Sonic Heroes

"A decent game from Sega, but not reccommend to everyone..."

Sonic Heroes is the first Sonic title to “grace” the Playstation 2 (and Xbox), however, I feel there are some drawbacks on Sega’s Playstation Premiere. Considered to have been a better game in general on the Gamecube (where it was first released), was this worth a port to the Playstation 2? I feel it was, but there are aspects to which I do not so strongly agree…

Gameplay: 7.5/10

The game itself plays pretty well, with four teams to choose from of varying difficulty, each team possessing three members. The teams being:

Team Rose: Amy, Cream, Big.
Style: Easy

Team Sonic: Sonic, Knuckles, Tails
Style: Normal

Team Dark: Shadow, Rouge, Omega
Style: Hard

Team Chaotix: Vector, Espio, Charmy Bee
Style: Mission-based levels

As mentioned, each team contains three members, but as well as this each member possesses their unique abilities. With “Speed”, “Power” and “Flight” uniting to form any one group. The levels included are what could be expected from a Sonic game, they’re layout is pretty linear without being basic – and the length/structure of the levels varies with each team chosen.
The biggest drawback that any gamer will confront when playing Sonic Heroes through is likely to be the camera however. In certain areas it is unstable, and for players not used to Sonic’s 3D series it may take some getting used to. But even this isn’t too heavy of a problem, and I have never experienced such a trouble to the point of the game loosing its touch.
The greatest, and in my opinion, most enjoyable aspect of the game is the ability to have 3 characters exploring a course together. This has not been accomplished so widely in any Sonic game before, but it is definitely something I think could be considered for future Sonic games. With a tap of the Triangle or Circle button, you can switch from your current formation (Speed, Power or Flight) to another. In most stages, certain tasks can only be accomplished by a certain character, such as blocks that need removing and can only be done so in power formation, and this greatly encourages a diversity of characters to be used.
There is also a great replay value included within Sonic Heroes, at the end of each level you are ranked on your performance throughout the level, with a rank of A-E given. The good thing here is that players have an opportunity to replay any course accomplished, including boss fights, in hope of improving on the rank given the first time through.
This is encouraged further with the huge selection of multiplayer games available to be unlocked, and players will have to devote those extra hours to be sure every last mode has been unlocked.

Graphics: 7/10

The graphics in Sonic Heroes are fairly impressive, especially those featured in the CG cut scenes. The only major downfall met with the graphics is the slight lagging experienced at the end and start of a stage. This will not effect your game too much however, and the beautifully detailed and colored graphics will make up for any lagging encountered.

Sound: 8/10

The music and background themes featured in Sonic Heroes are simply excellent. Each team possesses their own “theme” which can be unlocked and listened to in the Audio Theater along with any other music in the game. Older players who have played through the earlier Sonic games will recognize a few of the common sound effects that have been maintained in this game, the “ping” of collecting a ring and “bounce” on a casino bump have remained the same.
The voice acting of the characters is another well-accomplished task, I feel, and although not everyone may agree that the voices are fitting, I personally think they come across as brilliant. With each voice fitting the personality wanted to display of the respective character.

Summary: 8/10

If you’re not a die-hard Sonic fan, then I would recommend renting this game before you make the decision to purchase it. If you’re not familiar with the Sonic franchise you may find yourself disappointed with the few drawbacks of this game…
If you’re a Sonic fan I say this must be bought straight away, to get everything this game has to offer it may take a little while, but I can be sure you’ll enjoy every minute of it!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/01/04