Sonic Forces Reviews
Sonic Forces is a disappointing rehash of everything that has been done wrong with the Sonic franchise in the past. There were some good ideas here, but none of them were executed in a way that was fun or enjoyable.
To answer our initial question, Sonic Forces hasn't managed to convince us that it is a must-play title in the series, but has at least alleviated some of our initial fears. A relatively short five-hour or so campaign, a lack of difficulty that ramps up unexpectedly on the final boss, and the non-coherent blend of 3D sequences, 2D sections and cutscenes make Sonic Forces a mixed experience, with positive moments undone by weaker areas.It isn't poor as many feared, and for children it could well be a thoroughly enjoyable experience. For the ‘hardcore' (and likely slightly older) generation of Sonic fans, though, perhaps it's best to accept that - for better or worse - Sonic isn't what it used to be. Stick with Sonic Mania for classic Sonic fun, and let Forces attract a new, younger audience.
An average storytelling, bad controls and a boring level design make it hard for Segas Hedgehog to climb back on the Jump N`Run Olympus. If you're looking for a quick and fun game you'll still get something out of Sonic Forces.
Review in German | Read full review
Sonic Forces isn't a particularly bad game, it's just a game that never seems to find it's true potential. An overly complicated story and some design flaws stop Sonic Forces just shy of greatness, leaving a decent enough experience to enjoy.
If you are a fan of the Sonic universe, it’s characters, and have been dreaming of creating your own unique character in the games, you will enjoy your time with Sonic Forces. But, it’s difficult to recommend the game to anyone outside of diehard fans.
Avoid it like the plague.
What ends up holding Sonic Forces back is that it — ironically — moves too fast to leave any sort of lasting impact, speeding through both its plot and levels in short bursts instead of leaving more time for anything to soak in.
The saying “Too many cooks spoil the broth” certainly rings true with Sonic Forces. It's a game where despite it's many level types none of them quite leave a lasting impression. As a result, it comes off as merely average in all departments with the sole exception being the visual design. Sonic Forces is far from the train wreck that Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric was, but it doesn't come close to reigniting the series' magic in the way Sonic Mania did.
It’s tough to believe that Sonic Team has managed to take the enjoyable gameplay blueprint of Sonic Generations and turn it into this clunky mess of a sequel – a lazily told story, poor level design, and gameplay that lacks any real excitement the biggest offenders here. Sonic Mania managed to steer the hedgehog back on track and it’s disheartening to see Sonic Forces potentially undo that so soon. The game isn’t unplayable like others have been in the past, but it’s certainly clear Sonic Team are capable of better. Much better.
Though not without its moments, Forces is a depressing return to form for Sonic the Hedgehog after the joys of Mania.
Sonic Forces stands side by side with the best 3D Sonic games. It gives a lot of good feelings and a few very bad ones, but it's an honest game, and you should trust the Sonic Team this time.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sonic Forces is not going to rewrite the history books. It's yet another Sonic game that struggles when adding that extra dimension. Even though the level design is some of the best yet, you just can't shake the feeling that it's a bit of fan service until they launch Sonic Mania 2.
How many more hedgehogs have to suffer before SEGA understands that Sonic should use only 2D platformer genre?
Review in Polish | Read full review
2017 is the year the Sonic franchise stops running from itself. Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces celebrate different eras, but they both take the same shameless “all-in” approach. Sonic Forces is a confident game, serving up a story and stages that go for broke, while dodging the pitfalls of the past. As long as you're not a hardline 3D Sonic hater, this earnest, entertaining adventure is worth a spin.
The good news is that Sonic Forces is not the disaster it could easily have been. There's a fairly enjoyable, silly romp here, that's got some nicely handled fan service. The bad news is that it still makes so many of the same mistakes synonymous with the series' 3D past.
Sonic Forces consistently fails more than it succeeds, squandering the opportunity to build on the series' past successes.
While the technology is mostly convincing, the new Sonic lacks game depth and scope.
Review in German | Read full review
Despite a few new ideas and sublime soundtrack, I cannot for recommend picking up Sonic Forces on any platform until a low bargain bin sale. It's just embarrassing the iconic character hasn't been given the right treatment in his next generation debut, perhaps 3D sonic games are over? Or the franchise needs to stay buried.