Sonic and the [INSERT MYSTICAL OBJECT]

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Released: Feb. 20, 2007
Genre: Action
Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Kemco

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"Sonic and the [INSERT MYSTICAL OBJECT]"

A Review by Doctor Setebos
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I'm going to make this very simple for you: you should never, under any condition, subject yourself or those you care about to this game.

For those of you that require more content upon which to base your gaming decisions, I'll offer you this: Sonic and the Secret Rings is absolutely horrendous and entirely unplayable. Below is a list of the game's faults, in no particular order. Please note that there is no corresponding list of the game's achievements, because, quite simply, there are none.

- Sonic's forward motion is on auto-pilot. Meaning you can't control how fast Sonic goes, which doesn't really matter anyways because every level is on rails. Why Sega thought this would be a good idea is beyond me.
- As if the forward motion wasn't bad enough, if you get hung up in an area and stop, you have to tilt the remote back and have Sonic back up. Very. Slowly. This has to happen far too often and is completely ANTI-Sonic in feel and function.
- The fact that the camera doesn't move when backing up in order to let you see what is behind you is extremely frustrating.
- Hit detection - even with auto-targeting built in - is wonky and unpredictable.
- Enemies are repetitive and uninteresting.
- Arabian Nights? C'mon.
- Often you will complete a level and have no indication as to where you are to proceed next.
- You are required to put together some mysterious recipe of rings before every level with absolutely no guidance on what the rings do, or how to create a proper combination.
- Really. Arabian Nights? The creative team obviously took a vacation.
- Horrendous level design - each level is a trial-and-error chore to get through. It's a sadistic mess and the level designers demonstrate fully that they have no clue who Sonic is, or what kind of environments would be most appropriate for him to scream headlong through.
- Sometimes in order to progress, you have to RE-play those horrendously designed levels. Sega apparently wants to punish people for playing this game.
- What story exists is pathetic. A ring genie? Seriously?

Sega obviously hates this game, so I feel justified in my complementary hatred.

Comments on this review

tashi on 04/10/2008 (permalink)

You didn't mention the party game mode at all, which is pretty fun by yourself or with friends. Or the music, some of which can be catchy, or how the graphics aren't bad for Wii at all. I will concede most of your points, though.

Tabasco on 04/10/2008 (permalink)

Now I know not to even bother renting this. Sweet!

Siraris on 04/10/2008 (permalink)

You know, it's always astonishing to me when a developer takes a well established franchise and runs it into the ground. I could understand a first time run being terrible in that they are finding the games legs, but to take a franchise from almost 20 years ago and continually make it worse, just doesn't make sense.

Doctor Setebos on 04/10/2008 (permalink)

tashi said:
You didn't mention the party game mode at all,

No, I didn't mention the party game mode, which is probably pretty telling.

StinkyCheese on 04/29/2008 (permalink)

I liked it. With the quality of sonic games nowadays, its really good. Just not fantastic.

I agree with tashi that the party mode is worth mentioning and is fun for shindigs

WSwan on 05/02/2008 (permalink)

I actually really liked this game. It seems that your review isn't objective enough to actually notice how this game truly is.

I mean, it was really the first Wii game to feel like an actual game, what with its plethora of unlockable content. And the music is great, and the graphics are great. It is hard, and almost unplayable sometimes, but I recommended this game to everyone.

So there.

StinkyCheese on 05/03/2008 (permalink)

WSwan said:
..I mean, it was really the first Wii game to feel like an actual game

I completely agree with you, except for this statement. Twilight Princess? :>

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