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Sonic Superstars Review
It’s time we had a talk about the latest Sonic game. I’ve always been more of a 3D Sonic fan to be honest and tend to mention that at every opportunity but the 2D games are fun enough. It just feels like they go against the nature of Sonic which is to run really fast. Ironically you are allowed to blast through stages at full speed much more often in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, another example of Mario just dominating in the 2D space. Sonic needs to stick to 3D and this game has all the issues the 2D titles tend to have. That said, it is still a pretty good game but I don’t think it will remain in most peoples’ memories for very long.
The general plot is that Fang and Trip are working for a mad genius known as Dr. Eggman. Eggman wants to destroy a blue speedster known as Sonic The Hedgehog and by utilizing the powers of the chaos emerald and time reversal technology, he may actually have a chance this time. Fortunately Sonic has his friends at the ready. Tails, Amy, and Knuckles are around to do their part and back Sonic up. Together there is no foe that can overcome this force for good!
There is barely a plot in the game though so you are really playing for the gameplay. I don’t really get why Sega refuses to let the 2D games have their own big stories. Sure you want to keep it distinct from the 3D titles but you could absolutely have fun plots with voice acting and everything in the 2D days. Just look at how top tier titles like Shantae handle this. You can interpret the general story from the animations we get of course but it won’t end up feeling quite as grand that way.
For the gameplay I don’t really have any issues. It’s very classic with how you can jump, run really fast, and spin dash. You maneuver through the levels by activating different devices and defeating enemies. At the end of the level naturally you will end up going against a giant boss as well. There is a lot of variety with the bosses and they’re all solid except for the final boss where I had issues with the sheer length. Difficulty isn’t a problem, it’s good when a final boss is tough but having to replay long segments can always be annoying. That final battle took me quite a few tries.
One thing I would recommend is using your chaos emerald powers as much as possible. They make a massive difference in combat. Fortunately the chaos emeralds are all in spots that are easy to find. I managed to gather them all during a normal playthrough which was nice since it meant I wouldn’t have to try and search them out later on. Now that’s really nice since usually they can be super hard to find. It can just be tough to get in the habit of using the powers since you’re so used to just using the normal platforming tricks but trust me when I say that it’s highly worth it. In particular summoning an army of mini Sonics does a lot of damage during boss battles.
The graphics are really great. The game feels like its in true HD the whole time and the character models are on point. It’s one of the clearest games I’ve played in some time. I would say the retro art style actually does a lot to support the game’s graphics there since there is less to load up and it can all be processed really quickly. The soundtrack is less memorable though as there are no real standout tracks here. You’ll forget them as soon as they have ended which is definitely not ideal. I suppose it’s better than having a bad soundtrack though.
The actual story is fairly short so you should beat it in 4-5 hours or so. There is some replay value though as you can play through the game again as Trip. Then there is also the journey of trying to get the Platinum trophy for this game which should also be a fairly long task at least. It doesn’t look particularly difficult but I’m betting it will add another 6-8 hours of playtime which is always cool. There is also a multiplayer mode here and while I didn’t get to try it yet, it looks like they really did put a good amount of effort into i.
If you’ve enjoyed the previous Sonic 2D games then you will enjoy this one. It’s really as simple as that. That said, it just feels like the devs could have pushed this a lot harder. Give us more true cutscenes during the story, incorporate more characters, and also just make the game longer. I wouldn’t blame someone for waiting until there is a price drop to pick this one up because it really is over in the blink of an eye. It doesn’t feel like the $60 experience even if it is polished. Also for all the marketing about Fang returning he pretty much played 0 role in this game. There wasn’t much point to his inclusion particularly as he doesn’t get a 1 on 1 boss fight where you have to deal with his gun. He’s always in a mech for some reason but I suppose Sonic The Fighters spoiled me on that one.
Overall, Sonic Superstars is definitely a fun game. The experience doesn’t last as long as you’d like but the technical elements are really up to par. The game looks really great and while the soundtrack isn’t the best, you’ll still enjoy the tunes while you play through the game. It’s why I would say this embodies what it means to be a very good game. It’s not great or anything but there’s never a moment where you’re wishing that it would be over already.
Overall 7/10
Sonic The Hedgehog: Tangle & Whisper Review
It’s time to check out one of the Sonic spinoffs. It’s about Tangle & Whisper as you could guess from the title and this is a good idea since they are some of the new characters created during this era of comics. So now they can get some extra character development and it works out well for them. I already liked Tangle so this was a good chance to bump Whisper up. I will say that she looks a lot better here than in the main series which works out well.
