Sonic Rivals

When you boot up Sonic Rivals, you would not be disappointed by the sleek menu layout, quick load times, and very very pretty graphics. On psp, Sonic Rivals attempts to blend traditional 2D gameplay with impressive new 3D graphics, unlike on nintendo consoles where the game stayed strictly in 2D territory. Still, it seems like Sonic does best when trapped in two dimensions. The trademark Sonic features are in the game, but poor design choices hold back the game from being as good as it can be. The game manages to emulate the feel of the original games very well, especially in the first set of levels, as you run around green checkered levels. Also impressive is the sense of speed, and the dynamic camera angles. Sometimes, the camera will move at an angle, attempting to make Sonic's journey through the world even more dramatic. While there is still some framerate slowdown, and blocky backgrounds at times, the game's fantastic color palette and speed really make it an eye-catcher. The controls themselves feel very much like old-school Sonic, and that's a good thing.

The levels are designed to have multiple paths, and at the blistering speed that the characters can reach at times, decisions will have to be made in a split second. Alternate paths will whizz by, and it is interesting to think that you can take a completely different approach to a level. It is very rewarding when you manage to discover a whole new way of racing through a level. One of the surprisingly nicest additions to this game are the boost areas where you press circle to dash forward, or x to jump up. It is simple, but learning to make the right choice at a moment's notice will certainly take some practice, and some memorization. The later levels come up with challenges that revolve around simply pressing the right button, and it is strangely satisfying. Another great aspect of the game are the boss fights. Although the encounters are short, they change up the formula slightly, and usually take place within a circular arena. It's your goal to land successful hits on top of the enemy's weak point, and the obstacles that prevent you from doing this easily can be engaging.

Although there are many great classic Sonic elements in the game, players will find themselves frustrated at many other poorly executed designs in the game. Firstly, the story is absolutely ridiculous, and actually detracts from the experience more than it helps. Dr. Eggman (instead of Robotnik!) for one reason or another has a camera with the ability to transform any photographed object into a card, and through sequences of awfully written dialogue, you race as one of four characters to stop him. The four characters (Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow, and Silver) all have their own stories, but they are absolutely painful to go through. Thankfully, the text explaining the story is very short, and can be quickly skipped. For some reason, it appears that the character you choose has no choice but to win in a race through the levels. This is the core premise of the game, and it is where many of the game's flaws become apparent. Each level is supposed to be a race, yet it will rarely feel like you are interacting with a character. The great branching levels in the game actually make it difficult for you to ever really be near your rival. This immediately removes a sense of competitiveness, and it also gets rid of any fairness. In later levels, you will find that a significant lead that you build over a character can mysteriously disappear. Characters will seemingly speed past you, and there is no way for you, as the player, to know why or how. There are power-ups throughout the level that can be used against your foes and, theoretically, this will allow players that are trailing to catch up to the leader. Unfortunately, you rarely see the effects of your mischief. However, if you get hit by a power-up, prepare to be annoyed; the effects can be severely race-destroying, as they send you to a crawl, which last for a fair amount of time. It is certainly not fun to get hit while racing up a hill. Not only does the power-up make you lose time, but you'll find yourself unable to progress further, without backtracking a bit too gain momentum yet again.

Still, with enough practice (me and yuqin was stuck at a particular stage for more than 5 races!) and memorization, any level can become entertaining, even with the dodgy racing system in place. You will find yourself choosing better routes through levels, boosting better, attacking more efficiently, and getting higher rankings at the end as a result. The game encourages repetition quite a bit, as the four different story modes go through the same levels, with no difference in how they play. All the characters control exactly the same, and with the exception of inconsequential signature move that each character possesses, there is no difference in playing as one of the characters. Although there are collectible "cards" that players are vouching for, with only one additional playable character and some bonus outfits available as rewards, there's not much incentive to collect the 150 cards. With slightly over a dozen levels, this game certainly won't last anyone a very long time. There are other modes, but they offer nothing new or interesting to the single player formula. Hopefully it is better when I try out the network mode with yuqin.. soon..

Circuit Cup looks to alleviate some of the problems with its out-of-order track selection, but one circuit requires advancement within Challenge Mode for access. Through its specific conditions for victory, Challenge Mode represents the biggest flaw of the game. Given its fast-paced and frantic nature, attaining a certain number of rings, attacking an opponent a certain number of times, or beating a level under a preset time will take numerous tries. That's good for replay value, but hiding a quality mode behind arbitrary goals and forcing players to repeatedly play through a level in their quest for variety doesn't indicate an intelligent design decision.

Sonic Rivals builds potential for a great return to true Sonic form. If Sega approached the series with this engine and removed the racing aspect, Sonic fans would have a true gem of a game to celebrate. However, Sonic Rivals is merely an frustratingly entertaining romp that's a bit too short for its own good.