Sonic the Hedgehog is known for adoring adventure, so many of his games are about said adventures. It could be easily argued that Sonic Forces is one of the games that focused on the events of its story over the gameplay, and in the eyes of some players, that's bad. The 2017 release has been criticized heavily by fans for things such as its frequent automated sequences, the physics in Classic Sonic's levels, and more.
However, it could be argued that despite the game's shortcomings, there are parts of Sonic Forces that shine brighter than the rest. Some of its levels can be considered rather fun to play through as they sought to wow players with big set pieces and background events, and its climactic moments are presented quite well even if the gameplay doesn't back it up at times. Forces also tried its best to tell a story about war after fans criticized Sonic Colors and Generations for having childish and bare-bones stories. Some better aspects of Sonic Forces have also gone on to influence the games that came after it, as well.
Sonic Forces: The Resistance vs the Eggman Empire
Even if players knew what they were getting into when starting Sonic Forces, for some of them, having Sonic be beaten down by a bunch of mirage villains and held hostage on the Death Egg might have felt like a rather dark start to a Sonic game. This is only compounded by the player getting a message afterward that says without Sonic, the world fell under Dr. Eggman's control with only a small resistance remaining. Sonic, once saved, talks about how he was tortured for six months, and other aspects of the game make it clear that this situation isn't like usual Sonic adventures.
While it's understandable why the game couldn't focus on the totality of war, the story still serves its job well as a simplistic high-stakes narrative. It's a welcome change after the games that came before it stuck with more lighthearted and cartoonish atmospheres, being the series' darkest story since Sonic and the Black Knight. Sonic Forces at its best is an interactive Sonic movie that fans can actively insert themselves into through the customizable character, but its replayability is low as a result.
Sonic Forces' Hidden Away Details
One thing that Sonic Forces is known for is that it may feature the shortest stages in any Sonic game. Even the ones encountered late in the game can be easily cleared in less than two minutes provided the player doesn't end up dying somewhere along the stage. However, despite their length, there's a surprising amount of detail put into the areas fans run through. Imperial Tower, one of the hardest levels in the game, showcases the gigantic tower spinning in the background before players get to run around it later in the stage, for example.
If players take the time to look at their surroundings while they play, they'll be treated to set pieces that help the game's story feel alive. Unfortunately, the entire point of the game is to keep moving forward, which means there's a chance that looking at these environments more closely may cost fans a bit of progress if they're not careful. While games like Sonic Unleashed also have rather detail-heavy stages, there were at least parts of rest where fans could take it all in. Forces, in many of its levels, mostly lacks these moments without accidentally punishing players.
Sonic Forces' Avatar Customization
The most unique part of Sonic Forces is the avatar character. For the first time, fans can make their own character in the game to join the fight against the Eggman Empire with Sonic and his friends. The feature was very clearly inspired by the fact that creative Sonic fans tend to make their own "fan characters" in the image of the animals found in the series, and it stands out as one of Sonic Forces' best features. Not only does this character get stages to themselves, but some stages allow fans to team up with Sonic as the pair form a bond in the story.
Overall, the avatar character is an adorable concept that is executed rather well. Fans can unlock new items for their Sonic character by clearing missions as they play and earning "honors" for their overall efforts. Due to the militaristic nature of the game's narrative, Forces gets around not being able to give the character a name by having them be referred to as "the Rookie" by the main cast. The player character is seen as a meek newbie to the Resistance who enlists after failing to attack Infinite due to being scared. It ties rather well to the overall theme of courage, as Sonic braves facing Infinite despite being afraid of the Phantom Ruby's power. It's because Sonic is able to take charge that the Rookie takes a stand, and eventually plays a key part in the Resistance's victory. Due to the inclusion and integration of a customizable character in the story, Forces will most likely remain a favorite for many fans for years.
Sadly, there's a very high chance that Sonic Forces will remain the only game to allow players to make their own character. Forces sold rather poorly, and Sonic Team has been known to take bad sales as a sign that fans don't enjoy what's been brought to the series. There's a very strong chance that Sonic Forces' bad reception and sales played a key part in how the developers went a different direction entirely for Sonic Frontiers.
However, the very things that Forces did well are elements that Frontiers seems to be building upon. Not only does Frontiers give players open environments to explore, but it also allows fans to customize Sonic's speed and accessories while featuring a mysterious story written by Ian Flynn from the Sonic comics. Even though Forces is seen as a game that didn't harness its potential by many, Frontiers seems to be stepping in to do what Forces couldn't in a whole new way. Only time will tell if Forces' successor truly learns from its mistakes when the game arrives.
Sonic Forces is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.