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Review written by Andrew Katan
December 20, 2003 | 10:00 PM PSTby: Donny Simpson
Lock the doors and bar the windows, a Sonic game is now on a Nintendo console. While it may not be a sign of the apocalypse, having a Sonic game appear on a Nintendo console is a milestone for gamers of the 16-bit era. Sonic makes his grand entrance into the GameCube arena with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, an enhanced version of the Dreamcast title Sonic Adventure 2. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, while is does have gameplay and camera issues, is a solid title that will delight long-term Sonic fans and win over some new ones.
While not an overtly stunning game, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is very pretty. The texture work is probably the game's strongest point; it's some of the best yet on GameCube. Textures are varied, incredibly sharp, and make the game very nice to look at. The game is also locked at 60 fps, a fact that's greatly appreciated when Sonic gets going and blazes through the game's huge levels with his trademark speed. Everything flows smoothly along no matter how much is going on. However, the game does show its Dreamcast roots. Polygon counts are on the low side, and game environments tend to be sparse as well. A lot of times the games 'hides' the rest of the level in order to avoid drawing it, and the backgrounds are mostly general environments a-la Super Monkey Ball. Pop-up is also present in a small amount, mostly with small items like rings. Overall though, the graphical strengths outweigh the weaknesses.
The sound in Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a mixed bag, and mostly falls into the 'love it or hate it' category. Quality-wise, the sound samples are beautifully clear, and the game takes advantage of GameCube's optical disk format by including full Redbook audio. Each level has its own pop theme that loops every few minutes, and while the melodies fit the levels nicely, the words get a bit cheesy. Sound effects such as the sound of collecting rings and the character's little yays are nicely sampled and fit well. The major downfall of the game's sound is the horrible, horrible voice acting. The game's script is bad, and the voice acting is worse. The game also has spots where character voices run into each other, or the music drowns out the voices. This could be either a blessing or a curse, depending on your point of view.
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle clearly shows the developers' focus on diversity in game play. You have the choice to play either the Hero or Dark quests (i.e., save the world or destroy it), although both quests essentially play the
same, with the Dark levels being somewhat harder. Sonic and his Dark counter part Shadow are hedgehogs whose levels are classic Sonic gameplay, focusing on speed, speed, and more speed. Tails and Dr. Eggman (aka Dr. Robotnik) pilot mechs and make their way through heavily defended bases while destroying everything in sight. Knuckles and newcomer Rouge the Bat are sent on treasure hunts looking for 3 items hidden in huge 3D levels.
The Sonic/Shadow levels are the highlight of the game. Blazing through levels provides an exhilarating rush, and the levels are broken up just enough so you don't feel like you do nothing but hold up the whole time, but you also necessarily have to come to a complete stop if you don't want to. While the Sonic/Shadow levels truly shine, the same can't be said for the other 2 pair. The Tails/Robotnik stages put the focus on shooting and jumping, which tend to get monotonous and frustrating. The mechs have an auto-aim feature that's activated by holding B, and the game encourages you to use it. Unfortunately, this causes the game to fall into a 'lock-shoot-repeat' pattern without providing too many twists. Later levels though, especially after you gain the ability to hover, are more complex and enjoyable thanks to more interesting level designs. As for Knuckles/Rouge, their treasure-hunting stages are just downright tedious. It may not seem too bad to find 3 items per stage, but it is. The levels can get too big for their own good, making just getting around them a chore. You have a radar that acts like a hot-cold sensor to assist you, but unfortunately it only tracks one item at a time. This leads to the frustrating situation where you could walk right past an item and not know it, only to have to come back later to pick it up when you know it's there.
What draws the gameplay down the most though is the camera. Throughout most of the game the camera is poorly placed and stubborn, refusing all attempt to place it in a useable position. In the Sonic/Shadow and Tails/Eggman stages the camera is only controllable when standing completely still, and then you only have the ability to rotate it around your camera for a quick pan. As soon as you move again, the camera goes back to its original position no matter what you do to try and stop it. Most of the time it seems to be set to angles that make the game look more dramatic rather than make it easier to play. This problem isn't as bad in the Knuckles/Rouge levels, but it's still there. The camera has trouble following your character around corners and requires work to get it in a proper position.
