Sonic Heroes

Sonic Heroes

North American cover art
Developer(s) Sonic Team USA
Publisher(s) Sega
Director(s) Takashi Iizuka
Producer(s) Yuji Naka
Artist(s) Kazuyuki Hoshino
Writer(s) Shiro Maekawa
Composer(s)
Series Sonic the Hedgehog
Engine RenderWare[1]
Platform(s) GameCube
PlayStation 2
Xbox
Windows
PlayStation Network
Release date(s)
Genre(s) Platform
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer, Online (PC only)
Distribution (CD x2), (DVD x1), GameCube Optical Disc

Sonic Heroes (ソニック ヒーローズ Sonikku Hīrōzu) is a 2003 platform video game developed by Sonic Team USA and published by Sega for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows. It was first released on December 30, 2003 in Japan, and then on January 5, 2004 in the US. As part of the PlayStation 2 classics program, the PlayStation 2 version was re-released in Europe on the PlayStation Network in late February 2012[2] and September 17, 2014 in Japan. It is the first Sonic game to be released on Sony and Microsoft consoles.

Sonic Heroes is the eighth primary installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Set after the events of Sonic Adventure 2, the game's story follows the journeys of four individual teams of three on their search for the mad scientist Doctor Eggman. However, Sonic the Hedgehog's robot duplicate and nemesis, Metal Sonic, is secretly manipulating the game's events in a plan to eradicate his long time foe.

Gameplay

A screenshot of the PlayStation 2 version of Sonic Heroes.

Sonic Heroes is a platform game in which players navigate through numerous levels using teams of three characters. The game features four teams; Team Sonic, Team Rose, Team Dark, and Team Chaotix, each with their own campaigns. Team Rose, Team Dark, and Team Sonic represent easy, medium, and hard difficulties respectively, with the harder difficulties featuring longer stages and tougher enemies. Team Chaotix's levels, on the other hand, are mission based, requiring players to fulfill a specific objective in order to clear each level. Each team contains three character types; Speed, Power, and Flight, which the player toggles between at any time, also changing the team's running formation. Speed characters can perform homing attacks and light dashes, and can form whirlwinds to climb up poles, Power characters can break through objects and glide on air fans, and Flight characters can temporarily fly in the air and attack airborne enemies. By acquiring certain items or enemies, characters can level up, becoming more efficient when fighting against enemies.[3]

Like previous games, players collect rings to protect themselves and earn extra lives, which are lost if players are attacked with no rings, fall into pits, or fail certain objectives. By defeating enemies and collecting rings, players can build up a Team Blast meter, which can be used to perform a powerful attack that destroys all on-screen opponents, as well as activate certain abilities unique to each team.[3] By collecting a key hidden within each level and reaching the end of the level without getting hit, players can enter the Special Stage, in which players speed across a tube, collecting spheres containing boost power whilst avoiding obstacles. If the stage is entered via Act 2 of each zone, an Emerald Challenge takes place in which players must catch a Chaos Emerald before it reaches the end of the stage. If players can collect all seven emeralds and clear each team's story, an additional Last Story is unlocked. The game also features a multiplayer mode, in which two players can race or battle against each other.

Plot

The game takes place three months after the conclusion of Sonic Adventure 2, in which Sonic and Shadow the Hedgehog defeated the Finalhazard and saved the Space Colony ARK from crashing into Earth, Shadow presumed to have died in the process. Sonic is approached by his close friends Tails the Fox and Knuckles the Echidna, who give him a message from Doctor Eggman, saying he has developed an ultimate weapon that will take over the world in three days. As Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles form a team to stop Eggman, other teams are formed elsewhere with their own motives.[4]

Amy Rose, a pink hedgehog who is constantly in romantic pursuit of Sonic, teams up with Cream the Rabbit and Big the Cat, who are both searching for their missing friends, Chocola the Chao and Froggy the Frog, respectively. The only clue that Team Rose has of Chocola and Froggy's whereabouts is a photo that depicts Sonic running with their missing friends in his clutches.[5]

Rouge the Bat infiltrates one of Eggman's bases in search of treasure. There, she discovers a capsule containing Shadow, who has no memory and was presumed dead following the events of Sonic Adventure 2. The duo are attacked by a robot named E-123 Omega, who wants revenge against Eggman for sealing him in the room. After Rouge peacefully ends the fighting, the trio form a team to go after Eggman, hoping to find clues of Shadow's identity along the way.[6]

Finally, the Chaotix Detective Agency, consisting of Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon and Charmy Bee, receive a walkie-talkie from an anonymous client wishing to hire their services.[7]

Aiding each of the teams is Omochao, a robotic Chao who gives hints to the player.

