ShtH is Better than Heroes (Part 8)

 Part 8: The Main Character

Sonic Heroes was a game that highlighted the benefits of trusting one another and teamwork while the less clear-cut Shadow the Hedgehog explored the trust's good and bad consequences. 

While Heroes did a great job with balancing the amount of characters fit into the game, Sonic himself was mostly just another Team leader. Shadow the Hedgehog, as the title suggests, was more focused on Shadow despite the inclusion of many other characters. 

The story for Team Hero is pretty simple. The rapport between Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails is the main attraction, perhaps highlighted best during the actual stages. In the story, though, there's little difference to make Sonic's role stand out. 

This is the first time he's taken his role-model position to the next level, actually leading Tails and Knuckles. Unfortunately the shift seems to go unnoticed. 

There is a moment of interest where Sonic admits he might not have made it to the end without Tails and Knuckles, but it's quickly replaced with in the Last Story with cheesy comments about the powers of team work and being "Sonic Heroes!"    

The Last Story was a great opportunity to contrast Sonic with his Metal double. That can be done with voice acting, appearance, and even "What I'm Made Of." But it's just not apart of the script or story. 

In Shadow the Hedgehog any path taken is about character development. Now, this game doesn't get too much weight for this because most of it is not CANON. Even if it's not all "real," it was still an important step forward.

In Heroes, Shadow worked with Omega and Rouge to track Eggman. Then he even suggested helping Team Hero in the ending. However, the game left many unresolved questions and used amnesia as an excuse to avoid them.  

The first cutscene establishes some important changes since Sonic Heroes. Mainly that he remembers a variation of Maria's death, but also that now (alone/no purpose) he's haunted and needs answers. Suspiciously Black Doom shows up at this exact moment and tells Shadow to go get the Chaos Emeralds.  

Shadow starts as neutral as possible. He's not aligned with a any character yet, not even Black Doom ("like it or not I have to believe him"). The reason he calls the humans pathetic is because his promise to Maria is lost in his head, replaced with GUN soldiers shooting her. He has no obligation to them--or hatred for them, at the start.

The game takes some unique twists, but mainly Shadow is good, bad, or neutral. 

• In "good" cutscenes Shadow doesn't like to admit weakness or friendship, but he shows respect where it's due. 
• The "neutral" cutscenes range from complete confidence to total depression. 
• The "bad" ones reveal that while Shadow can be loyal, he can also be a dangerous rebel. Either way he runs on ambition and a desire for revenge. 

The true end reveals a Shadow that's tired of being manipulated and just wants to move on. So he says goodbye to who ever he used to be and decides to "Never Turn Back." 

In Shadow the Hedgehog the supporting cast was the supporting cast. That was it. Sonic Heroes could have been Vector Heroes or Rouge Heroes or Amy Heroes because the attention was so divided. If it were a spin-off, it'd probably fine. But, again, it's a main game. In fellow multi-story main games like Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, or even Sonic 06, Sonic seemed to get the last moment to reveal something about his own character, like running off instead of taking credit, like saying goodbye to his than-dead rival, or even carefully watching a hint of a another life drift away.  

More centric, Shadow the Hedgehog was about Shadow. It showed sides to the character never seen before and sometimes never seen again, all while aiming to reestablish Shadow's role.      

Shth is Better than Heroes (Part 7)

2-Player

YOU MAY LOOK LIKE ME BUT I KNOW YOU'RE JUST A FAKE

Alright, this is a simple and sometimes unnecessary element, but it's been popping up in games since the original sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Both Sonic Heroes and Shadow the Hedgehog feature a "multiplayer" mode (with another controller, not online). 

Heroes, first.

Heroes has a couple different options, which at at a glimpse seems to be to it's advantage. Reaching the goal first, gathering rings, using the Bobsled and Special Stages...

Contrary to that idea, the differences in gameplay and goals are a mistake, here. For side missions and stages in general, it makes sense. However, to welcome a second player is to also welcome a new player. 

