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Can we please address how fucking weird of a game Shadow the Hedgehog is?
- Thread starter Lant_War
- Start date
Super Best Sisters Play - Shadow The Hedgehog
Everybody is a horse now!Original Best Friends Play video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yhiM4Qk8QcSupport TBSP: www.patreon.com/2snacksPrevious Episode: ...
youtu.be
yeah but you don't see me making multiple video games about it
dogs have some fuckin class
You have to contextualize this game into the time period it came out.
The Gta craze just exploded and almost every single kid friendly platforming franchise transitioned into edgy garbage and then died.
The Gta craze just exploded and almost every single kid friendly platforming franchise transitioned into edgy garbage and then died.
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OP
You got me looking up the ending and it still sounds like a fever dream
Damn, same. I love the complexity of the levels and the overall vibe (outside of the buttrock). The danger and the stakes felt higher.
I'm not going to argue that this game isn't weird as hell (because good god) but the more I think about it, it was also... oddly a logical step in the franchise (at least at the time they made it). There were guns, the military and death EVERYWHERE in Sonic Adventure 2. If you look at this game like more of a sequel to that title, it's not that much of a stretch.
I'm gonna quote a post of mine from another thread a while back:
I don't actually like the game (it's tedious and a slog to play, as much as I was hoping for a fun platformer shooter) but I can't say it doesn't fascinate the hell out of me.
I'm gonna quote a post of mine from another thread a while back:
Archduke Kong said:
I don't actually like the game (it's tedious and a slog to play, as much as I was hoping for a fun platformer shooter) but I can't say it doesn't fascinate the hell out of me.
Just don't forget it's rude to lick your own ass at the dinner table.
BADASS
He said there were fans that wanted Sonic to use a gun in a game but I think Iizuka just wanted to make an edgy sci-fi shooting game and this was his chance.
The hard mode has new dialogue saying that it's a test to join GUN or something and the GUN commander invites Shadow to meet his family. It's weird. So it doesn't outright say anything about him joining the military but he's working with them in some capacity in Sonic 2006 out of nowhere so I guess he must have joined? But outside of the non-canon BioWare RPG it's never mentioned again and in whatever ridiculous "canon" Sega has going now I'm pretty sure he's just a loner not part of any organization.
I don't think the game is really that weird. It plays like an extension of the Adventure / Heroes formula, but with the addition of gunplay (which already existed in the Adventure games - especially in Gamma's story - just less fast paced), and vehicles. Even the tone isn't that far off from SA2 (as many mentioned), and it feels more like a sequel to SA2 than Heroes with how much it references SA2.
I actually love StH, though. Jak II as well. Both are some of favorite games of all time, go figure. I've wanted some sort of sequel for the past 15 years, and I'll probably still be waiting for it for another 15, I imagine.
Originally the game was going for a T rating, and was going to be darker, but when ESRB introduced the E10+ they toned it down to hit that rating instead.
You can see some remnants of this in the finished game. During the opening cutscene Shadow says "Just what was that all about?", but he still mouths "Just what the hell was that all about?", since the CGI was finished before the dialogue change.
There were other changes too, like the Black Arms aliens were supposed to bleed red blood instead of green like in the finished game, and human soldiers were supposed to bleed, period.
Supposedly you were also supposed to see Maria being shot instead of it cutting away like on the finished game.
As it is, the game has sort of a half-tone. It doesn't fully commit to the darkness the way it clearly wants. I love it anyway, but I wish see the full, uncut vision for the game.
Well, I wish they had more time to develop it, too. Sonic Team USA began work on it after Heroes was finished, which meant the game had less than 2 years in development from start to finish, which probably explains why it's so rough around the edges, and why the graphics are so underwhelming.
Still, the game sold well enough to be a Greatest Hits and Player's Choice on PS2 and GCN, so someone must have liked it. And until the reception for '06 became so pronounced Sega planned on giving Shadow (and Silver, too, oddly) his own series that would run concurrently with the main franchise. Sort of like how mainline, classic, and Boom were running together...or, at least, that was the plan. Didn't really work out with the flop of Rise of Lyric, but an attempt was made.
Anyway, I think Shadow is a really fun game, and I want more, dammit!
I actually love StH, though. Jak II as well. Both are some of favorite games of all time, go figure. I've wanted some sort of sequel for the past 15 years, and I'll probably still be waiting for it for another 15, I imagine.
Originally the game was going for a T rating, and was going to be darker, but when ESRB introduced the E10+ they toned it down to hit that rating instead.
You can see some remnants of this in the finished game. During the opening cutscene Shadow says "Just what was that all about?", but he still mouths "Just what the hell was that all about?", since the CGI was finished before the dialogue change.
There were other changes too, like the Black Arms aliens were supposed to bleed red blood instead of green like in the finished game, and human soldiers were supposed to bleed, period.
