Sonic Free Riders

Note: The review contains spoilers for Sonic Free Riders.

While the first two games in the Sonic Riders trilogy were both multiplatform releases, an Xbox port was noticeably absent from the second game, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (Zero Gravity). Perhaps to make up for this, the third game in the series, Sonic Free Riders (Free Riders), released in 2010 exclusively on the Xbox 360, as a launch title for the Kinect peripheral. While not having an Xbox or Kinect at the time had something to do with it, this was a game I had actively avoided for the longest time because I had only heard negative things about it at launch, especially the mandatory motion controls, with said reception being what killed any chances of a fourth game and made the Babylon Rogues dormant in most Sonic media for over a decade. I eventually went back on this decision when the 360 store was shutting down and bought a physical copy along with an old Kinect, deciding I may as well complete the experience while revisiting the games. Because I still had the negative perception in the back of my head, I wasn’t looking forward to this entry when I got around to it, but persisted anyway.

As it turns out, it’s actually not nearly as bad as everyone had made it out to be, but much like the original Sonic Riders, I ended up having to cut my experience with Free Riders short.

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (Wii)

Despite the gameplay difficulty of the original Sonic Riders, it was enough of a hit to warrant a sequel in 2008, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (Zero Gravity). Like the first game, it received a multiplatform release, but skipped the Xbox platform entirely. Since I had previously sold the PS2 version I had as a kid, I eventually re-bought the game through the Wii version due to price and availability, as part of a desire to play though the Riders trilogy for the first time. On finally being able to see it through, I found this game to be an improvement over the original in many ways, creating what I thought was a more fun experience overall.

Sonic Riders (PS2)

Since speed is a core part of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, it was only natural that at some point it would enter the world of racing games. While not the first, one of the better-known attempts at this is Sonic Riders, which also features the first appearances of a trio of characters named Jet the Hawk, Wave the Swallow and Storm the Albatross, collectively known as the Babylon Rogues. This was also one of a few Sonic games I engaged with as a kid, and the Babylon Rogues’ reintroduction to the franchise through the IDW comics and the more recent Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds led me to revisit their roots. For the purpose of this review, I mainly engaged with the Story Mode, though the game’s controls and difficulty unfortunately led me to not finish it, as much as I really wanted to.

Sonic Heroes (Xbox)

Note: This review contains spoilers for Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Heroes.

Following the release of Sonic Adventure 2 (SA2), the previously unthinkable happened when Sega went third-party and started developing titles for non-Sega consoles and handhelds, including Sonic Advance, which officially ended the long-standing rivalry with Nintendo. When Sega showed interest in developing a multi-platform Sonic game, Sonic Team USA landed on a team-based concept to take advantage of the capabilities of newer hardware. Since the new title, Sonic Heroes (Heroes), would celebrate the series’ twelfth anniversary, they also decided that they would create a standalone experience closer to the Genesis games instead of a third Adventure entry, both due to the number of numbered sequels hitting the market and out of a desire for accessibility. The final game would launch in 2003 to mixed reception, but still sold very well and led to the development of 2005’s Shadow the Hedgehog.

Unlike some of the other Sonic games I’ve reviewed recently, I actually have more of a personal history with this one. When it first came out, it was one of the first Sonic console games I owned, so I played it obsessively, yet I couldn’t ever finish the game. At some point, I didn’t have my PS2 copy anymore, though an original Xbox that I bought still had a copy in the disc drive, so I ended up playing that copy for the purpose of this review (the disc had seen better days, but the data layer still looked fine). Fortunately, the disc held up well as I finally completed Heroes over twenty years later and concluded that it’s built around a neat idea with a tedious and frustrating execution.

