Un par de días después de salir a la venta, ya podemos hacernos una idea de por qué Sega no envió Sonic Forces a la prensa antes del lanzamiento:
Medios nacionales
3DJuegos - 7.0 / 10.0
Sonic Forces es un videojuego hecho con pasión, que tiene mucha garra y al que no le falta velocidad. Sin embargo, la velocidad sin control no sirve de nada. Los desarrolladores arrastran problemas de anteriores entregas, con errores de diseño que tienen como epicentro al manejo de Sonic y sus compañeros.
Areajugones - 6.5 / 10.0
Sonic Forces no es un desastre, ni es mal juego. Se controla bien teniendo en cuenta algunos errores en los movimientos demasiado libres que tienen los tres personajes principales; el diseño de niveles es muy pobre, sin crear una dificultad que oculte caminos ocultos con recompensas y, como ocurre últimamente en la saga moderna (fuera de Sonic Mania) es un juego muy fácil.
Hobby Consolas - 57 / 100
Hay que verlo como un Sonic pensado para los jugadores más jóvenes, pero aún así arrastra errores de los que el Sonic Team debería haber aprendido hace tiempo.
IGN España - 5.5 / 10.0
Es una auténtica pena que con lo bien que pintaba y lo alto que apuntaba este título, quede tan a medio gas que Sonic parece dar bocanadas para no ahogarse entre simplicidad y fases tan repetitivas como sin gracia.
Meristation - 5.0 / 10.0
La conclusión que mejor encaja a Sonic Forces es que es una montaña rusa, pero al contrario que en las de la vida real, donde se nos invita a levantar los brazos y sentir la adrenalina, en este título pasamos más tiempo con el ceño fruncido por decisiones que no terminamos de entender.
Medios internacionales
CGMagazine - 5.5 / 10.0
Sonic Forces has polish in some key places, but fails to bring that polish to every facet of its design.
Cubed3 - 5 / 10
Sonic Forces is far from perfect, with frustrating controls, brevity, poor level design, and a lack of challenge. The visuals, soundtrack, and the occasional moment of flair leave the game with some redeemable qualities, but it ultimately disappoints even the most forgiving Sonic sympathiser. The bad outweighs the good, and the positives are not enough to warrant a recommendation to purchase unless you are an absolute die-hard Sonic fan. At least it is a step up from Sonic Boom, but a considerable buzzkill compared to the sublime and excellent Sonic Mania.
Destructoid - 5.5 / 10.0
While I see potential in Sonic Forces, the execution just isn't there, especially with the Switch edition. In the future I really hope Sega reinvents the wheel, taking a more Mario Odyssey adventure approach. The whole level-based 3D "thing" hasn't worked out so frequently that it's worth a shot.
DigitalCentralMedia - 75%
It's clear Sega doesn't really know what to do with Sonic but they're getting there. Sonic Forces is surprisingly a good game. The price is attractive and the gameplay is fun for the most part.
Eurogamer - No Recommendation
Though not without its moments, Forces is a depressing return to form for Sonic the Hedgehog after the joys of Mania.
FingerGuns - 5 / 10
Sonic Team promised us. They promised us they would deliver with Forces, they said they’re taking Sonic back and will remind us of what makes him so great. I was so ready to get on board. Ugh, I was so ready.
Damn you, Sonic Team.
Game Informer - 6.5 / 10.0
Despite its silly story and inconsistent gameplay, Sonic Forces is a fun adventure and a step in the right direction for 3D Sonic titles
GameCrate - 5.8 / 10.0
Sonic Forces is a disappointing rehash of everything that has been done wrong with the Sonic franchise in the past. There were some good ideas here, but none of them were executed in a way that was fun or enjoyable.
GamesRadar+ - 2.5 / 5 stars
Sonic Forces is a spectacular but empty sugar rush that's over in a blur. Once again, Sonic's return to form falls flat.
