Sonic Rush?

[Orion]

Well, I was planning on asking about the game in the previous thread, but meh.

I've heard a lot of good things about this game, but none of the reviews have me convinced that the game is worth my money. What's really so special about it that people are saying it's the greatest sonic game since the Genesis incarnations? I'm not the biggest sonic fan, so would someone like me really enjoy it?

[jman2050]

(Note to self: Make sure when you create threads not to rely on the fact that you can fill them up with stuff later.)

Obviously I am biased, but I can do my best to answer objectively. Basically, if you come in expecting a resurgance of the structured, closed-in environments of the Genesis games, get that out of your head immediately. Sonic Rush is quite a different beast from the original games and even the Advance games that they more are more similar to. The emphasis is on really speedy platforming, but unlike the one-dimensional Advance games, Sonic Rush's level design actually encourages you to play the game and take advantage of all the neat tricks and abilities your character has rather than pressing right the whole way through while pressing jump occasionally. Also, while the design does get a little cheap later on (hello bottomless pits), the design is fair, and when things go awry it will be your fault.

Besides this, the biggest addition and change to the gameplay is the tension gauge, the meter on the left side of the screen. As you defeat enemies and perform tricks (another addition), the bar increases. With it you can activate a boost that instantly speeds you up while allowing you to plow through any enemy in your way. The gauge decreaes rapidly, so a big part of the gameplay is building up your tension gauge and using the boost at the proper times to speed through the level and defeat enemies. There's also, of course, the two screen thing, which ends up being rather helpful in finding alternate routes, and is actually a neccesity later on.

Oh yeah, and the bosses are an exponential upgrade over any other sonic bosses before. They're in 3D, and they require a bit more strategy and reflexes to defeat, rather than the 'swing a wrecking ball from side-to-side'-esque bosses we're used to.

Other than that, it's just... better. Not like the Genesis games really, but all in all very fun, and a perfect evolution to the franchise unlike the Advance games, which felt more like lower-grade spinoffs.