Heroes' is going to be a challenge for any new player, possibly even for returning players. So while player 1 is a genius at switching between flight, speed, and strength, player 2 is going to fall behind and get frustrated. 

The main way for this mode to work is if "Player 2" is already experienced with the game. 

Another con is that many of the choices are not available right way--the player has to get emblems, and Heroes isn't very generous with it's unlockables. 

Shadow 

Shadow the Hedgehog is rather simple: kill the other player first. Not very exciting, but what justifies it is the tie-into the plot of game (and to an extent, Sonic Heroes) by making the characters "Shadow Androids." Various versions of Shadow who believe they are the real Shadow.   

Like with Heroes, it works best with someone familiar with the game, yet victory for a new player is still a possibility. There are a few locations based on areas in the game but not the same exact layout, posing more of a challenge for "Player 1." Also, since some of the Androids already have arms (pun intended) the shooting-element should be fairly straight forward. 

As an added bonus, every side character--save hovering Charmy Bee and Black Doom ("Doom's Eye")--can be controlled with a second controller during the stages. This allows someone to potentially help with the mission or a boss fight, reminiscent of Sonic 2. It's not perfect, but it is a cool concept and something I'd like to see more often.     

So...

With online mode and wireless controllers, the days of friendly competition and sibling rivalries over video games seems to have morphed. In the early 2000s, though, it was a factor that helped build value, and something that should not be overlooked when considering older games.  

Neither of are the best in the series, but ShtH's different approach worked better than Heroes'.

Underground is Better than Sat Am (Part 7)

Best Worst Moments? 

What the--

Despite being made with a lower-budget, the DiC Sonic cartoons have a soft spot among fans. Some like the light-hearted, Sonic and Tails focused Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. Some the more experimental Sonic Underground. But for some reason, Sonic the Hedgehog, or the "Saturday Morning" show, seems to be the most easily remembered. 

I like the cartoon, but I would not call it the best. With that in mind, I've been explaining some of the things that made Sonic Underground a better show. 

Neither were perfect, though, and this time I'm addressing some of the all-time lows for each series. 

Underground

THE SINGING

While it could be cute, for the most part the triplet's little songs were a mistake. Some, like "Fun in the Sun," seem to be random and just quickly written into the plot. Others, like "Face your Fear," just don't sound very good. And others, like "Liberty's Gonna Rock," suffer from both of these problems. 

Not all of them sucked. If memory serves me correct, the ones featuring Manic's voice faired better. And the "first" song, "Someday," is rather fitting. The best option would have been to have their band as a hobby rather than a necessity--like Sonic's band in (oh no--but yes) Sonic Boom. 

Even though music was made into a theme of the show, many times it came across as forced and awkward.  

REUSED PLOTS

The second most cringe-worthy element of Underground was when they'd "borrow" a plot from a previous show. This is most noticeable with "Sonic Tonic," but also "Who Do You Think You Are," which reuses the amnesia idea. 

DUMB TRANSFORMATIONS

In the previously mentioned "Sonic Tonic," the feet of whoever drank the "tonic" would grow into comical size. Only it's not funny, it's just stupid. Some of Dingo's shape-shifting wasn't very pretty, either.  

THEY TRIED TO KILL ROBOTNIK WITH FLOUR

Okay, that's not what happened at all. Actually, they essentially had an opportunity to take him out, but let him go. Always kinda' bugged me. 

Except for the songs, which are impossible to ignore, I'd say these worst moments weren't too bad. Still, even though the music is worthy of most of its criticism, each song was just about minute in length. Repetitive, but nonetheless a small part of the episode.  

To clarify, the main weakness was mostly the vocals/lyrics. 

Sat Am

USING POWER RINGS TO SAVE THE DAY EVERY EPISODE

Well maybe it wasn't every episode, but it sure seemed that way. It made the episodes predictable, and, unlike in Sonic X where the ring simply helped Sonic, in a lot of Sat Am episodes they were always the solution. I get that Uncle Chuck made them for Sonic, but it also seems to have other random traits whenever the plot demands it. It even helped restore Uncle Chuck for some reason. 