Supposedly you were also supposed to see Maria being shot instead of it cutting away like on the finished game.
As it is, the game has sort of a half-tone. It doesn't fully commit to the darkness the way it clearly wants. I love it anyway, but I wish see the full, uncut vision for the game.
Well, I wish they had more time to develop it, too. Sonic Team USA began work on it after Heroes was finished, which meant the game had less than 2 years in development from start to finish, which probably explains why it's so rough around the edges, and why the graphics are so underwhelming.
Still, the game sold well enough to be a Greatest Hits and Player's Choice on PS2 and GCN, so someone must have liked it. And until the reception for '06 became so pronounced Sega planned on giving Shadow (and Silver, too, oddly) his own series that would run concurrently with the main franchise. Sort of like how mainline, classic, and Boom were running together...or, at least, that was the plan. Didn't really work out with the flop of Rise of Lyric, but an attempt was made.
Anyway, I think Shadow is a really fun game, and I want more, dammit!
Me too, but why have another Shadow the Hedgehog if you could just make a new Sonic game, which basically is Shadow the Hedgehog without guns and vehicles, so a better Shadow the Hedgehog.
I will always maintain that Shadow was a near instant death knell to the Sonic franchise which paved way for garbage like this and 06.
And the character itself is a Vegeta wannabe.
And the character itself is a Vegeta wannabe.
I still remember not really knowing what the game was gonna be except it starred Shadow and guns were involved, and then going into Dixons and seeing a TV display with Shadow surrounded by flames holding an MP5 as metal played and basically doing the Drew Scanlon gif.
It's not like people in the Sonic fandom don't continuously acknowledge how weird of an existence that game is. Like, it's been known for 15 years. You're not saying anything we don't already know.
It was misguided but I'm so happy it exists. I've gotten more joy from the existence of Shadow the Hedgehog than Lost World and Forces, at least.
Another problem with the branching paths was that you had to complete all of them in order to unlock the true ending, meaning that you'd have to play through the game something like ten times. Even though the paths unlocked different levels, you'd still end up playing some of them repeatedly in order to get through the game as fast as possible.
as a game its like a 3 but as an experience its easily a 9
Okay I'm gonna come clean. There was a survey about Sonic that Sega sent out a few years before this games release. All I remember is that you had to choose from a selection of characters that looked like Sonic.....and I ended up choosing what ended up becoming Shadow (I distinctly remember the characters colour, guns...and EDGE..) I'm guessing many others did too.
I'm sorry.
(I haven't played any Sonic games outside the Mega Drive games and SA1....so I feel extra bad for the fans about this lol)
Yep same and remember watching the intro many times because it was cool lol
Pretty sure there was lots of demand for a Sonic game with a gun but they didn't want to give Sonic a gun.
Either way I adored the concept of Shadow the Hedgehog when I was younger so I guess it worked.
Either way I adored the concept of Shadow the Hedgehog when I was younger so I guess it worked.
I remember playing this, but I don't remember owning this at all. I think I played in a friend's house.
From what I remember, the game's paths brings some replayability - you could be full-good with Sonic, full-evil with that weird alien, and neutral with Knuckles and another friends. That's okay, but the fact that it's basically a Sonic game where the running commands were bad - you generally stopped against a wall, and the Blast is locked on the evil path, the gun is basically unecessary, and the platforming sometimes are as bad as Sonic 2006, makes me wonder why that generation wanted to be so edgy at the first place.
This game also proved to me that Shadow isn't a cool character - he's like Vegeta, where he's the perfect antithesis of the hero, but isn't good enough for being called an anti-hero.
If I want a Shadow the Hedgehog 2? Everything I want from Sonic these days is a Sonic Colors remaster for the consoles and PC.
From what I remember, the game's paths brings some replayability - you could be full-good with Sonic, full-evil with that weird alien, and neutral with Knuckles and another friends. That's okay, but the fact that it's basically a Sonic game where the running commands were bad - you generally stopped against a wall, and the Blast is locked on the evil path, the gun is basically unecessary, and the platforming sometimes are as bad as Sonic 2006, makes me wonder why that generation wanted to be so edgy at the first place.
This game also proved to me that Shadow isn't a cool character - he's like Vegeta, where he's the perfect antithesis of the hero, but isn't good enough for being called an anti-hero.
If I want a Shadow the Hedgehog 2? Everything I want from Sonic these days is a Sonic Colors remaster for the consoles and PC.
Hard disagree with the Vegeta comparisons. That's a common contrast people make, but outside surface similarities, the two aren't very alike.
Vegeta is arrogant and driven by a sense of entitlement and a need to prove himself as superior.
Shadow (in SA2) was written as humble, and servile. Shiro Maekawa who wrote SA2 and is the co-creator of Shadow said his character is subtle and pure, and he chose "boku" as the way Shadow refers to himself, despite that it's usually used by women, and it means servant when used as a noun. But this is shown in his character, with how he first addresses Eggman as "master" upon being released.
