Shadow the Hedgehog

I narrowly recommend it for series die-hard, unless it keeps you from buying "Rush", in which case you should opt for your DS all the way. [Dec 2005, p.58]

At its worst, Shadow is a solid platformer with enough fun to keep hardcore Sonic fans in one place for a few days. At its best, it's an engaging gameplay experience that isn't jaded by its otherwise glaring storyline-related setbacks.

Shadow the Hedgehog has a couple good ideas that are ruined by sorry gameplay. What happened?

The choice of speed and rehashed gameplay are what drag the game down. Shadow the Hedgehog is still a fun game for Sonic fans, but is too average to be really interesting to casual gamers.

A monumental letdown, no ifs, ands or buts about it.

The magic of the 2D versions have all but been lost in a search for technical accomplishment and it suffers terribly for it.

This premise would still be stupid even if Shadow didn't suffer from slowdown issues, a nonexistent lock-on system, a horrible camera, and bottomless pits in which to fall. But it does, and it is stupid--just like this is a stupid way to spend 50 bucks.

That game is made the way Sonic games should be. That isn't to say there are no fun parts in Shadow, but they are far too rare.

As a long-term Sonic fan Shadow the Hedgehog fills me with absolute dread and disdain; it's an abysmal game that manages to expand upon the issues of previous Sonic games, whilst completing negating the core ingredients of the Sonic series.

Unlike last years popular and more importantly, playable, "Sonic Heroes," Shadow The Hedgehog is a misstep in almost every direction.

The action is also largely mindless, with a poor targeting system and a game camera that never quite follows the action the way you want it to.

A long list of shortcomings, from stupid level design, unrefined controls and useless gunplay to disappointingly outdated graphics.

Shadow the Hedgehog fails to live up to its pedigree due to terrible controls, an uncooperative camera, and an overall lack of effort.

From its stripping down of the series' most successful gameplay elements to its obviously desperate addition of weapons and 'street' cool this is still a product of a development studio with a good imagination. But also, it seems, a lazy one only too happy to jump on the same GTA bandwagon that's currently carrying way too many developers.

The poor controls, tricky camera and an irritation-filled gaming experience is unfortunately what Shadow the Hedgehog is presented as, and this doesn't deserve to be found under too many Christmas tree's this year.

The new gun combat is horrid. [Jan 2006, p.138]

The lack of speed is a real problem here.

The game suffers from lackluster gameplay, as well as uninspired work in the graphic and audio department. It does have moments of appeal, but they're buried beneath a pile of rushed presentation.

Sega seems to be lazily exploiting a franchise that appears way past its sell-by date. Reinvent the character by all means, but give him back his sharp edges.

That is nothing like any Sonic game I played as a kid. Those games were fast, colorful, simple, and fun - all things that Shadow the Hedgehog not only misses, but flat out ignores.