Sonic Heroes

UPC: 010086630398

Platform: PlayStation 2

Publisher: Sega of America, Inc.

Developer: Sonic Team USA

Category: Action

Style(s): 3D Platform

Synopsis: Sonic Heroes marks the first significant change in Sega's long-running franchise since 1999's Sonic Adventure on Dreamcast. Like the Sonic Adventure series, the levels are depicted in 3D from a perspective behind the character. Unlike Sonic Adventure and previous Sonic games, however, players control a three-character team throughout the colorful worlds. A total of four teams are available, all consisting of members from previous Sonic the Hedgehog games, ranging from the 1991 original to 2003's Sonic Advance 2 on Game Boy Advance. Team Sonic consists of Tails, Knuckles, and the Blue Blur himself, while Team Dark is represented by Shadow, Omega, and Rouge. Team Rose features Amy Rose, Big the Cat, and Cream, with Espio the Chameleon, Vector the Crocodile, and Charmy the Bee rounding out Team Chaotix. Each character has a customized special attack and is a specialist at one of three team formations: speed, power, and flight. Players routinely switch between the characters on their team to complete objectives and to help advance through the game's 14 levels. The ultimate goal, as shocking as it may sound, is to find and confront Dr. Eggman, who has resurrected and made enhancements to Metal Sonic. Each level is filled with a variety of opportunities to take advantage of each character's distinctive traits, whether it's Amy's hammer swing or Omega's machine gun. Using the speed formation allows players to briskly propel the trio across corkscrew loops or the fastest routes through levels, while the power formation is best for confronting enemies or for revealing hidden areas by smashing obstacles. The flight formation takes the action into the air to reach new areas or to attack flying creatures by tossing the other two characters like projectiles. To encourage repeat visits, the game offers slightly different variations of the 14 levels depending on which team is selected. There are also new objectives, cut-scenes, and endings specific to each team, not to mention a special bonus awarded to players who complete the game with all four squads. In addition to the single-player experience, Sonic Heroes features a number of multiplayer modes where up to four teams can race, battle, or compete with each other in a variety of game types. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Package Contents: 40-page Instruction Manual

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

Features character profiles and covers the basics. The pages could really use some color. ~ Jonathan Sutyak, All Game Guide

Looks a lot like previous Sonic titles, bright and colorful. ~ Jonathan Sutyak, All Game Guide

Sonic the Hedgehog is a great 2D character that rarely plays well in 3D. Fortunately, Sonic Heroes doesn't have as many camera issues as Sonic's previous outing Sonic Adventure, yet it still has a few camera issues that will have players falling to their deaths at no fault of their own. In most cases Sonic Adventure and Sonic Heroes are quite different from each other, but what's unique about Sonic Heroes is that it features teams of characters that must work together to complete each level. Unique is not always a good thing however, as the teamwork element wears thin as almost as fast as Sonic spins. Each of the four teams consists of three characters: one built for speed, one for strength, and one that can fly. The game's primary team includes Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, and as you progress you will have to constantly switch between the characters in order to advance. For example, you begin running at super speeds with Sonic only to come to a sudden stop at a barrier. Then with the press of a button you grab Knuckles and bust down the barrier, sprint a little further and hit an unbreakable wall, allowing you to make use of Tails' flying ability to lift the team over the wall. The constant changes are simple to perform, and an onscreen image shows the team's formation and which button (either Triangle or Circle) is needed to access the character shown. While this may sound intriguing it ultimately becomes irritating and repetitive. Sonic the Hedgehog is arguably the fastest video game character and can be exciting to control, but that excitement never really comes into play when you have to keep stopping, switching characters, and overcoming the same obstacles over and over again. The variety of characters isn't a bad thing; they just each need their own levels. All of the teams are basically identical, and they all go through what are essentially the same levels that sometimes sport minor changes. One team does have objectives that must be completed in every level while the other three teams are only trying to get to the end of each level in the fastest time possible. If you were to play through the game with every team then the game does have substantial length. There is also a two-player battle mode and some other gameplay variations that can be unlocked by completing the game with each team. The game is fairly simple and isn't a bad introduction to the platform genre of games. There is one team (Team Rose) that features a complete tutorial on every aspect of the game, however, even while not using Team Rose there are still hint rings located throughout the game that tell users what action they need to perform. Sonic Heroes is simply an average platformer that will more likely entertain young players new to the Sonic franchise than veterans of the genre. ~ Jonathan Sutyak, All Game Guide

If the teamwork gameplay doesn't bother you, there are four teams to play as and a multitude of songs, videos, and two-player modes to unlock. ~ Jonathan Sutyak, All Game Guide

Sound effects are fine and as with the graphics are very similar to previous Sonic games. The characters talk a lot throughout each level, which sounds ok but they repeat a lot of the same phrases. ~ Jonathan Sutyak, All Game Guide

Levels all feel too similar to each other as the designers intentionally force players to switch between the three characters. ~ Jonathan Sutyak, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.