Sonic Lost World

As part a three-game deal on Nintendo’s ill-fated Wii U console, Sega released Sonic Lost World (Lost World) in 2013, as a follow-up to Sonic Colors (Colors) on the Wii. Although the game has since been released on PC, I opted for the Wii U version (specifically the Deadly Six edition with a code that no longer works) when that console’s storefront was being shut down. While going back through Sonic’s back catalogue of games after watching Sonic the Hedgehog 3, I decided to finally play Lost World, only to not quite finish the game due to a number of factors stemming from the game design.

Sonic Unleashed (PS3)

Note: This review contains spoilers for Sonic Unleashed.

Back in 2005, Sonic Team had conceived a third Adventure entry called Sonic World Adventure, though development wouldn’t start until after the critically panned Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (Sonic ’06). As development continued, with no set completion date and coinciding with the creation of the Hedgehog Engine, enough innovations distinguished the game from the Adventure style, including the addition of Sonic transforming into a “Werehog” during nighttime, that the title changed to Sonic Unleashed (Unleashed). Additionally, the game saw two separate builds in active development, one for HD consoles (PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) and one for the previous generation (PlayStation 2 and Wii). Both builds of the game would launch to mixed reception from fans and critics, with more favorable scores given to the PS2 and Wii builds, though Unleashed would gain more of a cult following over the years and now has a more positive reputation than before (though this opinion isn’t universal).

As for my own experience with the game, I remember getting excited for it after the disastrous Sonic ’06 (which I may still review in the future) to the point that I played the free demo. Upon playing it as a sixteen-year-old, however, I found myself getting stuck too often because, quite frankly, I sucked at it and had a hard time finding certain items to continue very far in the game. Seeing that the fanbase had warmed up to it more, however, made me curious enough that, right after I finished Sonic Colors: Ultimate (Colors), I gave Unleashed another chance. Now at about double the age at which I had played it initially, I found myself liking it a bit more and I could see some of what fans liked about it. However, as it dragged on, I found that the final design had also held itself back from reaching its full potential, no thanks to its technical issues in the final stretch, the Medal mechanic and, most of all, those Werehog Stages.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate

Following the release of Sonic Unleashed, Sonic Team and Dimps decided to try a new approach based on fan feedback that saw Sonic returning to his roots. Not only would they make Sonic the only playable character, but the balance between speed and platforming would hearken back to the Genesis days and there wouldn’t be any gimmicks as in Sonic and the Black Knight. Additionally, there would be two notable personnel changes: Ken Pontac and Warren Graff, best known at the time for their work on Happy Tree Friends, would take over writing duties and the entire English dub cast would change once more, with the exception of Mike Pollock continuing his role as Doctor Eggman. This approach led to mostly positive reviews in 2010, though the game would only see a release on the Nintendo Wii and DS.

A decade later, Sonic Colors would receive a remastered release, Sonic Colors: Ultimate, due to both the influx of fans from more recent games and the first Sonic the Hedgehog film, as well as the fact that Colors remains locked to the Wii and DS platforms. Blind Squirrel Games would develop this remaster, based on the Wii version, and add in a good amount of new content, including mechanics meant to help beginner players. Unlike the original game, however, Ultimate would receive more mixed reviews due to a number of newer bugs and glitches. Although I bought a PS4 copy day one back in 2021, as I had never owned or played the original Colors, the controversy over the release led me to waiting until well after the “Play Date” had passed before taking a crack at playing it. I may be biased, but after coming right off of Sonic Superstars, I found Sonic Colors: Ultimate a rather enjoyable, if flawed, experience.

Sonic Superstars (PS5)

Sonic Mania’s success in 2017 convinced Takashi Iizuka, the head of Sonic Team, that fans wanted more “Classic Sonic” content. However, he wanted another angle to help attract a wider audience rather than rehash Mania, a game created for hardcore fans, with a direct sequel. However, the idea of another 2D Sonic the Hedgehog game wouldn’t come to fruition until 2021, when Sonic Team would collaborate with Arzest, a studio created by Sonic co-creator Naoto Oshima. After about a year-and-a-half in development, the final product, Sonic Superstars (Superstars), would release to mixed reception from critics and fans.

