If there's one thing the entertainment industry can agree on, it's that popular IPs are where all the money is right now. Over the last decade or so, Hollywood has been gradually releasing more and more reboots and remakes. From Star Trek to IT to even West Side Story, no popular IP is safe. For better, and for worse, the gaming industry is currently seeing that same trend rear its head, with Capcom going on a Resident Evil remake spree and even recent games like The Last of Us having a go. In this current climate, any game has the potential to be remade - even a title like Sonic '06.
Sonic '06, technically named Sonic The Hedgehog, is widely considered to be one of the worst games ever made. Released back in 2006 for the PS3 and Xbox 360, Sonic '06 attempted to push the Sonic franchise into uncharted territories. Designed to be a more realistic, mature take on the 3D Sonic formula popularized in Sonic Adventure, Sonic '06 ended up being a confused, buggy mess, with some disastrous voice acting and bizarre plot points to boot. But in this age where a remake can completely reinvent the original game, Sonic '06 would be the perfect title to throw on the pile.
A Full Remake Could Turn Sonic '06 Around
If Capcom's Resident Evil remakes have shown the industry anything, it's to not be afraid of change. While Resident Evil 2 and 3 Remake keep the same DNA as their original counterparts, the gameplay and visual style have been completely overhauled, producing two distinctly different experiences. For Sonic '06, this would only be a positive thing.
To put it lightly, Sonic '06 was a critical disaster. Though initial previews were positive, believing the game to be a return to roots for the Sonic franchise, eventual reviews of Sonic '06 were devastating. Thanks to a plot that includes Sonic the Hedgehog kissing a human girl, some of the corniest voice acting ever seen in a big-budget game, and technical issues galore, Sonic '06 was high on 2006's worst games of the year lists. Over time, that reception has only worsened, with the game's most bizarre moments becoming widespread memes.
Sonic '06 has never really shaken off its harsh reception, but a full remake might be able to do the impossible and turn that around. At its core, Sonic '06 has some pretty interesting ideas, some of which are even being carried forward in the upcoming Sonic Frontiers. Sonic '06 was designed to be the first realistic take on the Blue Blur, with a more naturalistic art style. This game also has quite a bit of gameplay variety, with a few different modes being present. However, Sonic Team was split in half during development, with half being relocated to work on Sonic and the Secret Rings. To make matters worse, Sonic '06 was rushed to a Holiday release finish line.
Completely remaking Sonic '06 from the ground up could potentially turn the game around in the eyes of fans and restore the title's original vision. The technical issues that plagued the original release could all be stamped out, the long loading times would be scrapped thanks to SSD technology, and the controls could be overhauled to make them more intuitive, much like modern Sonic entries. Some plot changes could be made, and the voice acting could get another pass-over. If a remake could change each of these aspects, then Sonic '06 could end up being one of the better 3D Sonic s out there.
Sonic '06 is available on PS3 and Xbox 360.