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Shadow the Hedgehog (video game)
Encyclopedia
Shadow the Hedgehog is a 2005 video game developed by Sega Studio USA, the former United States division of Sega
's Sonic Team
. Featuring the titular fictional character Shadow the Hedgehog
from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series, the game was revealed at the March 2005 Walk of Game
inauguration of Sonic
, the series' main character. Shadow the Hedgehog is the third game developed by Sega Studio USA.
Following the trend of recent Sonic games such as Sonic Adventure
and Sonic Heroes
, Shadow the Hedgehog is a 3D platform game
. Most levels have three possible missions – "Hero," "Dark," or "Normal" – that the player may choose to complete; some levels have only "Hero" and "Dark" missions. The missions completed determine the game's plot and subsequently playable levels, a feature referenced by the game's tagline, "Hero or villain? You decide." The plot centers on the attempt of Shadow, a creation of Doctor Eggman
's grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, to learn about his past after suffering from amnesia
. To defeat enemies, Shadow can use various weapons and special attacks.
Shadow the Hedgehog was created for the Nintendo GameCube
, PlayStation 2
, and Xbox
video game console
s, and it was released in 2005 in North America on November 15, Europe on November 18, and Japan on December 15. Upon release, the game received mixed to negative critical reviews; critics criticized its "dark" theme, especially the addition of guns and other weapons to traditional Sonic gameplay, but praised its replay value.
that incorporates elements of action-adventure
gameplay. Like previous games in the Sonic series, basic gameplay involves running quickly, collecting rings, and destroying enemies. Shadow collects rings as a form of health; when he is attacked by an enemy, his rings bounce in all directions. If he is hit by an enemy and has no rings, he loses a life. Levels are completed by undertaking missions, labeled "Hero", "Dark", or "Normal." The "Hero" missions involve completing tasks for the series' heroic characters or Dr. Eggman and the "Dark" missions involve completing tasks for the Black Arms or Doctor Eggman. The "Normal" missions involve simply reaching the Chaos Emerald or goal at the end of the level. Enemies attack Shadow regardless of the side chosen. The mission types selected affect the plot, the levels played, and the ending received out of ten possibilities. Each level features cut scenes to advance the story, and several levels also feature boss battles
.
New gameplay features distinguish Shadow the Hedgehog from previous Sonic series games. For example, Shadow can use weapons including guns to combat enemies, adding an element of third-person shooter
gameplay. Parts of the scenery, such as traffic sign
s, can also be used as weapons. Also new are vehicles, such as motorcycle
s and alien aircraft, that Shadow may drive. Although Shadow can outrun the game's vehicles, the latter have unique capabilities, such as crushing enemies and traversing otherwise impassible acid-covered areas.
As in most Sonic series games, the Chaos Emeralds play a major role; they help Shadow remember his past and allow him to perform Chaos Control and Chaos Blast. Chaos Control allows Shadow to move more quickly in levels and slows time in boss battles, and Chaos Blast creates an explosion that destroys all nearby enemies. Shadow can perform Chaos Control after the player fills the Hero Gauge by defeating Black Arms soldiers, and he can perform Chaos Blast after filling by Dark Gauge by defeating G.U.N. soldiers.
The game includes a two-player mode that retains the basic single-player mechanics but is set in one of three specially designed stages and uses a vertically split screen
to separate each player's view. Each player chooses one of the available characters—Shadow, two metallic versions of him, and palette-swapped
variants of each. The combatants attack each other and steal each other's rings until one is eliminated. Additionally, in single-player mode, a second player may take control of Shadow's sidekick character in some stages.
known as the ARK. Robotnik was trying to unlock the secrets of eternal life on the government's orders and create the "Ultimate Life Form." To that end, Robotnik designed Shadow to be able to harness the powers of the Chaos Emeralds. At the end of Sonic Adventure 2
, his first in-game appearance, he was presumed dead, but returned in Sonic Heroes
with amnesia that persists into the events of Shadow the Hedgehog. The game more deeply explores Shadow's character than previous games.
The Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.) is the military of Earth's government, the United Federation, and it is directed by the G.U.N. Commander. When completing "Hero" missions, Shadow helps G.U.N. and heroic characters from the Sonic series, including Sonic the Hedgehog
, Miles "Tails" Prower
, Knuckles the Echidna
, Amy Rose
, Rouge the Bat
, E-123 Omega, Charmy Bee, Vector the Crocodile, and Espio the Chameleon
. Their aim is to protect Earth from Doctor Eggman
and the alien Black Arms. Black Doom, the leader of the Black Arms, sends an extension of himself called Doom's Eye to spy on Shadow and help him complete his missions. When completing "Dark" missions, Shadow helps either Doctor Eggman or Black Doom, each of whom wants the Chaos Emeralds for himself.
At the beginning of Shadow the Hedgehog, which takes place three months after the events of Sonic Heroes
, Shadow, still suffering from amnesia, remembers only two things: his name and "that gruesome image" of his attempt to escape the space station ARK with Gerald Robotnik's granddaughter Maria and her death by gunshot from G.U.N. soldiers. He wonders whether he is an android due to hints given in Sonic Heroes. The game begins with Shadow reminiscing outside the city of Westopolis when the Black Arms drop out of the sky and invade it. Doom's Eye approaches Shadow, and Black Doom tells Shadow of an old agreement for Shadow to bring him the Chaos Emeralds. Stunned that Black Doom knew his name, Shadow realizes that he must find the Chaos Emeralds to learn his past.
The game progresses through the Westopolis level and five more levels from the different paths Shadow can take. As missions are completed, Shadow learns more of his past. He can choose to help the Black Arms or Doctor Eggman (Dark), to help G.U.N. and the series' heroic characters (Hero), or to help neither and keep the Chaos Emeralds for himself (Neutral). The missions completed determine which one of ten possible endings will be seen after Shadow collects all the Chaos Emeralds and defeats one of the game's final bosses. The possible ending events range from planning to defeat the Black Arms to planning to destroy the planet.
Completing all ten endings unlocks a final ending in which Black Doom uses Chaos Control, enhanced by the power of all seven Chaos Emeralds, to bring the Black Comet to Earth. Shadow then confronts Black Doom on the "Black Comet" level, where he discovers that Professor Gerald Robotnik created the ARK's Eclipse Cannon weapon to destroy the Black Comet. During their confrontation, Black Doom attempts to control Shadow through mind control
but fails, prompting him to transform into his "Devil Doom" form. In response, Shadow uses the Chaos Emeralds to transform into his "Super Shadow" form and defeats Black Doom. Shadow then transports the Black Comet into outer space using Chaos Control and obliterates it with the ARK's Eclipse Cannon. His friends are elated, as are people at G.U.N. headquarters. Shadow then boards the ARK and enters the control room, where he holds up an old photograph of Maria and Gerald. He then discards the photograph, declaring "Goodbye forever... Shadow the Hedgehog," and he leaves the room.
's Sonic Team
, and published by Sega. The game and its tagline ("Hero or villain? You decide.") were revealed at the March 2005 inauguration of Sonic the Hedgehog
into the Walk of Game
. The game was formally announced by Sega on March 23.
Sonic Team
's Takashi Iizuka
, who had worked on the Sonic the Hedgehog series since 1993, targeted a younger audience with previous games, and wanted to target an older audience with Shadow the Hedgehog. The game's development team wanted to make a game featuring Shadow to resolve plot mysteries that began with the character's introduction in Sonic Adventure 2. The team felt that Shadow's design—inspired by films such as Underworld
, Constantine
, and the Terminator series
—would make the story darker and allow for elements, such as vehicles and weapons, otherwise considered inappropriate for a Sonic game. Sonic Team's Yuji Naka
stated in an interview with GameSpy
that he wanted to use Shadow as the game's main character due to his popularity among fans and being the best fit for a "gun action" game. The game contains profanities, including instances of damn and hell spoken by Shadow and other characters such as Espio, the President, and even Sonic. Profanity and the usage of guns, firsts for the series, generated some pre-release controversy.
