Sonic 2022 Needs to Learn from Sonic Adventure 2 | Game Rant
Today’s stream celebrating Sonic’s 30th anniversary announced all sorts of new Sonic content. From the upcoming Sonic Colors: Ultimate, to the inclusion of Sonic the Fighters in the recently announced Lost Judgement, it’s clear that SEGA is interested in outputting plenty of Sonic content this year. Perhaps the most exciting thing from the stream, however, was the teaser for Sonic Team’s next project. While nothing’s been officially announced yet, many fans are hoping that the untitled Sonic 2022 is actually Sonic Adventure 3.
The Sonic Adventure series is remembered fondly by fans, but most other Sonic games set in 3D environments don't get the same love. Through the ups and downs of recent Sonic games, plenty of people have been asking for the series to return with Sonic Adventure 3, and Sonic 2022 might just be it. If Sonic 2022 is going to be the long-awaited return to Sonic Adventure, then it's going to need to learn from previous 3D Sonic games, but most of all from Sonic Adventure 2.
While both Sonic Adventure games are regarded as the best of 3D Sonic, Sonic Adventure 2 is often remembered as the superior game because it trimmed a lot of the fat off of the original, and capitalized on what made it great. Sonic Adventure 2 had three main stage types: Sonic/Shadow levels which have an emphasis on speed and platforming, Tails/Eggman levels which consist of the characters piloting mech suits shooting their way through each stage, and Knuckles/Rouge levels which focus on finding the pieces of the Master Emerald hidden throughout the level.
The game had a really good sense of momentum for each character while making them all move and feel different. It's clear that a lot of time was put into how each individual character type moves throughout each stage and it shows. Sure, some of the game's age shows with some of the platforming elements, but when the movement is working in harmony with the level design, Sonic Adventure 2 flies.
If Sonic 2022 were to include stages where the player takes control of characters other than Sonic, they should feel different from him to control while still having their own unique and refined movement systems. The lack of this thoughtful method of incorporating movement may be part of the reason why other Sonic games that featured different playable characters didn't land as well with audiences.
As it goes with all video games, some levels are just better than others and Sonic Adventure 2 is no exception. The game has a very strong first act with both Light and Dark story modes in terms of level design, but once the game heads to Egypt, the level quality starts to take a dip. Things become more claustrophobic as levels begin to be set inside pyramids and space stations, as opposed to highways and jungles, which hinders the abilities of all the characters.
There becomes a disconnect between what makes each character fun to play and the level design. It's hard to move fast as Sonic or Shadow if seeing what's ahead is constantly being obscured. Navigating tight spaces as Knuckles in Egypt doesn't control particularly well and renders his flight abilities useless.
Sonic 2022 needs to be thoughtful about its level design and make sure that each level fits its character's abilities. The best levels in Sonic Adventure 2, like City Escape, Pumpkin Hill and Iron Gate, feature each gameplay element working together between the level design, individual character abilities and momentum. It's levels like those that are remembered because of Sonic Team's willingness to explore what makes each character fun to play. If Sonic 2022 can do that as well, then it'll be an instant hit and reclaim some of the credit that the franchise has lost over the years.
When talking about the strengths of Sonic Adventure 2, it would be impossible not to mention the Chao Gardens. Taking care of and raising Chaos is one of the best parts of Sonic Adventure 2 because it serves as a much-needed break from the high-speed levels that make up the majority of the game. Taking care of a cute character is something most people can get on board with in any game. What makes the Chao special is that they get stronger when characters bring them items from defeating enemies in the regular levels. This gives players a good reason to revisit their favorite levels and then take a break to raise their Chao.
Sonic 2022 doesn't necessarily need to recreate the Chao Gardens, but including something like the Chao would help with the game's pacing. The Chao are a fan favorite of the series, so their return wouldn't go amiss. In fact, many people might be drawn to the game because of the inclusion of a Chao Garden alone.
As stated above, Sonic Adventure 2 took a look at what didn't work in the original and cut it, all while refining the things that made it great. If Sonic 2022 does that as well, Sonic Team might have something special on its hands. There are plenty of other gripes people have with Sonic Adventure 2, but the most important ones revolve around what the game is actually like to play. It greatly succeeds in some levels but falls short in others, so if Sonic 2022 is designed with each of its characters in mind, it can remind fans what makes the series good in the first place.
Although not created by Sonic Team, Sonic Mania is a good example of what can be accomplished when looking back at what makes Sonic so fun and satisfying to play. In Sonic Mania's case, it looked at the original 2D Sonic games, and hopefully, in Sonic 2022's case, Sonic Team will look at the original 3D Sonic games.
Sonic 2022 is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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