The day was March 8, 2005. The event: the inaugural Walk of Game celebration, where gaming icons Mario, Link, Sonic and Master Chief were recognized for their contributions to the industry. Sonic even got a nice trailer showcasing his most glorious feats since his inception in 1991.
When the video ended, no one could have predicted what happened next. Shots of classic Sonic 2D were suddenly riddled with bullet holes. The screen, filled with happy memories, shattered, revealing a grim Shadow the Hedgehog, and this pig was filled with warmth. The images that followed showed Shadow running, jumping, and bouncing in environments similar to previous 3D Sonic games, with a not-so-subtle new feature: weapons. Laser guns, machine guns, pistols, whatever. And Shadow wasn't afraid to use them to eliminate the game's alien enemies. No, this wasn't an April Fool's joke, a hallucination, or a modification by an angry prepubescent who wanted his colorful cartoon pet to grow up and start handling his problems like an adult. This was a legitimate game developed by Sonic Team in the gun-toting Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, and it was coming that holiday season whether we liked it or not.
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I vividly remember the countless questions that ran through my teenage mind upon seeing the trailer for the first time. Why did this game exist? Who approved this idea absolutely pants? A solo Shadow game wasn't far-fetched by any means – his rise in popularity after his debut in Sonic Adventure 2 was undeniable. But why take the Sonic series down the same dark and daring path that other franchises like Jak and Daxter and Prince of Persia had already taken?
Answering those questions meant looking at the paradigm shift the video game industry was experiencing at the time. Dark, brooding antiheroes were all the rage in the early and mid-2000s. Colorful mascot platformers had been unceremoniously knocked off their pedestal as the dominant gaming genre by first- and third-person shooters, perhaps most notably for the Halo series. American gamers in particular were flocking to the genre, and it was that group that writer-director Takashi Iizuka sought to appeal to with Shadow. At the same time, Iizuka made it clear that the game's mission was to expand the Sonic franchise for a more mature audience without alienating the existing fan base. Unfortunately, things did not go as Iizuka had anticipated.
The story begins with an amnesiac Shadow wandering the outskirts of the city, struggling to remember the secrets of his past that have eluded him since he first awakened in Sonic Adventure 2. As luck would have it, the only person who can answer his questions appears right in front of him at that exact moment: the evil alien Black Doom, who claims to have ties to Shadow and will divulge what he knows if Shadow gathers the Chaos Emeralds for him. The thing is, Black Doom is also trying to conquer the planet with his alien forces known as the Black Arms, leaving Shadow with a huge moral dilemma on his hands.
That's where arguably the most interesting aspect of the game comes into play: Shadow's morality system. Do you fight for the planet and defend the alien invaders, side with the Black Arms in their conquest, or move forward without paying attention to the conflict at all? Each level allows players to decide for themselves. In the opening stage, Westopolis, for example, you can shoot the soldiers repelling the alien invasion, save the city by eliminating the aliens, or stay neutral and simply run to the end of the level. The chosen path dictates which level you tackle next. It's up to the player to determine whether they want to be a pure hero, a pure villain, remain neutral, or bounce around like a morally confused pinball machine depending on their mood.
Eventually, you'll reach one of the game's ten initial endings, ranging from Shadow decimating the planet's army, defeating Black Doom, deciding to take over the world himself, or a variety of paths in between. In total, there are 326 different paths you can take to complete the game. While only the most die-hard fans will likely attempt it, you have to admire Sonic Team's dedication.
However, the story does not end there. While you are free to play the game once and quit, only unlocking the initial ten endings will the final story be available. There is a canon ending and, spoiler alert, at the end of the day, Shadow is a brave-hearted hero. Well, anti-brave hero, anyway. You won't be seeing Sonic shooting an alien in the face with a machine gun anytime soon.
Speaking of which, let's delve into its weapon-based combat. At its most basic, Shadow the Hedgehog plays like the 3D Sonic titles that preceded it; Shadow can run, jump, attack enemies, and even fist fight when his hands are free. However, unlike previous Sonic games, upon defeating an enemy, Shadow can seize their weapons for his own use, including a wide variety of guns, swords, hammers, spears, and grenade launchers. Players recoiling at the idea of using weapons in a Sonic game. can Finish the adventure without even touching them, although they are significantly more effective at eliminating enemies than your standard homing attack; undoubtedly an intentional move on the part of the developers to encourage its use. It's easy to argue that the weapon-wielding ultimate life form is as redundant as Sonic driving a car (not to mention the silliness of the concept), but from a gameplay perspective, the implementation is competent enough.
The game's edginess goes beyond firearms, however. Continuing with the more mature tone, the developers allowed the characters to drop their filters and sing salty language. You're not going to hear characters you've known and loved for years dropping F-bombs (although the game initially featured stronger language, according to Shadow's voice actor Jason Griffith), but there are mild profanities throughout, mostly by The Shadow itself. Of course, it's debatable whether it makes the game edgier or just more memeable. Alien enemies also bleed when hit, although their blood was changed from red to green to keep the game's rating low. It's relatively tame compared to many games today, but it was certainly jarring to see it in a Sonic the Hedgehog game nonetheless.
Then comes the million dollar question. Taking everything into account, is Shadow the Hedgehog a good game?
As someone who grew up with Sonic from the beginning and was completely taken aback when Shadow's solo title was announced, it's… okay. Surprisingly good. Was it a stupid idea? Absolutely. Was it a blatant attempt to cash in on the trend for dark, edgy games? Almost certainly. Was it executed decently despite all this? Personally I'm leaning towards yes, but “decent” is the highest praise I can give it.
Many Sonic games are still widely discussed by the community and on the Internet decades after their release, for better or worse. Sonic 06. Unleashed. Flag. Beyond the occasional meme, Shadow is not one of them. Even Sonic Team themselves tend to overlook the game; The only legal way to play it is by purchasing a used copy for sixth-generation consoles, and official references that don't mock it are rare to non-existent.
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That's part of what makes the recently released Sonic X Shadow Generations and the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie so important. For the first time since Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Team is diving deep into the character's rich but troubled history as part of its broader Year of Shadows celebration. We may even witness the unexpected return of Black Doom, no doubt a past version of the character brought on by the game's time travel antics.
Just as Shadow must once again confront his ugly past, Sonic Team also bravely acknowledges one of their biggest mistakes in the hopes that they can find something worth saving. While I doubt that the new Shadow-centric story campaign will retroactively sway public opinion in favor of his original solo outing, it is nonetheless a potent reminder that, despite its ridiculous concept and numerous shortcomings, Shadow the Hedgehog did have some great ideas.