As a re-make of an old Dreamcast game, Sonic Adventure has not aged well. This is perhaps one adventure better left unexplored.
Boy, this game has not aged well. It has been just over ten years since Sonic Adventure was originally released for the SEGA Dreamcast and now you can download this game from XBox Live Arcade. Many of the things that were cool and passable before are now terrible and frustrating.
Sonic's Mis-Adventures
The graphics have been improved a lot from the [kwlink 1256]Dreamcast version, which is great. It won't boggle your mind, but it looks nice. Unfortunately, you can only play the game on standard 4:3 resolution. If you have a wide screen TV, this means you will have some blank, unused space on the sides, or a really stretched out Sonic.
The controls for this 3D game could have been improved a lot, but instead it is clumsy and frustrating. Combined with the poor level design and bad camera angles, you can expect to be falling to your death over and over again. Additionally, there are places in the game where Sonic might even get stuck, such as in the poorly constructed loops.
Alternate Sonic
It is very hard to recommend this game, even if you are a Sonic fan. There are actually better re-makes already available, such as Sonic Adventure DX for GameCube and PC, which adds in some mini-games. Still, it might be better to just sit tight and wait for Sonic Colors to come out for the Nintendo DS in mid-November.
It really is too bad for fans, as lots could have been improved with this re-make, but disappointingly wasn't. If you want to try it out for yourself, you can still download the demo of the game for free from XBox Live Arcade and try it out for a bit first. Overall, however, look for another game to quench your Sonic thirst as Sonic Adventure is not the game you are looking for.
Rating:
Price: 800 MS Points ($10)
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
