Pros: The return of Shadow, good old Sonic-style gameplay
Cons: Switching Formations can hinder the fun at times, losing lives at the worst times
The Bottom Line: Sonic Heroes brings back good times despite some flaws. Get it or you'll regret it. And to the other girls: No, you STILL can't have Shadow.
NOTE: The title is Japanese for "It's all for Sonic's sake" or "That's all for the sake of Sonic". It a pun from the Excel Saga opening theme (Sore wa subete ano kata no tame).
INTRODUCTION
After turning the big 1-8, a girl heads to the mall. The first thing on her mind (aside from playing Soul Calibur II at the arcade and getting the last two Excel Saga DVD volumes that she needed to complete her collection) was Sonic Heroes. She bought the game and the stragety guide. She got home and eventually played the game. Nearly a month later, she has beaten the game with every team (including last) and now she's working on getting A ranks.
Yes, that girl was me, in case you're wondering.
STORY
Team Sonic (aka "The Speed Demons")
Sonic was doing his usual running around one day when Tails and Knuckles fly by in the Tornado (2, perhaps?). Tails hands Sonic a letter from Eggman, who plans to conquer the world in three days. There were mixed emotions toward this. Tails was worried, Knuckles was confident, and Sonic seems sure that he can crack Eggman in three seconds. And with that, the three head off to save the world for the...hey, how many times DID they save the world anyway?
Team Dark (aka "Mysterious and Sexy")
Rouge, hearing the word about a secret treasure, drops by Eggman's base. Instead of finding a ridiculously huge amount of money and jewels, she finds Shadow in a pod. *grumbles in jealously* Meanwhile, Omega wakes up and, with some crazy thought that my darling Ultimate Life Form is one of Eggman's robots, starts firing at Shadow the minute he's freed. Shadow gets Rouge out of the way. After what seems to be a mix between a death match and the Fourth of July, Rouge breaks up the fight and gets the 411. Omega's mad at Eggman for being cooped up so long, and Shadow has come down with a case of amnesia. Rouge decides that the best way to find an answer to this situation is to hunt down Eggman.
Team Rose (aka "The Epitome of Cuteness")
Amy was looking at a news paper article that had a picture of Sonic. However, she was looking at it at possibly the worst place, because it got blown away (twice to be specific). And it would've been lost forever if it weren't for Cream and Big. They need that article more than Amy for two reasons: Froggy, Big's longtime bud; and Chocola, Cheese's twin brother. Amy decides that it would be best to find them ASAP, so Team Rose moved out.
Team Chaotix (aka The "So Hilarious, They Ought to Be Illegal" Comedy Relief)
Vector listening to his music and Espio either sleeping or REALLY deep in thought...a typical day in the Chaotix detective office. That is, until Charmy barges in with a package. After Charmy's collision course with Vector, the package goes flying into the air. Espio, not letting the valuable get the same treatment Vector had, shoots a knife at the wall to catch the package. The package opens, and out comes a walkie-talkie (Hey, you try to come up for a better name for it!) which Vector franctically catches it. Good thing, too, because it was from the latest client who promises a handsome payment if the Chaotix take on a case. Espio's not too thrilled with this, but Vector reminds him of the policy to always accept work with hefty payments. With justice and riches in their minds, Team Chaotix head out for their case.
THE 411
Okay, first off, there's no shooting and no Emerald hunting. The routine here is get to the end of a level at speeds that may put your health at risk. Well, for Teams Sonic, Dark, and Rose anyway. Team Chaotix offers mission-based gameplay, but it's not as rough as the Emerald Hunting in Sonic Adventure 2 was. The big thing in Sonic Heroes is being able to control a team of three. That's right. You're controlling three characters at once. Tres. Trois. San. Teams come with the following:
Speed Formation: Capable of Homing Attacks, Tornado attacks, Rocket Accel, and pure speed to blame for upset stomachs. Comes in Sonic, Shadow, Amy, and Espio.
Flying Formation: Capable of Thunder Shoot for those pesky escape-to-the-sky-when-the-going-gets-tough enemies and flying for short periods of time. Comes in Tails, Rouge, Cream, and Charmy.
Power Formation: Capable of shooting the other two members at enemies, breaking rocks, and great for the kinds of enemies that can't be cracked too well with the other two formations. Comes in Knuckles, Omega, Big, and Vector.
