Sonic X Shadow Generations preview: embracing the chaos (emeralds)
Double the hedgehog, double the fun
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
You can never have too much Sonic the Hedgehog. At least, that’s what the 2024 release calendar seems to indicate, with a star-studded film and a nostalgic remaster launching within a few short months of each other. While we haven’t yet wrangled a front-row seat to Keanu Reeves' hedgehog debut, we did go hands-on withSonic X Shadow GenerationsatGamescom 2024, revisiting beloved levels and bosses from previous entries in the series.
Being the blue blur
First off, I jumped into theSonic Generationsside of the demo, tackling the memorable Green Hill and Chemical Plant Zones.Sonic X Shadow Generationsreanimates the vibrant visuals while maintaining the original essence, ultimately delivering a fresh but familiar feel. I had forgotten how meditative it can be to bounce between enemies and speed around loop-de-loops as the iconic blue blur. Through pastoral knolls and industrial highrises, I thoroughly enjoyed launching off of bounce pads and Akira-sliding under obstacles in search of more precious golden rings and elusive high scores.
Once I’d exhausted my time with Sonic (and bagged a few S-tier runs), I switched over toShadow Generations, the entirely new section of this nostalgic bundle pack. Visiting Kingdom Valley fromSonic ‘06and Space Colony Ark fromSonic Adventure 2, I put Sega’s resident bad boy through his platforming paces.
Mossy ruins and mechanical pumps set the moody tone, the environmental dressing coordinating carefully with Shadow’s visual aesthetics. Sharp electric bursts and neon warps telegraphed his gnarly movement, elevating the core gameplay loop of boosts and enemy targeting. Shadow’s moment-to-moment platforming mirrored Sonic’s almost exactly, but he can also wield a series of character-specific powers that diversify his moveset, and nod towards the dark hedgehog’s tumultuous past.
Controlling the chaos
Perhaps the most valuable skill in Shadow’s arsenal is Chaos Control, which allows him to freeze time and redirect his movement or get the upper hand on a group of enemies. Shadow also boasts a suite of transformative Doom Powers that bolster his combat and platforming abilities, and provide solutions to environmental trepidation, like dangerous liquid surfaces. The gooey, Venom-esque uppercuts of Doom Blast stood out as a clear favorite. I never found myself overwhelmed by the difficulty inShadow Generations, but the additional abilities allowed for more creativity in my platforming and certainly encouraged me to replay the stages in search of new paths.
Where Shadow’s Chaos powers pull from the notorious and eponymous emeralds, the Doom powers are drawn from The Ultimate Life Form’s vaguely biological parent, Black Doom, who first appeared in the extraordinarily edgy spinoff, 2005’sShadow the Hedgehog. Black Doom will be the antagonist inShadow Generationstoo, popping up during levels to taunt the antihero through space and time.
A safe but solid package,Sonic X Shadow Generationsoffers updated looks and extra moveset theatrics, but it’s not so concerned with revitalizing the gameplay formula that fans will already be overly familiar with. There’s a lot to love here if you’re a Shadow the Hedgehog fan, though - and if you’re yet to dive intoSonic Generations, that’s a formidable chunk of top-tier platforming content to get lost in that hasn’t aged at all since its original 2011 release date.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Either way, you’ve not got long to wait to embrace your inner edgelord.Shadow X Sonic Generationslaunches on October 25 forPS5,PS4,Xbox Series XandSeries S,Xbox One,Nintendo Switch, and PC.
You might also like…
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is coming to PS5 with PS5 Pro support at launch
You’ve got until later today to vote for your Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards
Black Friday is here: Sony XM5 over-ears drop to their lowest-seen price – act fast!