First up before we get into the actual mini series there is an annual issue which is basically a compilation of a bunch of small stories before we get to the heart of the matter. In one of them we actually get to see Jet and the Babylon Rogues which was a lot of fun. They always make for a really fun trio even if they were a little outmatched here. The group just can’t focus long enough to get the job done! We also get to see a museum owner who is nice enough but she can’t really fight and being a living diamond makes her an easy target. The Egg Golem from Sonic Adventure 2 Battle returns which was a nice tribute. In short all of the mini comics here are a nice tribute to the Sonic continuity as long time fans will really appreciate all of the guest stars and cameos. I wouldn’t mind if they toned down Silver’s pacifist personality and made him edgy like the Sonic 2006 game but we can’t have everything I suppose. He just always feels out of his depth and well….pretty sad tbh.
Now as for the actual mini series, it starts off with Tangle being bored at how there’s nothing to do. No enemies are attacking and yet she can’t leave the village to find adventure because she figures they will all be doomed without her. To be honest I don’t think she’s wrong about that. So for now she just waits and waits for things to change and that’s when an adventure does reach her! So Whisper is on the offensive against a villain known as Mimic. Mimic betrayed Whisper and her old group a while back and so Whisper has vowed revenge.
Mimic has the ability to shapeshift into anyone and has pretty solid combat techniques so Whisper doesn’t want Tangle to get involved but since when has something like that stopped the heroine from getting in on the action right? The two of them will have to work hard to take down Mimic and along the way we find out all of the details about Whisper’s backstory and how her personality changed from being fairly upbeat to as quiet as can be.
First off Mimic is definitely a fun villain even if not one of the more intimidating or cool ones. I always like the ole shapeshifter plot because there’s a whole lot you can do with that. Additionally there are few characters in Sonic who can actually see through a disguise. I’m betting Tails, Omega, and Eggman would have countermeasures against that but Tangle and Whisper? They have to figure things out the old fashioned way. Mimic also has some basic hand to hand skills and a whole lot of battle experience on his side. So there’s a lot to like there but his stocks do fall rather hard once we see how scared he is of Eggman and Metal Sonic.
Sure Metal Sonic would crush him in an instant but you have to have some kind of plan to deal with that. There’s been a lot of time since he was first threatened by Eggman and yet he’s still working as a lackey? The guy is definitely not seeing the bigger picture right now and needs to fix that as soon as possible. Hype design though and so I am looking forward to seeing this guy return someday. The comics have done a good job of creating new threats. The Metal Sonic mention does make me wonder why Eggman didn’t just send Metal Sonic to take out Whisper since that would be real easy…but we’ll sidestep that for now.
As mentioned, I liked Whisper quite a bit here. Her origin story is definitely a real tragic one next to the others and is a bit darker than you’d expect. I mean they basically stated that all of the members were viciously murdered which I was not expecting. Now granted they always could show up with a twist that they escaped or something but for now taking it at face value they are down for the count. So it’s a very valid reason for why Whisper is a lot broodier and more quiet than she used to be. All of that absolutely checks out.
I would like her to explode with rage a little more when going after Mimic but she does land a lot of damage either way. Her armaments are on point and she never ends up taking any of this out on Tangle. Whisper is patient when necessary and does always have a practical plan in place. So this comic did a lot to make her a more well developed character and I look forward to seeing her appear more. I hope she does still say very solemn but I don’t mind her dropping the guard a bit when around Tangle. Sort of the best friend exception you could say but with everyone else she’ll still be down to business.
Tangle also looks good here although far weaker. The comic does point out that she has no formal combat experience and so even though she is able to fight to a decent extent, she won’t be holding her own against the big shots. That makes a lot of sense. It was a good moment because sometimes it can feel like anyone can start fighting when you need some actual experience and techniques to really press the advantage like that. Tangle always means well even if she can be a little gullible and so I tend to like that kind of outgoing character.
As always the artwork is really solid here. The colors are all very striking and the pages really stick out at you. It makes for a very quick read too since you can just dive in. The art really matches the games and so I hope it can keep this style going for a very long time. The writing is on point as well and so far all of the comics have been very consistent. If this keeps up it very well could overtake the Archie saga.
