Sonic Forces

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1024 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 459 out of 1024
  2. Mixed: 285 out of 1024
  3. Negative: 280 out of 1024
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  1. Vitolonado
    Mar 14, 2022
    5
    Seriously, how is this simply worse than 06? This game is the reason why I looked back and thought "Maybe Sonic 06 wasn't so bad" and stopped hating that game

    Edit: I'm so sorry for treating this game so horribly, I hadn't played Sonic Colors and I can't believe I hated that one more than this one
  2. Bladefox
    Jul 13, 2018
    6
    This is one of the most disappointing Sonic games I've ever played. As far as gameplay goes, Modern Sonic's boost gameplay feels like a step down since Generations; the stages are too narrow and the Drift ability is absent. The Avatar stages are the most entertaining thanks to moments of spectacle with the Bionic Commando arm and the Wisp-on weaponry to make for clever platforming andThis is one of the most disappointing Sonic games I've ever played. As far as gameplay goes, Modern Sonic's boost gameplay feels like a step down since Generations; the stages are too narrow and the Drift ability is absent. The Avatar stages are the most entertaining thanks to moments of spectacle with the Bionic Commando arm and the Wisp-on weaponry to make for clever platforming and attacks. Classic Sonic is too sluggish and too heavy. Everyone agrees is that he's the worst gameplay style. All of the stages are too short. I think the longest goes on for 4 minutes maximum. My biggest gripe with this title is that after 7 years of nostalgia-pandering and playing it safe, this installment was looking to get back on track by raising the stakes and having that overlooked mature element of Sonic that was featured in Sonic CD and Sonic Adventure, and have all new material, but no. They played it safe again. Classic Sonic (who made no impact in the story), Green Hill Zone (which is exactly the same before and after Eggman conquers the world), Chemical Plant Zone, and they held back in the story in fears of bothering gaming journalists who have a biased grudge on the 3D Sonic games. The motivation of the new villain, Infinite, is weak and confusing. Shadow and Chaos supposedly joining the evil side as implied in the trailers built up to a shameful cop-out that lazily lured us Adventure fans into buying it. On the positive side, Sonic as a character is much better here than in Colors - Lost World. I do admittedly like the Avatar system and the Custom Hero as a character; a novice who aspires to be a hero. The story was a waste overall, but it did have some good moments involving shafted supporting characters like Knuckles and Silver. I still prefer this game's story over Colors- Lost World. Bottom line, you need to do better, Sonic Team and frankly, I think it's time for a full 3D game. Don't let the haters mislead you, many of us do want a new game that's entirely 3D and the Adventure formula still has untapped potential that's waiting to be surfaced.… Expand
  3. CyanRyanN64
    Nov 11, 2019
    5
    This game is not good at all to much 2d shoves classic sonic into the game for the second time bad **** writing and especially two **** writers who know nothing about sonic main villain drive was just oh i got called a bad name now im gonna be even more bad tbh sega just needs to make a better sonic game and fire those hack writers
  4. Alioly
    Jun 30, 2021
    5
    A “meh” sonic game. If u want to play a sonic I will start with another after forces.
  5. TapoutSonic
    Nov 8, 2017
    7
    Sonic Forces is a fun 3D to 2D platformer but yet struggles on inconsistent level design choices and ideas. Some stages are really short and in fact takes about 2 hours to complete the game. If you are interested in taking missions and extra stages it will take about 6 hours to complete. Story-wise it's in between of being decent to a range of being lackluster. Modern Sonic feels smoothSonic Forces is a fun 3D to 2D platformer but yet struggles on inconsistent level design choices and ideas. Some stages are really short and in fact takes about 2 hours to complete the game. If you are interested in taking missions and extra stages it will take about 6 hours to complete. Story-wise it's in between of being decent to a range of being lackluster. Modern Sonic feels smooth but when jumping it feels quiet stiff. The Avatars customization is fun to mess around with but when playing the avatar gameplay-wise the jumping feels stiff and accelerates quite fast which sometimes make you run off the stage and that goes to Modern Sonic as well. Classic Sonics gameplay feels fine but when jumping it can feel very stiff and somewhat worse than Generations which is kind of disappointing. I felt like Classic Sonic wasn't needed in this game. Sure there is a connection from the plot between Sonic Mania into Sonic Forces but even so we're talking about an inferior version of Classic Sonic which struggles poorly on physics and momentum (based on the Genesis). I felt like Classic Sonic was being shoehorned in the story for a Phantom Ruby plot reasoning slapped on top of it. I felt like it should have been Modern Sonic and the Avatar. The stages also felt unbalanced. One of them as an example being linear and one of them being a little opened clashing in together. It just felt inconsistent. Visually it looks quite beautiful and charming.

    Overall, this game is mostly an okay with some great aspects which makes it good at times.

    I give this a 7 out of 10 because there is some enjoyment to be found. If you are a fan of 3D Sonic I would recommend getting it on a less price to experience this game. You'll have fun but one thing that will stick in your head is that this game could have have been better.    … Expand
  6. Cjis2Nice
    Nov 17, 2017
    6
    I gave this game a review already like a few days ago and I've been playing it more. At the time I thought this was a game that was "very well put together" now honestly I find it to be a little disappointing.

    The modern Sonic stages are too short, there's no drift, no tricks system like Generations, and the level design is more "boost to win" and automated than it's ever been. All of    I gave this game a review already like a few days ago and I've been playing it more. At the time I thought this was a game that was "very well put together" now honestly I find it to be a little disappointing.

    The modern Sonic stages are too short, there's no drift, no tricks system like Generations, and the level design is more "boost to win" and automated than it's ever been. All of his stages feel like demos. Literally all of them. It's really annoying actually. I don't know why the stages are like this, considering we had 3 boost games before this which had solid level design.

    Classic Sonic's stages are alright I guess. These stages actually have the most multiple pathways and are the most non-linear. The only problem is the physics are jacked up. Btw, nobody wanted him in this game, but I don't think that's a fair argument. Just saying though.

