Sonic Forces: PS4 Review

Sonic Forces: PS4 Review

Developed by SEGA
Platform: PS4

After the success of Sonic Mania, it was perhaps inevitable the blue spikey one would return again, cresting a wave as popular as the rings he pursues.

The latest Sonic installment sees the Blue one banished after being vanquished by Dr Eggman and a band of evil brothers, including the likes of Metal Sonic, Chaos, Shadow the Hedgehog. But this is where you come in - as the latest recruit to the team, it's up to you to try and save the day by subbing in for Sonic across a series of levels.

In a sort of resistance fighter movement, Sonic Forces puts you squarely into the action, but at times, holds you back from fully engaging.

The levels are woefully short, seeing you barely getting into your stride before it's even over - which is a real shame.

Because the mix of first person and then side-scrolling 3D mean the game's a little tricky to control at best, and downright impossible at worst. And yet, when it really hits its straps, Sonic Forces kicks off to a level that reminds you why Sonic the Hedgehog was just so damn iconic originally.

Perhaps it may have been best if there was a stronger more sharper focus in some of the levels and didn't leave you feeling like you were ping-ponging around the game, but while Sonic Forces' short story and short levels hint at much more, it's frustrating at best.

Ultimately, Sonic Forces feels like bite-size Sonic gameplay; a lot of it works, and a lot of it doesn't - but all up, the game's inconsistencies don't allow it to feel like the fluid cohesive game it could so easily have been.