Shadow the Hedgehog was created for the Nintendo GameCube
, PlayStation 2
, and Xbox
video game consoles. The game received an ESRB rating of E10+ for "fantasy violence" and "mild language".
and 53%, 49%, and 52% on Game Rankings
. By May 17, 2006, the game's worldwide sales total exceeded one million. The game was later released as a part of three budget lines: Greatest Hits and Platinum Range
for the PlayStation 2 (these each represent sales of at least 400,000), and Player's Choice
for the GameCube (250,000).
Critics derided the game's unwelcome sense of maturity for a Sonic game, especially the addition of guns. Game Informer
staff writer Matt Helgeson said, "not only is this new 'adult' interpretation of Sonic painfully dumb, it’s also ill-advised and almost feels like a betrayal to longtime fans." Eurogamer
staff writer Tom Bramwell felt that "the game's other selling point – its darker edge – [is] not really meant for us." G4
's X-Play
and GameSpy
staff writer Patrick Klepek thought similarly. In contrast, Nintendo Power
staff writer Steve Thomason rated the game 8.0 out of 10, stating, "[t]his darker take on the Sonic universe succeeds for the most part, giving the series a bit of an edge without going overboard on violence."
Critics also criticized the game's controls, especially Shadow's homing attack causing unexpected character deaths. Game Informers Matt Helgeson complained that the attack "frequently sends you careening off into nothingness, resulting in cheap death after cheap death." Nintendo Power, X-Play, Eurogamer, Official Xbox Magazine
, and GameSpy agreed. Other complaints focused on the mechanics of weapons and vehicles. Greg Mueller of GameSpot
felt that the guns were nearly useless because of a lack of a target lock or manual aim, combined with an ineffective auto-aim. IGN
staff writer Matt Casamassina
, 1UP.com
staff writer Greg Sewart, Game Informer, X-Play, GameSpy, and London
's The Times
also criticized the mechanics of Shadow's weapons and vehicles, and other aspects of the game's controls. However, Nintendo Power claimed, "blasting Shadow's foes with the wide variety of weapons at his disposal is just plain fun."
Critics praised the game's replay value, applauding the many possible paths that a player may take through the game. Rating the game 8.3 out of 10, GameTrailers
stated, "this choose-your-own-adventure style gives the game replay value that many platformers lack." The Melbourne
, Australia, publication Herald Sun
, and Official Xbox Magazine thought similarly. Nintendo Power agreed, but criticized the difficulty of the missions that require the player to locate objects. GameSpot praised the game's variety of levels and its music. Shadow the Hedgehog was voted the best game of 2006 in the Official Jetix Magazine Reader Awards.
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Sonic Team
Sonic Team
is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan in 1990, originally known as Sega AM8. The Japan-based division is also known as G.E. Department Global Entertainment. The studio has collaborated with several in-house Japanese studios as well as other American-based...
. Featuring the titular fictional character Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadow the Hedgehog
is a character from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Shadow is an artificially-created life form. His trademark hover shoes propel him at extreme speeds that rival those of Sonic, and with a Chaos Emerald he has the ability to distort time and space using "Chaos Control." Often referred to as being...
from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series, the game was revealed at the March 2005 Walk of Game
Walk of Game
The Walk of Game is a year-round attraction in the United States honoring the icons and pioneers of the video game industry, and is located inside Metreon, an entertainment shopping center in San Francisco, California...
inauguration of Sonic
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
, the series' main character. Shadow the Hedgehog is the third game developed by Sega Studio USA.
Following the trend of recent Sonic games such as Sonic Adventure
Sonic Adventure
is a 1999 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and released on December 23, 1998, in Japan by Sega for the Dreamcast. One of its development titles was Sonic RPG...
and Sonic Heroes
Sonic Heroes
is a 2004 platforming single-player/multiplayer video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Sonic Team USA. It is the first multiplatform title in the Sonic series, developed for Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox and released in Japan in December 2003, in North America in...