    The avatar's customisation is very fun to mess around with. These stages are fun, but there are too many times when the game plays itself.

    There are positives. The graphics are pretty, the story is passable (but underwhelming in the end), and the music is awesome as usual with Sonic games.

    As it's own game, Sonic Forces is very solid, but when comparing it to games like Unleashed, or even Generations, this game is very disappointing. It's not "bad" though, I wouldn't go that far. I like this game for what it is, but this series needs to go in a new direction with its gameplay.    … Expand
  7. JoeCastle99
    Nov 7, 2017
    6
    Ok. Ill try to be honest, this game... wasnt as good as people (and SEGA) told us about. NO, im not saying its bad, either im saying its good... its "OK"

    Ill divide my review on various parts, to explain my opinion as pure as possible: STORY: Its kinda good, not gonna lie. For the "GOOD" part, the idea of Eggman actually ruling the entire world for various months is pretty nice,    Ok. Ill try to be honest, this game... wasnt as good as people (and SEGA) told us about. NO, im not saying its bad, either im saying its good... its "OK"

    Ill divide my review on various parts, to explain my opinion as pure as possible:

    STORY:

    Its kinda good, not gonna lie. For the "GOOD" part, the idea of Eggman actually ruling the entire world for various months is pretty nice, and the fact he actually tortured Sonic for once its... pretty interesting i would say... also, including old and new bosses adds a nice touch (old, talking about Chaos and Metal Sonic, and new, talking about zavok).

    for the "OK" part, the introduction of infinite is kinda weird, because you need to play Episode Shadow to understand how all begins, which is not a very nice decision from Sega, but i will let it pass...

    And the implementation of the OC Avatar is very simple, just a survivor that wanted to join the resistance isnt very attractive.

    for the "Not Good" part, Classic Sonic appeared just out of nowhere, not even sure how or why the idea of Classic Sonic appearing out of nowhere was a cool idea :(

    also, in some of the trailers of the game, you see shadow as part of the bad guys, when in the game you cant even fight him (either Chaos) which is kinda disappointing, but oh well...

    PLAYABILITY/GAME ASPECTS:

    Its ok... its not like they introduced something new to the playability (because we have the casual Modern Sonic running the same line all over again, Classic Sonic with the 2D enviroment), except the things that the OC Avatar can do, that can change depending of the animal you choose, which it add a bit more of replay value, but excluding that, its just like any other sonic game (this doesnt mean thats bad... just kinda repetitive)

    About the game aspects, for the "GOOD" part, voice acting is good and the quality is nice in all versions of the game, pretty smooth and good looking.

    in the "OK" part, the AI of the NPCs isnt as good as previous games, in the Modern Sonic stages they dont even try to hurt you, which is kinda understandable, since the main goal of those stages is just run in a straight line, but it makes it too easy IMO, they should at least try to hurt you, not just be there, wasting space. In the Classic Sonic stages, they look ok.

    And in Modern Sonic stages, the checkpoints hitbox seems kinda weird, you can "kinda" go thru it, small detail, since again, the main goal is just run until you reach the end, but its hitbox should be complete.

    The stages are fun and pretty colorful, packed with a bit of that nostalgia and feelings, depending of the situations

    DIFFICULTY:

    its too easy, comparing it with other sonic games (not as easy as oddysey, but thats a different franchise), the NPCs dont really try to hurt you, they are pretty easy to avoid and destroy as well, most of the stages can be completed very quickly, and overall, you can complete the game in 2 hours, or even less, and im not talking about speedrunning the game... which IMO is not that good, but moving that to a side, some (not all) of the stages can take 2 or 3 tries to understand where you need to go and where you should fall.

    OVERALL:

    its ok. As a Sonic fan myself, i think this game had too much hype (and i was hyped too), but im kinda dissapointed, since some things are not as the Trailers promised. But is not as bad some people told me it was going to be, either is as good some people told me too...

    Its enjoyable at least, and it gives some fresh air with the OC thing (which im not a fan of, but apparently it was well received, so, i guess ill let that pass too) and i can say its better than Lost World and Boom.

    Should you buy it? If you want, or if you are a big Sonic fan, but i wouldnt say this is a title you should really get...    … Expand
  8. hogofddyn_
    Nov 8, 2017
    7
    Forces is a good game; fun throughout and runs well.
    It's possibly a bit short, with levels taking around 2-3 minutes each, but plays very well.
    The plot is a bit melodramatic but the voice actors elevate it with great delivery. The modern, classic and avatar stages represent three slightly different gameplay styles, all of which work well. Avatar customisation is pretty in depth with    Forces is a good game; fun throughout and runs well.
    It's possibly a bit short, with levels taking around 2-3 minutes each, but plays very well.
    The plot is a bit melodramatic but the voice actors elevate it with great delivery.
    The modern, classic and avatar stages represent three slightly different gameplay styles, all of which work well. Avatar customisation is pretty in depth with loads of clothes and accessories.
    All in, it's a good game well worth the asking price.    … Expand
  9. Ciru
    Nov 7, 2017
    6
    I don't usually review games here but i need to say that i don't get some people. First of all, i'm not a fan of Sonic, i played some games but i not consider myself a fan of the series, i'll say that i simply enjoy plataforming/adventure games. I've been reading things in forums about this game since the fisrt trailer was released and a lot of people were saying that this game will beI don't usually review games here but i need to say that i don't get some people. First of all, i'm not a fan of Sonic, i played some games but i not consider myself a fan of the series, i'll say that i simply enjoy plataforming/adventure games. I've been reading things in forums about this game since the fisrt trailer was released and a lot of people were saying that this game will be trash and my point is, how can people say bad things about the game with only one trailer? someone correct me if i'm wrong but it seems to me that the Sonic fanbase in general (not everyone of course) just hates for the sake of hating. Of course this game it's not the best ever but c'mon, it's not bad at all. I've been playing today and i beat the first 6 levels plus the extra level and the game is so much fun. Playing as classic Sonic and modern Sonic plus the avatar is cool and the customization is nice too. Music is amazing. So far the game is good, a solid 8 for me thus far.… Expand
  10. EAPyoutube
    Nov 7, 2017
    7
    I went into Sonic Forces expecting to be disappointed, I finished the game surprised and slightly relieved. Sonic Forces may have a few flaws like short levels and janky areas, but the overall experience is pretty fine. I enjoyed the character customization more than I thought I would, the game is all stellar in terms of visuals and the soundtrack is of great quality. I also like that forI went into Sonic Forces expecting to be disappointed, I finished the game surprised and slightly relieved. Sonic Forces may have a few flaws like short levels and janky areas, but the overall experience is pretty fine. I enjoyed the character customization more than I thought I would, the game is all stellar in terms of visuals and the soundtrack is of great quality. I also like that for once the story revolves around Eggman having already taken over rather than stopping him from taking over like in previous games. If they fixed issues like the Classic Sonic physcis, janky areas and some other minor stuff, this would be a brilliant game.… Expand
  11. Tipomaniac
    Jul 5, 2018
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A word to describe this game is disappointing. This game was extremely smart in selling and advertising but the gameplay however was not good enough. There was a lack of originality and the game itself felt extremely incomplete. There were past stages such as Green Hill and Chemical plant which have been shown in multiple sonic games which would leave a bad taste for some.