ADDING RANDOMS WIZARDS AND MAGIC

Sonic Underground was filled with some random fantasy storylines, usually with the Oracle character. The reason it gets a pass, though, is that its main plot already established the show with fantasy elements like a prophecy and magical medallions (talismans). 

Sonic the Hedgehog (aside from being about talking animals) was not created with the same themes. Clearly set in a dystopia, with evil robots and "future" technology like Nicole, the show leaned more into Science Fiction. Many "magical" items such as the Power Rings were inventions. Other, more mysterious powers like the "Power Stones" at least had unknown origins.

However, characters like Lazar, the Guardian, Nagus, and even the "Headless Gopher" are all extremely random and go nowhere fast. With some creative thinking, Sonic's speed could have been taken away by some new Robotnik weapon. Maybe Naugus could have been a shape-shifter rather than a sorcerer. 

Point is "magic" often came out of nowhere and was used as an lazy way to move the plot forward. The Time Stones don't resemble their in-game versions, so why even bother? Make it another invention by Uncle Chuck. Or have Rotor do something useful for a change.   

ADDING IN RANDOM DINOSAURS/DRAGONS

Hey, Underground fell victim to this one, too, when they introduced Knuckles. However, it didn't take over the plot and wasn't really memorable. 

Sat Am had a whole, fairly random episode dedicated to "terapods." Then came "Dulcy." Not just the cringe-y character, but the episode as well.  

REDUCING TAILS TO THE BABY OF THE SHOW

As mentioned before, even though Tails didn't make it into Underground, his Sat Am counterpart did not even come close to competing with the Sonic-Tails dynamic in AoStH.

Let's ignore that for now, and just look at what Tails did do on the show...

Riding in Sonic backpack, calling Sally his "aunt," having stories told to him, being ignored by his friends (even Sonic) when he thinks there is something up with Sally, playing hockey, picking flowers...

Tails was the baby of the show. While he was running alongside Sonic in Sonic 2 and even saving Sonic in some episodes of AoStH, he wasn't even considered an offical freedom fighter until near this show's end. 

What bothers me the most about Tails' role is that he's TEN. Not 8 like he is now. Not 4-5 like in AoStH. He's TEN. The oldest version of Tails (aside from the Archie Comics where he went on to be 11) yet he acts like the youngest. And, really, the others are only around 5 years older, so what makes them think they're more adult?   

 THOSE RANDOM ANTIONE EPISODES

Last time I checked, this was Sonic the Hedgehog, not Antione Depardieu. Yet strange episodes like "Hooked on Sonics," "Fed Up With Antione/Ghost Busted," and "The Odd Couple/Ro-Becca" gave the character too much screen-time for my taste. Especially "Fed Up With Antione" and "Ro-Becca," ugh.  

GRIFF

That whole episode: no. Not a good idea. 

As if Antione wasn't bad enough...

So...

Ah, well. They both had weird, annoying, and down-grading moments. Despite the mostly out-of-place singing or poorly written lyrics, I don't think Underground completely suffered. To it's credit, Sat Am wasn't completely tainted by these things, either. But it doesn't help, and I really can't stand what happened with Tails.   

 Overall I think Underground faired better than Sat Am. Least it didn't take away from who the characters were. 

Quote of the Month

"I have no master...except the wind that flows free!"
-Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic and the Black Knight

Uncle Chuck--The Legend

In early canon, "Uncle Chuck" was a very important character. A good inventor opposed to the malicious Dr. Robotnik, early works credit Chuck with inventing the "power shoes" (speed-up shoes) and "power rings" (rings). 

Of Sonic's relatives, he's the most reoccurring. The details change, but at its simplest, Chuck was close to Sonic and helped inspire him to take on Dr. Robotnik. 

