Sonic the Hedgehog is known for adoring adventure, so many of his games are about said adventures. It could be easily argued thatSonic Forcesis one of the games that focused on the events of its story over the gameplay, and in the eyes of some players, that’s bad. The 2017 release has been criticized heavily by fans for things such as its frequent automated sequences, the physics inClassic Sonic’s levels, and more.
However, it could be argued that despite the game’s shortcomings, there are parts ofSonic Forcesthat shine brighter than the rest. Some of its levels can be considered rather fun to play through as they sought to wow players with big set pieces and background events, and its climactic moments are presented quite well even if the gameplay doesn’t back it up at times.Forcesalso tried its best to tell a story about war after fans criticizedSonic ColorsandGenerationsfor having childish and bare-bones stories. Some better aspects ofSonic Forceshave also gone on to influence the games that came after it, as well.
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Sonic Forces: The Resistance vs the Eggman Empire
Even if players knew what they were getting into when startingSonic Forces, for some of them, havingSonic be beaten down by a bunch of mirage villainsand held hostage on the Death Egg might have felt like a rather dark start to aSonicgame. This is only compounded by the player getting a message afterward that says without Sonic, the world fell under Dr. Eggman’s control with only a small resistance remaining. Sonic, once saved, talks about how he was tortured for six months, and other aspects of the game make it clear that this situation isn’t like usualSonicadventures.
While it’s understandable why the game couldn’t focus on the totality of war, the story still serves its job well as a simplistic high-stakes narrative. It’s a welcome change after the games that came before it stuck with more lighthearted and cartoonish atmospheres, being the series' darkest story sinceSonic and the Black Knight.Sonic Forcesat its best is aninteractiveSonicmoviethat fans can actively insert themselves into through the customizable character, but its replayability is low as a result.
Sonic Forces' Hidden Away Details
One thing thatSonic Forcesis known for is that it may feature theshortest stages in anySonicgame. Even the ones encountered late in the game can be easily cleared in less than two minutes provided the player doesn’t end up dying somewhere along the stage. However, despite their length, there’s a surprising amount of detail put into the areas fans run through. Imperial Tower, one of the hardest levels in the game, showcases the gigantic tower spinning in the background before players get to run around it later in the stage, for example.
If players take the time to look at their surroundings while they play, they’ll be treated to set pieces that help the game’s story feel alive. Unfortunately, the entire point of the game is to keep moving forward, which means there’s a chance that looking at these environments more closely may cost fans a bit of progress if they’re not careful. While games likeSonic Unleashedalso have rather detail-heavy stages, there were at least parts of rest where fans could take it all in.Forces, in many of its levels, mostly lacks these moments without accidentally punishing players.
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Sonic Forces' Avatar Customization
The most unique part ofSonic Forcesis the avatar character. For the first time, fans can make their own character in the game to join the fight against the Eggman Empire with Sonic and his friends. The feature was very clearly inspired by the fact that creativeSonicfans tend to make their own “fan characters” in the image of the animals found in the series, and it stands out as one ofSonic Forces' best features. Not only does this character get stages to themselves, but some stages allow fans to team up with Sonic as the pair form a bond in the story.
Overall, the avatar character is an adorable concept that is executed rather well. Fans can unlock new items for their Sonic character by clearing missions as they play and earning “honors” for their overall efforts. Due to the militaristic nature of the game’s narrative,Forcesgets around not being able to give the character a name by having them be referred to as “the Rookie” by the main cast. The player character is seen as a meek newbie to the Resistance who enlists after failing to attack Infinite due to being scared. It ties rather well to the overall theme of courage, asSonic braves facing Infinitedespite being afraid of the Phantom Ruby’s power. It’s because Sonic is able to take charge that the Rookie takes a stand, and eventually plays a key part in the Resistance’s victory. Due to the inclusion and integration of a customizable character in the story,Forceswill most likely remain a favorite for many fans for years.
Sadly, there’s a very high chance thatSonic Forceswill remain the only game to allow players to make their own character.Forcessold rather poorly, and Sonic Team has been known to take bad sales as a sign that fans don’t enjoy what’s been brought to the series. There’s a very strong chance thatSonic Forces' bad reception and sales played a key part in how the developers went adifferent direction entirely forSonic Frontiers.
However, the very things thatForcesdid well are elements thatFrontiersseems to be building upon. Not only doesFrontiersgive players open environments to explore, but it also allows fans to customize Sonic’s speed and accessories while featuring a mysterious story written byIan Flynn from theSoniccomics. Even thoughForcesis seen as a game that didn’t harness its potential by many,Frontiersseems to be stepping in to do whatForcescouldn’t in a whole new way. Only time will tell ifForces’successor truly learns from its mistakes when the game arrives.
Sonic Forcesis available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