However, they are some impatient people who just want to blow all of Eggman's robots of the face of the earth. That's where Team Blast comes in. The Team Blast meter can be filled by collecting rings and getting rid of enemies. When it's full, you can use the attack to clear away enemies, put some major damage on bosses, and take advantage of an additional effect.
Also, the Special Stages make a return and comes in two flavors. Bonus (odd numbered stages) and Emerald (even number stages). Bonus is for getting extra lives, and Emerald is for getting Chaos Emeralds. In order to get to a Special Stage, you get a key in a level and beat the level. Bonus Challenge has a time limit for you to reach the Goal Ring, while the Chaos Emerald races you in the Emerald Challenge. Beat the time limit/Emerald by collecting Power Orbs to fill up your meter for a speed boost. Trust me, you need all the help you can possibly get.
Finally, my opinions.
GRAPHICS: 10
I could just stare at the game's graphics all day. The levels are beautiful (I fell in love with Ocean Palace and Casino Park), the characters look really good, and just about everything else is pure eye candy.
SOUND: 10
I adore the music. I really do. The songs are great (I'd even took some extra time to put the lyrics to one in this review). Team Sonic's theme can get addicting at times, Team Dark's theme made me love Shadow even more as well as make me like Rouge and Omega almost as much, Team Rose's theme is fun to listen to whenever you're bored (although it seems to be better off for CardCaptors, but that's just me), and Team Chaotix is really good, as is the final boss song and the main theme.
And yes, the voices return. I can't see why everyone hates them. All the voices sound good, especially Shadow's. I couldn't help but notice that Tails has a new voice, and while not as good as his previous voices in the Adventure series, it's still easy (for me, at least) to like. And yes, I'm still trying to imitate the voices (Cream's just too easy to do!).
CONTROL: 10
Easy to get into like other Sonic games. A to jump, B to attack, X and Y to switch Formations, and Z for the deadly Team Blast.
GAMEPLAY: 8
Like I said, the objective is to get to the end of the level as fast as possible. However, you need to use all three formations at a certain point to do so. So, you'll find yourself switching often. In some areas, this can be a pain. Let's say you're knocked off a cliff and say to yourself "It's okay. I'll just switch to Flying Formation to save my skin!". That's fine and dandy, but the switch won't be made official unless you land on solid ground. Nine times out of ten, you'll be back on solid ground after you lose a life. Also, some enemies and bosses love to go on your nerves and rapid fire you to lose your Rings and then hit you again the minute you get back up. Fortunetly, you'll learn not to fall for that, beat them, and get free Power Cores (that raise your level and attacks that you have) as your reward. This can occur quite a number of times and is the main reason why almost no one can make it through the last level without losing 5 or 6 lives along with a few game overs. This would've gotten at least a 9 from me if this worked out a bit.
OVERALL: 9.5
Sonic Heroes is a great game. Great graphics, great music, quite a lot of stuff to keep you busy and then some.
And now, for your pleasure, I provide you the lyrics to the (rather popular) final boss theme, "What I'm Made Of" from the Triple Threat Vocal CD.
I don't care what you're thinking as you turn to me
'Cause what I have in my two hands in enough to set me free (set me free)
I can fight the feeling to resist it overtime
But when it's just too much to take, you sneak up from behind
"Is it me," you say, "you're looking for?"
Let me show you what I am and what I'm here for...here for...
Heeeeeeeeeey!
*Try to reach inside of me
Try to gain my energy
Let me show you just what I'm made of
Simple curiousity
Try to take a part of me
Let me show you just what I'm made of now
Like a million faces, I've recognized them all
And one by one, they all become the number as before (as before)
In the face of reason, well, I can't take no more
One by one, they've all become the black bomb on the floor
"Is it me," you say, "you're looking for?"
Let me show you what I am and what I have in store...in store...
Hey! Hey! Yeeeeeah!
*Repeat
You can take another lifelong try
You can take another try
(Guitar solo)
*Repeat
Try to reach inside of me (Let me show you just what I'm made of)
Try to gain my energy (Let me show you just what I'm made of)
Let me show you just what I'm made of
This concludes the longest review I've ever written.
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