Reviews / previews
Our favorite blue-haired hedgehog returns for some
arcade-style 3D racing in the PC version of Sonic R.
The "R" presumably stands for "race," but experience
with the game suggests it might as well be "retread."
In this Sega Saturn
conversion, you
assume the role of
Sonic or one of his
wacky friends and
race on foot--no
Super Mario Carts,
this one--against a
field that includes
the evil Dr. Robotnik
in an effort to win the
Chaos Emeralds.
You'll compete on
five twisting courses
in diverse locations like Resort Island, Radical City,
and Reactive Factory. You'll need to balance your run
for the finish line with a search for time-saving
shortcuts and power-ups--including rings that open
doors and shields that allow easy passage across
water.
But despite the range of characters and numerous
race options, Sonic R doesn't offer enough varied
gameplay in the races, and loses its appeal quickly.
All the races and characters are somewhat similar.
And, like many console games ported to the PC,
Sonic R hasn't been fully adapted to the new platform.
While Direct3D
delivers excellent
graphics, and a
large monitor should
provide resolution
superior to most TVs, control on the PC just
isn't similar enough to the Sega Saturn. It's
difficult with a gamepad or joystick, and
becomes nearly impossible using the
keyboard.
The game also uses a console-style
interface of menus within menus for everything from changing characters and
races to jumping into a quick race to just exiting the game. While this works
well on consoles, which lack hot keys and a mouse, they just bog down
gameplay in the PC version.
And any way that bogs down Sonic can't be good.-- Peter Suciu / GamePro
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