Replay value was one thing Sega was focusing when bringing Sonic Adventure 2: Battle to GameCube; the 'Battle' part of the title is to indicate the added 2 player modes in the GameCube version. The game features 7 2 player modes, 2 of which let you use the Chao you've raised. Most of the multiplayer games mirror parts of the gameplay from the single player version, such as racing to finish a level or a mecha shoot out. In addition to multiplayer, the game also entices gamers to come back to the single player mode by offering up to 4 new goals for each stage, such as getting 100 rings or finding the hidden Chao. If you enjoyed the single player game, you'll love how the game keeps asking you to come back for more.
There's one last part to Sonic Adventure 2: Battle: Chao raising. Chao are cute little creatures that live in the game's Chao Garden. Chao hatch from eggs and require constant care and attention in order to grow and become more powerful. While this may seem like a simple virtual pet simulation, most gamers will be surprised to find just how enjoyable Chao raising is. You'll feel a sense of pride when your Chao mature and laugh when they do unexpected things, such as wear pieces of their former eggs as hats. You can buy items for your Chao at the Black Market, located in the Chao Kindergarten, where you can also bring your Chao to learn new lessons or for a check up by the Chao doctor. Chao can also participate in mini-games such as Chao racing and Chao Karate to hone their skills. Chao raising is also how Sonic Adventure 2: Battle makes use of the GameCube Game Boy Advance link cable. Once connected to a GBA, the game sends a the small Tiny Chao Garden program into the GBA's RAM, enabling you to raise your Chao on the go. The downside is that if you turn off your GBA before you transfer your Chao back to your GameCube, all the data will be lost. This problem is avoided, however, if you also own a copy of Sonic Advance, in which case all Chao data is saved onto the cart, allowing you to turn off your GBA without any loss of data.
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a welcome addition to the GameCube library. Sharp graphics and fast gameplay make the game enjoyable, and there are plenty of extras to keep gamers coming back. Camera and other problems do show and give the game an unpolished feel, but don't overly distract from the core gameplay. This is a game that definitely deserves a look from all GameCube owners.
While not an overtly stunning game, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is very pretty. The texture work is probably the game's strongest point; it's some of the best yet on GameCube. Textures are varied, incredibly sharp, and make the game very nice to look at. The game is also locked at 60 fps, a fact that's greatly appreciated when Sonic gets going and blazes through the game's huge levels with his trademark speed. Everything flows smoothly along no matter how much is going on. However, the game does show its Dreamcast roots. Polygon counts are on the low side, and game environments tend to be sparse as well. A lot of times the games 'hides' the rest of the level in order to avoid drawing it, and the backgrounds are mostly general environments a-la Super Monkey Ball. Pop-up is also present in a small amount, mostly with small items like rings. Overall though, the graphical strengths outweigh the weaknesses.
The sound in Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a mixed bag, and mostly falls into the 'love it or hate it' category. Quality-wise, the sound samples are beautifully clear, and the game takes advantage of GameCube's optical disk format by including full Redbook audio. Each level has its own pop theme that loops every few minutes, and while the melodies fit the levels nicely, the words get a bit cheesy. Sound effects such as the sound of collecting rings and the character's little yays are nicely sampled and fit well. The major downfall of the game's sound is the horrible, horrible voice acting. The game's script is bad, and the voice acting is worse. The game also has spots where character voices run into each other, or the music drowns out the voices. This could be either a blessing or a curse, depending on your point of view.
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle clearly shows the developers' focus on diversity in game play. You have the choice to play either the Hero or Dark quests (i.e., save the world or destroy it), although both quests essentially play the
same, with the Dark levels being somewhat harder. Sonic and his Dark counter part Shadow are hedgehogs whose levels are classic Sonic gameplay, focusing on speed, speed, and more speed. Tails and Dr. Eggman (aka Dr. Robotnik) pilot mechs and make their way through heavily defended bases while destroying everything in sight. Knuckles and newcomer Rouge the Bat are sent on treasure hunts looking for 3 items hidden in huge 3D levels.