Overall, This is a pretty fun spinoff that expands the world of Sonic. It may not have the end of the world stakes that the main series has but it’s a very good stand alone adventure with stakes that are really personal to the main characters. You’re invested all the way through and you feel like these are all plot points that could continue further in the future. I doubt this is the last we’ve seen of Mimic after all and it certainly isn’t the end for Tangle & Whisper. Now they will really be ready to dominate the opponents as a strong tag team.
Overall 7/10
Sonic Frontiers Update
I finally completed The Final Horizons! Truly a masterful DLC that reminds me just how amazing the Sonic games are. In particular Sonic Frontiers will always go down as one of the all time greatest games ever made. The music, the hype, the intensity, it has it all! I have played very few games with this level of stakes.
Now the DLC is getting infamous for how difficult it is. To be sure this is one of the hardest titles of all time now. Granted you can put the game on easy which makes all of the platforming easy although the bosses will still be difficult. I stuck to it on normal though and it took many hours but I was able to pull it off. You really have to master those perfect parries though and also have to hope that the RNG goes in your favor.
Particularly with the Wyvern fight since that one really goes crazy. Ironically the actual final boss is much easier and only took me two tries to take down. All of the extra cinematics are excellent and it was a lot of fun to play as Knuckles and the crew. The fact that they are now permanent characters that you can play as in any world is great. It gives the game a whole lot of extra replay value and I didn’t even play the new 2D levels.
It feels immensely satisfying to finally complete this one to the point where I would say it is the highlight of 2023 for me. Nothing’s going to realistically be able to top this. Of course it’s all good if you end up completing this on easy instead because it can be hard to set aside 10-20 hours to try and complete this one. I will acknowledge that the lack of check points and how long it is per attempt can be a bit much at times. While the game is super difficult in a fair way, I’d prefer shorter bursts than having to watch the cinematics every time and do the extra level parts.
All in all I doubt we will ever see a DLC quite this good again. I also hope they really speed up the path to Sonic Frontiers 2 right away! Sonic is still the greatest video game series of all time and trust me, this game will not let you forget it!
Sonic the Hedgehog Volume 4: Infection Review
Sonic The Hedgehog has been delivering a ton of awesome comics in this run and this volume is no exception. While the series transitions to the next big arc this is more of a setup volume but we still get some fun action scenes here. Sonic is a great main character as always and there’s just a lot to enjoy in every aspect of the volume. The series is really in good hands right now.
The volume mainly starts off with Sonic finally finding out that Eggman has really returned. No more Mr. Tinker alias or anything like that. Granted, Sonic does toy with a few ideas of what could be happening other than Eggman turning evil again but his friends point out that it’s pretty unlikely and he really has to agree. It’s just tough to realize that Eggman’s out there again. What he doesn’t yet know is that Eggman has a new ally in Dr. Starline who is a cut above Eggman’s usual help. They are developing a metal virus that can absorb and assimilate into any creature. If this gets to Sonic then all hope might be lost.
It’s a pretty solid plot since a widespread virus like this can really be difficult to deal with. Starline is also an interesting new villain. I wouldn’t say he stands out too much yet but Eggman should watch his back. I can absolutely picture Starline deciding to take him out at some point since Eggman seems to have a little more mercy and compassion than this guy. Starline really seems to look up to Eggman but I can see him being disillusioned soon. Who knows maybe Eggman will get the drop on him but he does have a tendency to be betrayed so I wouldn’t be surprised if he went down.
In the second issue we get the first big fight of the volume with Sonic and Silver teaming up to take on Starline and Metal Sonic. You’d think this would be an easy fight for the heroes right? Sonic can handle Metal while Silver beats up on Starline? Well unfortunately Silver is really just a burden in this fight as he can’t seem to keep up at all and is constantly on the defensive. Seriously I was expecting a whole lot more from that guy but it feels like he hasn’t kept up with his training or something. I have not been as impressed with Silver in the comics as I was in the 2006 game but maybe he can make a comeback.
Starline and Metal Sonic do make for a good combination to deal with though as the genius teleporting technology plus Metal Sonic’s speed is really lethal. I do miss Metal Sonic being able to talk though so hopefully he can get that back at some point. Definitely a really solid battle all throughout and the issue goes by in a snap. I love high speed battles like that and it also shows how Metal Sonic is still a threat with how fast he moves. It’s fair to say Sonic will always have the edge but when it’s 2 on 1 then he does struggle which makes sense.
