Ambition can be a double-edged sword. While on the one hand it has pushed Sonic Team to create its boldest departure to date from the series formula, it also explains the sorry state in which this ‘open zone’ effort arrives. For every moment you spend sprinting across lush fields, unbound from the strict level pathways that have defined Sonic’s previous outings, there are a dozen more when the struggle to build a compelling game within them is all too apparent.
True, there are moments while exploring these five sprawling maps when captures something of the ambience of – tinkling piano and drizzling rain creating a sombre atmosphere unlike any other Sonic game. Otherwise, there’s apuzzles, are even more tedious.