Additionally, Shadow doesn't have much of a rivalry with Sonic outside of SA2, and even then, his main beef with him was with how Sonic referred to him as a "fake". Even then, he's continuously impressed with Sonic, and even declares that Sonic may be the true Ultimate Lifeform at the end of the game, showing how much respect he's gained for him.
Post-SA2 Shadow gets amnesia, questions who he is, but ultimately decided the past doesn't matter at the end of StH, and his current day personality is mostly set in stone at that point.
He's more or less the same, but without his desire for vengeance. He's still respectful (he often refers to Eggman as "the good doctor"), driven to complete his goals, and has no issues with Sonic. The only time they fight is if they have opposing goals, which is not often.
At worst, he's written a bit more boastful than in the older games, but not in a Vegeta-esque way where he has something to prove. When Shadow is being cocky it's out of rightful confidence, because he knows his enemies are outmatched. He doesn't do it to brag, but rather as a statement of fact.
The truth is, Shadow and Vegeta are more different than they are similar.
Vegeta is arrogant and driven by a sense of entitlement and a need to prove himself as superior.
Shadow (in SA2) was written as humble, and servile. Shiro Maekawa who wrote SA2 and is the co-creator of Shadow said his character is subtle and pure, and he chose "boku" as the way Shadow refers to himself, despite that it's usually used by women, and it means servant when used as a noun. But this is shown in his character, with how he first addresses Eggman as "master" upon being released.
Additionally, Shadow doesn't have much of a rivalry with Sonic outside of SA2, and even then, his main beef with him was with how Sonic referred to him as a "fake". Even then, he's continuously impressed with Sonic, and even declares that Sonic may be the true Ultimate Lifeform at the end of the game, showing how much respect he's gained for him.
Post-SA2 Shadow gets amnesia, questions who he is, but ultimately decided the past doesn't matter at the end of StH, and his current day personality is mostly set in stone at that point.
He's more or less the same, but without his desire for vengeance. He's still respectful (he often refers to Eggman as "the good doctor"), driven to complete his goals, and has no issues with Sonic. The only time they fight is if they have opposing goals, which is not often.
At worst, he's written a bit more boastful than in the older games, but not in a Vegeta-esque way where he has something to prove. When Shadow is being cocky it's out of rightful confidence, because he knows his enemies are outmatched. He doesn't do it to brag, but rather as a statement of fact.
The truth is, Shadow and Vegeta are more different than they are similar.
I used to work in a game shop where for a while where they had the intro to Shadow the Hedgehog playing on loop.
The intro where it appears to show Shadow shooting Sonic in the back of the head with a fucking gun.
Bizarre.
The intro where it appears to show Shadow shooting Sonic in the back of the head with a fucking gun.
Bizarre.
I was 8 when this game came out & remember thinking it was the coolest thing ever. I still have a soft spot for the game & still play it. Also, it has some of the best vocal themes in sonic history... & some of the worst.
This game is unironically fun if you don't take it seriously.
I'll never forget being a kid and playing through to my first ending only for Shadow to pistol whip a fallen Eggman out cold, cut to a black screen and credit roll
I'll never forget being a kid and playing through to my first ending only for Shadow to pistol whip a fallen Eggman out cold, cut to a black screen and credit roll
ThIS iS wHo I Am playing at the end of every route was goofy as fuck.
Its a crazy game and a pretty sad reminder that Sega had an overarching plot from Sonic Adventure-Sonic 06 and completely dropped it Unleashed onwards which really sucks. It took itself way too seriously and was absolutely ridiculous but was hilariously enjoyable. As a kid it was super badass and now Its over the top stupid (in a good way). Its a shame that the only acknowledgment of the old story since 06 was Shadow Story in Forces, but it was only like 10 minutes long.
It really blows how safe and by the books modern sonic stories are now, and that if you want anything other than that you have to read the comics.
Its a crazy game and a pretty sad reminder that Sega had an overarching plot from Sonic Adventure-Sonic 06 and completely dropped it Unleashed onwards which really sucks. It took itself way too seriously and was absolutely ridiculous but was hilariously enjoyable. As a kid it was super badass and now Its over the top stupid (in a good way). Its a shame that the only acknowledgment of the old story since 06 was Shadow Story in Forces, but it was only like 10 minutes long.
It really blows how safe and by the books modern sonic stories are now, and that if you want anything other than that you have to read the comics.
I was probably about 14 when this came out and I wasn't phased for a second when I saw it, bought it, played through it, and more or less enjoyed it. I only got 3 endings though. Honestly the game's biggest problem is a lack of a level select.
The theme song remains one of the best in the series.
The theme song remains one of the best in the series.
You know, with all THE EDGE at the time, Sega lucked out by giving a side character the guns instead of Sanic.