Then we have Sonic’s team up with Amy against Rough and Tumble. Always good to see those guys returning. They may not be the most powerful villains but they’re actually rather enjoyable characters. I think their humor moments work rather well and it’s not like they are complete pushovers. Then with the metal mode they actually can do some real damage. The issue plays out as part mystery with the heroes learning more about Eggman’s plans and we see jut how far he is willing to take this. Right now you could even say he has the edge since he’s got this whole grand master plan going and nobody really knows what he is going to do next. Sonic is putting out the fires but nobody knows how to find and stop him just yet.
After that the final issue is more low key as the heroes try to figure out how this zombie virus works and how to stop it. The cliffhanger is pretty intense as it sets the stage for what will happen next. The heroes have a lot of resources around and their own resident genius in Tails so you figure things will work out. The comics have done a good job so far of making these big threats even while the heroes are so stacked in every area though. Right now the writing’s really been on point and Eggman has to cover a lot of ground since the heroes have really set up shop all around the planet. I suspect he is slowly going to start taking down the allies as he gets closer to Sonic.
Naturally the artwork here is top tier as always. I really like the bright art and the streamlined colors for all the characters. The high speed fights actually feel quick and all of the characters look like their video game counterparts. There are no cut corners here or low budget moments, everything is drawn with care. Mix that in with the solid writing and that’s why the comic is great. It really has no weak points that I can see and even the original comic characters for the series like the new doctor have worked out nicely. The continuity really feels tight which is massive.
Overall, This was definitely another great volume of the Sonic adventures. We got a good blend of action and the plot moving forward. It’s going to be tough to top the Neo Metal Sonic arc but this one already has a lot of players involved so I’m ready to see how it goes. Mainly we just need Shadow to make an appearance and then things will really start to get intense. As always I look forward to the next volume!
Overall 8/10
Sonic The Hedgehog Volume 3: Battle For Angel Island Review
It’s time to dive back into the world of Sonic, one of the ultimate video game characters of all time. The comic run has really been a lot of fun thus far and this continues the trend. We finally get to see Metal Sonic’s grand master plan and it’s a doozy. He makes for a good villain and it’ll be tough to top this arc for a while with how large scale it was. Might be time to bring Scourge in.
The comic starts off right away with the heroes meeting up and deciding what they need to do about Metal Sonic. Ultimately they decide to split into multiple teams so they can take Metal Sonic down, defeat his minions, and restore balance to the cosmos. Sonic and Knuckles will be going to fight off Metal Sonic directly while the others spread out across the globe. Do they really have what it takes to defeat the world’s ultimate robot?
The graphic novel brings 4 issues and they basically all go towards this arc with 3 to wrap this up and then one that’s an epilogue which also sets up the next arc. As you can imagine that means this is a very action packed story. Metal Sonic was always very powerful so throw in his copy abilities and the abilities of the Master Emerald and now you’ve really got a tough opponent to deal with. Metal Sonic keeps his logic the whole time too so don’t expect him to turn into a mindless monster. No, Metal Sonic is here to stay and has the abilities to dominate a fight in close or long range. He really seems to be overpowering Sonic and Knuckles with ease even before his power up.
The only one really able to give him a good fight there was Shadow and that’s in large part due to him landing a cheap shot when he first showed up. Ultimately if he and Sonic worked together I expect they would have really been able to throw him for a loop though. If I had any minor issue with the comic it’s that I would have enjoyed a longer fight. I feel like it ends just as it’s getting good and I just would have liked to have really gotten to settle in and enjoy this for a while longer. Still, we do have a lot of general action all around so it’s not the kind of thing that will really hurt the score.
In terms of power levels I am a bit skeptical on burning Blaze basically using up all of her energy while taking down the other villains. I know she had to use up a bunch of her powers in the fight but all of them? Felt like a quick way to keep her from fighting Metal Sonic but that would have been a really cool fight. In general Blaze looks great here though and I’m glad that her flame abilities are getting a lot of props. Back in the Sonic Rush days she was able to fight on par with Sonic after all. I would ultimately give him the edge in a fight of course but it would be a good battle.
Shadow is still a really big solo player here and the guy definitely has no inclination to work with the heroes at all. In fact he actively works against them most of the time which can be a bit funny but I can also see how it would annoy some. Ultimately Shadow just wants to do his own thing at all costs and he typically has the power to back it up so it all works out. If we eventually get a Sonic vs Shadow battle that would definitely be a whole lot of fun.
