Another month, another game for the SuperPod Game Club. This June we decided to play Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 - otherwise known as Sonic '06. Since none of us were able to beat Kameo last month, this was sort of a punishment for us. Heavy emphasis on the word "punishment". I would rather have fallen down a very long set of stairs than ever have to play this drunken pizza vomit of a game.
Let's see what everyone had to say.
Adam
"Sonic '06: The Hedgehog Who Ran Into a Wall of Bad Design"
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), commonly referred to as Sonic '06, is a game that has become infamous in the gaming community, and for good reason. Despite the high expectations set by the franchise and the beautiful cutscenes that hint at a promising experience, the game unfortunately falls short in many critical areas and this game is stuck on the Xbox 360 and PS3 for good reason.
Let's start with the positives. The cutscenes in Sonic '06 are undeniably gorgeous. The level of detail and the cinematic quality of these scenes showcase what could have been a visually stunning game. The character models are well-crafted, and the environments are richly detailed, making each cutscene a treat to watch. These moments offer brief glimpses into a world that could have been filled with excitement and adventure.
Unfortunately, the gameplay itself is where Sonic '06 fails spectacularly. The controls are unresponsive and clunky, making even basic maneuvers frustratingly difficult to execute. The camera system is notoriously problematic, often getting stuck or failing to provide a clear view of the action. This lack of control leads to numerous unfair deaths and a general sense of irritation. Additionally, the loading times are excessively long, breaking immersion, and my patience wore thin quickly.
The story is a convoluted mess. It attempts to juggle multiple timelines, characters, and plot twists, but ends up being confusing and nonsensical. The narrative lacks coherence, with many plot points feeling forced or downright absurd. Characters make inexplicable decisions, and the dialogue is often cringeworthy. What should have been an epic tale of heroism and adventure ends up being a bewildering and laughable experience.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) is a game that promised much but delivered little. Despite its beautiful cutscenes and the potential for a visually impressive game, the abysmal gameplay and nonsensical story drag it down to the realm of disappointment. For fans of the franchise, it serves as a cautionary tale of how not to execute a beloved series. While the graphics and cutscenes might provide some brief moments of enjoyment, they are not enough to save this game from its numerous flaws. A rating of 3/10 feels generous, but it acknowledges the few redeeming qualities amidst a sea of shortcomings.
Aaron
Let me start by saying that I tried to go into this with an optimistic view of the game. I like to think that even the most mediocre games have one or two redeeming qualities. Sonic 06 definitely does not. It doesn't even qualify as mediocre; it's just plain bad. So bad that I could only play about two levels before I would get visibly frustrated and turn my Xbox 360 off. I did not beat this game. I will not. I refuse.
Sonic 06 was meant to be a reboot of the series ahead of its 15th anniversary. What was going to be this great, explosive, turbo-mammal game turned out to be what'd you see your cat regurgitate onto your carpet. There are so many signs of what was almost a great Sonic the Hedgehog game, but it was unfortunately rushed to meet the holiday deadline with a smaller development team.
I don't even know where to begin, so let's look at some bullet points that I jotted down while I was playing.
- Controls feel slippery
- I died way too many times on the first level because the level design doesn't make sense
- NO AUTO SAVE. You'd better manual save when you have a chance
- Way too many loading screens
- Hub world is big and open, but also boring and bland
- You just homing attack every single enemy to death
- Silver makes funny stock UFO sounds when he floats around
- So many points in levels where you'd get somewhere > loading screen > someone talks > loading screen > and then you're fighting a gigantic boss or running from a huge tornado with no exposition or reason as to what the fuck is happening
That's pretty much it. I spent $30 on this goddamn game.
Tony
Thrak
I did not finish Sonic ’06 for the Game Club. You can revoke my Sonic license if you want, but man, this was a hard game to play at all. I got halfway through Sonic’s story before I noped out. I could not do more than two hours of it before giving up on a daily basis. I’ve played some shit in my day but holy hell this game is trash. The story is awful, the human redesigns are awful, the graphics look like ugly turds, the controls are some of the worst I’ve ever felt in a video game and the music is fine. Despite all of that, I still recommend you play this game. It is shocking how awful this game is, yet it is kind of amazing in this aura of terrible it radiates. One day I will finish it.