Goomba Stomp - 4 / 10.0
Sonic Forces is rife with a lack of polish in its most fundamental mechanics and feels confused as to what it's trying to achieve. With frustrating gameplay as a result of characters that handle horrendously and a narrative that takes itself far too seriously for its own good, the hedgehog's latest outing will only appease the most forgiving fans of his modern adventures.
Hardcore Gamer - 3.5 / 5.0
What ends up holding Sonic Forces back is that it — ironically — moves too fast to leave any sort of lasting impact, speeding through both its plot and levels in short bursts instead of leaving more time for anything to soak in.
IGN Italy - Italian - 6 / 10.0
A somewhat exhilarating and spectacular journey in (almost) every 3D Sonic game. Unfortunately all its mechanics are shallow and mixed up.
Kotaku - No Verdict
It's a playable Saturday morning cartoon: silly, janky but for a brief period of time, a fun distraction.
Metro GameCentral - 4 / 10
Whoever this shoddily made platformer is meant to please it won't be those that like Sonic Mania, or any of the better 3D Sonic games.
Nintendo Enthusiast - 6.5 / 10.0
It's not a great game, but it's solid. It looks nice, plays smooth, and the gameplay variety is solid. It's an average 3D Sonic game at a budget price, and that's not really a bad thing.
Nintendo Life - 6 / 10
To answer our initial question, Sonic Forces hasn't managed to convince us that it is a must-play title in the series, but has at least alleviated some of our initial fears. A relatively short five-hour or so campaign, a lack of difficulty that ramps up unexpectedly on the final boss, and the non-coherent blend of 3D sequences, 2D sections and cutscenes make Sonic Forces a mixed experience, with positive moments undone by weaker areas.It isn't poor as many feared, and for children it could well be a thoroughly enjoyable experience. For the ‘hardcore' (and likely slightly older) generation of Sonic fans, though, perhaps it's best to accept that - for better or worse - Sonic isn't what it used to be. Stick with Sonic Mania for classic Sonic fun, and let Forces attract a new, younger audience.
PlayStation LifeStyle - 8 / 10.0
There's a moment early on in Sonic Forces where Sonic says that it's “not time for thinking. It's time for running.” Not only does he perfectly describe his series' design philosophy, he also sets the blueprint for who will enjoy this game. If you're willing to turn your brain off for a few hours, and just take in the pure spectacle that is watching hundreds of Sonic characters fighting on a battlefield during a cutscene, then you'll find a lot to enjoy here. It's a really dumb game at its core, but it's also just pure fun in a well-meaning, lighthearted package.
Polygon - 5 / 10.0
Sonic Forces creators' good intentions and interesting ideas don't amount to much in a game so clumsy and limited in design. It certainly doesn't help that Forces follows right on the heels of Sonic Mania, a game that not only demonstrated a more focused design sensibility but also did a far better job of realizing its creators' ambitions. Forces may have had a larger budget than Mania, but it feels like the poorer creation all around. Unless your dearest dream has always been to play a Sonic game as your own original fan art character, Sonic Forces doesn't have much to offer.
Spaziogames - Italian - 7 / 10.0
Sonic Forces stands side by side with the best 3D Sonic games. It gives a lot of good feelings and a few very bad ones, but it's an honest game, and you should trust the Sonic Team this time.
The Jimquisition - No Verdict
TheSixthAxis - 6 / 10
The saying “Too many cooks spoil the broth” certainly rings true with Sonic Forces. It's a game where despite it's many level types none of them quite leave a lasting impression. As a result, it comes off as merely average in all departments with the sole exception being the visual design. Sonic Forces is far from the train wreck that Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric was, but it doesn't come close to reigniting the series' magic in the way Sonic Mania did.
TrustedReviews - 2.5 / 5 stars
Like Sonic? Play Sonic Mania. Played Sonic Mania? Play it some more. While Sonic Forces looks fantastic, it's one of the least engaging games in the entire series.
