Sonic and the Secret Rings
Could this be Sonic’s first good 3D game since… ever?
Tags: Sonic and the Secret Rings Categories: Reviews, Wii Reviews
Posted by Jake McNeill on Mar 2nd, 2007
| Title | Players | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonic and the Secret Rings (title page) | 1 | ||
| Developer | Publisher | Genre | Online |
| Platformer | No | ||
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So Sonic has become something of an embarrassment over the years, and his recent attempt at a comeback on the PS3 and Xbox 360 was, in a word, disastrous. So, in a sense there was a lot riding on Sonic and the Secret Rings to salvage the franchise from ruin, although in another sense, if some gimmicky motion-control failed to bring Sonic back from the brink, it’s not like many people would be surprised or disappointed.
So which is it, then? Is Sonic and the Secret Rings the incredible game Sonic needs to prove he’s not completely washed up, or is it just another game in a long string of failures? Is the motion control gimmicky or does it actually bring something worthwhile to the game? Does this game live up to expectations or is it a disappointment? The answer, it seems, is that it’s a little bit of everything.
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This game’s story is like a cross between Arabian Nights and The Neverending Story, about an evil Djinn who’s trying to erase the classic tales of… it doesn’t really matter, does it? The story has never been Sonic’s strong suit, and this game is no exception. And while some might argue that the Arabian theme gives this game’s presentation a unique spin that sets it apart from other games in the series, the fact that the game’s third level is a dinosaur level shows that this theme is kinda’ paper-thin.
Sonic and the Secret Rings’ gameplay does a lot of things right and a few things wrong. The game design is rather inspired, taking a look at the 3D Sonic games and realizing that the best parts were when Sonic is running at top-speed, and making this game’s entire design center on this by making it an on-rails experience. Yes… gasp, shock, but really, this brilliant move cuts out all the crap that has filled every other 3D Sonic game. No exploring, no exploration, and only the most temporary of roadblocks.
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As a result, Sonic largely becomes a kind of racing game, and the game’s designers have wisely strengthened this connection by having players steer Sonic like a car, by tilting the Wii remote left and right. Jumps (still activated by a button press) now charge like your average snowboarding or skateboarding game, and Sonic walks backward when players tilt the remote backwards, and uses his homing attack when players push the controller forward, which works remarkably well to bring players into the experience.
In addition, the game also has special rings Sonic can equip that level up and gain special abilities as he progresses, allowing him to run faster, start with a ring bonus, or get multiple extra abilities. The way the game is set up, players must wisely choose which abilities to equip, giving this game a slight RPG element that adds a surprising amount of depth for a Sonic game.
The game also has a collection of multiplayer party games, which makes for a nice distraction, but is nothing to give Wario Ware or Rayman: Raving Rabbids a run for their money. Still, these minigames do add a little extra value to this package, and should help to add to its longevity, if only a little.
The game’s graphics are nothing special, but then they’re not particularly bad either. For the most part they’re par for the course for a Sonic game, although some areas are particularly inspired, such as the tutorial area that looks like a path of aging paper amidst a blazing whirlwind. The game often switches camera angles too, but because the game’s controls are so simple, this usually doesn’t interfere with the gameplay too much.
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Unfortunately, this isn’t quite the return to form Sonic fans have hoped for. Sonic’s left-right movement is a bit on the slow side, and the motion-sensing controls aren’t quite as responsive as they should be. Also, charging jumps just doesn’t seem quite right for a Sonic game, and the fact that you absolutely need to lock onto enemies before attacking them makes fighting enemies feel scripted. Then there’s the fact that, while Sonic can move backwards, the camera doesn’t seem to know that, refusing to assist the player at all if they need to turn around and get something they missed.
In addition, the game’s progress is dragged down by the numerous challenge mode levels Sonic must complete after finishing a level proper. These challenges take the game’s levels and swap around the enemies and bonus items, and then give Sonic a goal like “get 99 rings” or “go through the level without smashing any pots”. These goals are creative and interesting at first, but before long they start to get tedious and frustrating, because you’re often required to go through them in order to progress. As an optional bonus to extend the life of the game, these challenge levels would’ve been great, but being forced to go through them to move on means you’ll quickly start to feel like you’re replaying the same level multiple times.
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Because of their speedy nature, Sonic games really necessitate fresh surroundings, and especially in an on-rails game, different locales help to give the feeling that you’re actually progressing. Unfortunately, because of that these forced challenge levels work against the game, and that’s a shame, because otherwise Sonic and the Secret Rings may have very well been that comeback game Sonic has desperately needed. As it is, this game is a step in the right direction for the series, but there are too many problems to recommend the title whole-heartedly.
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
|
+ On-rails gameplay helps to keep the game focused on what Sonic is good at – speed + Annoying peripheral characters stay in the periphery, where they belong + Ring abilities give unexpected depth for a Sonic game |
7.0 |
| What Doesn't | |
|
- Controls sometimes feel unnatural and unresponsive - Challenge levels force the player to repeat the same level over and over |
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| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| This isn’t Sonic’s big comeback title. While better than the other Sonic games we’ve seen in recent years, Sonic and the Secret Rings still has too many problems to really shine. | |
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Tags: Sonic and the Secret Rings
Posted by Jake McNeill on Mar 2nd, 2007 and is filed under Reviews, Wii Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
