Sonic and the Secret Rings

Surely it's no worse than last year's Sonic?
Version
 Wii		Developer
Sonic Team		Publisher
Sega		Genre
Action adventure



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By Ian Dransfield

This is a difficult one to review - popular opinion on a number of forums has already stated that this is the best Sonic game in a million years, whereas the 'pros' out there have given it a mixed reception. The vastly differing responses that Sonic and the Secret Rings has received so far forced me to play through the game a second time, just so I could be sure I believed my own opinion. Fortunately, it would seem, my brain is still trustworthy.

"Running really fast in a straight line is what he was always meant to do - but it doesn't make this a good game."

Secret Rings is an original creation solely for the Wii, and sees a real back-to-basics approach for everyone's favourite really quick hedgehog - the essential point being: run really fast with little control over the character, as opposed to the recent 360/PS3 effort which saw some exploration, talking to people and the like.

This is pure, distilled Sonic action. For this reason, I can see why the game has been on the receiving end of such plaudits - people are happy to see a return to simplicity for the blue bugger, and running really fast in a straight line is what he was always meant to do. But that doesn't make it a good game.

The problems come thick and fast - too fast, in some cases. Whilst the opening tutorial levels introduce players to the control scheme - which is easy to master, but let down by it's poor implementation and accuracy - these opening levels are amongst the worst in any game ever made.

One second they're short and pointless, the next they're that little bit too long and scattered with insta-death scenarios - some of which push you back to a nearby 'checkpoint', whereas others cause outright failure (usually by smashing a jug).

But solider on through and the game does manage to pick up, at least a bit. Levels become interesting - though completely bizarre in the apparent Arabian Nights setting: dinosaurs? Oh hell, why not...

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DescriptionDur.SizeDetails
Sonic and the Secret Rings
E3 gameplay		 03:26 104MB CAM, ED, 16:9
852x480p60
4.2Mbps