Although the idea of another “Classic Sonic” game intrigued me, since I loved Mania in spite of its flaws, I didn’t play it on release for one reason or another (including a previously-mentioned medical condition). However, the hype for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (the movie), put me in the right mood for more Sonic content, which would include Frontiers and Superstars. Unfortunately, for every interesting and novel thing that Superstars does in exploring the potential of the 2D games, it does another that makes it an experience so infuriating that I couldn’t bring myself to finish it.

Sonic Frontiers (PS5)

Note: This review contains spoilers for Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Frontiers.

Following the divisive Sonic Forces (Forces) in 2017, Sonic Team started exploring options for advancing the design space for 3D Sonic games, as producer Takashi Iizuka felt that they had reached the limits of the design philosophy established by Sonic Adventure (SA1). Director Morio Kishimoto felt inspired to go in an open-world direction, allowing players a greater sense of freedom than the previous linear style would allow. As development on Sonic Frontiers (Frontiers) progressed, the team also brought on writer Ian Flynn due to his work on the IDW Sonic the Hedgehog comics in an effort to bring out the emotional aspect of the story while downplaying the humor that had driven some prior games. Although the game would miss its intended 30th Anniversary launch, it would still receive an announcement in 2021, followed by a release in 2022, with mixed reception from critics but more enthusiastic response from fans.

While we did get this game shortly after it first came out on 11/8/2022, the existence of an update roadmap led to some waiting before actually playing it. Since Sega had already scheduled the final update for 9/28/2023, we considered that the “Play Date” (“the day you can actually bask in the glory of a working game”, per Mega64) and felt more confident once that day had finally come and gone. After playing through SA1 and Sonic Adventure 2 (SA2), Frontiers felt like a natural next step and while we enjoyed our time with it and appreciated how it advanced the Sonic design space, it still holds itself back from achieving its full potential.

It's almost like they're telling you when it will be fun.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Film)

Note: This review contains spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

It’s amazing how much of a difference one change can make. Where I once felt disgusted by the earliest trailer for the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, thanks entirely to “Ugly Sonic”, I later felt hyped for a third film based entirely on the mid-credits scene from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Based on how the film series had turned out so far, I felt confident that they could pull a hat trick with a third film, especially after learning that director Jeff Fowler had an early connection with one of the new characters, Shadow the Hedgehog, having worked on the pre-rendered cutscenes for the Shadow the Hedgehog game. I even went through the effort of playing Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 for the first time in anticipation of how the film would adapt the latter. After about two years of waiting, and watching the film on opening day, to an unthinkable Rotten Tomatoes score in the high 80s no less, I found it worth the wait and more.

Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (GameCube)

Note: This review contains spoilers for Sonic Adventure 2.

Following the success of Sonic Adventure (SA1), development began on its sequel, Sonic Adventure 2 (SA2), but not without incident. Dreamcast sales struggled in spite of SA1’s success, so Sonic Team downsized and a portion of them moved to San Francisco, where they established Sonic Team USA. From there, development continued in earnest, with the goal of streamlining the design of SA1 and appealing to American sensibilities, including a greater emphasis on action, giving the six playable characters more equal playtime and capturing an “American” atmosphere for the setting. Although this gamble paid off, with strong critical reception and selling over 500,000 copies worldwide, Sega had already discontinued the Dreamcast months before SA2 launched, giving the game the distinct honor as the final Sonic game released on Sega hardware. Around this time, Sega had transitioned to third-party development and, a year later, released an updated GameCube port with additional multiplayer content, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (SA2B), which became one of the bestselling GameCube games of all time. From then on, starting with 2003’s Sonic Heroes, Sonic the Hedgehog became a multiplatform series.

