Sonic x Shadow Generations is a nostalgia-filled serving that’s one of the series’ best — but it has one problem

If you’re a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog’s adventures, I’ve got bad news for you: his archnemesis one-ups him, and the new Sonic x Shadow Generations might leave you wanting more. But as a Shadow fan, this is the one I’ve been waiting for. Come on, it’s time we gave the anti-hero another game of his own! This trippy adventure through time and space feels like a breath of fresh air — and I can’t stop playing it.

Developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega, of course, Sonic x Shadow Generations is the latest single-player game that basically brings you two games in one: the 2011 Sonic Generations has been remastered, and you get a brand new Shadow Generations campaign. The latter gives you control of the red-eyed hedgehog as he makes his way through levels old and new and challenges bosses from previous games.

As you’d expect from a Sonic game, Sonic x Shadow Generations is fast-paced and doesn’t take very long to beat — even if you’re a completionist — and that’s perhaps my biggest issue with it. Because this game puts Shadow in the limelight and gives him powers that make him almost unbeatable, it feels too short.

Read on for my full Sonic x Shadow Generations review, where I’ll take you through why this is one of the series’ best games and why it gives the Blue Blur a run for his money…

Sonic x Shadow Generations: The Basics

• What is it? A two-in-one package consisting of a remaster of 2011's Sonic Generations featuring Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic as the playable characters, and a brand new Shadow Generations starring the anti-hero.
• Who is it for? This game is perfect for diehard fans of the Sonic franchise and newcomers alike, as you gain access to the old and the new.
• What’s the price? The standard edition of Sonic x Shadow Generations costs $49, with the digital deluxe edition available for $59 which includes a bunch of extra goodies.
• What other games has the developer made? Sonic Team has made all the games in the franchise, with Sonic the Hedgehog first releasing in 1991. The team has also made the Mario and Sonic Olympic games, and bizarrely, Mind Quiz: Exercise Your Brain.
• What games is this similar to? It’s an action platformer, much like previous games in the Sonic lineup, so it’s similar to Sonic Frontiers, but some mechanics bear a resemblance to the ones in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and even Rayman Legends.

Black-hearted evil, brave-hearted hero

First of all, let’s see if I can relate every section header to a song featured in a previous Sonic/Shadow game. Now, let’s move on to the main event: Shadow Generations. Chances are you’ve picked up this game to play as Shadow, and you’re in for a real treat.

Shadow’s up against Black Doom, the main antagonist of 2005’s Shadow the Hedgehog, and those who have played that game will be aware of the relationship between Doom and Shadow (I won’t give anything away, don’t worry). As it was revealed in the story trailer, you gain Doom Powers as you progress through the (nearly) six-hour-long campaign. I’ll leave it to you to discover these when you play, but my favorite are Doom Spears which can target up to five enemies and paralyze them — and you can then finish them off with a good ol’ fashioned homing attack.

All these powers prove that he truly is the ultimate life form, without a shadow of a doubt. They're also very fun to play around with, and will suit different play styles. Players who like stunning enemies before taking them out — or even unleashing a flurry of blows and teleporting next to the enemy — will really enjoy the versatility of his powers.

Shadow’s Doom Powers are essential to navigating levels, breaking through objects and activating traversal objects. The game is divided into six stages, each split into two acts. Finish both acts to unlock challenges that you must complete to unlock the final boss fight. I always preferred Act 1 as it's fully 3D so it’s more immersive, while Act 2 utilizes side-scrolling and 2.5D camera work.

Both acts play out in different dimensions, with Black Doom randomly bursting in and making the level look like the mirror dimension scene from Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness. You'll be gushing over how lovely the graphics are, especially the transitions between scenes. I love the new spin on old levels, such as Radical Highway and Rail Canyon, and there are different routes you can take to complete them.

Shadow also has the power of Chaos Control in his hands which slows time down for five seconds, so you might really enjoy punching an object 10 times and then seeing it launching towards the enemy. Chaos Control is most useful in the challenges as they require you to use Shadow's powers. But while the challenges are fun, they get old real quick. Some of them require you to reach the goal with just one ring in hand while avoiding spiky objects, and after a while, they start feeling repetitive.

With both campaigns combined, you get access to over 150 stages, so while Shadow Generations doesn't take too long to complete, there is plenty of unlockable content to discover.

What I’m made of

Bosses from previous Sonic/Shadow titles make an appearance in Shadow Generations, and like me, you might be overcome with nostalgia and happiness when your favorite pops up. There are three you must defeat before facing off against the big bad wolf, and one of them is Metal Overlord, which is why I picked this header.

You face him in Sonic Heroes — which I remember very fondly — as Crush 40’s “What I’m Made Of” soundtracks the fight and it’s a powerful tune you can’t help but bob your head to. When it started playing in Shadow Generations, I couldn’t help but smile ear to ear.

The music in both campaigns is outstanding, just as I expected. Each stage is accompanied by thumping basslines and guitar riffs, and some of Crush 40’s bangers, like All Hail Shadow, make an appearance too. There’s also an option to choose a song of your liking to play for every stage and challenge, but you’ll need to unlock chests scattered across Shadow’s White Space, or by collecting musical notes and red rings in Sonic’s world. There's lots of optional content such as this, so if you're a completionist, it'll be right up your alley.

Blurring into the background

Oh, and Sonic’s there too. I, by no means, want to downplay the Sonic Generations remake. Shadow Generations has been living in my head rent-free but now that I’ve talked about it, let me tell you that you’re getting a great deal, especially if you haven’t played the original.

The resolution has been upscaled to a more stable 60fps, and in my testing, the game performed very well with no frame rate drops. Also, all voices have been rerecorded and I much prefer them over the original. Levels remain the same but there’s now a hidden Chao waiting to be found on each one, and both Sonics get the drop-dash ability.

But that’s it. Fans of the original might be left feeling a little short-changed as nothing else has been added. Alas, Sonic Generations will continue living in the shadow of its emo counterpart. It’s made worse when you play one after the other and notice the difference in the cinematics and controls.

Sonic Generations feels clunky and nowhere near as smooth as Shadow Generations when it comes to cutscenes and scene changes. Sonic’s powers feel underwhelming in comparison to Shadow’s too. Here I am, killing enemies with my Doom Spears while Chaos Control slows down the timer — and then there’s Sonic, whose strongest ability is dashing until the Boost Gauge runs out.

I still had fun playing Sonic Generations as some of my fondest gaming memories involve that game, but after beating Shadow Generations, I don’t think I could go back to the former. My advice for anyone picking up this game would be to play the remake first. Play them the other way around and you might not want to finish Sonic Generations at all.

Sonic x Shadow Generations: Verdict

If you enjoyed the original Sonic Generations or haven't played it but love the franchise, Sonic x Shadow Generations is very easy to recommend. The only reason the Blue Blur's campaign feels underwhelming is because you'll naturally compare it to Shadow Generations, which is a welcome addition and easily one of the best action platformers I've played in years. Shadow's Doom Powers and Chaos Control allow you to complete stages in creative ways, and the game has the perfect dash of nostalgia, thanks to the return of old bosses and levels.

I really wish the new campaign was longer, though, as Shadow's powers and the 3D levels make you fall in love with his story. My only other complaint revolves around Sonic Generations. The new voice acting is great as is the 60fps performance, but not much else has been added which makes the remaster feel empty.

In the end, Shadow Generations brings some much-needed closure to his story and, if anything, it's only got me even more excited to see the red-eyed hedgehog cause chaos in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 later this year.