, Shadow the Hedgehog is a 3D platform game
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
. Most levels have three possible missions – "Hero," "Dark," or "Normal" – that the player may choose to complete; some levels have only "Hero" and "Dark" missions. The missions completed determine the game's plot and subsequently playable levels, a feature referenced by the game's tagline, "Hero or villain? You decide." The plot centers on the attempt of Shadow, a creation of Doctor Eggman
Doctor Eggman
, also known by his alias , is a fictional video game character, the main antagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog series created by Sega. Dr. Eggman is a rotund, mad scientist with an IQ of 300 who plans to conquer the world in order to build his Eggman Empire and is the archenemy of Sonic the Hedgehog...
's grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, to learn about his past after suffering from amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
. To defeat enemies, Shadow can use various weapons and special attacks.
Shadow the Hedgehog was created for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
s, and it was released in 2005 in North America on November 15, Europe on November 18, and Japan on December 15. Upon release, the game received mixed to negative critical reviews; critics criticized its "dark" theme, especially the addition of guns and other weapons to traditional Sonic gameplay, but praised its replay value.
Gameplay
Shadow the Hedgehog is a platform gamePlatform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
that incorporates elements of action-adventure
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
gameplay. Like previous games in the Sonic series, basic gameplay involves running quickly, collecting rings, and destroying enemies. Shadow collects rings as a form of health; when he is attacked by an enemy, his rings bounce in all directions. If he is hit by an enemy and has no rings, he loses a life. Levels are completed by undertaking missions, labeled "Hero", "Dark", or "Normal." The "Hero" missions involve completing tasks for the series' heroic characters or Dr. Eggman and the "Dark" missions involve completing tasks for the Black Arms or Doctor Eggman. The "Normal" missions involve simply reaching the Chaos Emerald or goal at the end of the level. Enemies attack Shadow regardless of the side chosen. The mission types selected affect the plot, the levels played, and the ending received out of ten possibilities. Each level features cut scenes to advance the story, and several levels also feature boss battles
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
.
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
gameplay. Parts of the scenery, such as traffic sign
Traffic sign
Traffic signs or road signs are signs erected at the side of roads to provide information to road users. With traffic volumes increasing over the last eight decades, many countries have adopted pictorial signs or otherwise simplified and standardized their signs to facilitate international travel...
s, can also be used as weapons. Also new are vehicles, such as motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s and alien aircraft, that Shadow may drive. Although Shadow can outrun the game's vehicles, the latter have unique capabilities, such as crushing enemies and traversing otherwise impassible acid-covered areas.
As in most Sonic series games, the Chaos Emeralds play a major role; they help Shadow remember his past and allow him to perform Chaos Control and Chaos Blast. Chaos Control allows Shadow to move more quickly in levels and slows time in boss battles, and Chaos Blast creates an explosion that destroys all nearby enemies. Shadow can perform Chaos Control after the player fills the Hero Gauge by defeating Black Arms soldiers, and he can perform Chaos Blast after filling by Dark Gauge by defeating G.U.N. soldiers.
The game includes a two-player mode that retains the basic single-player mechanics but is set in one of three specially designed stages and uses a vertically split screen
Split screen (computer graphics)
Split screen is a display technique in computer graphics that consists of dividing graphics and/or text into non-movable adjacent parts, typically two or four rectangular areas. This is done in order to allow the simultaneous presentation of related graphical and textual information on a computer...
to separate each player's view. Each player chooses one of the available characters—Shadow, two metallic versions of him, and palette-swapped
Palette swap
A palette swap is a practice used in video games, whereby a graphic that is already used for one element is given a different palette, so it can be reused as other elements. The different palette gives the new graphic a unique set of colors, which make it recognizably distinct from the original...
variants of each. The combatants attack each other and steal each other's rings until one is eliminated. Additionally, in single-player mode, a second player may take control of Shadow's sidekick character in some stages.