The Sonic/Shadow levels are the highlight of the game. Blazing through levels provides an exhilarating rush, and the levels are broken up just enough so you don't feel like you do nothing but hold up the whole time, but you also necessarily have to come to a complete stop if you don't want to. While the Sonic/Shadow levels truly shine, the same can't be said for the other 2 pair. The Tails/Robotnik stages put the focus on shooting and jumping, which tend to get monotonous and frustrating. The mechs have an auto-aim feature that's activated by holding B, and the game encourages you to use it. Unfortunately, this causes the game to fall into a 'lock-shoot-repeat' pattern without providing too many twists. Later levels though, especially after you gain the ability to hover, are more complex and enjoyable thanks to more interesting level designs. As for Knuckles/Rouge, their treasure-hunting stages are just downright tedious. It may not seem too bad to find 3 items per stage, but it is. The levels can get too big for their own good, making just getting around them a chore. You have a radar that acts like a hot-cold sensor to assist you, but unfortunately it only tracks one item at a time. This leads to the frustrating situation where you could walk right past an item and not know it, only to have to come back later to pick it up when you know it's there.
What draws the gameplay down the most though is the camera. Throughout most of the game the camera is poorly placed and stubborn, refusing all attempt to place it in a useable position. In the Sonic/Shadow and Tails/Eggman stages the camera is only controllable when standing completely still, and then you only have the ability to rotate it around your camera for a quick pan. As soon as you move again, the camera goes back to its original position no matter what you do to try and stop it. Most of the time it seems to be set to angles that make the game look more dramatic rather than make it easier to play. This problem isn't as bad in the Knuckles/Rouge levels, but it's still there. The camera has trouble following your character around corners and requires work to get it in a proper position.
Replay value was one thing Sega was focusing when bringing Sonic Adventure 2: Battle to GameCube; the 'Battle' part of the title is to indicate the added 2 player modes in the GameCube version. The game features 7 2 player modes, 2 of which let you use the Chao you've raised. Most of the multiplayer games mirror parts of the gameplay from the single player version, such as racing to finish a level or a mecha shoot out. In addition to multiplayer, the game also entices gamers to come back to the single player mode by offering up to 4 new goals for each stage, such as getting 100 rings or finding the hidden Chao. If you enjoyed the single player game, you'll love how the game keeps asking you to come back for more.
There's one last part to Sonic Adventure 2: Battle: Chao raising. Chao are cute little creatures that live in the game's Chao Garden. Chao hatch from eggs and require constant care and attention in order to grow and become more powerful. While this may seem like a simple virtual pet simulation, most gamers will be surprised to find just how enjoyable Chao raising is. You'll feel a sense of pride when your Chao mature and laugh when they do unexpected things, such as wear pieces of their former eggs as hats. You can buy items for your Chao at the Black Market, located in the Chao Kindergarten, where you can also bring your Chao to learn new lessons or for a check up by the Chao doctor. Chao can also participate in mini-games such as Chao racing and Chao Karate to hone their skills. Chao raising is also how Sonic Adventure 2: Battle makes use of the GameCube Game Boy Advance link cable. Once connected to a GBA, the game sends a the small Tiny Chao Garden program into the GBA's RAM, enabling you to raise your Chao on the go. The downside is that if you turn off your GBA before you transfer your Chao back to your GameCube, all the data will be lost. This problem is avoided, however, if you also own a copy of Sonic Advance, in which case all Chao data is saved onto the cart, allowing you to turn off your GBA without any loss of data.
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a welcome addition to the GameCube library. Sharp graphics and fast gameplay make the game enjoyable, and there are plenty of extras to keep gamers coming back. Camera and other problems do show and give the game an unpolished feel, but don't overly distract from the core gameplay. This is a game that definitely deserves a look from all GameCube owners.
November 20, 2009