This arc also ends the era of the Sonic Forces group I’d say as it feels like everyone will be going their separate ways more. I am personally expecting a few more down to Earth arcs before we get to the next grand one like the Metal Sonic saga. I could be wrong of course but it makes sense as a way to scale back before we ramp things up again. With the new scientist who revived Eggman the plot could be her trying to impress him by building a bunch of robots that Sonic keeps on destroying. Finally she and Eggman create an ultimate robot even stronger than Metal Sonic and we go from there.
Meanwhile it also might not be a bad idea to do some arcs where you focus on other characters like Tails and Knuckles. I don’t think you want to leave Sonic out of the picture for very long but some quick meanwhiles could definitely work. The Sonic cast is absolutely big enough where you could really pull that off if you wanted to. If you’re feeling extra bold you could even do a mini Shadow arc since that guy is always a lot of fun to follow around.
As always the art is definitely really solid here. The character designs are on point and the action scenes are good. The pages capture Sonic’s speed well and it’s just very easy o read the stories. They are all real page turners and so this way there is no delay in you trying to figure out what is happening on screen. There’s a lot of attention to detail and the writing is on point too. It really goes back to the top of there not really being any big issues here. As another future plot point, Silver also seems to think that the real threat is still approaching so I’ll be interested to see what that is.
Metal Sonic is still around even if he’s weakened so I look forward to seeing what he does from here. I don’t think he will be able to go back to just being another minion so going forward I see him as a wild card threat. That sounds good to me because he is such an interesting character. He has his own goals, aspirations, and tactics and I think having him return with an army that forces Eggman and Sonic to team up would be brilliant.
Overall, Sonic The Hedgehog continues to deliver with a ton of great comics. The IDW series has really done a splendid job of keeping up the momentum here to really mitigate the sadness of losing the Archie verse. The characters are true to their game counterparts and the stories make sense as sequels to what happened in the games. The comics have even introduced a few new characters already who are cool. At the end of the day these are comics that I can recommend to anyone and that’s great because Sonic is a series that really should appeal to everyone. It’s just such a fun franchise. I’m confident that the series will continue to go strong from here so I’m really looking forward to the next one. After all this will be the first time we get to see Eggman really get involved in the comics and as he’s Sonic’s most well known villain it’s about time we catch up with him.
Overall 8/10
Sonic the Hedgehog, Vol. 2: The Fate of Dr. Eggman Review
It’s time to continue the Sonic adventures and this time the hedgehog is up against one of the most intense threats yet! Well we’re not quite at saving the world stuff but the series has been building up the mystery of what exactly happened to Eggman. The robots are still running around and attacking cities in a coordinated way but Eggman himself has yet to appear before Sonic which is strange. We finally get the answers here as well as a new character who shows up.
As always with a standard comic volume this brings 4 issues with it. It’s a pretty well balanced amount of issues to bring in for a quick read. The first two issues are a two part adventure with Team Chaotix letting Sonic know that they’ve found Eggman but something isn’t right. See, Eggman appears to be a good guy with full amnesia and doesn’t know what was going on earlier. As a result he has done a lot of good for the town. Either this is all an elaborate act or he really is a changed man. The moral question is if they should throw him in jail or not because he doesn’t remember his crimes. Meanwhile Sonic has to think quickly because Shadow and Rouge have been dispatched to take Eggman down for the count. Can Sonic really take on the world’s ultimate life form?
Shadow The Hedgehog is a being of nearly unmatched power and so it’s great to see him taking center stage again. It feels like it’s been a little while since he appeared in the comics although of course in this run we’re only at volume 2 so it’s more that I feel like I haven’t seen him in a while. He adds a lot of energy to the comic and of course we have a really good fight with Sonic here. I would argue that in a straight fight Shadow should always win because their speed levels are just about equal but Shadow has his chaos abilities. Sonic’s only real edge here is that his speed is completely natural while Shadow relies on the skates so maybe Sonic will have better maneuverability on quick turns. Additionally Sonic can be said to be a bit faster and I’d accept that but it’s still very close.
Sonic and Shadow do end up having a talk on this though and you understand the positions here. If anything Sonic was sort of on Shadow’s side before the rival showed up, but more in a “I don’t trust Eggman” as opposed to just taking him out. That’s not exactly Sonic’s style after all, he will always take things in a very easy going way and so until he was sure of what he wanted to do he was going to make sure and protect Eggman. It was a solid clash of ideologies and Rouge did what she does best which is gathering information and manipulating the others from the shadows. Without her giving the cast a heads up things probably would have gotten very dicey.