Thanks in part to SA2B, SA2 also maintains a reputation as perhaps the most important Sonic game ever made, not just for establishing a formula for the rest of the series moving forward, but also for its influence on the fandom. It not only introduced new characters that remain popular to this day, in particular Shadow the Hedgehog, but also has iconic moments that future games have referenced and a soundtrack that has proven memorable among those who have played it. SA2 would also not only get its own adaptation in the Sonic X anime alongside SA1, but influence the story of the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which motivated me to finally play this game (through SA2B on GameCube due to cost and availability). Shadow the Hedgehog himself would get his own spinoff game, Shadow the Hedgehog, as well as his own Shadow Generations game alongside a remaster of Sonic Generations. I know that I myself wanted to play this game as a kid, but now that I finally have as an adult, I found it worth the effort, even if it’s showing some age now.

Sonic Adventure (Dreamcast)

Since his debut on the Sega Genesis in 1991, Sonic the Hedgehog made a splash with speed-based platforming, almost matching Mario in mainstream appeal and popularity, and spawned a successful multimedia franchise that continues to this day. During the series’ infancy, it dabbled in other gameplay styles, including a 3D isometric view with Sonic 3D Blast in 1996, which would lead to the blue blur’s first full 3D game, Sonic Adventure (SA) developed by the one and only Sonic Team. SA would launch in Japan in 1998 as one of the earliest titles for the Sega Dreamcast, but notably came over to the US as a launch title for the system on 9/9/1999 to critical acclaim and would become the best-selling game for the system. Due to its success, with 2.5 million copies sold, and the direction the franchise would take afterwards, this makes SA one of the most significant games in the series.

As for my own history with this game, I had always wanted a Dreamcast as a child, but never got to own one until several years later when I had started collecting retro consoles and games back in a time when that was easier and more affordable. This included buying a copy of SA, though a number of newer and older titles distracted me from playing past the first stage (as I write this, I’m sensing a pattern with how I’ve played other series-defining releases). Despite that, I still found myself obsessed with Sonic the Hedgehog growing up, which included watching most of the cartoons (and the OVA) and playing a number of the games, plus I did see an adaptation of SA’s storyline through the 4Kids dub of Sonic X during its original US airing.

Fast forward to now and the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film, which takes influence from Sonic Adventure 2, gave me the motivation to finally give SA an honest try on the original hardware, warts and all. I even went through the effort of buying a second copy (the “Not for Resale” version) when my original disc stopped functioning right before an early Stage. After going through all of that effort, I must say that although the game feels janky nowadays, especially when compared with more modern game design, I still felt like a kid again and enjoyed myself the whole time.

2023 - The Highlights (Tetris_King)

While the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t as much of a threat as it was back in 2020, I still take precautions to avoid infection, though my interest in seeing films in a theater has become less about whether or not I can and more about whether or not it seems worth it, now that our household has integrated streaming options for newer titles. That said, between both streaming and the theater, so many films came out this year that I liked that my list was difficult to pare down, but I am overall satisfied with my final list. Due to various circumstances, however, I didn’t get to play too many new games this year, but I did manage enough to still put a list of my favorites together.

Each list is presented in no particular order, with links to reviews where applicable.

Top Movies

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

 

 

Following the end of the Infinity Saga, the quality of subsequent MCU films has overall been on a decline, but I was still dedicated to seeing the Guardians of the Galaxy sub-series through since it had generally remained consistent, and also since the third film would be the last Marvel would see of director James Gunn before his move to DC. Not only did Vol. 3 provide a surprisingly emotional arc for Rocket Raccoon, it also has arguably the best MCU villain since Thanos in the form of the High Evolutionary, thanks largely to a stellar performance by Chukwudi Iwuji. For those who have been following the Guardians’ exploits and/or want a good dropping off point from the seemingly-endless Marvel train, this is a must-see.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

 

As someone who has only a general idea of D&D, not to say I haven’t tried to dip my toe in it before, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this film going in, but came away wholly enjoying it thanks to its well-timed humor and having the general atmosphere of a D&D session in a good way. I enjoyed it so much that I not only bought every D&D transforming Diceling figure with the Honor Among Thieves branding, but it also made me seriously consider giving the game itself another shot.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

