Sonic Chronicles: Competent, but not what's needed

At first mention, having RPG expert Bioware take on Sonic the Hedgehog, traditionally known for ultra fast paced racing, seems like a very odd choice. Turns out that playing "Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood" doesn't make the whole idea any less odd.

Variety critic Leigh Alexander calls "Sonic Chronicles" "surprisingly fun and competent," but notes that it's just "not the shot of adrenaline the franchise needs to return to its former glory. It's basically RPG-lite, she explains, with the cheesy story and solid mechanics that one would expect from a merging of "Sonic" and Bioware. There's also a fun use of "Elite Beat Agent" like timed touch screen taps to add a little more excitement to turn-based battles.

Still, there's no escaping the fact that turn-based combat and deep story are not Sonic's best traits. Nor that we've been waiting a very long time for a great "Sonic" game that's still speed. And we're still waiting.

Here's an excerpt from Leigh's review:

Aside from the exploration, the core gameplay is very much RPG-lite: Arrange members of party for optimum advantage, level them up through battles, and teach them signature techniques that exploit enemy weaknesses. Result is a nicely balanced game that’s engaging but not too demanding, accessible while still challenging, and colorful without being ridiculous.

And you can read the whole thing here.