Sega
Force Vault
Reviewed
12.30.1998
Publisher
Sega
Developer
Sonic
Team
Format
1x
GD
Origin
Import
/ Domestic
Available
Dec.
23, 1998 (Japan)
Sep.
9, 1999 (USA)
Exclusive
Yes
Difficulty
Normal
Dimensions
3D
View
1st
/ 3rd Person
Genre
Action
/ Adventure
Player(s)
1
Options
Backup
10+
Jump
Pack
Modem
VGA
Box
VMS
/ VMU
Requires
n/a
Importable
95% |
| Intro |
|
> The amazing Burning
Rangers on Sega Saturn was a precursor to the
greatness of Sonic Adventure. After 2 years in development,
which began on the Sega Saturn, Sonic Team has finally unveiled
their masterpiece action/adventure title for the Dreamcast.
Work began right after the release of NiGHTS for Sega
Saturn, then Yuji Naka came to the conclusion that
the Uberconsole
would be a wise move for the project. Sonic Team even
traveled to distant locations to get the feel of the locales they would
create for this monumental title. The story rings a familiar sound...
> There are 7 precious Chaos Emeralds that bring immense power to those
who posses them. Sonic must prevent the Chaos creature
and Dr. Eggman (a.k.a. Dr. Robotnik) from getting these stones
and destroying everything with their powers. There are six playable
characters in the game and they are: Sonic, Knuckles, Amy Rose, Big
the Cat, Tails and E-102 Ganma (robot). Each character has
his/her own strengths and weaknesses which you'll have to exploit in order
to complete each level. Some of the objectives and the difficulty
level will change based on who you choose too.
> As for the import, the menus are in Japanese, which may take some trial
and error to discover their functions. However, the game screens
are in English. Importing isn't a problem, though, as some puzzle
solving will be the only real hump to overcome. At any rate, this
will be a launch title in the U.S.. |
| Graphics |
|
> The pictures just can't do the game justice since the fluid motion, high
color and lightning quick action must be seen in order to be fully appreciated.
For starters, the CG intro is totally amazing to watch and complete with
razor sharp clarity. Then, there are the cut-scenes throughout that
keep you in touch with the underlying story which are done in real-time
3D (same as the game). Sonic Adventure shows off every
graphic effect in the book including transparency, light-source shading,
reflections and (of course) seamless polygon beauty. Other things
to note are that the time of day changes and the action is presented in
non-stop 60 fps perfection. If you thought Zelda (on
N64)
looked great, you were right. For Sonic Adventure,
you can at least double everything in Zelda and you'll have
some idea of how grand it really is.
> Don't forget about the bad guys because they're here in full force.
Chaos is a see-through endoskeleton monster controlled by the evil Dr.
Robotnik. You'll encounter Chaos right from the start and the Doc
won't be too far behind. For instance, Dr. Robotnik's
first incarnation puts him in a hovercraft that fires homing missiles and
turns into a massive drill in an attempt to collide with you! |
| Control |
|
> Naturally, Sonic Adventure's control scheme is simple,
familiar and effective. For the most part everything you do is easy
-- mainly run, jump, special attack and rotate view. The camera occasionally
gets hung up in a weird position, but the rotate view will take care of
that quickly. I'm sure a lot of people will complain about the camera,
but even though it's not perfect, it's worthy and very playable.
The hardest part is running down the middle of the "tracks" and figuring
out just where to go next.
> In case you were wondering, you attack by jumping and landing on an enemy.
Each character also has a special attack, like Sonic's spin
dash and Tails' tail whip. Once you've defeated an
enemy, don't forget to pick up the Flickies. As stated
before, the gameplay is slightly different for of the six selectable characters.
Various mini-games are strewn throughtout as well. |
| Sound |
|
> Sonic Adventure makes good use of Qsound
technology. I'll tell you, the more I listen to the Dreamcast,
the more impressed with its sound capabilities I become! The music
is rockin' with hard rock, jazz and even some jungle rhythm. You
know I'll be purchasing the OST. The sound effects are clear and
in some cases, familiar. Just about everything makes a sound, from
water flowing to explosions to the famous Sonic skid.
Lastly, the voice effects are in English, but the conversations are in
Japanese. |
| Fun |
|
> Aside from the standard game, there's a Sound Test and Time Attack Modes
to choose from. As for fun-factor, this game is just as fun to watch
as it is to play. There's instant action and it doesn't ever slow
down for long. Sonic Adventure is everything I had
hoped for in the transition to 3D. The secret power-ups and areas
will keep you coming back for more as well. With a game of this caliber,
you can tell Sonic Team put a lot of effort into its success. |
| Bottom
Line |
|
> Whether you get the Japanese import or wait for the North American version,
don't miss the most amazing action/adventure ever!!! Sonic
the Hedgehog Fans will be pleased and Sega nay-sayers
will be envious. What can I say? Sonic 3D bliss!
With titles like this in the first round, there will be no excuse not to
own the Uberconsole. |
| Ratings |
| Overall:
9.7 | Graphics: 9.8 | Control: 9.6 | Sound: 10 | Fun: 9.5 |
~
Shinobi ~
|
