I’ve seen many high risk projects collapse under their own weight; and I know what to look for when a developer is willing to go all in on a project. Sonic Adventure 2 is one such example. After making Sonic Adventure — a decent but messy game — Sonic Team took the feedback and went for broke, pushing the boundaries of what the series could do. The end result is a game that is deliberately broken in many ways, yet is also unapologetically bold and adventurous in its attempts to innovate.
For example, each of the six playable characters in Sonic Adventure 2 has a unique set of gameplay mechanics that differ dramatically from one another. Sonic and Shadow are pure running levels with fast paced action and plenty of loops and obstacles to navigate whilst collecting rings to maintain momentum. Knuckles and Rouge are exploration based treasure hunting levels where you find three pieces of an artefact spread throughout the area, and whilst using a limited amount of homing ability, you backtrack to previous sections of the map that have better equipment. Tails and Eggman’s shooting levels are traditional third person shooters where you need to take down enemies, manage your position, and defeat bosses.
You don’t get to play the same way repeatedly with different characters. Each character changes how you play in fundamental ways. This is not a compromise of design to accommodate the limitations of technology; it’s a deliberate decision by Sonic Team to allow for diversity of design within the game.
Why Is This A Brave Choice In Design?
One reason I think Sonic Adventure 2 is so impressive is that Sonic Team understands something about game design that many developers do not. Diversity is much more important than perfection in any one particular area of game design. They could have created a game that is simply Sonic running levels, and it would have been perfectly polished. Instead, they chose to create a game that features several gameplay styles, none of which are perfect individually.
The running levels can have bad camera positioning. The hunting levels can be frustrating when you’re trying to find the final piece of the artefact. The shooting levels are serviceable but not engaging as a shooter should be. However, together, they create a game that is more interesting than any one of the individual styles would be, because they keep changing what you’re doing.
The story features multiple playable perspectives of the same events. You would see something happen from Sonic’s point of view, and later, you would see the same event happen from Eggman’s point of view and realise you didn’t understand what was really going on. I think this storytelling technique deserves much more credit than it received.
The Technical Achievement Despite Its Flaws
For a game released in 2001, the graphics are truly impressive. The character models are highly detailed, and the animations are incredibly smooth. The environments are detailed but not overly distracting. And the special effects, including the chaos control sequences, are truly impressive. The soundtrack is phenomenal as well — Naganuma’s work here is amongst some of his best.
Each gameplay type uses a camera system that fits the needs of the game. The camera used in the running levels is probably the most aggressive and can be somewhat annoying but it does capture the speed of the game. The camera in the hunting levels is more manageable. The camera used in the shooting levels is a tighter, more focused third person perspective that works for that style.
In addition to having a more varied camera system than most games at the time, Sonic Adventure 2 also featured global leaderboards for Dreamcast’s online multiplayer feature. Competing against other players globally was a new concept for console gamers at the time.
Is Sonic Adventure 2 Still Worth Playing Today?
Whilst most of it is still enjoyable today, there are still some elements that are less than ideal. The running levels still feel engaging. Some of the level design is still brilliant. The character selection is still great. The story is still charming. The music is still great.
However, the camera can be absolutely terrible at times. Some of the hunting levels are more frustrating than fun. The shooting mechanics are capable but lack the engagement of a purpose built shooter. The difficulty spikes randomly. The pace will occasionally slow to a crawl.
Yet, the game’s flaws are a direct result of the team’s ambition. It did not aim to master one element of game design — it aimed to master multiple elements and accepted that some of them would be less refined than others.
How Did This Game Help Shape Our Understanding Of Sonic?
Sonic Adventure 2 is arguably the most ambitious 3D Sonic game that was ever developed. Whilst it may not be the best (that can be debated), it certainly is the most ambitious. Every subsequent entry in the Sonic franchise has borrowed from the two main structural components that define Sonic Adventure 2: the dual heroic and villainous perspectives, and the mechanical gameplay styles.
Adventure 2 shows us that Sonic’s 3D failures are not inherent. With a clear design vision and the capability to execute on that vision technically, you can successfully implement 3D Sonic. You may not create a perfect game, but you can create a game that is genuinely exciting and engaging.
The Tragedy Of Sonic Adventure 2
The reason Sonic Adventure 2 is a tragedy to me is that it came out right at the beginning of the decline of the Dreamcast and right at the introduction of the GameCube. Therefore, it was quickly overshadowed. Had it come out sooner, or had the market environment been different, Sonic Adventure 2 would have likely become a flagship title for the Dreamcast, representing the best that Sega had to offer on its platform.
As it stands now, it is a game that die hard Sonic fans love, but casual audiences generally do not know about it. That is not a reflection of the game’s quality — that is a reflection of the timing of the release, and the dominant force in the gaming market at the time.
The Verdict
Sonic Adventure 2 is an ambitious 3D action game that showcases that Sonic can be successful if the designers are allowed the creative liberty to experiment. Not every experimental aspect will succeed flawlessly, but the act of attempting something bold will inherently create something more intriguing than playing it safe.
The running levels are indeed good. The story has a great deal of personality. The variety of characters is wonderful. The music is superb. I believe the desire to experiment with different gameplay styles within the confines of a single package merits some form of recognition, regardless of whether each style is equally polished.
If you have never played Sonic Adventure 2, you should view it with the mindset of what it was attempting to do. This is not a perfect game — this is a game that was attempting to push the boundaries of what the Sonic series could do. Appreciating this distinction greatly enhances the experience of the game.
Rating: 8/10 — An ambitious Sonic game that deserves far greater praise than it receives.
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