Sat Am

In one of Sat Am's most emotional moments, Sonic reunites with his robotized Uncle Chuck and tries to use a power ring to save him. Eventually (in Season 2) they are able to restore his personality and Chuck is able to help them. However he remained robotsized on the outside. It was also revealed that "Charles" himself created the Robotsizer--to prolong life--but "Julian" Robotnik took the design for his own dark purpose. 

Underground

Uncle Chuck reappeared in Sonic Underground as a part of Sonic's origins. While his exact relation to Sonic/Aleena is not made clear, it's assumed (via appearance) that they are still related. At some point Sonic met Chuck in his early childhood, and after his adoptive family was robotisized (and his home burned to the ground), Chuck took him in. Chuck taught him to be a freedom fighter, but like his Sat Am counterpart he was robotisized. 

"Grandpa Chuck" of Sonic X

Despite relying more on the games and Sonic Team for background on Sonic X, some elements of Western canon leaked into the anime. One of these elements: Grandpa Chuck (Chuck Thordyke). Chuck is Chris' grandfather, rather than Sonic's uncle, and he's a human. However he shares his intelligence and talent for inventing. Over the series Chuck would grow closer to Tails, becoming a role-model with an almost uncle-like relationship to him.  

Comics

Uncle Chuck was faithfully adapted into the Archie Comics as Sir Charles the Hedgehog, brother of Sonic's father, Jules (and brother-in-law to Bernadette). Later in the series run, he was restored to his Mobian self, defended Sonic and the others as a member of a council, and helped with the Secret Freedom Fighters (featuring the likes of Sally's brother, Elias, and Silver the Hedgehog).  

Following the reboot, Sega created the condition that game characters could not have family members unless they already appeared in the games (such as Cream's mother, Vanilla).  Ian Flynn got creative and brought Charles back with the label "Uncle to Everyone," under the guise that his relationship to Sonic was adoptive (this character was allowed to return because he came from the Sat Am TV show, rather than Penders-written comic characters like Jules and Bernadette). 

Despite this, Sonic was shown to be very close to his "Uncle" and Charles likewise tried to look out for Sonic. Over the course of the Unleashed-adaptation, Charles was also revealed as a friend of Professor Pickle. His role in this series, though, would be his last.  

Uncle Chuck survived a comic reboot, appeared in 2 cartoons, and inspired another character. Many have tried to mimic the emotional bond between Sonic and Chuck, but the character remains one of the closest to Sonic, even visually. It's a shame the character's gone for now, but who knows? Perhaps he'll inspire someone else...

Sonic Advance 2 Review

Summary

Hello Cream and Cheese. 

Characters and Gameplay

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Cream are each playable characters. There's a bit more of a story to this one, as Eggman has kidnapped Sonic's friends (and Cream's mother, Vanilla). Sonic frees the characters as he goes (Amy is unlocking after beating the game with the characters and emeralds). While there's a bit more to it than Sonic Advance, it's still fairly simplistic. 

Like with the previous title the game makes use of the differences between characters. Notably polite little Cream uses Cheese to attack, showing the newcomer's docile stance. The sprites' designs are cute and expressive. 

Simple controls reflect the spirit of the classic games. 

Level Design and Music

Music Plant is a personal favorite in both design and sound. Ice Paradise seems just like winter. As with the previous title, in general the music is nice but not of the same quality/not as memorable. 

The levels are a bit more unique. Music Plant obviously incorporates instruments. Hot Crater incorporates some different industrial themes, and the Techno Base is colorful. However there are still familiar themes with the hill-like Leaf Forest and the lit-up Ice Paradise. Generally the levels are better or equal to those in Sonic Advance. 

Sky Canyon--while attempting to create a unique location, is terrible--especially as Sonic. I consider bottomless pits a big no-no in 2-D gameplay, and Sky Canyon has far too many for only being the 5th zone.

