Take a trip back in time with me to the year 2001. Sonic Adventure 2, developed by the Sonic Team, was just released for the SEGA Dreamcast console. Now back to the present, where SEGA has brought Sonic Adventure 2 to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. I spent a lot of time playing Sonic Adventure on my SEGA Dreamcast back in the day, but the most experience I ever had with Sonic Adventure 2 as a demo disc I came across. That demo, and my experience with its predecessor, definitely made it a game I’ve always been sad I missed.

Now, of course, I have a chance to play the game I missed so long ago. Sonic Adventure 2 plays like most of the 3D Sonic titles, but with a slight twist. Dr. Eggman is back, and he infiltrates the G.U.N. facility in search of an ultimate weapon. This is Shadow the Hedgehog, who claims to be the ultimate life form, and joins Dr. Eggman in his quest to take over the world. The twist is that you can take two distinctly separate paths: Hero or Dark. Hero lets you play as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. Dark lets you play as Shadow, Dr. Eggman, and Rouge. Each Dark character plays similarly to its Hero counterpart. You can progress in either path at any time.

It took some time to get used to how the camera works and how you control each character. The boss battles also became slightly confusing at times. After you manage to grasp the controls and gameplay, however, the only problem you should have left is the camera. Sometimes it comes in way too close, which messes up how you play the game. I’ve died a few times by misjudging my actions because of a poorly placed camera. The gameplay itself is fun and it’s a great visual HD port of the title. The first Sonic Adventure was a great game, and while Sonic Adventure 2 didn’t hit all of the same great marks that Sonic Adventure did, it’s still a good Sonic the Hedgehog game.

Overall, the game is well worth purchasing if you’re a loyal Sonic fan or simply want to pick up Sonic Adventure 2 if you missed out on the Sega Dreamcast. Sonic Adventure 2 provides gamers with replay value, whether it’s the Chaos World, or simply playing 2 player against family or friends. Hopefully one day Sega will sit back and get working on a Sonic Adventure 3 for current or next generation consoles, though I’d want it to be just as good as the first Sonic Adventure. Anyways, with so many HD ports hitting consoles you’ll be sure to play this one for a while.