Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut

Sonic Adventure has got to be one of the most polarizing games in the Sonic series, and it's not hard to see why. It was the first game of its kind for Sonic Team, and it introduced the element of cringeworthy voice acting that haunts the series to this day. However, the platforming gameplay in Sonic Adventure is actually pretty decent, considering that it was the first 3D entry in the series. This was the first Sonic game to utilize the homing attack as a move that Sonic can use all the time, which makes sense considering how difficult it can be to precisely maneuver him at high speeds in three-dimensional space. There's no doubt that complexity and variety of routes took a hit in the transition to 3D, but nonetheless I find it enjoyable for what it is. Sonic Adventure is a linear game when it comes to some of its levels, but the hub levels in this are actually surprisingly open. There is actually a small open-world undercurrent to the game, since each of the individual hub levels are connected. The presence of the hub was always the aspect that I missed the most in the sequel, since running around Station Square, Mystic Canyon and the Egg Carrier listening to the great music is a lot of fun. The boss fights in this game are pretty consistently weak, but I find the core 3D platforming gameplay to be solid.

Similar to the gameplay, the graphics have their positive and negative aspects. Some of the character models look kinda silly these days, and a lot of surfaces are really shiny for no apparent reason. This is a game from the early days of 3D graphics though, so you can't fault it for that too much. Besides the characters, there are actually a lot of cool looking environments here, such as Windy Valley, Red Mountain and Ice Peak. But luckily the stages aren't just cool to look at, they're a treat for the ears as well. Although it's not exactly a unique trait for the series, the music in this game is pretty much all-around great. I recommend checking out the soundtrack even if you haven't played the game yet. Some of my favorites include 'Station Square', 'Egg Carrier' and 'Windy Hill' (which is actually a remix of a track from Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island.)

One of the notable aspects of the game is the way in which it implements multiple characters, each with their own campaign and special powers. This element extends the length of the game significantly, and each of these characters being playable is practically a Sonic fan's wet dream. Some character's campaigns are more unique than others to say the least, with Tails' in particular being very similar to Sonic's. You slowly unlock each of these characters throughout the course of Sonic's campaign. Knuckles and Amy are here too, of course, but the most unique and interesting are based around the original characters of Sonic Adventure, E-102 Gamma, and the much lamented Big the Cat. The former is a robot created by Dr. Eggman who attempts to free himself and his brethren. The robot's story actually has some of the most touching moments in the whole game, and seeing each of Robotnik's creations is a treat. Another positive aspect to his campaign was the shooting-based gameplay, which is a refreshing chance of pace from the rest of the game. Big the Cat on the other hand is a cat. Big the Cat is a giant purple cat, and his campaign consists of a pathetically short collection of horrible fishing mini-games. Although this campaign sucks hard, it's fun to look back on just how silly it was, and since it's so short it's not really a huge drag.

Sonic Adventure has its faults, like dicey controls, bad voice acting and dated graphics. But if you can appreciate it for being a product of its time, the core gameplay is still strong, much more so than a lot of the game's detractors would suggest. And with such a large amount of content, it was always a mainstay on the 'Cube for me as a kid. The game is a bit of a mixed bag in a lot of ways, but Sonic Adventure is still a decent outing that fans of the series and the genre should check out. I haven't even touched on the Chao Garden, but that element was improved on greatly by the game's sequel so I never used it too much. Sonic Adventure 2 is definitely better but if you can get past this game's shortcomings, there is a lot to appreciate here.