    The main story of the game can be finished in a less than 4 hours which shows how little content there is. The gameplay is awful. The content of Classic Sonic somehow felt worse than Sonic Generations, even with the addition of the Drop-dash move from Sonic Mania. Modern Sonic had an incredible speed boost when running for more than 3 seconds even though he feels perfect when walking/jogging. The Avatar is a mixed bag. They move well in a 3D space, however 2D. They move like trash

    The game also mostly features 2D areas even though they had advertised a mostly 3D game, which is extremely disappointing. This game being compared to the previous games felt like it was an experiment and it was held back by a long shot. There are a total of 30 stages and 7 regions: Green Hill, Chemical Plant, Death Egg, Metropolis, Mystic Jungle and Eggman Empire Fortress. The final boss (Death Egg Robot) was lacking during the final phase, It being a copy of Sonic Colours and Sonic Lost World. There was not even any mention of the Chaos Emeralds or Super Sonic anywhere during the story which would've increased the value of the story up even more.

    Things I have to commend this game for include is the idea of the story, the backgrounds of the stages, the characters having a bit of personality and the amazing soundtrack. They all had contributed in some way that had made the game feel like a good sonic game.

    Overall, I believe this game was a huge disappointment and an idea that had potential but had not fully developed. This was was extremely mediocre and a disappointment for the Sonic the Hedgehog Series.    … Expand
  12. Jenna4President
    Nov 8, 2017
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I know that everyone keeps saying this game is bad, but you know what? I enjoyed it, once I got used to how the controls worked.

    There IS a mid-air breaking issue while playing as the modern characters, though. You tend to not be able to stop fast enough when pulling away, yet stop on the spot when you let go of all directions entirely. This needs to be reversed, at the very least.

    The game would be even more enjoyable if Sonic Team continued to doctor up the controls for the future. I hear a lot of people saying the Classic Sonic gameplay was not so great. Most Cite the physics. While I had no issue with this, I can see where their coming from, having played a few of the old Sonic games myself. It's different from what Classic Sonic fans are used to in Classic Sonic games.

    However, that's not all they need to be concerned about. They also need to work on their cut-scenes and story for future games.

    SPOILER ALERT.

    Whoever wrote this was not keeping consistent. I think that they forgot twice that Infinite was not exactly Eggman's creation and even had Tails say, "So, this is where Infinite was created." Yet, he was not CREATED. He was Eggman's voluntary test subject. If anything, he was GENETICALLY MODIFIED. And The Phantom Ruby was also his creation? Yeah, no. That or they should have never named the original gem. Dunno. It's confounding me.

    Even worse is how they handled Modern Sonic still being alive right after he "died". So, then they tell us that he's been getting tortured for half a year! Yet, they again fall flat of actually making me feel that when Sonic is just sitting there, tossing japes at Zavock as if he'd been literally just sitting there in a comfy chair, served nice meals throughout his entire imprisonment. Never does the scenario seem real. Not once.

    I could go on and on about the problems with this story, but I'll simply say this: Sonic Team. If by some chance you see this, fire the writing staff in charge of this game's story. I can sense some seriously mixed ideas, here, and I can tell. No one was on the same page. It sounds like they wanted to do several different things and were allowed to do them, regardless of whoever you had in charge as the lead writer. And if it was all one person, it looks even worse on them, because one person should be able to keep their ideas straight enough. If this was born from nervousness about exposing the youth to profoundly dark ideas, then they never should have pitched a "dark" scenario.

    I don't necessarily want anyone to lose their job and not be able to support their lifestyle, but this is the type of thing you see when the people you have on the job do not know what their doing. Either they need to learn from this mistake and improve, or be fired. Simple as that.

    Now then. Overall, I give this game a tenuous 7 out of 10. It's a good game that could be better with some fine tuning, but it has a truly terrible story. I can overlook this, being that I still had a good time.    … Expand
  13. SallesTH
    Nov 7, 2017
    5
    The game did a lot of marketing for empty villains, no personality at all ... full story of holes. The gameplay is superior to that of Generations, Colors and Unleashed, but level design is the weakest of all. The soundtrack is good, but still inferior to Colors and Unleashed.
    The most well-constructed phases are those of Sonic Classic, but even so, with a super amateur platform, at the    The game did a lot of marketing for empty villains, no personality at all ... full story of holes. The gameplay is superior to that of Generations, Colors and Unleashed, but level design is the weakest of all. The soundtrack is good, but still inferior to Colors and Unleashed.
    The most well-constructed phases are those of Sonic Classic, but even so, with a super amateur platform, at the Sonic 4: Episode 1 level.