Eventually, the teams arrive at Eggman's fleet and defeat him. Team Rose reunites with Chocola and Froggy. Meanwhile, Team Chaotix discovers that the Eggman who plotted the world domination scheme was actually a fake, as the real Eggman is the Chaotix's anonymous client, detained in a locked room. The fake Eggman is revealed to be Metal Sonic, who had disguised himself as Eggman in order to copy data from each of the teams, plus data of Perfect Chaos from Sonic Adventure, allowing him to transform into the powerful Metal Overlord.

Using the seven Chaos Emeralds to transform into Super Sonic, Sonic, along with Tails and Knuckles, defeats Metal Sonic and returns him to his regular form. As Metal Sonic laments his loss, Sonic tells him that he is ready for any challenge Metal Sonic throws at him before setting off with his friends on another adventure.

Development

Sonic Heroes was developed to celebrate the twelfth anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog.[8] The game's director, Takashi Iizuka, stated that he did not want to make Sonic Heroes a continuation of the Sonic Adventure series, as he was worried only core gamers would buy the title, and instead decided to create a game that more casual players could adapt to.[9]

Sonic Heroes uses the RenderWare engine so that the game could be programmed and ported easily to the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Microsoft Windows.[1][10] Despite being able to port some textures and character models from the Sonic Adventure titles, most work on the title was done from scratch.[10] Sonic Heroes was Sega's first multi-platform title, and the development team found additional challenges in working with the Xbox, a platform with which they had very little experience.[11]

The game was later released in a package with Super Monkey Ball Deluxe on Xbox,[12] then in 2009 as a part of Sonic PC Collection, and finally in 2012 for PlayStation Network.

Music

Jun Senoue returned to compose the majority of the music and theme songs for Sonic Heroes. The game features returning vocal talents Johnny Gioeli, Tony Harnell and Ted Poley, as well as new musicians Kay Hanley, Gunnar Nelson and rock band Julien-K. Iizuka has said that the intention was for the music to return to the roots of the Sonic experience and to be exciting and fast-paced.[13]

The Sonic Heroes Official Soundtrack was released in North America on November 9, 2004.[14] Triple Threat: Sonic Heroes Vocal Trax, which also includes the vocal theme songs from Sonic Adventure, was released in Japan on February 4, 2004.[15] Complete Trinity: Sonic Heroes - Original Soundtrax was released in Japan on March 3, 2004.[16] To commemorate the series' 20th anniversary, the game's official soundtrack was re-released on August 24, 2011 in Japan as Sonic Heroes Original Soundtrack 20th Anniversary Edition.[17]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GCPCPS2Xbox
GameSpot7.5/10[18]6.2/10[19]7.0/10[20]
IGN8.0/10[21]7.0/10[22]6.9/10[23]7.2/10[24]
Aggregate scores
GameRankings74.27%[25]60.00%[26]70.58%[27]75.21%[28]
Metacritic72/100[29]66/100[30]64/100[31]73/100[32]

Reviews of Sonic Heroes were generally mixed, with Metacritic ranging from 64% for the PlayStation 2 version, based on 29 reviews, to 73% for the Xbox version, based on 28 reviews.[33] GameRankings averages range from 60% for the PC version, based on 9 reviews, to 75% for the GameCube version, based on 35 reviews.[34]

GameSpot noted that the gameplay of Sonic Heroes came close to the series' 2D roots and praised the sound design, describing it as "inexorably linked" to the experience.[18] IGN called the sound "at least very pristine" with "perfectly implemented" sound effects, running in Dolby Pro Logic II.[3] Graphics design and environments were also highlighted, described as colorful, vibrant and cheery,[18] with consistent art design and an exceptionally vibrant color palette.[3] Framerate was also consistent for the Xbox, GameCube, and PC versions, although a drop in framerate in the multiplayer component was noted.[3][18]

The game's camera control system was an often-cited criticism, described as "uncooperative"[18] and "terrible".[35] Coordination between camera position and character movement also caused problems, such that pushing forward may not move the character in the same direction the camera is facing.[18] The game's voice acting also came in for criticism; it was described as "horrendous" and "the biggest misstep in the sound design".[18]

The PlayStation 2 version received lower average scores.[36][37] It suffered from clipping, graphic faults, and had a lower framerate than the other versions.[38]

In 2004, Sonic Heroes was the sixth bestselling game in the United Kingdom overall and was still at number eight in the all-price chart a year after its release. By October 2004, the game had sold over one million copies in Europe.[39] The game ultimately sold well enough to enter all three consoles' "best-sellers" lists: Greatest Hits/Platinum for the PlayStation 2, Platinum Hits/Classics for the Xbox, and Player's Choice for the GameCube.[40]

Legacy

For Sonic's 20th Anniversary, Sega released Sonic Generations, a game that remade aspects of various past games from the franchise. The PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC version contained a remade "Seaside Hill" level. The Nintendo 3DS version contained a remake of the "Egg Emperor" boss fight. Additionally, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing contained race tracks that are based on locations from Sonic Heroes, including the Seaside Hill, Casino Park, and Final Fortress levels. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed has a new racetrack that takes place in Seaside Hill, and also features a returning Casino Park racetrack.