Final Thoughts

• Cream and Cheese are adorable, and this her best gameplay style. 
• The bosses are too difficult, especially as Sonic. Sonic's the starter character--it should be easiest for him (it's easiest for Cream, but that's of little help when Sonic is the one to save everyone). 
• This is most frustrating since they are a part of the level, rather then separate. Dying after one of these bosses means the entire stage--both sections--must be completed again. 
• And the game only gives 2 lives, rather than the standard 3. 
• Getting the Chaos Emeralds, again, way too difficult. If this were an easy game, collecting special rings to access the Special Stage may be possible. But it's not. And collecting all those rings is only a chance at getting the emerald, not a guarantee. 
• And this has to be done over and over for all 7 and (to unlock things) for all characters?! That's crazy. 
• Looks like I won't be seeing the real ending anytime soon...
• Despite the challenges it's still ideal for a classic fans (and/or those with a Gameboy/DS, of course). 

Final Ranking: B

I think it's an improvement over Sonic Advance and a worthy sequel. Unfortunately it's not much more.  

Adding Cream was a clever way to spice up the simple story and give the character a bit of a backstory for up-coming games. Still, there are irritating portions in design that disrupt its appeal. As cute as the game is, some may lose interest.

Sonic and the Secret Rings Review

Rank @ end.

Summary

Not as bad as I remembered... 

Plot and Characters

The storybook series, while insanely random, works. Sonic is sent off on an adventure to a new and exciting world. New characters and new versions of characters surface. 

Sonic bonds with Shahra, "the Genie of the Ring," who asked for his help. I like their "promise" and how their friendship grows. Near the end, Shahra even reveals her own wish.    

Also, I like how Shahra is a nice/kind character but isn't perfect, either. She grows fond of Sonic, but is hiding her past with the Erazor and her feelings for him. She has to decide to do what "is right."

While I tend to look at the Erazor as a B-villain, he does do some good for the story overall, such as attacking Sonic/Shahra with the Flame of Judgment. This, along with the "collector of the rings shall offer his life in sacrifice (SAY WHAT? I'M SUPPOSED TO BE SOME KIND OF SACRIFICE?!)" idea adds tension to the plot and keep things moving forward. 

I also like the running-gag of the Erazor calling Sonic a rat; it's hilarious. 

The rings are interesting, but I wish they played on the emotions part a bit earlier. Sonic notices it at the start, but doesn't really identify what it is (rage, etc) until halfway or more through the story. The transformations and effects are unique, but otherwise they're kinda' just the Chaos Emeralds.  

I consider the scene after gathering the rings one of the best pre-final-boss cutscenes. It is very climatic. I guess it would have been more impactful if Sonic didn't undo what happens with Shahra, but this is a story within a story--might as well give it a happier ending. The final 3-D cutscene is awesome--this game did Sonic's attitude well. The "mountain of handkerchiefs" line was not the best, though. Luckily there is a bonus cutscene mid-credits which is a better goodbye.  

Tails and Knuckle are here as Ali Baba and Sinbad ("Sailor of the 7 Seas! Adventurer of Adventurers"). Eggman is also here as King Shahryar. I like Sonic's interactions with them (especially Knuckles), but their roles are rather small/almost pointless compared to those in the Black Knight (more involved). Felt a little awkward with the "king of bones" King Solomon-character.  

 

Graphics/Visuals and Locations

The cruddy graphics have not aged well. 06 probably had better visuals, there. This is most bothersome in the dark lighting of Pirate Storm. Somehow the shinny floors and glass surfaces in Night Palace look really cool, though.     

The levels are set in unique settings that the Sonic series has not touched upon, such as the ash-lined Skeleton Dome and the windy Levitated Ruin. Deserts and jungles have been done before, of course, but they have a new twist. Sand Oasis includes water and buildings, while the palms and cacti of Dinosaur Jungle are joined by--yes--dinosaurs. Each seems to have something to offer. 

This is the first of the Storybook Series, where most of the cutscenes are 2-D. While not a complete animation like the Sonic Riders Opening, the scenes sort of fade into each other--like an animatic? Regardless, the cutscenes are beautiful and have helped the story age well. The watercolor type of theme really worked. I noticed there are a few "cells" reused, but overall it's expressive and shows the action. 

