Sonic x Shadow Generations Review – Shadow is the Star in a Brilliantly Expanded Remaster

Sonic x Shadow Generations Review - Shadow is the Star in a Brilliantly Expanded Remaster

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that Sonic x Shadow Generations is a remarkable addition to the Sonic universe. Having played Sonic Generations back in 2011, I was eager to see how this remastered version would fare and was absolutely blown away by the new Shadow Generations portion of the game.


Sonic Generations, developed by Sonic Team, is often recognized as one of their stronger attempts in 3D platforming with Sonic. Given this, a remaster seems almost inevitable. However, Sonic x Shadow Generations offers something extra, including a distinct campaign centered around the ‘ultimate lifeform’ Shadow the Hedgehog, and an enhanced visual design. Remarkably, even after thirteen years since its debut, Sonic Generations remains engaging, and the new Shadow Generations segment is definitely worth the investment. In essence, this game represents quality 3D Sonic gaming – there’s plenty to appreciate here.

Sonic x Shadow Generations Review - Shadow is the Star in a Brilliantly Expanded Remaster

If you’ve previously played Sonic Generations in 2011, your next stop might be Shadow Generations, easily found on the main menu. This part of the game offers a 3D ‘White Space’ to traverse and restore, along with fresh levels. Similar to an expansion pack, Shadow’s section includes six two-act stages, ranging from the relatively easy Space Colony Ark and Railway Canyon stages to the challenging Radical Highway Zone. The menu blares thrash-metal guitars, indicating that Shadow Generations is designed for a tough experience right from the start.

As the ‘supreme being’, Shadow possesses unique skills. One of these is ‘Chaos Control’, which allows you to temporarily pause time when the meter is full. Additionally, once you conquer each game’s boss, such as the Biolizard or Metal Overlord, you unlock a variety of Doom Powers. These powers can be used with gears collected from defeated bosses. These gears are employed to open ‘Power Sealing Devices’, which are essentially large black eggs in the White Space. Inside these devices, you can find new Doom Powers like the Doom Spear’s lock-on projectiles and the Doom Blast that allows you to lift enemies into the air and travel to previously unreachable areas.

The Surf, Shape-shift, and Fly Wing abilities offer unique ways to move over water, through gooey pearls, and through the sky, respectively. However, the Shape-shift ability is particularly troublesome and glitchy. The last level in Radical Highway of Shadow Generations is challenging and appropriate, but it also underscores the issues with the Shape-shift and Fly abilities, resulting in an abrupt increase in difficulty. Despite these problems, by the time you’ve finished all that and faced off against the main villain, Black Doom, you’ll have had a good time.

Sonic x Shadow Generations Review - Shadow is the Star in a Brilliantly Expanded Remaster

In the open game area, there’s an abundance of collectibles such as treasure chests that can be opened using tokens earned throughout each stage, along with the updated version of Sonic Generations introducing unique collectibles in the form of hidden Chao on every level. The cinematics have been revamped and Classic Sonic (the character played for all 2.5D stages) now has a drop dash ability – but that’s essentially the extent of significant changes made to Generations.

To unlock boss fights in both Sonic and Shadow Generations, you need to finish difficult levels. However, Shadow Generations includes extra tough challenges after the main game, such as one filled with spiky balls that results in immediate death if touched. Unfortunately, I couldn’t complete any of these. The objective is always to achieve an S rank on every level, but it can be quite challenging – anything less than perfection won’t do. Despite this, it’s one of the best contemporary Sonic games, with many new levels to conquer. For reference, we managed to beat Shadow Generations in approximately 5 hours, so it’s quite extensive.

Sonic x Shadow Generations Review - Shadow is the Star in a Brilliantly Expanded Remaster

At the heart of Sonic x Shadow Generations lies a unique combination: one polished game enhanced with additional content, and an entirely fresh adventure starring Shadow, the enigmatic, speed-skating character with crimson eyes. Returning to Sonic Generations feels refreshing, as the past thirteen years haven’t diminished its brilliance or carefree excitement. Meanwhile, Shadow’s debut as a playable character in his engaging and surprisingly balanced campaign offers more than just an added bonus. It stands as a fantastic game on its own. In summary, Sonic x Shadow Generations is essential for fans of both Sonic and Shadow.

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2024-10-30 21:42

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