    Good:
    > Customizable character
    > Soundtrack
    > Action scenes
    > Graphics

    Bad:
    > The zones are a great straight line
    > The horrific physics of the Generations Sonic Classic remains.
    > Low platform
    > Holes in history
    > Lack of creativity
    > Some enemies do not attack
    > For what 30 zones if all of them last 2 or 3 minutes?
    > Excessive marketing for little thing

    Because it is an AAA game that has had 4 years of development, a much better job is expected.
    Sonic Mania recycles several things, and this is not good, but the fact is that having a low budget and a small team, he went much further. They were able to create something as ambitious as Unleashed, but their execution was very modest compared to the amount of marketing they received.

    I LOVE SONIC, I play since I was little. I put a little expectation in this game and I was disappointed.
    It's a lousy platform and a medium-sized action game.    … Expand
  14. Untitled94
    Nov 7, 2017
    7
    This game is good, but a bit of a disappointment. One thing is it's a bit short, which I know Sonic Generations was short, but this one seemed shorter, even with 3 character stages (well 4 actually). Another thing is that the custom hero and modern Sonic stages were about 60% quick time events, and the bosses were incredibly easy (except the very last boss). It wasn't Sonic Generations 2This game is good, but a bit of a disappointment. One thing is it's a bit short, which I know Sonic Generations was short, but this one seemed shorter, even with 3 character stages (well 4 actually). Another thing is that the custom hero and modern Sonic stages were about 60% quick time events, and the bosses were incredibly easy (except the very last boss). It wasn't Sonic Generations 2 with a different name, but I feel like it would've been better off that way. However, the story was fantastic and dark, some of the music was great, the graphics were pretty great, and the classic Sonic stages were alright. Overall, I feel like this game had potential of being one of the best Sonic games, but it ended up being just good, with the gameplay being ok. I really hope that Sega and Sonic Team doesn't take this as "we shouldn't make 3D Sonic anymore" and take it as "we need to make a better 3D Sonic game" or "we need Sonic Adventure 3!"… Expand
  15. akkayub_
    Nov 7, 2017
    5
    ok i guess. the physics arn't great the story isn't great and the game overall doesn't feel too great. the music was good though. i guess. i can see alot of the sonic bois are giving it ten. silly billys. but thats to be expected isn't it
  16. ShadowPeter
    Nov 13, 2017
    6
    6.5/10 to the game. Since the Sonic Generations that the 3D Sonic has walked the streets of bitterness. Sonic Lost World and the Sonic Boom were considered weak or mediocre, with the last only reaching about half a million units worldwide and as such was Sonic's worst game in terms of sales. And it's with my pity, as great Sonic Fan (and Shadow Fan already) that I am, it seems that this6.5/10 to the game. Since the Sonic Generations that the 3D Sonic has walked the streets of bitterness. Sonic Lost World and the Sonic Boom were considered weak or mediocre, with the last only reaching about half a million units worldwide and as such was Sonic's worst game in terms of sales. And it's with my pity, as great Sonic Fan (and Shadow Fan already) that I am, it seems that this Sonic Forces, who had so much potential, will not go beyond of mediocre.

    Doctor Eggman attacks again and Sonic is called once again to try to save the world. Our egg-shaped villain recruits Metal Sonic, Chaos, Zavok, and a new villain named Infinite. With this team, Sonic was easily defeated, and with this, the world of the blue hedgehog was plunged into chaos. After six months, Knuckles along with the other friends of Sonic, form a small resistance and recruit a new soldier, with surname "Rookie" (Avatar).

    The Rookie aka Avatar, is a kind of "custom hero." By this, I mean we can create our own hero in the game. We can edit the species (Cat, Dog, Hedgehog, Bear, etc.) of the character, we can edit the color of the eyes and the skin, just as we can by objects, clothes and other types of accessories in the Avatar. It is also possible to dictate the type of Wispon. Wispon are weapons, and I say already there are a huge amount of them, since the Burst is a kind of flamethrower that can also be used as propulsion in the air; Lightning - can be used as an electric whip or can be used to pass through a trail of rings or enemies, among others. I really liked this idea of Custom Hero, which although not original, served for Sega to avoid criticism if they put another new character in the universe of the blue hedgehog.

    In Sonic Forces we play with three characters: Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic and Avatar. Modern Sonic for action and rampant speeds, Classic Sonic for the classic levels of the Mega Drive era, and Avatar to use weapons to overcome obstacles and destroy enemies. At some point, we use Avatar and Modern Sonic at the same time. The controls of the game aren't really bad, but for example, I didn't like the air control of the Avatar and Modern Sonic. I died a few times because of bad air control in one of the bosses of Modern Sonic. I also didn't like the scripted events (loops) that require speed reduction and take away the sensation of it, and I did not like the fact that Classic Sonic is slow. It's not that it's ultra slow, but it's slow enough that we can not get past a few obstacles, which rarely happened in the Mega Drive classics.

    The player always has a lot to do, from completing quests to progressing in history and to getting accessories and clothes and between things for our Avatar. And if we get S rank on missions, whether it's main missions or extra missions, we get more stuff for our Custom Hero. Also we have SOS missions in which we have to complete the mission (always missions of the story mode) without losing a single life and with special requirements.

    In terms of stages, lack of originality by Sega. Death Egg still has an excuse, but the same can not be said of Green Hill and the Chemical Plant that have been in previous games like Sonic Generations and Sonic Mania. And even in the new ones, I feel that for example in the (Mystic Jungle) Casino Forest of Classic Sonic, it was badly used. I thought that video gameplay of the level that Sega published a few months ago was 50% or 75% of the level and after all it was ... 90% of the level. It could have been longer, since it also has a very good song. And speaking of music, in this field (Sega is king in here), although I didn't like 2 or 3 songs, in my opinion it turned out to be satisfactory.

    In visual terms, although isn't brilliant, they are satisfactory and the framerate is even better; 60 FPS (30 FPS in cutscenes) super stable. The story itself is reasonable, but with many holes lower than expected. They could and should have explored the origin of the villain Infinite (the origin is only explained in the Comics), which had great potential, not to mention that I didn't like one point in the way story that I will not reveal because it is a spoiler.