Characters
Shadow the Hedgehog, the game's protagonist, was created fifty years before the game's events by Professor Gerald Robotnik in a military research space stationSpace station
A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...
known as the ARK. Robotnik was trying to unlock the secrets of eternal life on the government's orders and create the "Ultimate Life Form." To that end, Robotnik designed Shadow to be able to harness the powers of the Chaos Emeralds. At the end of Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2 is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Dreamcast video game console. It was released in North America on June 19, 2001 and in Japan on June 23, 2001 to mark the 10th anniversary of the release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. It is the sequel...
, his first in-game appearance, he was presumed dead, but returned in Sonic Heroes
Sonic Heroes
is a 2004 platforming single-player/multiplayer video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Sonic Team USA. It is the first multiplatform title in the Sonic series, developed for Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox and released in Japan in December 2003, in North America in...
with amnesia that persists into the events of Shadow the Hedgehog. The game more deeply explores Shadow's character than previous games.
The Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.) is the military of Earth's government, the United Federation, and it is directed by the G.U.N. Commander. When completing "Hero" missions, Shadow helps G.U.N. and heroic characters from the Sonic series, including Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
, Miles "Tails" Prower
Miles "Tails" Prower
, better known by his nickname , is a character, as well as the main deuteragonist in the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games, comics, animated series and film released by Sega....
, Knuckles the Echidna
Knuckles the Echidna
Knuckles the Echidna is a video game character of the Sonic the Hedgehog game series, including spin-off games and comics. His first appearance was in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, released in 1994 to introduce a new rival for Sonic. He was presented as an antagonist who was tricked by Dr. Eggman into...
, Amy Rose
Amy Rose
, known earlier as Rosy the Rascal, is a video game character who appears in most of the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games developed by Sega's Sonic Team, debuting in Sonic CD as the third recurring protagonist. Amy Rose was created by Kazuyuki Hoshino and based on one of Kenji Terada's...
, Rouge the Bat
Rouge the Bat
is a character in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series, who is a determined treasure hunter and part-time government agent who plans to make all the gems and treasures of the world hers. Her main jewel obsessions are the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds...
, E-123 Omega, Charmy Bee, Vector the Crocodile, and Espio the Chameleon
Espio the Chameleon
is a fictional character in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog video game series and media franchise. He was created for the game Knuckles' Chaotix and his subtle color changing demonstrated the technical capabilities of the Sega 32X console. The character is a 16-year-old anthropomorphic purple chameleon...
. Their aim is to protect Earth from Doctor Eggman
Doctor Eggman
, also known by his alias , is a fictional video game character, the main antagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog series created by Sega. Dr. Eggman is a rotund, mad scientist with an IQ of 300 who plans to conquer the world in order to build his Eggman Empire and is the archenemy of Sonic the Hedgehog...
and the alien Black Arms. Black Doom, the leader of the Black Arms, sends an extension of himself called Doom's Eye to spy on Shadow and help him complete his missions. When completing "Dark" missions, Shadow helps either Doctor Eggman or Black Doom, each of whom wants the Chaos Emeralds for himself.
Story
Sonic Heroes
is a 2004 platforming single-player/multiplayer video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Sonic Team USA. It is the first multiplatform title in the Sonic series, developed for Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox and released in Japan in December 2003, in North America in...
, Shadow, still suffering from amnesia, remembers only two things: his name and "that gruesome image" of his attempt to escape the space station ARK with Gerald Robotnik's granddaughter Maria and her death by gunshot from G.U.N. soldiers. He wonders whether he is an android due to hints given in Sonic Heroes. The game begins with Shadow reminiscing outside the city of Westopolis when the Black Arms drop out of the sky and invade it. Doom's Eye approaches Shadow, and Black Doom tells Shadow of an old agreement for Shadow to bring him the Chaos Emeralds. Stunned that Black Doom knew his name, Shadow realizes that he must find the Chaos Emeralds to learn his past.