 

 

After seeing how good Bumblebee turned out, I gained a renewed interest in the Transformers film series as it began to pivot in a new direction, especially with its sequel Transformers: Rise of the Beasts finally venturing outside the franchise’s then-overextended stay in its G1-inspired comfort zone. While my expectations were tempered with cautious optimism going in, said expectations were exceeded thanks to its well-written human cast and its expanded robot cast somehow feeling decently well-balanced. One ending scene even has me excited for what’s to come in this new universe, though I first hope that the upcoming Transformers: One animated prequel film can maintain the same level of quality.

Oppenheimer

 

 

Films such as Oppenheimer are not usually my speed, especially ones with hefty runtimes, but I went to see this anyway, and in the highest quality possible, so I could be a participant in the Barbenheimer phenomenon. Despite my personal feelings on these types of films, and much of it consisting of people talking, I was actually hooked from start to finish and was particularly blown away by the surprisingly-tense nuclear bomb test scene. This scene alone is the main reason to see it in the best quality you can, something the sold-out 4K sets can attest to, though I would still strongly recommend this film anyway.

Gran Turismo

 

 

While video game movies usually attempt to adapt the game’s premise to the big screen, with mixed results that have gotten steadily better in recent years, Gran Turismo takes a different approach by adapting the story of a real-life event surrounding the game, with a few liberties taken for the sake of dramatization. The result is far better in its own right than one might expect, with a very suspenseful racing story that even those (such as myself) with no familiarity with the game itself can enjoy it, as well as a multitude of Easter eggs for those who are.

Rohan at the Louvre

 

While this film already grabbed my interest as a fan of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and the Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan spinoffs, I found it to be both an excellent adaptation of the original one-shot and a solid suspense film on its own merits, thanks in no small part to the spot-on performance of Issey Takahashi in the role of Rohan Kishibe. Fortunately, this film is also written in such a way that anyone who is not familiar in any way with the world of JoJo can enjoy it, succeeding where the live-action Diamond is Unbreakable film fell short. Although not required viewing for this film, I would also highly recommend newcomers to watch the Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan live-action drama, which this film shares a universe with and also successfully divorces itself from JoJo, if they can.

Top Games

The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog

 

 

In a pleasant surprise for April Fool’s Day, a new Sonic the Hedgehog game was released for free, placing the characters in a visual novel mystery about Sonic’s death, though the events turn out to be more mundane than initially let on (at least at first). For a free game, it has some amazing production values on all fronts, with some funny and clever writing that makes it a joyful ride from start to finish.

We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie

 

Part of Bandai Namco’s latest series of remasters of older Namco games included Katamari Damacy Reroll, which already excited me as a fan of the series, but I was even more surprised by the announcement of We Love Katamari Reroll and became further interested by the new Royal Reverie content. Much like the first, this is a remaster done right and the most ideal way to play this classic title, featuring cleaner visuals and several quality-of-life changes to bring the addictive gameplay to newer audiences, along with some new levels that expand on the game’s lore. While I would like to see the Katamari remasters continue, I would also hope the fact they made a second remaster means more of a full-on revival for the once-dormant IP.

Tron: Identity

 

 

It’s not too often we get any new Tron media since the franchise was put on hold after Tron: Legacy, so the announcement of a new Tron game at D23 Expo got me very excited for having any new media at all. While a choice-driven visual novel mystery might not be to everyone’s liking, with the main gameplay outside of that being Identity Disk puzzles, Tron: Identity has some very intriguing world-building and characters, as well as a great soundtrack, that makes it worth playing for anyone starving for new Tron content prior to the upcoming Tron: Ares.

