Sonic Adventure

Yes, it had some iffy voice acting and lip syncing. Yes, there were some bugs and collision issues. But the first time I saw that cinematic with Chaos wreaking havoc in Station Square as “Open Your Heart” played, I knew Sonic Adventure would be incredible. It offered gorgeous Action Stages to explore in Emerald Coast, Windy Valley, and Speedy Highway while each playable character offered their own unique gameplay hook.

E-101 with its lock-on shooting, Knuckles with the exploration and Chaos Emerald hunting, Amy and her struggle to escape ZERO – there was plenty of good and a bit bad, as seen with Big the Cat’s mercifully short fishing stages. Nevertheless, Sonic Adventure served as an incredible transition from 2D to 3D with its sense of speed, unforgettable music and gameplay.

Parliament Of Serbia in Belgrade – Half-Life 2

City 17’s European-inspired architecture and aesthetics are fairly easy to recognize, though the Overwatch Nexus is perhaps the closest to being based on an actual building. As the main building for the Overwatch forces, the Nexus was formerly a political building before the Combine invaded. It turns out that it’s actually inspired by the Parliament of Serbia in Belgrade. The similarities between the two buildings, from their general structure to the opening archway are noteworthy, though the signature dome isn’t as defined on the Nexus. Though it’s not outright confirmed in-game, browsing through the texture files reveals the word “parliament” which further hints at the inspiration.

Speaking with Sonic Stadium, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka said that he’s hoping Sonic 2022 will lay down new foundations for the series, and that that’s something the development team has challenged itself with.

“Sonic Adventure laid the foundation for 20 years of Sonic titles after its release, so in the same way I really hope that this new title releasing in 2022 lays the foundation for the following future Sonic titles – that is the idea behind the challenge for the team,” he said.

Though Iizuka give details on the game since it is still in the middle of development, he did say that the developers are attempting to create something “new and challenging.”

“Since this title is still mid-development there is nothing I can speak to, but I did want to say that the development team has been spending their time to do something new and challenging,” Iizuka said. “Through a lot of trial and error the team is looking to present to everyone a new Sonic game, and I hope your warm support of their work can motivate them to really deliver against that challenge.”

Sonic’s next game is due out some time in 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, though no other details are known about the game right now. There’s still plenty more upcoming Sonic content for series fans to look forward to though, with the Sonic Origins collection and Sonic Colors Ultimate.