Review: Sonic x Shadow Generations Delivers the Definitive Sonic Experience

When Sega first announced Sonic x Shadow Generations, my excitement was somewhat cautious. Sonic Generations is a solid title! While the idea of new levels centered around my favorite Hot Topic hero sounded fun, I expected it to be nothing more than a modest addition. As a lifelong Sonic fan, I’m thrilled and genuinely surprised to say that Sonic x Shadow Generations has not only surpassed all of my expectations but firmly cemented its place as my favorite Sonic title to date.

Sonic x Shadow Generations combines a remastered version of 2011’s Sonic Generations with Shadow Generations, a standalone game inspired by but wholly distinct from the former. Players can choose between either game from the opening menu, meaning anyone who has already played Sonic Generations can jump straight into Shadow’s solo adventure.

Thanks to its bold visuals and timeless gameplay, Sonic Generations remains largely unchanged from its original release. The most significant difference is the addition of hidden chao throughout each stage, who make themselves at home in White Space (the game’s hub world) when collected. Dedicated Sonic fans will also notice that Sonic Generations features re-recorded dialogue to match the franchise’s current cast of voice actors, as well as rewritten lines influenced by fan feedback. Sonic and Tails are far less amnesic about their past adventures, and the blue blur’s awkwardly silent interactions after saving characters are no longer so silent (although still a little awkward). This version of the game also includes the Casino Nights Zone DLC and a Drop Dash ability for Classic Sonic from Sonic Mania.

Stages in Sonic Generations are reimagined versions of those from various Sonic games, such as Green Hill Zone, Seaside Hill, and my all-time favorite, City Escape. Act One of each stage features sidescrolling old-school gameplay with the ever-adorable Classic Sonic, while Act Two is centered around modern third-person “boost” gameplay. All levels have multiple challenges, such as introducing new abilities performed by Sonic’s rescued friends to reach the goal in new ways. Completing one stage’s challenge unlocks a Boss Key, which the player must collect to face new takes on iconic bosses and progress the story.

Although the story is admittedly weak compared to other mainline Sonic titles, Sonic Generations is a celebration of the franchise through and through. While few in number, levels are phenomenally designed, the music remixes are beyond incredible, and every second speeding around levels of my childhood evokes sweet nostalgia like no other — even more so now that Sonic Generations itself is over a decade old.

Any Sonic fan will sing the praises of Sonic Generations (often unprompted), but it’s Shadow Generations‘ unexpected brilliance truly steals the show, frankly blowing its predecessor out of the water in every feasible way. This single experience is the best Sonic title I have ever experienced, and I say this without a Shadow of a doubt. All it took was Sega to realize who the better hedgehog is around here. And maybe thirteen extra years of trial and error.

Shadow Generations unfolds concurrently with Sonic Generations, serving as a companion story that gives us more insight into the eponymous antihero. Black Doom (AKA the devil from the Bible) seizes the opportunity presented by Sonic Generation‘s timey-wimey chaos to both torment and empower Shadow, manipulating events from his past and future. The game borrows the base concepts of Sonic Generations, such as reimagined levels, White Space, and Boss Keys, but flips it on its quilled head with a fresh gameplay style influenced by Sonic Frontiers and Shadow’s moveset.

Rather than Sonic’s homing dash, Shadow directly teleports to and destroys enemies, which feels especially satisfying in sections filled with enemies. Additionally, Shadow can utilize Chaos Control to freeze time, turning deadly obstacles into stepping stones to push him along his path. If that wasn’t enough for you, Black Doom’s plan to perfect Shadow regularly adds new Doom Powers to the mix, introducing new attacks and methods of traversal, including wings that entirely transform the feel of stages.

