Sonic Forces: Longclaw Review

Sonic Forces: Longclaw Review

I think what makes Sonic Forces Speed Battle a much more enjoyable runner for me than Sonic Dash is the level of detail that goes into each character that makes the competitive spirit of the game that much more unique. In Sonic Forces, characters all have their own abilities that, while similar, do different things when it comes to how they can impact each character. We have speed-based characters meant to fly by with their increased acceleration and quick attacks. There are strength-based characters that, while slow, deliver hard-hitting blows that make it easy for them to zoom on by other players. And then we have outlier characters (Metal Sonic comes to mind) that focus on doing as much damage as possible while also moving at a breakneck pace.

Longclaw--the newest addition to the game--falls straight into the category of a speed-driven character. Her stats are the first indication of this, given that she has the maximum acceleration that any character can have. Flying her through a course is always pretty easy, and makes for an excellent, speed-driven time, especially once you break the first place barrier and are able to move without any interference from players in front of you. Longclaw's item abilities also assist with this, as many of them showcase how her speed-driven attributes contribute to fast-paced gameplay. The Wind Boost is, of course, a staple of many characters in the game, and so using it when you're behind another player is an excellent way of catching up quick. I know that seems pretty obvious on the surface, but what makes this unique for Longclaw is that speed stat combined with an acceleration stat not even Sonic can beat. Boosting as her makes it so that you catch up to your opponent in a much quicker timeframe, making beating them in a race all the more satisfying.

Longclaw's more unique item abilities are also helpful, especially given their somewhat overpowered nature. Her Cyclone Charge is another indicator of her swiftness, although it must be used with a good strategy in mind. The Charge causes a wind torrent to appear in one of the nearby lanes, knocking opponents into a tizzy and slowing them down. While it isn't as helpful in neutralizing other racers as similar items from other characters, that attribute of its behavior is not as impactful as what it can do for Longclaw. Because is you're able to move Longclaw over to the lane the Cyclone Charge has been placed in and can navigate her through, she'll receive an increased speed similar to the Wind Boost, albeit a little bit slower from what I can tell. While this doesn't help with slowing enemies down, it does assist in boosting oneself up. However, as I mentioned before, strategy is important here. When Longclaw ends up in first place, the Cyclone Charge instead appears in the same lane that she's in; however, it shows up behind her, unable to be used in order to boost her further forward. Once you're in first place with Longclaw, it's important to remember this so you're able to strategize where to place it in order to trip enemies up for a moment.

But the Cyclone Charge, while one of her most helpful items in the game, isn't the most powerful object she can use. In my opinion, Lightning has always been a favorite of mine. As not only can it slow enemies down and eradicate an item from their inventory, but it can also be used to attack enemies even when you're in first place. That makes Lightning a very important tool, especially if you're lucky enough to get your hands on two (or three) at a time. Nothing's more satisfying than being in first place, tapping on Lightning, and watching as a notification pops up that one of your rivals who was just about to pass you has been incapacitated. It makes for some dirty fighting in some regards, but it also indicates just how great it can be to play as Longclaw.

She is not without her flaws, however, although these tend to be few and far between. Maybe it's because I'm used to playing as smaller characters like Tails or Cream, but it does feel as though when you end up hitting an object as Longclaw, the time it takes for her to recover is considerably longer. This, however, isn't the worst thing in the world from a programming standpoint. Given how great Longclaw is with her items and how getting the upper hand on speed with her can be easy, it's not too surprising to learn that there had to be some nullification of her faculties in order to make it fair for other runners. It can be frustrating at times for sure, but it's also a good indication of just how important strategy is when using Longclaw in battle.

I think that, despite my affinity for utilizing other characters that are more based in creating obstacles for other opponents, I like Longclaw. She's a great addition to the ever-expanding cast of characters in Sonic Forces, and can be incredibly fun to play as. She's a great example as to why Sonic Forces is such a great runner as well, showcasing how blindly moving forward or simply avoiding obstacles isn't the only thing a running game can be. It can also be innovative in the way the game is played depending on the characters utilized and how one goes about strategizing against other players. I look forward to playing as Longclaw in the next few days while trying to get her level as high as possible. Here's hoping for a future event where I can max her out, and here's looking forward to some more fun times on the track!