    Conclusion, so much enthusiasm I had in the game before he left and after finishing it, left me a little disappointed. The team that made good games like Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations should have done better homework. This Sonic Forces is not bad, it even has its positive aspects, but it could have been better.    … Expand
  17. otakudbz
    May 16, 2018
    6
    Sonic Forces manages to be a fun game to play, with great graphics, visuals, soundtracks, and interesting concepts for the story and gameplay. However, what makes the game a little bit weird are some bugs in the gameplay, rushed story, how easy it is and how short it is. Basically, it is a fun game, but it is worse than Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations.

    The gameplay itself is the same    Sonic Forces manages to be a fun game to play, with great graphics, visuals, soundtracks, and interesting concepts for the story and gameplay. However, what makes the game a little bit weird are some bugs in the gameplay, rushed story, how easy it is and how short it is. Basically, it is a fun game, but it is worse than Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations.

    The gameplay itself is the same as Sonic Generations, with Modern Sonic using the boost mechanic, and Classic Sonic having 2D levels, and this time, we get to play as our own character with weapons called wispons. It is fun to play as the three characters, however, it is difficult to control Modern Sonic in some 2D-Platforming sections, since his jump is a little bit weird and how he controls while he is in mid-air is weird as well, and at the same time, he accelerates way faster than in generations, which may cause some trouble in these 2D-Platforming sections. Classic Sonic feels a little bit "heavier" than how he was in Generations, and feels more slow. It felt so weird playing as him in his first stage, but I got used to it later. The Avatar has a problem with his speed just like Modern Sonic, but this time, in 3D sections.

    The story is interesting and has lots of good moments in it, and has lot of potential. But, what makes the story weak is how it is rushed (especially the beginning), how a lot of things get unexplained, and a few plot holes that are easily noticeable. The plot could have been better, even though it is better than the last few Sonic games since Colors.

    The game isn't hard, either. It doesn't even get to this point. All the stages in the Main Story mode are easy, and you'll probably only die a couple of times if you try to speed-run it in your first time, or if you are new to playing a Sonic-Boosting Game. The only levels in this game that try to get a little but more difficult are some Secret Stages outside the storyline, but they are short, and once you get the idea of these stages, they get easy as well. The Level Design does not help in this as well, even if there are a few stages with lots of paths.

    The game is short, as well. Most of the stages can be beat in less than a minute, or a minute, or a minute and half, if you manage to be good at playing Sonic. You'll only take a few more minutes if you want to find all the collectables (Red Rings), or if you want to be slow to not get damaged and lose your Rings. And keep in mind: There are only 30 stages in the Main Story. If you try to beat the Main Story, Shadow Storyline (which is a free DLC), and all the Secret Stages, it will only take you 3 hours and 45 minutes, at minimum. And to get all the Red Rings, S-Ranks and all achievements, it will probably take you 5 hours.

    Even with all of this in mind, you can still have a good time with Sonic Forces. Most of the soundtrack is amazing, the stages are beautiful, graphics are really good compared to the last Sonic games, and if you get used to all the weird stuff that happens in the gameplay, you can still have a good time. If you plan to buy the game, don't except something amazing or that innovates from the other Sonic Games, just except a game you can have a good time with. Still, it could be better than the final product.    … Expand
  18. ARGReviews
    Nov 10, 2017
    7
    Sonic Forces is a game that is different in some ways from past Sonic games. It let's you introduce your own Sonic character to the mix and in the story. The Custom Hero is the main selling point of this game, and personally I believe that works. It allows you to have many customization options available and you can also equip different wispons to spice up the gameplay. You use a grapplingSonic Forces is a game that is different in some ways from past Sonic games. It let's you introduce your own Sonic character to the mix and in the story. The Custom Hero is the main selling point of this game, and personally I believe that works. It allows you to have many customization options available and you can also equip different wispons to spice up the gameplay. You use a grappling hook to get around the stage and use your wispons to clear hordes of enemies. Personally I find this a fun concept and I believe if improved upon, it could be used again. What doesn't work though is the level design in some parts and the jumping for this custom character. I found the level design for the Custom Hero to be a little uninspired and bland (This will be said a lot for the others too). All I could really say on that is that it does the job. Overall the custom hero is a really good part of this game, but unfortunately doesn't have enough inspiration in the level design department.

    Moving on to Modern Sonic, he is probably the best part of this game. His controls have been refined for this game and he does feel like he controls better from Generations. The only complaint I have for him, similar to the Custom Character is again the jumping. I don't understand why the jump in this game is really stiff, that seems to be the main thing bugging me in this game. His level design is better than the Custom Hero, but the levels are very short. It seems that I just got into the level and the level is over suddenly. The levels are a lot more inspired in Sonic's case and there were a fair bit of remember-able moments, but mostly again, the level design felt bland. Again it just does the job and feels average, but not enticing or very exciting. Overall I will say that these stages are the best part of the game, but very short.

    Classic Sonic I will talk briefly on, since he doesn't do much in this game. Classic Sonic is here because of Mania, but that really isn't explained at all in this game. Classic Sonic's controls have improved from Generations, but again the levels are average and just doing the job. I don't understand how Sonic Team could not be getting the levels right when they have Generations and Mania to inspire off to do Classic Sonic well. It just seems like a half done effort to make Classic Sonic work in this game. The drop dash is here from Mania and the spin dash has been toned down and no longer op like in Generations, but that doesn't make up for the uninspired level design. Overall Classic Sonic for me is the least enjoyable part of this game.

    The Custom Hero and Modern Sonic tag team stages in this game I really liked. Biggest problem (and I should have mentioned this before) was the automation in this game and it's levels. Modern Sonic gets a lot of quick time events and so does the custom character. This is more noticeable with the custom character since you can't drift manually in sections and it does it for you. Also with the quick step sections for the custom character, it again does it for you. The stages are in full 3D (finally) and they really are fun, but again they are short. They feel the most inspiring in this game and I will say with the small amount of these in the game, they are probably the best of the custom hero and Sonic together. It controls well, it's simple and it felt good.