Like Sonic Generations, stage Acts switch between sidescrolling and behind-the-character gameplay, though, unlike its inspiration, Shadow keeps the same controls and powers throughout the game. Boosts are constantly available and make stages feel swift and engaging from start to finish. As another anthesis to his blue counterpart, Shadow’s stages feature epic cinematic sections, often warping stages through different points in time while Doom’s Eye taunts Shadow and the player both. Shadow Generations‘ stages, including its boss fights, capture the perfect blend of unintrusive cinematic moments with phenomenal level design and fluid gameplay, resulting in some of the most incredible and immersive experiences in any 3D platformer.

The handful of redesigned boss fights are among the best in the series, improving battles from previous titles in unexpected ways. Biolizard was particularly impressive after entering Shadow Generations hot off the heels of a recent Sonic Adventure 2 playthrough. No bosses or stages are tough, focusing more on the experience than the difficult. However, speedsters looking for a challenge can still find it in the form of S Rank completions, speedrunning, and collectibles.

Between stages, Shadow finds himself in an entirely open-world version of White Space in a similar fashion to Sonic Frontiers, which Takashi Iizuka told us is the direction 3D Sonic titles will be heading in the future. As Shadow gains new Doom Powers throughout the story, new areas that lead to hidden collectibles and challenge modes required to progress become accessible. White Space is a brilliant playground for playing with Shadow’s new powers and is much more engaging than Sonic Generations‘ equivalent. While attempting to reach the next objective occasionally could be mildly inconvenient when I only wanted to progress, this take on a hub world was appreciated overall.

The game’s narrative is a colossal step up from Sonic Generations, diving into Shadow’s past with cinematics and dialogue that doesn’t sell itself short. There are genuinely touching moments in here, paired perfectly with grandiose goosebump-inducing scenes, bringing me back to my youthful awe of Sonic Adventure 2. My childhood notion that Shadow the Hedgehog is possibly the coolest thing humankind has ever conceived may be valid after all.

Make no mistake that Shadow Generations‘ narrative, while fantastic, is relatively short and straightforward. The game’s 4-5 hour length does not leave enough room for a Shakespearean tale of the ages, but it does achieve what it sets out to accomplish.

Shadow Generations’ environments and visuals predominantly look fantastic, consistently bursting with warm colors and vivid detail. Certain small aspects could better use modern hardware and are likely held back by being available for the previous generation. However, its presentation is still gorgeous throughout the majority of the experience. The game runs smoothly on PlayStation 5 in 4k. While there are occasional minor frame drops with default settings, adjusting to prioritize performance in the settings results in a buttery-smooth experience while still looking great.

As expected from any Sonic title, Shadow Generations delivers an incredible soundtrack featuring remixes of iconic tracks and original compositions that perfectly fit the game’s high-speed, high-thrill action. With more songs available as rewards from collectibles, the game uses the clever lure of certified bangers to increase playtime. An impressive move if you ask me. Music aside, the overall sound design is one of many aspects that make Shadow Generations as brilliant as it is, with the unmistakable chirp of rings and bounce of springs emitting from the DualSense’s speaker enhancing this even further.

The only thing letting Shadow Generations down is truly its length. Like Oliver Twist begging for edgy hedgehogs rather than oatmeal, I want more. More time to let the story develop, more character interactions and more of the magic Sonic Team got right. That said, including Sonic Generations in Sonic x Shadow Generations for less than the price of a AAA title is a phenomenal deal and a must-buy for any Sonic (or Shadow) fan. Shadow Generations isn’t trying to be a full mainline Sonic title with a 15-hour campaign. It’s just so exemplary that I wish it were.

Oh, and there’s no motorbike. Now, guns, I can understand, but no bike? In a standalone Shadow game? Shadow may have wings, rideable aliens, and the ability to teleport, but the bike is too cool to omit, Sega. Bring it back. The Chao Garden, too.

Sonic x Shadow Generations is a love letter to the fans and the definitive Sonic title. It combines an already beloved title and builds upon its foundations to create a fluid, fast, and fun experience that can only be described as the best Sonic game to date. All we need now is a new Chao Garden.

Sonic x Shadow Generations is available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC.