Sonic the Hedgehog is enjoying a strong run, which could be a sign that it’s time to return to a genre the series has barely touched. After three successful movies and multiple well-received titles in recent years, it would be good to keep an eye on the franchise’s next move. With Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds set to be the next Sonic the Hedgehog spinoff, Sonic’s universe is looking as healthy as ever. More spin-offs are likely to come in the near future. In particular, this positive momentum could lead sonic back to a genre that he’s only explored once previously.
The amount of content revealed for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds already looks ambitious, and the game was only recently announced. While there is already a precedent for Sonic racing spin-offs, such as the Sonic Riders series, this could be a good sign for more experimentation in the series. After all, it was less than two years ago that The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog was released, and that’s easily one of the quirkiest entries in the franchise’s history. The team behind Sonic is clearly open to experimenting, and while platforming is still the series’ bread and butter, it also has plenty more to offer.
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Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Doesn’t Have to Be Sonic’s Only RPG Entry
Sonic Chronicles Was Sonic’s First and Only RPG
2008 saw the release of the RPG spin-off Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Despite speed being Sonic’s forte, he proved to be surprisingly viable for turn-based combat. In addition, the selection of party members, as well as team-up moves among them, offered several strategic options. Unfortunately, the game had a few notable flaws, such as a lackluster soundtrack and a few odd gameplay decisions. It also didn’t help that former Archie Comics writer Ken Penders would file a lawsuit against the game shortly after release. These combined issues ensured that Sonic Chronicles would not get a sequel despite ending on a cliffhanger.
While primarily an action game, Sonic Frontiers featured RPG elements in the form of a skill tree and upgradeable stats.
Sonic’s World Has No Shortage of RPG Potential
Despite Sonic Chronicles‘ struggles, another Sonic RPG isn’t unthinkable. The environment for Sonic the Hedgehog spin-offs is hopeful at the moment, after all. Plus, Sonic Frontiers did a good job of showing that Sonic can be thrown into an adventure of epic scale and perform admirably. Not to mention, adding some characters that missed out on the first game, such as Silver, Blaze, or Vector, would give players a lot of solid options, especially if something like Team POW Moves is implemented again. The Sonic series has a toolbox full of elements that could make for a great RPG title.
Sonic’s IDW Comics Would Be an Amazing Inspiration For an RPG
The Sonic comics from IDW could be another strong asset in an RPG’s favor. The mobile spin-off Sonic Dash has included a few comic-original characters, and Sonic Frontiers mentioned Tangle the Lemur in an offhand line, so the IDW universe is not completely off-limits. Plus, story arcs such as the Metal Virus saga and Impostor Syndrome showed how much the writers are willing to dial up the intensity of a story. To date, Sega has not fully opened the door to IDW having a major impact in a game. However, a Sonic RPG could be the perfect time to make full use of that influence.
The success of Sonic X Shadow Generations has kept the franchise’s positive momentum, and returning to the RPG realm while Sonic’s still on top could be a good move. Sonic’s world has a lot of interesting characters and settings, and the comics have provided it with so much more room to expand in the future. Sonic Chronicles may not have been one of the hedgehog’s best, but it shouldn’t be the end of his RPG ambitions.
- Released
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September 30, 2008
- ESRB
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