In terms of the Eggman situation well I’d have to say that they got it right. At the end of the day taking revenge on him now when he doesn’t remember anything wouldn’t really accomplish anything. I think you could probably still lock him up and wouldn’t resist that order but the idea of having him effectively do community service while being watched by other heroes makes a lot of sense to me. That way they’ll see if he does anything crazy and in theory they can stop him right away. No harm no foul and all. I look forward to seeing Shadow return again in the future though.
In the third issue we get the big return of Metal Sonic which was cool. He’s always a really interesting character and can have some of the best storylines. He’s still in his neo Metal Sonic form similar to Heroes and I like the spiky nature of that design. He is still really powerful as well to the point where Sonic wasn’t sure about finishing the fight there. I look forward to having a more extended fight with the two of them soon but this definitely worked as a solid intro for Metal Sonic to this series and he has big plans. It’s safe to say that he’s going to have a big role for a while now and the heroes are absolutely on the back foot at this point.
The final issue continues the saga but more as a subplot as we focus on Sonic and Silver teaming up with a new character named Whisper. She’s sort of like a next generation freedom fighter. She works alone but has been taking down quite a lot of enemy bases and helping people out. She’s as quiet as a whisper but already has a lot of fans including Silver. She seems like a talented fighter but I admit that the whispering gimmick got old really fast so I’m hoping she will get over that as part of a character arc or something. No reason you’d have to keep that angle up for all of her character appearances right? I mean you could…but I’m ready to break away from that and just have her stand out by saving the day all the time.
Admittedly Silver could stand to look a bit cooler as well. I miss the days of Sonic 2006 when he was basically Future Trunks. An unstoppable fighter trying to avenge his forsaken future and doing what needs to be done. He’s lost so much edge since then that he may as well be a completely different character. You would just never guess that he is the same guy if not for the design being the same. I need Silver to have his big comeback and quickly because I always liked that guy a lot back in the day.
Still, Sonic is on point as always and that’s the most important thing in the end. The art is really good as expected and it makes for an easy read. You never have to pause on a page to wonder what’s going on because it’s all really clear. If you’re pausing it is only to appreciate how good and streamlined the art is. A lot of work was absolutely put into this one and the Sonic series continues to operate at a high level. I would even say that it beats volume 1 since this time we got Shadow and Metal Sonic into the mix which always elevates things.
Overall, I definitely recommend checking this comic out. The Sonic comics have not disappointed and we are setting up the seeds for a lot of fun events in the future. At this rate Sonic is going to need some back-up and maybe even his Super Sonic form won’t cut it this time. Might it be time to bring in Infinite? Well, it’s not like Sonic even knows where that guy is or if he even still exists but it’s something to dream about at least. Sometimes you need overwhelming power to stop another powerful fighter.
Overall 8/10
Sonic the Hedgehog, Vol. 1: Fallout! Review
It’s time to finally jump into the world of Sonic in the more recent comic series. Sonic has had a ton of epic comics over the years and you’d expect no less from the greatest video game series of all time. After playing Sonic Frontiers it was pretty good timing to be reading this comic. It really is a great way of starting off the saga. I had a blast and look forward to seeing how things go from here.
The story kicks off fairly quick as Sonic takes down a bunch of Eggman’s robots. After the events of Sonic Forces Eggman vanished but his army remained. They now randomly attack across the planet and so the heroes must all join forces and do their best to stop these bots. The problem is the sheer numbers of them and more are built by the day. So while they may not be a threat to Sonic and friends, the world is quite large and people will continue to be at danger until they’re all taken down. This volume brings 4 issues and right now they’re all fairly stand alone as we start to learn more about the overall threat.
The first story involves Tails as Sonic teams up with him to stop the robots. Then we have one for Amy, Knuckles, and finally Tangle. In each comic Sonic shows up to save the day but it becomes clear that the robots do have some kind of a master now. The attacks have grown coordinated and more powerful robots are also showing up. Sonic is as confident as ever but the rest of the heroes are getting a bit nervous at this point. Can they really hold out against such an onslaught forever?
My first big praise for the series will be the action series. Perhaps it’ll feel like a given that the series has great fights but there is a lot of detail to the action in each issue. There will be whole pages of no text, just action as the heroes use combo attacks and take the enemies down. I like that there is a lot of choreography here and actual back and forth. These aren’t one hit KOs or anything like that. Instead you’re getting actual battles through and through which is a great thing. Sure the robots aren’t a real threat to Sonic but that’s not really the point anyway. You’re here to see what he can do with his speed and I like the combos are are used all the time.
