User:TheJoebro64/drafts/force

Sonic Forces is a 2017 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. It is part of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and its story sees series antagonist Doctor Eggman succeed in his longtime goal of defeating Sonic and conquering the world. Sonic Forces features three player characters sporting different gameplay styles: Classic Sonic, the incarnation of the Sonic character from the Sega Genesis Sonic games, features side-scrolling gameplay; Modern Sonic, the incarnation of Sonic introduced in Sonic Adventure, features gameplay that shifts between side-scrolling and third-person perspectives; and the Avatar, the player's custom character, who plays similarly to Modern Sonic and can use Wisp power-ups.

Preliminary work began in 2013 with the creation of the game engine, the Hedgehog Engine 2.

Sonic Forces was released on November 7, 2017, for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. Its promotion and release were accompanied by a tie-in mobile game developed by Hardlight, a webcomic series by individuals who worked on Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog comic, and downloadable content including Shadow the Hedgehog as a playable character. Sonic Forces performed well commercially but received mixed reviews. Critics praised the visuals, music, and character creation system, but disliked the level design, plot, short length, Classic Sonic gameplay, and technical issues. Many critics felt that the game lacked ambition and called it a disappointment in the wake of the positively received Sonic Mania, released earlier that year.

Gameplay
Sonic Forces is a fast-paced platform game similar in gameplay and style to prior Sonic the Hedgehog games. Controlling the player character, the player must navigate a series of levels while avoid enemies and obstacles. Along the way, they collect golden rings, which serve as a form of health: rings protect players from damage caused by robots or other hazards, though they lose their rings upon being hit. Being hit with no rings kills the player, forcing them to restart from the last checkpoint. The game features 30 main levels, seven of which include boss fights against characters like Doctor Eggman and Metal Sonic, that are unlocked as the story progresses. Some levels, such as Green Hill Zone, recur from previous series games. An additional 13 levels can be unlocked by collecting special red rings, six of which are hidden in most main levels.

The game features three player characters: "Classic" and "Modern" variations of Sonic the Hedgehog (returning from 2011's Sonic Generations) and the Avatar, the player's custom character. Each has their own gameplay style and attributes. Classic Sonic, the incarnation of Sonic from the 1990s Sega Genesis Sonic games, can roll into a ball to gain speed and attack enemies. Modern Sonic, the incarnation of Sonic introduced in Sonic Adventure (1998), can perform a speed boost by collecting White Wisps, a double jump, and a homing attack on enemies and objects. The Avatar is created from a base of seven animal types, which each possess a unique ability; they also wield a grappling hook and can equip weapons known as Wispons, including flamethrowers, whips, and hammers. Depending on the Wispon, Avatars can use temporary abilities by collecting a corresponding Wisp type. A fourth playable character, Shadow the Hedgehog, is unlocked via the downloadable content Episode Shadow; he behaves identically to Modern Sonic.

As they start the game, the player is placed in a world map that provides access to levels. In each level, the player's goal is to reach the end. Stages are filled with filled with features such as spring boards, rails, and boost pads, and obstacles such as spikes, bottomless pits, and robots. Classic Sonic's levels are strictly side-scrolling, similar to the original Genesis Sonic games. Conversely, Modern Sonic and the Avatar's levels seamlessly shift from side-scrolling to third-person perspectives, similar to later Sonic games like Sonic Unleashed (2008) and Sonic Colors (2010). Similar to Sonic Heroes (2003), in certain levels the player controls Modern Sonic and the Avatar simultaneously, switching between the two as necessary. Sonic Forces does not use a traditional life system, instead deducting from the player's score depending on the number of deaths. At the end of each level, players are given a grade dependent on their performance; an "S" rank is the best and a "C" is the worst. Players may occasionally receive SOS Missions, which task them with replaying levels with a specific objective, such as rescuing animals.

Development

 * https://www.gamereactor.eu/video/339383/Sonic+Forces+Shun+Nakamura+Interview/
 * http://sonicunited.org/2017/10/27/a-long-sonic-forces-interview-with-iizuka-and-nakamura/
 * https://www.dualshockers.com/sonic-forces-nintendo-switch-interview/
 * https://www.famitsu.com/news/201711/11145786.html
 * https://gamecrate.com/interview-takashi-iizuka-and-shun-nakamura-state-sonic-2017/16493
 * https://metro.co.uk/2017/07/04/sonic-mania-and-sonic-forces-hands-on-preview-and-interview-the-focus-is-on-old-school-fans-6753357/