Review:
Sonic Colours

The eternal nature of the optimism surrounding the release of every new Sonic The Hedgehog release is comparable to the hope sustained by the world’s worst driving student; the next time will be the time that it finally works, the time where you will stop disappointing people and the time where you can stop undergoing long, not fun, arduous courses before receiving a terrible grade. Indeed, the Sonic formula can be summarised by criteria applicable to failing a driving test on several occasions.

Internet fans have humorously come up with the ‘Sonic Cycle’, which is a meme which rather accurately depicts the lifespan of a Sonic title. The announcement of a new Sonic game is one that is usually accompanied with proof of a graphical improvement from the last and a distinct lack of the annoying-as-hell, sure-hope-no-one-got-paid-for-designing-them, piss-poor excuses for characters that are Sonic’s friends. This in turn, raises hope in the hearts of the loyal fans that endure every last disappointing release; yes, this one could truly be the one. Subsequent annoucements, however, correct things, and there is a new addition to Sonic’s team of fools; honestly, his Facebook page must be unbearable. Eventually, it’s the same end result, the game was overhyped, and the gaming community is left deflated, although recent times have seen that repeated deflation turn to a feeling of disbelief that you thought that this title could be the one.

As a boyhood Sonic fan, I sort of fall under this fan category, though I have not been as bothered to try out the newer offerings by Sonic Team, and I will admit that Sonic Colours seemed initially to be a game that suggested that Sonic was now dead; a change in gameplay evident from the introduction of the colourful aliens in the trailer known as the Wisps (who also at the time served to be evidence of new crappy friends), and locales which seemed largely ‘inspired’ by other titles (a confectionary world, a theme park and space seemed to reek of originality), and a rather childish title seemed to suggest to me that Colours would continue following the Sonic Cycle, to the extent that it would be a textbook case. Ironic, then, that it’s the one that breaks it.