The writing here is also great as you would expect. Sonic is as confident as ever and takes all the villains down easily but he has the skills to back it up. He’s never overconfident and he’s also still very mature. When the other heroes want to get deep or talk about something important he doesn’t brush them off and still has a reasonable answer. His conversation with Amy about joining the resistance was a very good conversation. Nobody jumped to conclusions or anything, just a solid talk where they each explained their points of view and that was the end of it.
As a result I’m happy to report that all of the characters were solid here. Tails also looks good and while he may still be a little on the nervous side, he can still fight and defend himself. This is Tails closer to his best like in Adventure 2 Battle and I like that because he absolutely has proven himself many times at this point. It’s fine to be a little nervous especially with Sonic being taken down by Infinite and pals in the past but he’s not whining about it or anything like that.
Meanwhile Amy looks really good here as well. She’s keeping her feelings in check and doing a great job as the leader of the resistance. (She’s basically the leader at this point) She can still fight a lot and of course she would love to go with Sonic but she chooses her responsibilities first. Amy has come a long way and this really makes her a much more endearing character. You can also sympathize with her one sided romance towards Sonic more now that it’s not portrayed as this crazy gag that’s always around. Holding herself back and just trying to go about things normally is a great move. Even if Sonic were to vanish again, I think she’d be able to keep the resistance in good shape.
Then we have Knuckles who is on point here. He always has a great dynamic with Sonic and you know that the two of them can take on any threat that gets in their way. They have a good fight against two new fighters who showed up and I would take these two against just about any villain combination. I can also see why Knuckles is eager to go back to Angel Island since actively running around and getting results is really his thing. He’s not the kind of guy who usually just sits behind the desk and it fits in with his character.
Finally we have Tangle who is new for the comics and she’s been a fun character so far. I know apparently there is a reference for her within Sonic Frontiers as well so she may even get to the games soon. Her tail makes for a very handy weapon in combat and she can take care of herself. I’m not sure I totally have a read on her personality yet but she’s strong and is a quick thinker as she helped Sonic and Blaze take out the enemies. I look forward to seeing more of her later on.
Meanwhile Blaze did get to appear as well which was fun. She shows up rather suddenly but that’s the fun part of time travel. The comics are already hinting that something major is about to happen and I’m absolutely ready for it. Imagine if Infinite returns soon? We already have a mysterious villain talking tough in the background and planning things out so I’m looking forward to seeing who that is. Shadow hasn’t appeared yet either but there will be time for that. The comics are slowly re-introducing all of the characters which is a good way to start things off. I also like how they show that the Egg robots can be a decent threat when there are enough of them.
I was always skeptical about the world being taken over without Sonic and I still am to be honest since the game never gave a good reason for why Shadow wasn’t around taking everyone out. I consider that to be a bit of a plot hole but the comics are doing good damage control here. I also just like the continuity being present here because it just adds a little extra immersion to the whole experience.
It almost goes without saying but the art is really solid. All of the characters stand out and the colors are bright and vibrant in general. This all looks fantastic all the way around and it makes reading the comics a breeze. I hope they keep this artist for the full run if possible because it would be difficult to top this.
Overall, Sonic is off to the races once more. I always thought the Archie comics were fantastic as well so I was sad to see them go but hopefully this new ongoing will continue for a very long time as well. I think Archie had something like 700 issues so for me I first want to see 100 total issues and then after that I’d like the series to reach 1000. Of course that will take years to do but it would be a really fun goal. If you haven’t read the comics yet then you definitely should. It’s got everything that a Sonic fan could possibly want!
Overall 8/10
Sonic Frontiers Stats and Records
Stats time!
PS4 Trophies 41/41
Playtime 19h 39m
All Skills Maxed
All Worlds 100% Cleared
Rings Level 100
Attack Level 100
Defense Level 100
Speed Level 33
Sonic Frontiers Update
I now have the Platinum Trophy! I told you all this would be game of the year right from the jump so of course I also had to make sure I went in and played it all the way to the Platinum. It’s surprising that you don’t have to get all S ranks or even come close to getting all collectibles for the Platinum but it just goes like that sometimes. Hopefully we get a big sequel sooner than later!
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