Wow, it’s like I’m really playing Fire Emblem Awakening!
Up until now, we’ve seen three different gameplay styles for Sonic Forces, Sonic Team’s newest project. Modern Sonic plays similarly to how he did in recent years, a mix of 3D and 2D platforming with homing attacks and a boost gauge that allows you to move quickly while dealing damage around you. The cuter, rounder Classic Sonic is restricted to a 2D plane and has his new Drop Dash move from Sonic Mania. There’s also a custom Avatar that plays similarly to Modern Sonic… Except they’re slower and are equipped with special weaponry. Feeling overwhelmed yet? Well then, better stop reading.
A new gameplay trailer came out for Gamescom 2017, showcasing yet another way to play Sonic Forces. Modern Sonic and the Avatar are shown working together, combining the former’s speed and the latter’s gadgets. Don’t be fooled though, this is single-player footage. They traverse a desert filled to the brim with machines (NieR: Automata much?) as they head towards a pyramid-shaped factory.
I know most people here are probably paying more attention to the recently released (and critically acclaimed) Sonic Mania. And for good reason, the result of that collaboration between Sega and a dedicated group of Sonic fans was exactly what a lot of people have been asking for. But! I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited for Sonic Forces. I really liked Sonic Heroes back in the day and absolutely loved Sonic Generations. A mix of both sounds great to me! What do you think?
The radio chatter shown in previous trailers isn’t my cup of tea, however. I just hope that it can be turned off, at least when replaying stages. If I wanted people to constantly narrate what I’m doing, I’d play The Stanley Parable instead!
Sonic Forces will release later this year, with a November 9th release date in Japan. It will be playable on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.