This game is good and bad at the same time. But what can I say? Every game has its ups and downs. (Real Score: 7.
BART24/7's VIDEO GAME REVIEWS OF THE CENTURY!!!
Okay, since I mentioned Team Sonic, it's obvious what Sonic game I'm reviewing. Sonic Heroes for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, making Sonic's debut on the system. Made in 2004 by Sega, the makers of other Sonic games and arcade titles like House of the Dead, and developed by Sonic Team, this game is pretty much a bridge between Sonic Adventures 1 & 2 as seen on the Sega Dreamcast. Same gameplay mechanics as well, only this time you're controlling 3 characters. You have 4 teams you can play as, with their own difficulties:
> Team Sonic, consisting of the 3 bad boys of gaming, Sonic, Miles "Tails" Prower, and Knuckles. Normal Mode, for those who like playing the same old, same old, such as myself.
> Team Dark, consisting of gaming's badass Shadow, Rogue, and a robot. Hard Mode, and meant for expert platformers.
> Team Rose, consisting of Sonic's "sweetheart" Amy, Cream, and Big the Cat (who had his contract voided and is now on the streets somewhere in Las Vegas). Easy Mode, and starts with a training level.
> Team Chaotix, consisting of Dick Tracy wannabe Vector, Charmy, and Espio. Mission mode for those who play too much Grand Theft Auto in their lifetime.
The game is really what you'd expect out of a Sonic game, right? WRONG! The Gamecube, PC, and Xbox versions are far more superior than this version. This version is not fast, and doesn't reach 30 FPS (frames per second), but it does capture the classic Sonic Adventure gameplay feel, and that's good. Also, Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast also did not reach 30 FPS, so I'm not biased.
Here's the story (or stories):
Team Sonic > Dr. Eggman (I am the walrus, kookookuchoo) is at it again by planning to rule the world in 3 days, and it's up to Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to work together to stop Dr. Eggman from reaking havoc. I think we have seen this thing a lot of times before.
Team Rose > Amy is searching for Sonic, Cream is looking for Cheese's friend name Chocolo Chao, and Big is looking for his best friend Froggy (don't ask). So then it turns out that they get the news that Dr. Eggman is reaking havoc again, and they do the same thing Team Sonic is doing.
Team Dark > Shadow is searching for his past, and the robot is mad at Eggman for being a reject, and Rouge pretty much joins them to find Eggman. Bad idea...tisk tisk.
Team Chaotix > Yeah, they're detectives. They get a job from some guy speaking in a walkie talkie, to find Eggman and bring him to justice. Good thing for Charmy, because he loves stinging convicts with his stinger on his ass.
The Final Story, you need to find out on your own by completing all 4 of these stories and collecting all 7 Chaos Emeralds. We have seen that MANY times before.
First, the graphics. This game has good graphics and textures. The game is lush, colorful, and overall, beautifully done. The only gripe I have is that there are some glitches involved, like when you get thrown off the track on a loop-de-loop, landing in the water in the process, causing you, the player, to lose a life. No fair.
Second, the sound and music. The sound is okay, only Tails sounds like he's whining the whole time by saying lines like "Whoa, my heads spinning" and "Their attack is mounting! Keep your guard up!". Expect to have a migrane only once while playing, hearing all those lines. It sounds like my little sister, and it's not funny. BUT, it does redeem itself because of the music, done by Crush 40. Rockin' tunes occupy the soundtrack, and you know how much I love rock n' roll in my video games. The sounds are okay. Some of the sounds you hear are just sounds you previously hear in other Sonic games like passing a checkpoint.
Third, the gameplay. If you have played Sonic Adventure 1, 2, or both, it's the same thing, only you control 3 characters, as I said in the beginning. You can switch the characters by pressing either the Triangle button or the Circle button to cycle through the characters. Above the character wheel, you have a Team Blast gauge. You fill it up by attacking enemies and collecting rings. When it's full, hit the R1 and you'll do a special attack. Sonic's team throws Sonic in the air, and starts zipping away all over the screen, making one hit kills, well except for the boss fights. Amy's team, I don't really care about, but I can tell you it's really girly. Shadow's team use Chaos Control to blast away at his enemies. And Espio's team turns into a rock band and gets into a musical rage. Apparently, Espio's and Amy's Team Blasts are just annoying, but useful, so that's a good thing.
During the game, expect to die 3 or more times. If you get through the last level in one try constantly, I salute you, because I only did it once. Overall, I like this game, but this game can be frusterating. Be honest with me, this game can be a pain in the ass, but once you plan your strategies right, you'll do fine. This game is good and bad at the same time...seriously. But what can I say? Every game has its ups and downs. This is a decent game that any Sonic fan might enjoy, just don't get upset like I did and gulp down a 1/3 of a can of Pepsi, Coca Cola, etc. Hell, it may be beer. Just don't do it. This game can be worth a rent, but for Sonic fans, it's worth a buy. If you don't like it, why did you even bother reading this in the first place?