Sonic X Shadow Generations Review – There is No Light Without Shadow

Sega has declared 2024 the Year of Shadow, and as Shadow fans will emphatically tell you, that has been long, long overdue. To call the Ultimate Lifeform a fan favourite would be a massive understatement, but Shadow has been, well, in the shadows for a few years now. Now, with his big Keanu Reeves-voiced silver screen debut on the horizon, Sega has decided to bring Shadow the Hedgehog back into the limelight in games as well, and done so with a release that not only introduces players to an entirely new Shadow game, but also an enhanced version of one of Sonic’s most beloved 3D entries. The end result? A solid double pack that certainly packs a punch, even if the Sonic side of things can feel a bit dated at times.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that the remastered form of Sonic Generations is not worth experiencing. The original 2011 title is widely regarded is one of Sonic’s best 3D outings, and rightly so. In fact, when playing as Modern Sonic – which is when Sonic Generations takes you through 2.5D and 3D renditions of its levels – Sonic Generations is still an absolute blast, boasting layered level design and adrenaline-fueled, momentum-building movement mechanics. On paper, that’s true when you’re playing as Classic Sonic as well – which sees all levels being presented as 2D, sidescrolling courses – but not only do levels feel much less interactive here, the movement also doesn’t quite as precise or responsive as it does when you’re playing as Modern Sonic.

"When playing as Modern Sonic – which is when Sonic Generations takes you through 2.5D and 3D renditions of its levels – Sonic Generations is still an absolute blast, boasting layered level design and adrenaline-fueled, momentum-building movement mechanics."

I suppose that’s partly down to the fact that the last few years have been quite good for 2D Sonic fans in general, all things considered. Sonic Mania and Sonic Mania Plus delivered some of the best 2D Sonic content of all time, while with Sonic Origins, we had the opportunity to dive back into the series’ earliest – and best – sidescrolling outings. With the memory of those excellent 2D Sonic games so fresh in memory, Generations’ 2D half lacks the novelty that it boasted back when the game first launched in 2011, which was a time when the franchise hadn’t seen a good 2D Sonic game on a console in what felt like forever. Meanwhile, purely on a moment-to-moment level, Generations’ 2D levels also feel much floatier and less precise than the dreamlike controls of something like Sonic Mania.

Modern Sonic is definitely the highlight of the experience as far as Sonic Generations alone is concerned. For starters, it’s always a joy to see levels recontextualized and presented through an entirely different perspective after having already run through them in sidescrolling form (though the game doesn’t really force you to play in any particular order), while there’s also a much greater level of interactivity, freedom of movement, and emphasis on skillful platforming. Meanwhile, thanks to movement feeling much better, the 3D levels also achieve a much greater sense of speed and momentum, which is obviously a crucial part of any Sonic experience (or any good Sonic experience, at least).

The game’s inherent strengths, meanwhile, are also uplifted by Sega’s solid (if conservative) remastering efforts. As an upgrade of the 2011 original, the Sonic half of Sonic X Shadow Generations isn’t terribly ambitious, but pretty much by default, it does pan out as the best way to play a fan favourite. New controls allow the game to feel more modern (and more in line with 2022’s Frontiers, though you do also have the option to switch to classic controls), while the game also looks and runs much better (with my experience having been hampered by little to no performance issues thus far).

"As an upgrade of the 2011 original, the Sonic half of Sonic X Shadow Generations isn’t terribly ambitious, but pretty much by default, it does pan out as the best way to play a fan favourite."

The highlight of this double pack, however, is Shadow Generations, which is a standalone new game starring the titular hedgehog- and with an entire new campaign to run through, Sonic Generations’ more conservative remastering becomes much easier to forgive. It helps, of course, that Shadow Generations is as good as it is- and it is really, really good, to the point where I wouldn’t be surprised if many end up liking it better even than Sonic’s own campaign.

Shadow Generations sees the Ultimate Lifeform having to come face-to-face with his traumatic past once again as he sets off on a new journey to foil the plans of his archnemesis, Black Doom, who is back once more to try and take over the world. Like Sonic Generations, Shadow’s new campaign allows players to run through levels in two different forms, though as you’d expect from Shadow – who has never had any 2D games – things are somewhat altered here. The default version of each level is one that sees you running through it from a 3D perspective, while after you’ve cleared it once, you can run through it again in 2.5D form, rather than as a fully sidescrolling 2D level.

Some will definitely be disappointed by Shadow Generations lacking that variety in levels compared to Sonic Generations, but the 2.5D levels do feel different enough to ultimately end up achieving the same effect, even if they’re not actual sidescrolling levels. It also helps that the levels also boast consistently strong design that holds up well no matter which version you’re playing, which means multiple runs of the same level across different perspectives don’t soon lose their charm, which is exactly what you want in a Sonic game.

Shadow Generations also improves on Sonic Generations’ hub world. Like Sonic, Shadow has a White Space hub location that he returns to between levels, and that expansion also continues to expand bit by bit throughout the experience. Unlike Sonic’s sidescrolling hub, however, Shadow Generations’ White Space is fully open-ended and inspired by the open zone design of Sonic Frontiers. Movement feels excellent, exploration feels rewarding, and there’s just a lot more to do outside of levels. Not having fully sidescrolling levels might be something that some might be bothered by, but you do get an open world hub, so things end up balancing out in the end.

"Shadow Generations is really, really good, to the point where I wouldn’t be surprised if many end up liking it better even than Sonic’s own campaign."

Shadow Generations also feels much better and tighter to control than Sonic Generations on a moment-to-moment level. Though the latter still runs on its original Hedgehog Engine even in remastered form, Shadow Generations is instead built from the ground up on Hedgehog Engine 2, which is what Frontiers was built on, and you can definitely feel the difference in how the two games play, with Shadow’s campaign boasting much snappier and more responsive controls. Shadow also touts a more aggressive moveset in general, of course, which is very much built into his whole character and gives him an automatic leg up over Sonic in terms of game feel- but even the most basic actions feel much tighter in Shadow Generations than in the base Sonic game.

First-time players and returning fans alike are going to find plenty to like in Sonic X Shadow Generations. The former half of the experience comes with some flaws in the dated aspects of its 2D offerings, but by and large, the 2011 platformer retains most of its strengths, and in remastered form, it still is very much a solid platformer worth checking out (or checking out again, as the case may be). The real star of the show, meanwhile, is everyone’s favourite edgelord, Shadow, who stars in a brand-new campaign that boasts well-designed levels, excellent platforming action, and a bunch of adrenaline-fueled set-pieces. Sonic X Shadow Generations is a great way to both honour a beloved 3D Sonic entry and help bring a fan favourite character in Shadow the Hedgehog back to the forefront.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.