During Summer Game Fest: Play Days, I had the opportunity to preview four levels of Sonic X Shadow Generations, the upcoming remaster of 2011’s Sonic Generations. The game was divided into two titles essentially, with Sonic Generations and Shadow Generations each having two playable levels in the demo.
For those not familiar with Sonic Generations, this is one of the first Sonic titles to combine the classic 2D levels and modern 3D levels in one package. The game retooled and repackaged fan favorite Sonic levels together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series. Starting with Sonic Generations, this is the exact same game you remember. I tested out the first two levels of Green Hill Zone, which offer both Modern and Classic gameplay. In my preview, I did not notice any visual enhancements other than the game clearly running at a higher resolution than prior entries. Of course, it was running at 60FPS as well, but that is expected.
I’m slightly disappointed that there did not appear to be any significant upgrades to the game. Some of the aged textures would have benefitted from a fresh coat of paint. That being said, this is a small gripe that isn’t going to detract from any experience. Fans, new and old, will have a great time experiencing Sonic Generations in this definitive version of the title.
While seeing Sonic Generations on modern hardware is great, the real main course of this package is Shadow Generations, which was incredible from the two levels I played. Right away, the new Shadow levels feel more vibrant and bigger than those found in Sonic Generations. The visuals are extremely crisp and immediately noticeable.
The two stages I had the chance to check out in Shadow Generations were Space Colony Ark Act 1 and a boss battle against the Biolizard. Fans of the series will immediately recognize both of these from Sonic Adventure 2, but these levels have received significant improvements and revisions. A lot of this is due to Shadow’s new abilities, which let him stop time and evade incoming attacks. Dubbed Chaos Control, this ability was used in the level to dodge an incoming missile, evade enemy attacks, and more.
Shadow also has a mechanic called Chaos Spear, which allows him to hurl projectiles at enemies. There’s a lot to be discovered here, but I was really satisfied with Shadow’s new gameplay abilities. It made the experience extremely memorable, and I look forward to seeing more of it. It’s also worth noting that I cleared Space Colony Ark Act 1 in just over five minutes, which is longer than most traditional Sonic levels. I ended up doing another run of the level to try grinding on different rails to see where it would take me. There is plenty of replayability here, something that is important to a platformer like this.
Speaking of Shadow Generations, the level design of Space Colony Ark Act 1 was something I never expected to see in a Sonic title. Towards the halfway point, Doom’s Eye showed up, and visuals on the stage started to distort and bend reality. Buildings turned upside down, and Shadow fell through space, watching it all happen. I’m still reflecting on this level, as it really was that good. If this is a taste of what’s to come in Shadow Generations, I’m so excited to see more.
Of course, I can’t end this preview without discussing the most important thing I got to preview: the Shadow Shake. This dessert was available at Play Days from the SEGA & ATLUS Truck, where it sold out daily! I was lucky enough to try the Shadow Shake while I previewed the game, and let me tell you – it only made the experience better.
All jokes aside, I’m looking forward to seeing what Team Sonic has cooked up later this year when Sonic X Shadow Generations launches on October 25. The game feels like a very similar release to Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, funny enough. You’ve got essentially the exact same game fans are familiar with and an action-packed ‘bonus’ title of sorts. I’m really excited to see what else lies in store for Shadow Generations. The levels I was able to preview seem to take the best of what Sonic Team has learned over the last few years and turn it into an experience fans won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
