Sonic's back and his 10 years old as well but still strutting his stuff.

Sonic Adventure 2 was always going to be a massive title for dreamcast fans; the original sold extremely well on the console’s launch, it’s his 10th birthday, it’s one of the last key titles for the machine and hey it’s Sonic, Sonic is Sega simple as that.<br><br>Despite being very impressed with Sonic Adventure, ultimately I came away with a twang of disappointment, Sonic Team never let me down and yet this just wasn’t quite there, it wasn’t bad it just didn’t have that Sonic Team quality when it came to actually playing the game. It’s faults were well documented, graphical glitches, camera problems, occasional control issues and an over the top adventure plot that contradicted everything that Sonic was about, who cares about finding stones I just wanted to whiz through a few levels.<br><br>Thankfully Sonic Team have addressed most of these issues, leaving us with a game that sits nicely amongst the calibre of it’s processors but not quite exceeding any (except Sonic Adventure 1).<br><br>As you’ll probably know the game’s storyline has been divided into two main sections, Hero and Dark, with three characters in each. Like the first game each character has a different storyline that interchanges with each other, but rather then completing the game with one character and moving on to the next, you’re given each one in turn, complete a level with Sonic and the next level will be Tails, it’s a little change but helps to encompass the game more then the segmented feel of the original.<br><br>The stages in Sonic Adventure 2 are split into three distinct gameplay styles. The levels for Sonic/Shadow are familiar platform material and hark back to days of old as you’re sent whizzing through the stages, bouncing off springs, into giant loops and swinging off vines, at the same time dealing with enemies and trying to collect as many rings as possible.<br><br>Tails/Dr. Robotnik both pilot mechanical robots and hence the levels play more like a shooter, there’s the traditional platform elements but most of the time you’ll be taking down the enemy with lock-on’s and cannon fire. For those that associate Sonic with speed, this levels can be a bit too slow paced and feel slightly out of place in a Sonic game, however when the action heats up the stages do get significantly better. <br><br>Finally, levels for Knuckles/Rouge feature strong exploration elements. Most of the time it involves searching for emeralds and occasionally borders on frustration, as the levels are huge, however it’s a good chance to explore the beautifully crafted environments that Sonic Team have created.<br><br>Before the game’s release much has been said of Sonic’s new abilities; Rail-grinding and being able to swing on poles. They are used significantly throughout the game, helping to take Sonic through the levels at top speed, thanks to the learning curve you’ll be able to master these and impress everyone as you send Sonic racing through the streets at intense speed. There are also power-up’s for each character in specific levels, learning these are instrumental to progressing through the game.<br><br>One problem that rears it’s ugly head is camera controls, despite being immensely improved over the original game there are still times when you’re facing a blind jump or slip up because of poor camera placement, it’s frustrating at times but not enough to warrant strong criticism. A neat little introduction is Sonic’s ability to wobble on a platform edge, at times you’ll be speeding through the levels and see the platform edge before you can do anything about it, thankfully this time Sonic will wobble on one leg for a short period giving you time to jump back on to safe land, it’s a little touch but helps to remove the frustration that built up in the first game.<br><br>Alongside Shenmue 2, Sonic Adventure 2 is the pinnacle of graphical excellence on the dreamcast. The character models now look smoother and more stylish then in the original thanks to an increase in the poly count. The texturing throughout is sublime, making most next-gen games look outdated. Each level is crammed with detail, so much so that at times you’ll just stand there and take every little detail in, whilst the specific scenes (such as the whale in the first game) are breathtaking. The framerate has also been increased, and problems with slow-down eliminated as it remains at a blistering pace throughout, no popup either. Overall it’s a fitting tribute to the dreamcast’s strengths.<br><br>Besides the story mode the game is jam packed with different modes giving you hours worth of play. To complete a level you must finish a certain objective, however each level has numerous other tasks to go back and complete, each one giving you a Sonic Emblem to collect and a grade for your performance. In total there are 180 different emblems to collect, like the original games on the Megadrive you can complete each level as you want, whether you want to speed through them to collect the time bonus or take your time to collect every ring, it’s entirely up to you.<br><br>Besides the 180 emblems there’s also a 2P mode that works differently depending on which character you select; Sonic involves racing against a friend, whilst playing as Tails in 2P mode you’ll have to shoot the other player. Like the original’s it’s not a major section but adds to the overall package. The Chao’s are still about and work in the same way as the original, however because the adventure sections have been removed you visit the garden after you complete each level, as long as you have found the Chao key located in each one. Lastly there’s a Sonic Kart mode that is unlocked after you’ve completed the game, sadly this isn’t anything to get excited about, but worth blasting about with for a few minutes.<br><br></p> <br /> It’s not without its problems, however I suspect dreamcast owners will pick this up mainly due to the lack of games available. If you liked Sonic Adventure you’ll love this, the major faults have been ironed out, leaving a streamlined sonic that’s nearly as good as the originals but not quite. <br />  </p> <br />