The game progresses through the Westopolis level and five more levels from the different paths Shadow can take. As missions are completed, Shadow learns more of his past. He can choose to help the Black Arms or Doctor Eggman (Dark), to help G.U.N. and the series' heroic characters (Hero), or to help neither and keep the Chaos Emeralds for himself (Neutral). The missions completed determine which one of ten possible endings will be seen after Shadow collects all the Chaos Emeralds and defeats one of the game's final bosses. The possible ending events range from planning to defeat the Black Arms to planning to destroy the planet.
Completing all ten endings unlocks a final ending in which Black Doom uses Chaos Control, enhanced by the power of all seven Chaos Emeralds, to bring the Black Comet to Earth. Shadow then confronts Black Doom on the "Black Comet" level, where he discovers that Professor Gerald Robotnik created the ARK's Eclipse Cannon weapon to destroy the Black Comet. During their confrontation, Black Doom attempts to control Shadow through mind control
Mind control
Mind control refers to a process in which a group or individual "systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator, often to the detriment of the person being manipulated"...
but fails, prompting him to transform into his "Devil Doom" form. In response, Shadow uses the Chaos Emeralds to transform into his "Super Shadow" form and defeats Black Doom. Shadow then transports the Black Comet into outer space using Chaos Control and obliterates it with the ARK's Eclipse Cannon. His friends are elated, as are people at G.U.N. headquarters. Shadow then boards the ARK and enters the control room, where he holds up an old photograph of Maria and Gerald. He then discards the photograph, declaring "Goodbye forever... Shadow the Hedgehog," and he leaves the room.
Development
Shadow the Hedgehog was developed by Sega Studio USA, the now-defunct United States division of SegaSega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Sonic Team
Sonic Team
is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan in 1990, originally known as Sega AM8. The Japan-based division is also known as G.E. Department Global Entertainment. The studio has collaborated with several in-house Japanese studios as well as other American-based...
, and published by Sega. The game and its tagline ("Hero or villain? You decide.") were revealed at the March 2005 inauguration of Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
into the Walk of Game
Walk of Game
The Walk of Game is a year-round attraction in the United States honoring the icons and pioneers of the video game industry, and is located inside Metreon, an entertainment shopping center in San Francisco, California...
. The game was formally announced by Sega on March 23.
Sonic Team
Sonic Team
is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan in 1990, originally known as Sega AM8. The Japan-based division is also known as G.E. Department Global Entertainment. The studio has collaborated with several in-house Japanese studios as well as other American-based...
's Takashi Iizuka
Takashi Iizuka (game designer)
is a Japanese game producer, game director, game designer, level designer, scenario writer and currently the head of Sonic Team.-Early career:His first collaboration with Sega involved working with STI on Sonic 3 and Knuckles as a designer. Later, he helped supervise Traveller's Tales with the...
, who had worked on the Sonic the Hedgehog series since 1993, targeted a younger audience with previous games, and wanted to target an older audience with Shadow the Hedgehog. The game's development team wanted to make a game featuring Shadow to resolve plot mysteries that began with the character's introduction in Sonic Adventure 2. The team felt that Shadow's design—inspired by films such as Underworld
Underworld (2003 film)
Underworld is a 2003 action-horror film about the secret history of Vampires and Lycans . It is the first installment in the Underworld series. The main plot revolves around Selene , a vampire who is a Death Dealer hunting Lycans...
, Constantine
Constantine (film)
Constantine is a 2005 American action horror film directed by Francis Lawrence as his directorial debut, starring Keanu Reeves as John Constantine, with Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton, and Djimon Hounsou...
, and the Terminator series
Terminator (franchise)
The Terminator series is a science fiction franchise encompassing a series of films and other media concerning battles between Skynet's artificially intelligent machine network, and John Connor's Resistance forces and the rest of the human race....