God of War: Ragnarök – Valhalla

 

In celebration of God of War: Ragnarök’s one-year anniversary, the game received a bit of DLC content that serves as an epilogue to main story and mixes things up with rougelite gameplay, all for free. Said gameplay loop provides an extra challenge that can be freely adjusted to one’s desires, backed by a short bit of story that satisfactorily caps off Kratos’ character arc in the Norse games as he learns to make peace with the actions of his younger self. While a must-play for fans of the series, it is strongly recommended you brush up on both the Greek and Norse games if you care about the plot.

Top Disappointments

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

 

 

Where the original Shazam! film felt like a step in the right direction for what the DCEU could be, Fury of the Gods felt like a step back, with an overreliance on computer effects and a more complex storyline that takes away the more intimate focus that helped the first film stand out. While not one of the worst DC films out there, it is certainly one of the weakest and is more likely to disappoint fans of the original.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

 

 

The Ant-Man sub-series of the MCU isn’t one of the strongest, starting with a pretty funny first film and followed up by a less-well-written second installment whose main redeeming factor is its relationship with the Infinity Saga. Now that the MCU is in the midst of the Multiverse Saga, Quantumania represents everything wrong with the MCU at its current point, with a plot that takes comic book logic to its absolute extreme even by Marvel Studios standards and a setting that feels more like Star Wars than Marvel, not to mention weak villains, convoluted multiverse logic and a reliance on the viewer having seen a bunch of TV shows locked behind a Disney+ paywall. Unless you’re wholly devoted to the Marvel lifestyle, you can safely skip this one.

Bluey: The Videogame

 

With the immense popularity of the Australian animated series Bluey, to the point of it even getting a successful stage production, a video game adaptation seemed inevitable. Sadly, Bluey: The Videogame can't live up to the quality of the cartoon, mainly due to its severe lack of content for the asking price ($40) that can be beaten within an hour, maybe two or three if you make the time to gather all of the collectibles and Trophies. The voice acting and music are all there and the art style is faithfully recreated, but these alone do not make up for the janky animations and odd glitches that make the end product feel oddly rushed. I did not pay full price for the game, and neither should you (I got a physical PS5 copy on sale for $25), but I could tell I would most certainly have felt ripped off if I did.

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal

When the short-lived Sonic Boom franchise was first introduced, it began with a pair of games for Wii U and 3DS, respectively titled Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal. While I was a fan of Sonic Boom while it lasted, and have since tried to own whatever media related to it that I can find, I didn’t have a Wii U at the time Rise of Lyric came out and by the time I got a 3DS, I was only able to play the Shattered Crystal sequel, Fire & Ice. I did, however, go more out of my way to track down both games physically when their respective systems’ eShops were shutting down, deciding later to play the 3DS game first out of boredom on a trip due to its advertised connectivity with the Wii U game. After finishing the game faster than I expected, I found it to be pretty decent for what it was, but not quite as good as Fire & Ice.

The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog is no stranger to trying genres outside of traditional platforming, from early efforts like the pinball-based Sonic Spinball all the way to the recent open world of Sonic Frontiers. Most unusual, however, was the free April Fools Day 2023 release of a point-and-click visual novel, The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, which Sega jokingly presented as a response to fan feedback. Despite its nature as a self-parody, however, it’s clear that the project had a lot of heart put into it, resulting in a very enjoyable experience regardless.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Film)

Note: This review contains spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog (Film).

Over two years ago, we watched the first live-action Sonic the Hedgehog film in a theater. Little did we know that would be the final film we would watch the traditional way before the world shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the time since, we adapted to streaming as a way of keeping up with major film releases, even after theaters started opening back up again. With Sonic the Hedgehog 2 around the corner, however, we felt enough hype for the film that we decided we’d finally try going back into the theater in as safe an environment as possible. Fortunately, the end result was worth taking the risk.

