As a lifelong Sonic and Shadow fanatic, I’ve been eagerly awaiting this Sonic X Shadow Generations DLC like a caffeine-deprived hedgehog waiting for his next energy drink. The idea of playing as Keanu Reeves in a world sillier than the Matrix or Cyberpunk was just too enticing to resist.
In our home, we’re quite fond of Shadow the Hedgehog. For months now, my family has been eagerly anticipating Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and have been quite excited about Sega’s “Year of Shadow” campaign. So, given our enthusiasm, it’s not surprising that I was thrilled when the new DLC for Sonic X Shadow Generations was released. This expansion brings the actual Shadow into the world of Paramount’s upcoming movie, which is an intriguing concept. The idea of playing as Keanu Reeves in a setting even sillier than Cyberpunk or The Matrix is quite amusing. The DLC became available over the weekend, and I’ve been enjoying the new Tokyo level. All in all, it was a fun experience! Yay! Is that all? Yes, that’s it!
Experiencing this latest content feels like a thrilling adventure! As I stride into the White Space, a mesmerizing, purple fog emerges, transforming into a colossal ring upon my approach. Peering through its center, I’m transported to another world – specifically, Tokyo’s vibrant Shibuya ward. Upon arrival, I find myself altered in subtle yet significant ways: My fur has become rougher, my footwear more luxurious, and my voice seems to belong to a perplexed, middle-aged man reciting lines from a script. To be fair, this isn’t the voice you might recognize from the Sonic 3 trailers, which does slightly diminish the impact. However, it could just be that the trailers are misleading – maybe a Bane-like scenario where the trailers don’t accurately represent the final product. Only time will tell!
Regardless, Shadow quickly takes in his strange environment when he spots something familiar: the GUN emblem emblazoned boldly in yellow on a helicopter. Recognizing this as his enemies, Shadow decides it’s time to ignore the unusual voice and instead focus on giving that helicopter a good beating. The story unfolds from here, with Shadow chasing after his pseudo-cop adversaries, battling robots, and using chaos control to dodge missiles. As you progress, you’ll come across hidden posters that you can later view in the collection room to appreciate the new, cinematic Shadow model introduced in the DLC. All in all, it’s a delightful addition of fresh content and offers a tantalizing sneak peek of what’s to be expected in the upcoming movie.
The stage itself perfectly encapsulates what’s so special about Shadow Generations. I reviewed the game here a few months ago and I still think about how good it ended up being. 3D Sonic lives or dies by how “polished” it is, and Shadow Generations nails its pitched collection of gimmicks and mechanics better than anything before it. You feel it in the way this level especially arranges things like boost pads and airborne rings; in other Sonic games I’d see certain obstacles or alternate pathways set up and ignore them, knowing attempting them would be a battle against unstable physics. Here, I can see things and hit them almost without thinking, with the occasional misfire being immediately correctable.
In Tokyo, there’s an abundance of thrilling, exaggerated cutscenes, particularly when Shadow manages to catch up to that pesky helicopter. The way he wrestles with missiles, reminiscent of the Sonic films, is quite spectacular, then he clings to the aircraft and rips out the unfortunate soldier within, flinging him around like a toy. However, Shadow being the considerate character he is, ensures the soldier has a parachute. The scene reaches as close as the ratings boards would permit. Although these scenes are not interactive, they serve as a satisfying reward for overcoming the actual gameplay, and they don’t in any way detract from the experience. Moreover, if you’re skilled with Chaos Control, there are multiple helicopters to destroy in this sequence.
I found myself let down by the DLC, as it consisted of just one level. To be honest, one stage in a Sonic game isn’t particularly large; you might finish it in around two minutes. While there are additional challenge modes and opportunities for replay value (like chasing better times or finding missed posters), it still leaves you wondering if that’s all there is to the new content released months after the game’s initial launch. Additionally, Reeve’s participation is minimal, which makes it seem rather shallow in terms of substance as well.
I wasn’t completely surprised when the stage concluded without Sonic 3’s official trailer, instead resembling a bolder version of P.T.’s ending with that haunting Silent Hills teaser. Sega showed restraint by simply returning us to White Space after clearing Tokyo. Despite yearning for more content, given that Sonic levels usually consist of two or three acts, I still enjoyed causing chaos in Shibuya alongside Shadow. It was a delightful way to pass a few minutes during the weekend mornings, and it effectively reminded me that the new Sonic movie is approaching as we get closer to the holidays. And let’s be honest, at this point, I’d never refuse more Shadow Generations.
As a gamer, I’m thrilled to share that Sonic x Shadow Generations and the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie Pack DLC are now live on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, 5, Xbox One, and Series X|S. If you’ve gone for the Deluxe Edition, consider yourself fortunate because this DLC is a freebie! For those who haven’t, fear not, it’s available separately too. Happy gaming!
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2024-12-18 17:27