Youtube Comedian, game reviewer and publisher videogamedunkey features the “most hardcore game ever created”: shadOW the hEDGEhog, released in 2005.
I unironically love that game. It was equal parts bold and stupid. Where else you can find a game about a cartoon mascot character who can side with a alien-demon invasion to try to kill the president and the hero protagonist? SEGA can be judged for many things but they weren’t afraid to dare.
I also really like how they did multiple endings. I know ultimately there is a single canon one but it’s still interesting to see all the others.
Compared to Sonic Heroes which was released during the same generation, I like this game much more.
Playing the first mission a bunch of times was a bit of a chore but I did like the multiple endings and branching story. I’ve played around half of the endings many years ago. The “I’m an Android now, I guess?” ending is my favourite.
Oh man, I played so much of this game growing up. Yeah, a lot of the flak it gets for repetitive gameplay, poor controls, and edginess is somewhat justified. At the same time, I feel like this was perfectly aimed at mid-2000s kids who wanted a more “mature” and “adult” Sonic game without really understanding what that meant.
man i remember this game, thought it was so badass to basically play a sonic game with guns