—would make the story darker and allow for elements, such as vehicles and weapons, otherwise considered inappropriate for a Sonic game. Sonic Team's Yuji Naka
Yuji Naka
, is a video game designer and programmer, best known as the former head of Sonic Team, a group of Sega programmers/designers, where he was the lead programmer of the original Sonic the Hedgehog....
stated in an interview with GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
that he wanted to use Shadow as the game's main character due to his popularity among fans and being the best fit for a "gun action" game. The game contains profanities, including instances of damn and hell spoken by Shadow and other characters such as Espio, the President, and even Sonic. Profanity and the usage of guns, firsts for the series, generated some pre-release controversy.
Shadow the Hedgehog was created for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
video game consoles. The game received an ESRB rating of E10+ for "fantasy violence" and "mild language".
Music
Lost and Found: Shadow the Hedgehog Vocal Trax is a video game soundtrack album released as a CD in February 2006. The album contains seven songs, one of which is a remix rather than master track.Reception
Shadow the Hedgehog was released in 2005 in North America on November 15, in Europe on November 18, and in Japan on December 15. Critical response ranged from average to negative upon its release; the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox versions are respectively rated 51%, 45%, and 49% on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and 53%, 49%, and 52% on Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
. By May 17, 2006, the game's worldwide sales total exceeded one million. The game was later released as a part of three budget lines: Greatest Hits and Platinum Range
Platinum range
The Platinum Range is a Sony PlayStation budget range in the PAL regions, notably Europe , Australia, New Zealand, India, and Africa...
for the PlayStation 2 (these each represent sales of at least 400,000), and Player's Choice
Player's Choice
Nintendo Selects is a marketing label used by Nintendo to promote video games on Nintendo game consoles which have sold well; Nintendo Selects titles are sold at a lower price point than other games...
for the GameCube (250,000).
Critics derided the game's unwelcome sense of maturity for a Sonic game, especially the addition of guns. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
staff writer Matt Helgeson said, "not only is this new 'adult' interpretation of Sonic painfully dumb, it’s also ill-advised and almost feels like a betrayal to longtime fans." Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
staff writer Tom Bramwell felt that "the game's other selling point – its darker edge – [is] not really meant for us." G4
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
's X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
and GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
staff writer Patrick Klepek thought similarly. In contrast, Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
staff writer Steve Thomason rated the game 8.0 out of 10, stating, "[t]his darker take on the Sonic universe succeeds for the most part, giving the series a bit of an edge without going overboard on violence."
Critics also criticized the game's controls, especially Shadow's homing attack causing unexpected character deaths. Game Informers Matt Helgeson complained that the attack "frequently sends you careening off into nothingness, resulting in cheap death after cheap death." Nintendo Power, X-Play, Eurogamer, Official Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch of the original Xbox. A preview issue was released for E3 2001, with another preview issue for November 2001. The magazine is bundled with a disc that includes game demos, preview videos and...
, and GameSpy agreed. Other complaints focused on the mechanics of weapons and vehicles. Greg Mueller of GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
felt that the guns were nearly useless because of a lack of a target lock or manual aim, combined with an ineffective auto-aim. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
staff writer Matt Casamassina
Matt Casamassina
Matt Casamassina is a video game journalist who worked for IGN until April 23, 2010. In his time at the site, he was the author of many reviews and previews of Nintendo games. He resides in Los Angeles, California, is married and has two daughters, Zoe and Fiona Jade, and a son named Rocco Archer...
, 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
staff writer Greg Sewart, Game Informer, X-Play, GameSpy, and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
also criticized the mechanics of Shadow's weapons and vehicles, and other aspects of the game's controls. However, Nintendo Power claimed, "blasting Shadow's foes with the wide variety of weapons at his disposal is just plain fun."
Critics praised the game's replay value, applauding the many possible paths that a player may take through the game. Rating the game 8.3 out of 10, GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
stated, "this choose-your-own-adventure style gives the game replay value that many platformers lack." The Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia, publication Herald Sun
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
, and Official Xbox Magazine thought similarly. Nintendo Power agreed, but criticized the difficulty of the missions that require the player to locate objects. GameSpot praised the game's variety of levels and its music. Shadow the Hedgehog was voted the best game of 2006 in the Official Jetix Magazine Reader Awards.