The first 3-D cutscene is not too impressive. Sonic's flame appears/disappears, etc. The ending 3-D cutscene overall looks good for a Wii game, and I like how Sonic is animated to match his personality. 

Music and Dialogue/Voice Acting

The music is kinda' infamous for having lyrics in almost every level. It's a unique blend that keeps the energy up, but does seem kind of random. "How it Started" and "It Has Come to This" are pretty catchy. Skeleton Dome, Night Palace, and Levitated Ruin seem to be the best of the bunch overall. 

"7 Rings in Hand" is awesome but overused with in the game ("Make-believes rebor-click-Make-believes re-click-etc). "Worth a Chance" is...nice, but not as good (as other closings).  

As mentioned, this game did Sonic's attitude well. Both the script and voice acting (Jason Griffith) are a huge improvement of how Sonic was in 06. Shahra's voice during the Lost Prologue instructions sounds a bit off, like the actor (Bella Hudson) was experimenting a bit, but otherwise she did a great job. Overall I think the 4kids/"Sonic X" crew did pretty well with this game, with the exception of maybe Alf Layla Wa Layla--who sounds too distorted or over-the-top to take very seriously ("IT WOULD TAKE A MIRICALE TO AVOID MY ATTACKS"). 

I already mentioned it, but that "mountain of handkerchiefs" line...

Gameplay, Controls, and Level Layout

People criticize the Wii-based controls, but they are actually fair. It makes use of the Wii's various capabilities--that's what they wanted to do. A little arm movement doesn't hurt. Still it's a little complicated with all the different skills. 

It's really the gameplay itself combined with some poor layout choices that make this game a pain. Sonic and the Secret Rings is an auto-run game--the problem? They weren't designing it like one. 

There are countless situations where the forward movement is a restriction or a fast way to die. To be fair, this game doesn't have lives and respawns Sonic near where he died. But it makes the various missions, where death is a one-way ticket to "this just isn't my day," a HUGE pain. 

Often Sonic will run or slide into a bottomless pit because he could not stop. In other places, there are enemies that will need to be taken out in order to move on that Sonic will run past (and into a wall). 

While Levitated Ruin is beautiful visually, it is horrible to play through because of the wind, the spike-rings, and the building-insides. The parts where Sonic has to climb through the various cylinder-type rooms are some of the worst in the game. 

Pirate Storm is arguably worse because of the poor lighting. There is a lot of water/bottomless pits that, combined with the oddness of the jump/skills, is a recipe for disaster. 

Grinding should have been better explained (a simple till of the Wii remote will result in Sonic jumping to the next rail--necessary in some missions). The Magic Carpet and other gimmicks were okay except for the (slow) Flying Pot.  

In general, if more levels were auto-run friendly like Sand Oasis, (most of) Night Palace, and (the outside of) Skeleton Dome, the gameplay would have been smoother.  

Time Break and Speed Break are cool but occasionally they hurt more than help (fall off a cliff, etc).

While I like missions when they are optional, the set up in this game where "pointless" ones are required to move the characters forward is fairly annoying. The scoring system also seems pretty harsh.  

Final Thoughts

• I tend to think that Shahra cured Sonic's cold for him, but they probably should have mentioned Sonic's cold at some point, even as a joke. 
• "This just isn't my day" > "Gotta try harder" (Riders)
•  Even though Sonic and Shahra are just friends, I can't help but think that this is how they should have handled Elise (Sonic 06). There's more development in this friendship than there ever was in that...uh, ship. 
• It's outrageous how this game demands perfection. Many missions are nearly impossible to beat after one death, and are purposely set up for that death. 
• Uhu, the Speed Genie, needs to %$#@!& off

Final Ranking: B

I honestly expected to give this game a C at the most. But returning to it revealed memorable moments and a great balance of humor and emotion. 

While it's not the best of the best, it's still worthy of a high average.  

It's Mephiles the smoke monster