Sonic Heroes

Sonic Heroes brought a new concept to the PlayStation 2, in which the player doesn't control a single hedgehog but instead leads teams made up of three characters at once. Each team combines a Speed type for fast running, a Fly type for flying, and a Power type for destructive strength, and you can switch between them at the press of a single button while running, expanding the classic Sonic formula with a more tactical element of character cooperation. The player progresses through Team Sonic, Team Dark, Team Rose, and Team Chaotix, and each combination offers a slightly different perspective on the same levels, a different narrative angle, and different bonus sequences at the end of each chapter.

Visually, Sonic Heroes abandoned the near-polygonal realism of previous 3D entries and went for bright, cartoonish environments with prominent loops, ramps, and fast tunnels meant to evoke the aesthetic of the original 2D games from the nineties. Speed remains the main draw of the experience, though the camera and controls often cause trouble in tight passages, and parts of the game slow down into combat or puzzle sections that break up the otherwise brisk pace. The music, with prominent pop and rock motifs and each team having its own theme song, is one of the game's memorable elements and has stuck with many players to this day.

Reception at the time was mixed — the ambition and the return to the group dynamic of older games like Knuckles' Chaotix were praised, but the uneven camera and technical shortcomings, especially in more demanding sections, drew criticism. Even so, Sonic Heroes found its place on PS2 as one of the more accessible 3D Sonic games of that generation, and for many players it remains a nostalgic reminder of a period when the series was trying to find a balance between speed and experimentation. Today it's played mainly for its briskness and distinctive visual identity, though the camera issues still bother old-school players and are a reminder of the technical limits of 3D platformers of the era.

Why play: For players looking for an accessible 3D Sonic with a brisk pace and distinctive visual identity, even though the uneven camera still causes trouble in more complex sections to this day.