclusion

I never really understand why people like Sonic Colors. Maybe if your a big Tails fan (since he had a bigger role)? I think coating the story in light, silly humor was a mistake. Most of the story makes me want to cringe. It's sad.

06 had it's flaws, but it is also one of the more interesting stories overall. It had more serious stakes yet it balanced a large cast. Elements like flashbacks and timetravel gave it layers, too. Had the gameplay been perfected--even with the Elise as a main character--Sonic 06 might have been praised instead of hated.

The bottom line is that Colors had a very bad plot. 06's plot is fairly good.
Just I don't get it. How can one like that over 06?

This is actually my last major point, here. Wow, 10 big reasons 06 is better. It just is!
I'll be posting a reflection of the whole thing soon...