    The bosses in this game ranged from good to kinda bad. Classic Sonic's bosses were okay and just felt uninspiring, while the Modern Sonic's and the Custom Hero's were pretty good and fast paced. They worked and felt really good.

    The story in this game was probably one of my favorites for a Sonic game since Sonic Adventure 2. I felt the vibe of seriousness and I felt that the characters were taking the situation seriously, except Sonic. He never took the situation seriously, except for when he is beaten to trash by Infinite, but then he would suddenly be back to "oh yeah we got this." That was the one thing that was inconsistent with the plot I noticed, but overall a good story. Oh yeah and the game doesn't explain Classic Sonic's reasoning very well for being in Forces. He was kinda just thrown in there because of the phantom ruby.

    The music in this game was good, but I could never grasp a good feeling about Classic Sonic's tunes. They just felt really bland and terrible, especially Green Hill's music for him. The custom hero's music was mainly electronic music with vocals and that was amazing to listen to. It really pumped you up and almost made you forget the bad things in this game. You got through the stages with catchy beats that remind you of Sonic R music (except much better and cooler). Modern Sonic's music was mainly rock and some electronic synths to it and it was again really well done. This game even without Crush 40 had a great theme song, good boss themes and an awesome atmosphere. Just wish I could say the same for Classic Sonic though.    … Expand
  19. LiTeRaLyShAkInG
    Nov 9, 2017
    5
    Sonic Forces can be added to the list of crappy 3D Sonics. I don't automatically hate the 3D Sonics. I loved Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast, although if it was released in modern times I doubt I would like it as much. Sonic Generations and Sonic Colors were awesome, though. I just recently replayed Sonic Generations on my PC and going from that to Sonic Forces is like night and day.Sonic Forces can be added to the list of crappy 3D Sonics. I don't automatically hate the 3D Sonics. I loved Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast, although if it was released in modern times I doubt I would like it as much. Sonic Generations and Sonic Colors were awesome, though. I just recently replayed Sonic Generations on my PC and going from that to Sonic Forces is like night and day.

    The first noticeable problem is the graphics. I'm playing this on the PS4 Pro. I can't tell what the resolution is, but since jaggies are present I'm guessing 1440p. Considering the game is running in 1080p on the base PS4, that's not impressive. And here's the crazy part, Sonic Generations in 4k/60 fps on the PC actually looks BETTER than Sonic Forces on the PS4 Pro despite being a PS3 port. It's awful that a PS3 game on the PC looks better than a modern PS4 Pro game.

    The next noticeable problem is the terrible controls. Seriously, all they had to do was make it control exactly like Generations and Colors and they still managed to screw it up. HOW? You had an existing engine for Sonic that worked and you still messed it up. Seriously, Sega, how did manage that? The controls felt fluid in Generations and Colors, but here they just feel awkward and clunky.

    Onto the level design. The upside is that there is a lot of variety in the levels. The downside is the levels are really short. The levels can be beaten in about 2-3 minutes. Sonic Mania had levels that could actually be a challenge to beat in the 10 minute time limit. The levels themselves are poorly designed. Sonic Mania introduced gargantuan levels with a ton of different paths you could take. While there are multiple ways to complete a level in this, it's not nearly to the extent of Generations and Colors. Then there's the fact that when you die it's more than likely because you couldn't see what was coming ahead of you, which could in part be due to the crappy camera, or because of the terrible controls. Instead of adding challenge, it's just frustrating. And then there's the boss fights, which are an absolute mess, just like the levels. The levels and bosses in Generations and Colors were well-designed and fun, unlike the ones in here which are just a chore to play.

    The worst part of the game, though, is that it's just plain boring. I rented it through Gamefly and instead of finishing the game, I just sent it back so I could get it into the USPS box so I could get another game as fast as possible. I couldn't even be bothered to finish playing it. And the sad thing is, despite the fact that I barely played it, I was already far into the game because it's so short. On the one hand, Uncharted: Lost Legacy was a 5-hour game for $40, and Sonic Forces is only $40. On the other hand, Uncharted was actually good, this game is garbage. What a step down from Sonic Mania, which was pretty much the best Sonic game ever made. Maybe Sega should fire Sonic Team and replace them with the guys who made Sonic Mania.

    One feature I haven't touched on is the ability to make your own character. This is a pretty clever idea, but like the rest of the game, it seems lazy. There are very few options available, and it could have been so much more.

    I would only recommend this game to diehard fans of the series, the ones who buy the Sonic games no matter how bad they are. I give the game a five, because this isn't anywhere near the worst Sonic. It's not completely broken, but that doesn't change the fact that the game isn't fun. If you get the Sonic games no matter what, then by all means, get this game. You'll probably like it, since you've probably played way worse. Otherwise, I'd either rent the game or wait until you can buy it used for 10 dollars. Or buy it used from Gamespot and return it when you beat it, I'm sure the employees will forgive you for returning this mess of a game. I actually had some hope that this game would be good seeing as they claimed it was by the people who made Generations and Colors. But now i'm wondering if we're ever going to see another good 3D Sonic. At least I can look forward to inevitable Sonic Mania 2.    … Expand
  20. LucasKidd
    Nov 8, 2017
    7
    After fullly playing this game it was a train wreck and the gameplay felt strict with movemonet. Overall the game is good and has a nice story. Buy at your own risk.

    Pros : Good Story Good soundtrack (Sonic stages) Beautiful graphics Nice level designs Cons : Controls feel so strict with movement Trying to turn is like trying to turn while boosting So much button delay (not    After fullly playing this game it was a train wreck and the gameplay felt strict with movemonet. Overall the game is good and has a nice story. Buy at your own risk.

