This new game's got problems, but also introduces Sonic's most innovative stuff to date for this generation.
Trying something new with a familiar franchise is always a gamble, not only because not everyone will be keen to new ideas, but also because they could have an effect on the character you're adding them to. Sonic Unleashed, for example, turned our speedy little hedgehog pal into…a were-hog? Not to mention the fact they slowed his gameplay segments to a standstill. And don't even get us started on the creepy relationship with a human girl in his original Xbox 360/PS3 debut. Yikes.
With Sonic: Lost World, Sonic Team finally gets to strike out fresh with a design that feels like it was built for this generation. True, it comes at the tail end of it, with PS4 and Xbox One creeping onto the scene, but better late than never, right? The game feels inspired by Nintendo's Mario Galaxy games, with a universe that holds surprises around every turn – even if that means you can't quite see everything it has to offer the first time around.
For this latest effort, Sonic finds himself pitted against the Deadly Six, a group of monsters who, at first, were collaborating with the evil Dr. Robotnik (or "Eggman"), but have since broken along their own evil ways. Now, Sonic finds himself teaming up with his nemesis to bring them down once and for all.
Sonic's levels are vast, and some are worth exploring. The perspective shifts quite often from rotation 3D stages to classic side scrolling, though it's a bit more drastic than the stuff we saw in 2011's impressive Sonic Generations. No matter. On the Wii U, it looks like a breath of fresh air, especially compared to other Sonic failures. The frame rate is speedy and the use of colors diverse, especially in a world that appears to be made up of dessert items. That makes us hungry…
