So I was understandably excited to hear that Shadow would be receiving his second solo game, Shadow Generations, bundled alongside a remaster of 2011’s Sonic Generations. I’ll briefly touch on the Sonic side of things and say that it’s a perfectly sound rerelease. Not much has been added to the game aside from some rewritten dialogue and a few new challenges, but having such a great game repackaged for modern consoles with a fresh coat of paint is never a bad thing.
The main attraction here though is of course Shadow's story. The reason why I mentioned Shadow’s 2005 game at the start of this review is because, even though the game is so closely tied to Sonic Generations, it’s story feels far more like a sequel to Shadow’s first solo adventure. Investigating an unusual bio-signature aboard the Space Colony ARK, Shadow comes face-to-face with his past foe and alien creator Black Doom, and is transported to a White Space similar to the one featured in Sonic’s story.
Unlike the blue hedgehog’s hub world, though, the one seen in Shadow’s campaign is extremely fleshed-out, and acts more like a bite-sized version of the open zones of Sonic Frontiers. The area is packed to the brim with collectables to unlock and challenges to play. But unlike the Starfall Islands of Frontiers, which often felt spacious for the sake of it, Shadow’s hub is incredibly dense. No space went wasted as every corner I turned had something new in store, and its structure has far more sense to it, stringing together the game’s six main worlds in a tidy and sensible fashion.
Shadow Generations’ controls and physics are also a tweaked version of what we saw in Sonic Frontiers. Movement feels faster, freer, and more responsive now, making platforming and exploration far smoother, whether it be within the White Space area or one of the levels. Shadow also comes with a new set of Doom Powers granted to him through his alien heritage, which all add an extra layer to the gameplay, as well as his iconic time-stopping power Chaos Control. There are so many unique and exciting opportunities to use these abilities, and those lightbulb moments where I finally figured out how to access an area or make a tight skip by using one of them were so gratifying.
Each zone is a location taken from Shadow’s past (or future), and are all split into 2 acts: one being fully 3D and the other 2D. The level design is immaculate, featuring some of the best speed stages we’ve seen since, well, the original Sonic Generations. The levels focus on quick, reaction-based inputs, high-speed platforming and alternate pathways. They’re some of the most expansive stages I’ve ever seen in a Sonic game, and the sheer number of ways to get to the goal adds an insane amount of replayability.
As for the game’s boss battles, Shadow faces off against a handful of his most famous opponents, in fights that feel heavily inspired by Sonic Frontiers’ titan battles through their cinematic emphasis. But unlike those bosses, Shadow Generations makes sure not to sacrifice spectacle for gameplay, integrating the excitement into the fights far better. The transitions between cutscene and gameplay are seamless, and the enemies’ attacks are better telegraphed, which allowed me to react much easier to what was going on than I could to Frontiers’ Wyvern or Knight.
It doesn’t need to be mentioned, but the soundtrack is as stellar as ever. Jun Senoue returns as sound director, famous for leading many OST’s across the series, including the original Shadow The Hedgehog. Alongside a team of collaborators, Jun delivers a Rock and EDM-inspired set of songs that match the full-throttle gameplay perfectly. Some personal highlights include the heavy guitar riffs on the “Supporting Me” remix and the silky synths heard in both “Sunset Heights” stages.
Whether you look at it as the second half to Sonic Generations or an evolution of the Frontiers formula, Shadow Generations is a huge success. Nearly 20 years on from his buggy, confusing, and over-the-top edgy game from 2005, Shadow the Hedgehog finally has a game to write home about. It’s one of the most focused, polished and tight campaigns the series has to offer, failing to falter once in its five-hour campaign. This gameplay style feels like the new way forward for the Sonic series, and hopefully acts as a reason for Sonic Team to give Shadow the spotlight more often.
★★★★½
