Hey, everyone SpartanCommander1990, chief editor of Disabled Gaming Reviews here! Welcome to the second, and final part of my double bill week one review challenge. Can I review two games on their respective watch weeks? A Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask review says that I can't!
Last week, I reviewed the latest addition to the Creative Assemby's Total War series. This time, I land the killer blow by reviewing the latest addition to the highly successful Sonic the Hedgehog series. Does this game live up to the legacy of the series?
Let's find out!
In the gaming industry today, there are two franchises that stood the test of time. Mario, representing Nintendo, and the blue blur himself, Sonic. His first appearance was for the Sega Genisis in 1991, Today, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has been through both the rough and the smooth.
In 2017, the last real 2-D sonic game, Sonic Mania was released. The game went on to be the highest-rated Sonic game in 15 years, as was praised by both classics and the community. The game's expansion was released the very next year.
Apart from Sonic Origins, which is plagued with bugs, and key features that were missing, for example adding lives to anniversary mode (for PC users, this can be added through modding), it was one of a swing and a miss. Earlier this week, this offering to 2-D sonic diehards was released.
This title takes place in the North Star Islands our antagonist. Dr. Eggman, and a character that we have not seen in the Sonic franchise for decades, Fang is hunting giant animals in this mysterious archipelago of islands, turning them into Badniks, it is up to Sonic and the gang to stop them!
The accessibility scores are as follows –
Visibility 9.5
Although that are no colourblind modes, or filters available in this game, there is very little need for one. There are no colour-coded elements that will pose issues for players with visual impairments.
Aubibility 10
In this game, there is no spoken dialogue, therefore, no subtitles are required. Back in the mega Drive days, due to the size restrictions of a cartridge, no spoken dialogue was added to any games of the era. Imagination had to fill in the blanks!
Mobility 11
On the PC version (yup, you guessed it!) Which were used to test the keyboard and mouse controls can be fully customised. For a Sonic game, this is not recommended. However, there is controller support out of the box.
You can use either the analogue stick or D-Pad to move. Also, the controls can be fully customised via the control section of the options menu
This makes the game a lot more accessible for a player with mobility impairments. Especially in a controller-dependent game.
Gameplay 10
Although this game brings lots of new game-changing mechanics, never before seen in a 2-D sonic game, it seems like they have left the franchise's heritage out completely.
First off, back in the Genesis days, on which this game is based, lives were a thing. You had a finite number of lives.
When that number hits zero, it's game over. back to the start! In this game, this mechanic has been removed completely. Personally, I think it should have been added, as an option. Maybe in the future update, but not at this current state. However, a viewer Paul"Mintzs" Scott brought up the fact that certain games of the Mario franchise, for example, super Mario Odyssey have taken a similar approach.
Do you think scrapping lives should be the standard for all platformers in the future? Or, do you think this vital piece of gaming heritage should be preserved? Let me know in the comments!
The graphics, however, look a lot different from Mania, they have replaced the hand-drawn art style, that was used in the god-tier Streets of Rage 4, with a more cell-shaded art style. This shift makes the game look better, to make it more relevant in today's market, on the other hand, this does feel out of place, especially for a 2-D sonic game.
Also, all characters have abilities that can be locked as you complete special stages. This rewards exploration of the levels as you discover new pathways, and of course, additional special stages.
Also, there is a golden opportunity which the developers seem to have missed. Online Co-op would be an excellent addition, especially in a game that seems to have a big focus on cooperative play.
In summary, Sonic Superstars Has a lot of good things added to the game, while others are omitted completely. Sega seemed to be trying to fix what ain't broke.
although it feels out of place, the large level sizes seem to be adding focus on exploration. So, if you look past the quirks, and omissions this game is a thoroughly enjoyable 2-D sonic experience
OVERALL SCORE 101.25%
See you guys in the next review!
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