The Goods: Nostalgia, Great Soundtrack, 6 full story modes to play through
The Bads: Dreamcast had the worst camera directions, and now, so does the XBLA version. Nothing will kill you more than the camera. Hardest NPC I’ve ever faced.
Game: Sonic Adventure XBLA
Platforms: XBLA / PSN
Multiplayer: 1 player offline
Genre: Action
Published by: SEGA
Developed by: SEGA
Story:
Sonic Adventure was one of the release titles for the Dreamcast way back on December 23, 1998. And thanks to Wiki, they have provided one of the best back stories to this game. Centuries ago, the planet was bestowed the seven Chaos Emeralds. These emeralds were a source of absolute power, and consequently it did not take long before wars broke out over who would control the Chaos Emeralds’ seemingly unlimited power. A tribe of echidna (the ancestors of Knuckles) responded by creating a singular Master Emerald.[citation needed], which held powers that could control and neutralize the Chaos Emeralds. With the Master Emerald came a guardian spirit. Later on, a tribe of echidnas, led by Pachamac, angered the guardian by attempting to steal the Chaos Emeralds and ruining the sanctuary it was protecting. They were all but completely destroyed within a single night and the guardian was never seen again. What was believed to be the guardian was then named Chaos, the God of Destruction, lending its name to the Chaos Emeralds. (Citation, Wikipedia.org)
Random:
Two Statues… A Doorway to the past.
Singleplayer:
The game is divided into multiple game field. Action Stages, Adventure Stages, Mini-Games, and Missions. The Adventure Stage is the same for every character, but the Action Stages and Mini-Games can vary between each.
Since there are six different playable characters, gameplay greatly changes from each play through. Sonic’s story is by far the longest and most fulfilling. You start fighting the liquid fiend, Chaos. A monster that seems to be the tool of Dr. Robotnik’s newest plan. But, as you progress through, you come to release that there is a much larger mystery behind who or what Chaos is, and the real motives of the monster.
Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Big the Cat, and E-102 “Gamma” are the other playable characters. Each character adds more information into the plot holes that become revealed within Sonic’s story.
Tails’ action stages revolve around Tails’ trying to prove he is capable of Sonic’s friendship (I think). You race to the finish while trying to beat Sonic to there first. Sonic gives encouragement and guidance while continually yelling an old Fat Albert quote. (Hey, Hey, Hey)
Amy’s story last all of 3-4 action stages. You find birdie, and then get harassed by Zero the robot. So, you have to run to the giant balloon at the end of the stage while avoiding Zero. If you can’t avoid him, turn around and WHACK him with the giant hammer that Amy carries.
Knuckles is my ABSOLUTE least favorite character to play. You have to search for pieces of the Master Emerald. They could be hidden, or not. They could be buried in the ground, or not. They could be within and enemy, or not. This could have been fun, or not.
Big the Cat fishes… Find the lure upgrade, fish for your frog. Lose the frog, find and fish again. Lose the frog. Fish again. BOSS FIGHT! Throw your lure into Chaos, snag froggie, win the game. Pretty hard… or not. 🙂
E-102 “Gamma” is my favorite character to play. You are one of Eggman’s newly created E-100 Series robots. You have a sweet targeting system and launch missiles at enemies. But, on the reverse side, time counts down for you. Killing enemies award more time. Fun, Fun, FUN!
Controls:
The XBLA port of this fantastic Dreamcast classic is near flawless. I played the Gamecube version and many of the auto-control features would most likely lead to a death 4/5 times. I call an “auto control feature” any time the game has a very fast or pre-designated route for you to travel and you just hold forward. IE: Sonic’s first level has you run from a LARGE WHALE! You touch a boost, and the game takes over. XBLA = no dieing. GC = DEATH (unless you actually do something)
Graphics:
Best visuals you will ever see in a 1998 games reported into “HD” on the Xbox. But, seriously, Sonic Adventure was the bee-knees back in the day. The Dreamcast was pitted against the PS2. And comparing name titles, I choose Sonic’s graphics over Crash Bandicoot’s.
Sound:
Again, thanks to Wiki, we have a good summation of what Sonic’s music is like. Head composer Jun Senoue brought a new sound to the Sonic the Hedgehog series with this game, and as such it features many different styles of music such as jazz, rock, techno, pop and country. Each heroic player character (aside from Gamma) also has an instrumental motif that later translates into a vocal theme song that plays during the end credits of their story. The game contains vocal performances from Tony Harnell, Karen Brake, Marlon Saunders, Dread Fox, Ted Poley, Nikki Gregoroff and Johnny Gioeli, whom the latter would later join Senoue to form the band Crush 40.
The development team preferred the use of “hot, funky, and rock ‘n’ roll” music over the traditional techno-based music present in earlier Sonic games. (Citation, Wikipedia.org)
In the end:
I LOVE SONIC!
5/5 – Buy it