2020 - The Highlights (EHeroFlareNeos)

Among the many industries affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic, newer entertainment releases got hit hard. While plenty of video games still hit their projected dates, if they didn’t suffer a small delay, pretty much all of Hollywood pushed back their releases to sometime in 2021 or released some of their films onto streaming services. This means that we didn’t see nearly as many newer films as we would have liked, but we experienced enough new entertainment that we felt confident making our annual lists.

As always, this list is in no particular order and based entirely on what we were able to play or watch ourselves. 

Top Movies of 2020

Sonic the Hedgehog

Video game movies have steadily improved over the years and Sonic the Hedgehog shows that all it takes is having a team that respects the IP. The story may feel safe, but it incorporates elements of Sonic the Hedgehog pretty well into the setting and a surprisingly restrained Jim Carrey helps carry the film. I’m already looking forward to the sequel, especially with that exciting mid-credits sequence.

Soul

Compared to Onward, which released in the same year, Soul shows that Pixar still has that special spark that makes their catalog so captivating. Its message about appreciating life and finding your purpose is a universal one and the film finds a very mature way of delivering it. The incredible animation and likeable characters, not to mention the well-timed humor, also help make this a must-see film.

Top Games of 2020

Helltaker

Helltaker’s release took me by surprise, but I’m glad I checked it out. Its concept is simple, but the puzzle gameplay keeps you thinking and the pure passion that went into the project really shines through. Each of the sharply-dressed demon girls also have their own unique personality, so players can more easily find one they like the most (I personally like Justice). It’s fun to play, fun to speedrun and it’s free, so there’s no real excuse not to try it.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2

As someone who has played every Tony Hawk game, I found the latest entry, Pro Skater 1 + 2, the best representation of the original PS1 titles. Both games are faithfully recreated in stunning detail and modernized without forgetting what made the games fun in the first place. Unlike the previous attempt, Pro Skater HD, tricks have that signature weight to them and going for 100% completion is actually very fun and doable. The experience may not last very long, but it’s well worth it and I can’t wait to see what Vicarious Visions has in store for the series’ future.

Doom Eternal

Following the already strong Doom (2016), id Software played to their strengths with Doom Eternal and improved on the formula in several areas, including a flow-based combat approach and an absolutely fire soundtrack by Mick Gordon. It’s not completely flawless, with surprisingly unimpressive boss design and annoying purple goo that stops the momentum cold, but I still had fun killing demons with a catharsis that only the Doomslayer can provide.

Final Fantasy VII Remake

In an era where older games receive remakes that truly bring them into the modern day, Final Fantasy VII Remake stands out. While its story may not appeal to everyone, particularly the last act, the combat is very satisfying and keeps the game fun throughout. If you’re already familiar with the story or haven’t picked up the original game before, you’ll find something to like.

Top Disappointments of 2020

Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind

With the news that Kingdom Hearts III would not receive a Final Mix version and instead paid DLC, I hoped that the trade-off would be worth the money. Unfortunately, the amount of content in Re Mind feels $10 too expensive, with a new scenario that could easily have been a free add-on and a total of fourteen new superbosses that pad out the length with a huge difficulty spike. I’m still curious where the series will go from here, but Re Mind fell short of its true potential.

The Last of Us Part II

While a sequel to the original The Last of Us already felt unnecessary considering how perfectly it ended, I still had hope that The Last of Us Part II would live up to the original after a seven-year gap. Unfortunately, it failed so hard in the writing that not even its truly impressive technical achievements and accessibility options can make up for it. I’m not sure how many people will truly recognize its flaws in say ten years, but I’m already soured on supporting Naughty Dog in the future if they’ll end up making more games like this one.

Scoob!

With some great DTV films under Scooby-Doo’s belt, it’s amazing how none of the franchise’s big screen attempts have worked out. Scoob! feels cold and calculated, which results in rushed and unfocused writing that tries harder at establishing yet another cinematic universe than it does telling a good story. The only thing I really liked was the animation, but that alone is not worth the price of admission. Get your Scooby-Doo fix elsewhere.