    Pros :
    Good Story
    Good soundtrack (Sonic stages)
    Beautiful graphics
    Nice level designs

    Cons :
    Controls feel so strict with movement
    Trying to turn is like trying to turn while boosting
    So much button delay (not because of lag)
    A broken game when released
    Avatar stages DO NOT fit for 2d sections the controls feel so strict while trying to move in air
    Recycled stages and stages that could have been left in mania
    Classic sonic has no use to be in the game
    Avatar soundtracks are nothing but Dupstep , Nightcore music (not that bad but the vocals need to go)
    theres NO DRIFTING IN THIS GAME which makes the gameplay feel even more stiff even for curves
    Homing attack system has been nerfed and delays A LOT
    This game was made for the whiny oc fans
    Cutscenes are bugged and you can only watch them at 20fps
    No idle animation (which fans somehow complain about this)
    Going through the red hoops or any hoops makes sonic/avatar keep spinning while in air
    Boost is still uncontrollable especially for curving
    Boring boss fights
    Hard difficulty feels too easy
    The physics with modern 2D stages are broken and really bad platforming
    Stages are way too short

    Overall still a fun game but just needs a big patch to get rid of these bugs and improve the gameplay.    … Expand
  21. AwesomeCakester
    Nov 10, 2017
    5
    This is the most nothing Sonic game I've never played. It's not bad, but it's not really that good either. It's the worst thing a game can be for me, and that is dull and all around forgettable. This is the biggest disappointment from Sonic Team this year. Especially after having Sonic Mania. Mania reminded me why I love Sonic, and Forces made me wonder why I did again.
  22. SuperkenGaming
    Nov 8, 2017
    6
    Sonic Forces
    A bit half-baked
    Sonic forces is a 3d meets 2d sonic game where you set out to save the world from dr eggman and the new hedgehog in town infinite your goal is to run through the games 30 stages and reclaim the world for team sonic... only problem is sonic can’t do it alone, he needs your help after he’s snatched up… A rookie is called in to aid to sonic.. And that    Sonic Forces
    A bit half-baked
    Sonic forces is a 3d meets 2d sonic game where you set out to save the world from dr eggman and the new hedgehog in town infinite
    your goal is to run through the games 30 stages and reclaim the world for team sonic...
    only problem is sonic can’t do it alone, he needs your help after he’s snatched up…
    A rookie is called in to aid to sonic..
    And that rookie is you...
    You create your own character out of pretty limited choices and you set out to reclaim territories and help team sonic on different missions…
    There are sos missions where you play as other created characters for rewards, there are bonus missions, and again 30 regular missions…
    Sonic forces is a really enjoyable and fun game…
    unfortunately this is an extremely casual sonic game as well, geared more towards children than sonic vets…
    It has the typical things from the sonic formula... rings counting as your health... running really fast and dashing through enemies…
    but failing is practically impossible…
    My issue with sonic mania was that I felt it wasn’t casual enough as levels were way too long to go off of a life system… and sonic forces goes the complete opposite of having extremely short levels with infinite lives.. if you lose your rings its back to the checkpoint…
    This is really just a score chasing game…
    the level design is great, the worlds is beautiful, there’s decent music… but the best feeling levels are over before they even feel like they begin.. making it hard for any stage here to be memorable…
    but this 2 and a half hour long campaign does mix things up as it switches through your character, regular sonic, and classic sonic… all 3 handling differently…
    With classic sonic stages giving you a little more challenge, but still not much..
    With your character you’re able to use different weapons you unlock as you play to shoot enemies all with their own perks in level like invincibility, or turning enemies into ice cubes giving you coins...
    All of this to try and obtain a levels s rank which will get you more clothing items to customize your character, as will completing the games different challenges… giving the player reason to go back and play these levels…
    But being so easy… hardly any timing here, which is that makes 3d sonic games so addicting.. And it’s completely missing...
    This game is really just shoot enemies while sonic runs forward... ocassionally take down a boss and repeat..
    I never felt engaged…
    And while it doesn’t feel like a real sonic game, and there’s hardly challenge or addictive qualities...
    I enjoyed my time with this game... Its fun…
    This is a very decent baby’s first sonic game…
    I Give Sonic Forces
    a 6.5/10    … Expand
  23. RandalZ
    Nov 11, 2017
    7
    As a long time Sonic fan, I wasn't expecting anything from this title, I thought at best it would be Generations 2 but it still managed to disappoint me. Graphics and Aesthetics are amazing, the engine works well. Level design is horrendous though, bottomless pits everywhere, bad collision detection, super narrow and short levels with few deviations, but the worst offender are theAs a long time Sonic fan, I wasn't expecting anything from this title, I thought at best it would be Generations 2 but it still managed to disappoint me. Graphics and Aesthetics are amazing, the engine works well. Level design is horrendous though, bottomless pits everywhere, bad collision detection, super narrow and short levels with few deviations, but the worst offender are the controls. They only had to copy the controls from Generations and it would've been enough but no, no drifting, no homing attack without enemies on screen, jumping feels off, running is uncontrollable, the wispons are difficult to use and you're expected to know which one to carry to each level beforehand yet you can't change them mid-level, needing wisps for boosting is dumb and boring, no control for when to homing attack... The story is somewhat good but it is told in the laziest, cheesiest and cheapest way possible. Surprisingly, the music is plain bad, I only enjoyed the theme song but the rest were generic and uninspired tunes, just like the whole game.… Expand
  24. MrGameGuy
    Feb 5, 2018
    7
    Sonic Forces uses some good ideas, and also some bad ones. The highlight of Sonic Forces is the new feature, The Avatar. Seeing your character come to life in the game is always pleasing. The game lacks in level design and length, however. Each level usually lasts around 1 to 2 minutes, which isn't enough to be amazed with the game, and the uninspired and straight-forward level designSonic Forces uses some good ideas, and also some bad ones. The highlight of Sonic Forces is the new feature, The Avatar. Seeing your character come to life in the game is always pleasing. The game lacks in level design and length, however. Each level usually lasts around 1 to 2 minutes, which isn't enough to be amazed with the game, and the uninspired and straight-forward level design leaves something to be desired. The soundtrack and the graphics are great, with only a few low points. Overall, Sonic Forces is not a bad game, but is not an amazing one either.… Expand
  25. Shadow87645
    Feb 6, 2018
    6
    When I first saw the Trailer for Sonic Forces,I was glad Sonic was returning to the Boost Formula that made Colors and Generations my 2 Favorite games,but when i played this at a Friends house I didn't like it too much,First off level design was bleak and really short,The only thing you were doing in Modern Sonic levels were boosting, hitting the occasional Enemy, and in certain levelsWhen I first saw the Trailer for Sonic Forces,I was glad Sonic was returning to the Boost Formula that made Colors and Generations my 2 Favorite games,but when i played this at a Friends house I didn't like it too much,First off level design was bleak and really short,The only thing you were doing in Modern Sonic levels were boosting, hitting the occasional Enemy, and in certain levels quick-time events, In the Avatar stage You were abusing the wispons and going through automatic drift sections,In Classic Sonic levels,You can no longer spindash and for some reason Classic Sonic had a dropdash,I didn't know if it was me but the control felt very weird and what I thought would be a great Sonic experience turned to become one of my least favorite games for this year,The Graphics were gorgeous and We could finally play as Shadow… Expand
  26. sonhadouro
    Oct 18, 2022
    7
    it's kinda good, could've been better but eh, it's still pretty fun, no bad moments
  27. Vghost
    Nov 7, 2017
    5
    The things the game got right are Good music, great story, great visuals, and it's a fun game overall.

