Game Review XI: "Sonic Heroes"

Sonic Heroes was a completely new title, which decided to take a multi-platformer approach, and was released for Playstation 2, Xbox, PC, and Gamecube (shown at right). Despite some faults here and there, the game passed at least in that aspect alone. Like Sonic Adventure 2, the team is of 3 members, however players uses all 3 teammates in one stage, giving players different playing styles. Each member of the team represents a certain attribute, which the player can access by having that character as the leader.

The character in the blue, wind-like snapshot is the Speed Formation leader. With Speed Formation, players can access fast speed and abilities like the Homing Attack, and the debuting Rocket Accel. Selecting the character in the yellow, thunder-like snapshot puts you in Fly Formation. In this formation, all characters hang on to the leader, who is up top. Apart from flying, you can access the debuting move Thunder Shoot, which can take down airborne enemies. Choosing the red, flame-like snapshot puts you in Power Formation. Power Formation has the teammates on each side of the leader, as the Power leader brings a world of hurt to their foes. This formation is also capable of destroying steel containers and natural elements in the way. The teams are as follows (in Speed/Fly/Power format) as well as difficulty:

• Team Sonic: Sonic/Tails/Knuckles (Normal)
• Team Dark: Shadow/Rouge/E-123 Omega (Intermediate)
• Team Rose: Amy/Cream/Big (Easy)
• Team Chaotix: Espio/Charmy/Vector (Mission-Based)

Team Sonic in cutscene before
Grand Metropolis

For those who are unfamiliar with a few of the characters, here's a brief summary. Big returns from Sonic Adventure as the Power member for Team Rose. Shadow, from Sonic Adventure 2, barely remembers anything after finding himself in Eggman's Lab, only to be freed by Rouge. Around this time, newcomer and final entry of the E-100 series, E-123 Omega, emerges with ill intent of destroying his maker's robots, in which he initially attacks Shadow. Vector, Charmy and Espio are more so known in the Archie Comics-made Sonic the Hedgehog comic books. They did appear in the Sega 32X title Knuckles Chaotix. Espio is a chameleon with exceptional ninjutsu skills. Charmy is a small bee who can be a tad scatterbrained, but has a painful sting under that adorable nature of his. Vector is the leader of the Chaotix Detective Agency, always seen sporting headphones as an accessory. He and Knuckles go back, along with Espio and Charmy, as the original Chaotix, originally a 7-man team. Upon Vector starting his detective gig, only Espio and Charmy serve as the returning members. Cream the Rabbit is younger than Tails, debuting in Sonic Advance 2 as the first character Sonic rescues. Cute and polite as she is, she can be trouble to foes if she sends her mini Chao, Cheese, to attack them.

Team Rose grinding

Everyone plays the same stages, which is somewhat reminiscent to the Zone format seen in the classic games. To put it short, the original Sonic the Hedgehog consisted of zones with 3 Acts. Sonic Heroes sort of follows this by having a similar format: 2 stages that relate to one another, and a boss to accompany that. The total stage count is 14, and players must find the Chaos Emerald upon completing the second stage before each boss. Unlike the original, you must have a key to enter the special stages, but it can be easily lost should the leader suffer any damage or lose a life. Gimmicks like the rails and springs return, along with newer ones like the bobsleds. The abilities of each member can be boosted to a max of Level 3. If Speed is level 3, the Homing Attack gains a wind property. If Fly is level 3, the Thunder Shoot can damage, possibly destroy airborne enemies in a single hit. If Power is level 3, the final B button combo can explode and destroy surrounding enemies.

Team Chaotix gameplay

Some characters have virtually the same moveset, while the majority has variations that can be used the same way. There are a few that are character specific, such as Espio's invisibility and Amy's hovering after a jump. Every team has a desperate move known as a Team Blast. Once the Team Blast gauge is filled, players can activate it to take out numerous enemies and deal a good deal of damage to bosses. With the remaining energy, certain bonuses are gained, or factors are set in place until the remaining energy depletes itself. All 4 teams are after Eggman, running into each other along the way, while a mysterious, yet somewhat familiar figure works in the shadows to shake up the game's plot. Each team had a vocal theme, with Crush 40, the group that did the game themes for both Sonic Adventure games, cover the game's intro and insert boss themes.

Sonic Heroes wasn't the greatest by a long shot. The design and voice acting left a good area to improve from, but it was good in its own right. The game gets a 7 out of 10.