2020 – The Highlights (Tetris_King)

Though we have been making these lists for the last 10 years, 2020 is a bit different as the closing of theaters by way of a global pandemic has resulted in us seeing far fewer new movies than in previous years and playing a lot more video games due in part to collective lockdown boredom. Nevertheless, we decided this would not stop us from presenting what we liked and disliked over the course of the year, though keep in mind that circumstances have resulted in something a bit lighter than usual.

Each list is presented in no particular order, with links to reviews where applicable.

Top Movies of 2020

Sonic the Hedgehog

Purely by circumstance, this was the last movie, and the only one from 2020, that I was able to watch in a theater before or since the entire world was devastated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as of this writing. My confidence going into this movie wasn’t high at first due to the infamous original design for Sonic, however this movie is a great example of how something as simple as a character redesign can do wonders for the finished product. While not exactly a masterclass of cinema, Sonic the Hedgehog is a big step in the right direction for video game movies as a whole and is a very enjoyable and funny movie in its own right.

Soul

Of the handful of animated movies I ended up seeing this year, Soul is easily the best. The story it tells is something I think most people can relate to on some level and the animation features some very interesting visual effects that I didn’t think possible in computer animation. Though so far it is only available on Disney+, I would highly recommend watching both it and its accompanying short Burrow if you are able.

Top Video Games of 2020

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated

Whereas the original release of SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom proved to stand the test of time, the Rehydrated remake brings into the modern day with some much-needed quality of life changes. The game also reintroduces some content that was cut from the original release, however said content is relegated to a frankly lackluster multiplayer mode. Some additional shortcomings upon release, such as the inability to replay boss fights, have thankfully been ironed out through patches, making the game much easier to recommend for those who have not played the original version, unless you’re in it for ulterior speedrunning motives.

Ghost of Tsushima

Being familiar with Sucker Punch’s catalog to varying degrees, Ghost of Tsushima’s announcement was enough to catch my attention, as it was based on a major Japanese historical event. Not only does the final game capture ancient Japan beautifully on the visual front, it’s also highly respectful of the country’s history and culture. The gameplay itself is also great, with combat options that tie in well with the themes of the story as well as some relaxing side content that displays how the beauty of nature can be found even on a battlefield (plus you can pet foxes). I’d be curious to see what Sucker Punch does next, though as far as this IP goes, it seems like one that could easily be left alone after one installment.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2

After a five-year gap following the absolute disaster that is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, the Pro Skater series makes a huge comeback with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. This game takes everything that made the first two games good and improves on them across the board (pun not intended), along with an expanded track list that features all but three tracks from both games as well as some new songs never heard in a Pro Skater game before. The overall quality of the game shows that there was true passion behind these remasters that both old and new fans can appreciate, and I would hope a similar level of effort is put into whatever comes next for the franchise.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

As someone who got into Crash Bandicoot via the N. Sane Trilogy, I had wondered what the next step for the franchise would be after Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, which turned out to be a brand new game in the series. Crash Bandicoot 4 lives up to the gameplay style of the original trilogy while introducing some new twists of its own. Granted, the game does go a bit overboard in terms of its collectibles, however the game is still a must-play for even casual Crash Bandicoot fans.

Top Disappointment of 2020

Scoob!

Scoob! is an example of what happens when you try to start your own Cinematic Universe and not only forget to make sure the first installment is good on its own, but also misunderstand the source material in the process. The typical mystery formula that Scooby-Doo fans have come to expect is discarded nearly wholesale in favor of an action movie crossover with Blue Falcon, Wacky Races and Captain Caveman of all things, featuring lightning-fast pacing and several missed opportunities to truly tap into the emotional core of the story. Throw in a wholly unnecessary, and somehow plot-critical, cameo from American Idol’s Simon Cowell of all people and you get possibly one of the biggest missteps for any Hannah-Barbera property in recent memory.