Sonic X Shadow Generations brilliantly remasters one of the best Sonic the Hedgehog games for modern systems, with an extra Shadow-themed cherry on top.
Sonic X Shadow Generations (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC)
Sega has put together a generous package that improves upon the original 2011 game and provides a good (not great) addendum by way of the new Shadow Generations campaign.
What with 2024 being dubbed by Sega as the ‘Year of Shadow' and a highly anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog sequel set to hit the big screen this December, it makes sense the publisher has gone back and remastered one of the best games in the series. Sonic Generations from 2011 is widely considered as one of the blue blur's more memorable outings from the recent era, not least due to the ways it brilliantly celebrated and remixed fan-favourite levels from games past – in both Sonic's classic and modern incarnations.
13 years on, this very much remains the case. However, it's the new Shadow Generations side story that now renders this remaster the definitive version. Admittedly, Shadow the Hedgehog’s standalone campaign might have left players feeling short-changed if experienced alone, but cool powers, a tightly knit (but heartfelt) narrative, and even more remixed familiar levels make Sonic X Shadow Generations a bundle worth spin-dashing into.
Getting the obvious out of the way first, players who pick up Sonic X Shadow Generations can rest easy knowing that the Sonic Generations portion of this package is still as great as it ever was. The story sees both the classic and modern versions of Sonic cross paths with one another after being pulled into a mysterious White Space, where escaping and figuring out what the new Time Eater enemy’s goal is, requires reliving some of the franchise’s best stages that stretch from the original game’s Green Hill Zone all the way up until Planet Wisp from 2010’s Sonic Colours (itself remastered not so long ago). Watching the pair interact and bounce off one another still gave me a case of the butterflies at times, outright solidifying Sonic Generations as a true series' gem – especially as someone whose first console was the Sega Mega Drive (or the Genesis for those of you in the US).
Now running at a smooth 60fps on PC and modern consoles, the more stable framerate made a huge difference to my enjoyment of these levels compared to before. This, combined with some slightly touched up visuals and the new ability to engage the drop dash in all Classic Sonic stages, means that Sonic Generations feels like a 2024 entry. Truthfully speaking, the only area where the original game looks a tad ropey is in cutscenes that appear during significant story moments, largely because character animations feel mechanical by today’s standards. It also would have been nice to see the Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Generations’ levels accounted for here in some way. Alas, even with that said, bombing it through 2D and 3D interpretations of Sonic Adventure 2’s City Escape, Seaside Hill from Sonic Heroes, and others is still a pure joy – and it’s always fun to see how each translates to the dimension it wasn’t originally presented in.
Of course, for most players, it’s the new Shadow Generations campaign that serves as the main draw of this remastered package. That’s why I’m pleased to report what it offers is a tad meatier than what you’d typically expect from your standard piece of DLC or add-on content. Sega makes this clear right away by separating the two pieces of Sonic X Shadow Generations in the menu, with the latter playable instantly. If I had to compare this package to anything in terms of how it’s handled, it’d be Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury from 2021 on the Nintendo Switch. Because similar to how that game bolted on a small-but-still-significant new game onto a pre-existing title, Shadow Generations functions in much the same way.
The ultimate weapon
Shadow Generations sees the titular dark hedgehog sucked into the White Space just as Sonic is in the main game, but it's handled in a far different manner. As your main hub, traversing the White Space now plays out in full 3D, with the area full of collectibles to seek out and purchase using tokens collected throughout this side campaign’s batch of levels. This one choice alone gives Shadow Generations a more premiere and sizeable feel than I was initially expecting; a fact that further hit home after witnessing all the subtle yet cool ways the events of Shadow’s story intersects with the base game. It would have been easy for Sega to tack on a string of Shadow-themed levels and call it a day, but it mirrors the approach seen in Sonic Generations and iterates upon it, in more ways than one.
One of the biggest ways Shadow Generations does this is by giving each remixed level both an Act 1 and an Act 2. This might seem strange considering that Shadow the Hedgehog was introduced long after the series had already transitioned to 3D, but the folks over at Sonic Team have fun with this premise and find a way to make it work. Rather than play out in totally 2D fashion as seen in Sonic Generations, Shadow’s versions play out across a more isometric perspective, paying tribute to the franchise’s side-scrolling origins while still making it feel new. Act 1 levels play out in more traditional 3D fashion, by comparison, but all are equally as thrilling to watch and run through – whether it involves Shadow grinding on a rail through collapsed buildings or sprouting wings to take on a boss through the air.
Because yes, in additional to Shadow’s core Chaos Control ability (which lets him temporarily slow down time to overcome obstacles), Shadow Generations introduces what’s called Doom powers. Taking their name from Shadow’s returning arch nemesis, Black Doom, new ones are granted every few levels to offer up a slightly new spin on the fast-moving gameplay. What’s called Doom Spears where my favourite of the bunch, letting Shadow target multiple enemies at once while pausing the action to take down all at the same time. All are not created equal, however, and it becomes clear the more the campaign rolls on that certain Doom powers have to be used at certain moments in stages around the time they’re introduced. And while all work well within Act 1 levels, I found that Doom powers translated less sharply to Act 2 levels with the isometric perspective – to the point that progressing through some stage routes became awkward.
Then there’s the fact that Shadow Generations can technically be beaten in one sitting. It took me just under three hours in total to see his story play out from beginning to end, even with some minor exploration of the White Space here and there. That’s why it’s hard for me to recommend Sonic X Shadow Generations purely on the strength of the latter component alone, despite how thrilling and set piece driven the bulk of its stages can be. Luckily, Sonic Generations is still a great extra and seeing Sonic games post-2010 get the 2D/3D, Generations style treatment is often a treat in and of itself. It might be brief, but the Shadow Generations campaign delivers on the fast-paced action fans are after.
Sonic X Shadow Generations might not dedicate equal time and attention to its two eponymous components, but it’s still a great way to experience one of the better Sonic the Hedgehog games and celebrate the Year of Shadow with a cool bonus campaign on the side. Sure, the latter is probably over too soon and provides a power set that is less flexible than it initially seems, but there’s plenty of collectible artwork and soundtracks to uncover when replaying levels either score chasing alone or online against friends. Overall though I can see why Shadow Generations could never have been its own standalone release, but as a way to sweeten (and darken) an already excellently put together remaster, this package is a fine addition to the Sonic Generations saga.