Sonic Heroes introduced the character E-123 Omega, and reintroduced of Espio the Chameleon, Charmy Bee, and Vector the Crocodile, who first appeared in the game Knuckles' Chaotix in 1995.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Sega Chooses RenderWare For The Creation Of Sonic Heroes". 2003-05-27. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  2. ↑ "Sonic Heroes hits the European PSN Store...quietly". 23 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Casamassina, Matt (2004-01-05). "IGN: Sonic Heroes Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  4. ↑ Sega (2004). "Team Sonic". Sonic Heroes Manual. PC. Sega. pp. 4–5.
  5. ↑ Sega (2004). "Team Rose". Sonic Heroes Manual. PC. Sega. pp. 8–9.
  6. ↑ Sega (2004). "Team Dark". Sonic Heroes Manual. PC. Sega. pp. 6–7.
  7. ↑ Sega (2004). "Team Chaotix". Sonic Heroes Manual. PC. Sega. pp. 10–11.
  8. ↑ Barker, Ben (2003). "Sonic Heroes - An Interview with the Creators". Xbox.com. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  9. ↑ "INTERVIEW: Nights Watchman". Next Generation Magazine. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bedigian, Louis (2004). "Video Game News - Sonic Heroes Zooms, Spins and Dashes To a Console Near You". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  11. ↑ Interview section. "Yuji Naka and Takashi Iizuka Speak on Sonic Heroes". Sega. Archived from the original on March 21, 2006. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Sonic Heroes/Monkey Ball - XBOX". Game Rankings. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  13. ↑ http://www.1up.com/features/afterthoughts-sonic-heroes
  14. ↑ Goodnight, Lauren (2004-07-21). "Sonic Heroes Official Soundtrack - Mania.com". Mania.com. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  15. ↑ "Sonic Heroes Vocal Trax / Triple Threat". cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  16. ↑ "Complete Trinity: Sonic Heroes - Original Soundtrax". cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
  17. ↑ "Sonic Heroes Original Soundtrack 20th Anniversary Edition". cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved 2012-10-03.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 Ryan Davis (2004-01-06). "Sonic Heroes for GameCube Review". Gamespot. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  19. ↑ Ryan Davis (2004-01-27). "Sonic Heroes for PlayStation 2 Review". Gamespot. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  20. ↑ Ryan Davis (2004-01-27). "Sonic Heroes for Xbox Review". Gamespot. Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  21. ↑ Matt Casamassin (2004-01-05). "IGN: Sonic Heroes Review (GameCube)". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  22. ↑ Matt Casamassina, Ed Lewis (2004-12-10). "IGN: Sonic Heroes Review (PC)". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  23. ↑ Matt Cassamassina, Ed Lewis (2004-01-23). "IGN: Sonic Heroes Review (PS2)". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  24. ↑ Matt Casamassina, Ed Lewis (2004-01-23). "IGN: Sonic Heroes Review (Xbox)". IGN. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
  25. ↑ "Sonic Heroes". GameRankings. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  26. ↑ "Sonic Heroes". GameRankings. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  27. ↑ "Sonic Heroes". GameRankings. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  28. ↑ "Sonic Heroes". GameRankings. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  29. ↑ "Sonic Heroes (cube: 2004): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Sonic Heroes (pc: 2004): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 20, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  31. ↑ "Sonic Heroes (ps2: 2004): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 20, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Sonic Heroes (xbox: 2004): Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Search Results from Metacritic.com - Sonic Heroes". Metacritic. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Game Rankings - Search - Sonic Heroes". Game Rankings. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  35. ↑ "Sonic Heroes Review from 1UP.com". 1UP. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  36. ↑ "Sonic Heroes (ps2: 2004): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  37. ↑ "Sonic Heroes - PS2". Game Rankings. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  38. ↑ Lewis, Ed; Matt Casamassina (2004-01-23). "IGN: Sonic Heroes Review (PS2)". IGN. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  39. ↑ Van Autrijve, Rainier (October 29, 2004). "Sonic Is Sega's Hero of Sales Figures". GameSpy. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  40. ↑ Cook, Chris (2005-03-28). "Sonic Heroes Goes "Greatest Hits" On Home Consoles". Game Informer. Archived from the original on February 13, 2006. Retrieved 2008-07-08.

External links