    The things the game got wrong however... The level design, it's way too linear and blocky, they should've really considered putting more than 3 level designers to work, and not make them all rookies. Also the controls are very stiff, on every charatcer. Classic sonic's physics are    The things the game got right are Good music, great story, great visuals, and it's a fun game overall.

    The things the game got wrong however... The level design, it's way too linear and blocky, they should've really considered putting more than 3 level designers to work, and not make them all rookies.
    Also the controls are very stiff, on every charatcer. Classic sonic's physics are terrible. Enemies are just decorarions. They called this a "brand new experience" and not a sequel to generations, and also that they don't want to go back on the sonic franchise. They said all of that and still the game has Green hill, chemical plant and classic sonic...

    5/10, could've been SO much better    … Expand
  28. Lodmot
    Nov 7, 2017
    6
    I played Sonic Forces for about an hour and a half to two hours, and I can definitely see why people aren't saying this game is amazing. The biggest issue with the game that I can see is the level design. It just feels like the level layouts are lazily slapped together, with no variety in the design whatsoever. It feels like you just go right and blow away every enemy in sight. I likedI played Sonic Forces for about an hour and a half to two hours, and I can definitely see why people aren't saying this game is amazing. The biggest issue with the game that I can see is the level design. It just feels like the level layouts are lazily slapped together, with no variety in the design whatsoever. It feels like you just go right and blow away every enemy in sight. I liked Sonic Generations because it provided an interesting challenge, and it didn't just have you going in one direction-- it encouraged you to explore each level and find your way around.

    While the level design may be bad in this game, other aspects of the game are actually quite good. The music is really awesome, as per usual even in the worst of 3D Sonic games. The graphics are GORGEOUS. I was playing this on my 4K TV, and I was blown away with the amount of detail in the graphics. The story is actually pretty enticing, and I can see myself actually interested in finishing the game just to see the ending. The avatar creation system, believe it or not, is actually really well done and is very versatile. Also from what I can tell, Classic Sonic's physics appear to be a little bit improved. The addition of the Drop Dash from Sonic Mania is awesome! I also loved hearing the orchestral musical cues from Sonic Mania when they first introduced him in the story.

    Overall, there's definitely a lot to like about this game, but I can't give it a 10 out of 10. Innovative and creative level designs with a good amount of variety to engage the player is essential for a game to be fun, and unfortunately that's what Sonic Forces lacks. It's just way too easy and there's no challenge. But the presentation and everything else is stellar. It just sucks that such wonderful art assets, music, and ideas were wasted on lackluster gameplay. The game is at least playable though-- there aren't any noticeable glitches from what I've played so far. In conclusion, this game's okay, but not great.    … Expand
  29. mojo5400
    Nov 7, 2017
    5
    Really felt like a huge step back from generations. Game is very short most levels last about 2 minutes. Level Design is very amateur but that's to be expected because for whatever reason sonic team put a bunch of people who never worked on a sonic game before as the level designers, and it really shows. Controls very poorly. The game plays itself most of the time because it's so damnReally felt like a huge step back from generations. Game is very short most levels last about 2 minutes. Level Design is very amateur but that's to be expected because for whatever reason sonic team put a bunch of people who never worked on a sonic game before as the level designers, and it really shows. Controls very poorly. The game plays itself most of the time because it's so damn linear. If you like generations or colors you might find some value in this, but if you don't like either of those games stay away from this one. Character creator was a nice touch and i hope it returns in future titles only reason my score isn't negative, creating a character is the most fun i have with this game, it's too bad the avatar is a nightmare to control most of the time.… Expand
  30. Beachin
    Nov 7, 2017
    6
    Man I was so hyped for this game only to be let down again. Let me make this clear this is not like Sonic Boom nor Sonic 06 Its like Lost world but a little bit better. I had hope when Sonic Mania was good... But now Modern Sonic looks to be dying
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Awards & Rankings

15
#15 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017
65
#65 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 46
  3. Negative: 5 out of 46
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Feb 6, 2018
    60
    While it looks and sounds great on an S-rank run, regular play is messy and unsatisfying. Mania's Classic Sonic must wonder what nightmare dimension he got sucked into. [Jan 2017, p.90]
  2. Gamersky
    Jan 21, 2018
    77
    As the latest generation of the Sonic series, Sonic Forces retains the high-speed game experience. To comply with the trend of the times, Sonic Forces reduces the difficulty, hoping to use this strategy will attract new players who have never tried this kind of game. Unfortunately, the length is not sufficient enough to satisfy players, and too much repetitive content makes this game boring.
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  3. Games.cz
    Jan 21, 2018
    60
    The efforts for modern concept of the legend came out of the way. Sonic Forces has obvious problems with the transition between two perspectives as well with the movement and speed. Only customization possibilities and several new weapons saves it from the average.
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