I mean, it's iconic for a reason. First off, the story is just great, it's surprising, sincere, and pure fun. The OST is THE sonic OST. Banger after banger.
The game fundamentally is split into 4 sections of gameplay:
- The more traditional sonic gameplay with highspeed platforming
- Treasure hunting levels where you play Hot or Cold in an atmospheric environment
- Mech levels where you blast a barrage of enemies while platforming in a slippery mech
- The chao garden, where you raise pet/baby things and have them compete in sports
The sonic type levels in SA2 are hit and miss. There are a few, like Crazy Gadget, that are a huge chore to get through. These are the ones where the jank is in full force. There are a lot of mechanics like this, such as rail grinding, that will drive you crazy trying to make them function properly. On the other hand, there are a few standouts, like Metal Harbor, that are some of the best in the whole franchise. In SA2, going fast is not a foregone conclusion, but as your mastery increases, these levels are designed to put you in a flow state and feel amazing to breeze through.
The treasure tracking levels are overhated in my opinion, and they're some of my favorites. If you can let go of your sense of urgency, and just soak in the atmosphere, it feels great to take your time and solve the puzzles and chill.
To me, the mech levels have aged the least well. It is cool to blow stuff up in a mech. As a kid I loved them, but as an adult I can't help but notice how jank the controls are, and asking me to platform in these things is criminal.
Then of course, the chao garden. Oh the chao garden. There's a reason fans have been begging for its return every game since. It's structured in such a way to be supplementry to the rest of the game, with the player encouraged to check back in between levels to give their chao powerups which can be found throughout the game. It ties everything together in a way that gives every other part of the game a heightened sense of purpose. Now it's not *just* a level, it's also a source of emblems to improve the shop, a way to pass time while your chao are at school, a source of powerups to grow their stats. The garden itself is very deep with all kinds of hidden mechanics; the chao feel very lifelike. The designs are incredible. Even if Sega finally brings them back in a future installment, I doubt they'll able to make something as perfectly designed as what they have here.
When viewed in its totality, it's pretty clear why SA2 has such a dedicated fanbase. On its surface, its a jank but enjoyable sonic game with some fun levels, a lot of content, and a great story. But it's also the kind of game that a completionism can pretty much play forever and still have challenges left to tackle. I love this game, I only wish there were more like it.
