Umm umm...Um!?
My biggest problem, in terms of game play, was the guns. Mainly because they were poor to aim with. You want to hit this one person, but most of the time the game just picks something else to shoot at, most of the time it's air. But sometimes the homing attack will send you off the send of the stage so it's you're pick. But there were other things wrong with the game. Sure you can build up a nice amount of speed from time to time, but the missions will want you to hunt down and kill so many things or hind this or that. Shadow even goes faster then most of the vehicles the game gives you to use. Now you can also earn a boost of speed by doing good things (killing bad guys, healing GUN soldiers, putting out fire, etc.) and you get blasted through the stage for a bit. During boss fights you slow time down so you can hit someone more then you could of normally. But if you do bad things then you get to do a Chaos Blast and send out an explosion around you killing things.
The game is set up with three different missions that you can beat which will change the story. Hero, or good, missions lead you down the good path. Normal missions (for the most part) will have you running right through the stage till you hit the big ring and these are like the middle road. Dark, or bad, missions have you taking over the world with the Black Arms (sometimes.) These branching paths give you different stories, 326 total, to play through. There are 10 different endings you get to beat before you unlock the last story. In the end no matter what you pick to do it doesn't matter, because it's the same ending in the end.
A plus to beating the last boss in a play through, you get a new gun/sword. There are two versions to the endings (the good and the evil) and so you unlock the weapon the first time, then the second time you get an upgraded version of it. There are also other unlockables to be had. New vehicles and things can be unlocked by getting 5 keys in a stage.
There is a multiplayer in the game. You and a friend get to pick between Shadow and robot clones of him and shoot it out on a few stages. So the winner is the person who gets the biggest gun and spams shots at the other gets to win. Not much else to do here.
Bosses are used over and over again. In fact there are really only three bosses in the different endings of the stories. There a few in the levels, but the levels you fight them in a somewhat different. You might have an upper area or not. But for the most part if you get it down to where you can beat them fast in one you should always beat them fast. The final boss is, for the most part, easy. What will get you is the rings. I don't really want to spoil anything thing for those who have yet to play the game so I'll end it there.
There's nothing great about the graphics in game. It's OK, but the best ever. I'll give the game one good thing and that's the CG cut scenes. They are the best thing about the game by far. Musically the game is just like the graphics. They're not that bad, but not the best. They are used over a lot, or that's just the fact you have to play the game ten times to get anywhere in the game. Voice acting on the other hand is bad. It's very corny and well, without having anything better to say, kiddish. Well after all the game was fan serves to the new Sonic fans. Also I think Sega was trying, but failed, and making this game "older" by adding minor cuss words. In fact every time Shadow takes a hit or falls he has to cuss.
This really isn't a game you'll be seeing yourself play too much, even with the multiplayer. Most of the time I stopped playing after 2 times through and a few months, maybe a year or so, I'd pick it up again. The only thing that will keep you coming back to the game is unlocking things, though it's not that great. And I don't think anyone want's to play the game 326 times through.
Over all the game is bad, but if you really really really like Shadow, guns, cursing, and are between the ages of 7 and 12 then you might have fun with this one.
Pros:
+CG cut scenes.
Cons:
-Guns and vehicles.
-Branching story missions that force you to play over and over.
-The voice acting.
Game Play: 5.0
Graphics: 7.0
Sounds: 4.0
Story: 5.0
Replay Value: 5.0
Fun Level: 4.0
Over All: 5.0