The story begins with a flashy full-motion video detailing the events of Sonic and company defeating Eggman for the last time – or so they think. Following the battle Sonic leaves for a short time leaving the safety of the world in the hands of Tails and Knuckles. When Sonic returns Knuckles has mysteriously disappeared along with the chaos emeralds.
BioWare does a great job with the Sonic franchise injecting creativity that I did not think possible. I was never a big Sonic fan; I thought every character besides Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles was a poor sidekick scrapped up off the design-room floor. That’s why it is even more amazing to notice what BioWare has done; they actually make the audience care about the characters.
It’s also a creative feat how BioWare took the fast-paced nature of Sonic games and incorporate them into the “Brotherhood.” Within the world that slowly opens up to the player, there are loops to roll through, boxes to smash and heights to fly. The player has the option to switch between characters as he or she travels the terrain. Usually the character shown does not make a specific impact, but with “Brotherhood” each character has a unique ability that can affect the way they interact with the land.
BioWare, a western RPG developer, sticks to it roots and creates random battles in which enemies visibly move around on the overworld map. No more walking a few seconds only to be sucked into a battle; if one of your characters is hurting the player can simply walk around the enemy to avoid confrontation. I would not avoid too many battles, though, because the battle system is one of the strong points in “Brotherhood.”
The pseudo turn-based battle system will be right at home with players familiar with BioWare’s previous efforts. Depending on the speed of the character, some enemies and protagonists can attack several times per round. Sonic, known for his blazing speed, is one of these characters. The player is also given the option of a regular attack, special moves, defend, items and flee. If you choose flee, the battle will turn into a mini game in which the party will have to run and jump over different boxes to escape the opponent.
The special moves are the most interesting aspect of the game. For those players who have played “Mario & Luigi,” picking up “Brotherhood” will feel right at home. The battle system is very similar but more touch-based.
All of it works well, but I feel a little more creativity and variety could have been implemented in the interaction. When a developer borrows a mechanic from another game, like BioWare’s battle system from “Mario & Luigi,” it has to expand and improve on the original. With “Brotherhood,” this is not the case.
“Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood” does many things right and is visual eye candy with fitting music. BioWare created an RPG tailored to the Sonic fans around the world and it is accessible to those who might be new to the genre. But RPG fans looking for a deep game might want to look elsewhere. BioWare helped turn the corner for the under-performing franchise; now it’s up to Sega to put Sonic back up where he belongs.
Adam Bianco can be reached at [email protected].
