Why the Sonic Games Need Maekawa

by Brian Pope September 8, 2020 0 comments

Sonic Forces, being the last proper story-driven game that Sega and Sonic Team released was met with some lackluster reviews and opinions.  Most of the fanbase had justified criticisms for how the story played out and what little of a resolution was presented. There was plenty of dialogue that played out in the levels themselves but the characters felt less extraordinary and were just kind of “in the story” rather than being the drivers of the story.  For example, the character of Infinite, while having plenty of hype (and also a kick-ass theme song) was left with very little of a character arc or any proper staying power as a villain. The game has led many fans to question where the next mainline Sonic game will take players and if Sonic Team can bring a story worthy of player’s time and something that they will love.

With that being said, it wasn’t surprising to see a certain trend happening within the Sonic community. #Maekawa4Sonic began trending on Twitter. Now for those of you who know who Shiro Maekawa is, then you know why the trend is so strong and supported. For those of you who don’t, let us take a moment to inform you on who this celebrated figure is.

Shiro Maekawa is a writer who is most notable for his credits on games like Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes, Sonic ’06, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, and Sonic and the Black Knight. He even did writing for the Sonic X anime series. He began his time at Sega as a game designer, using his ability to tell stories to work on the actual game as a whole through each stage of production, be it storyboarding or scenario development. Sonic Adventure 2 would be the first title that Maekawa would become the Scenario Writer for and one that he holds the most dear. While the game suffered from some localization issues, generally, Sonic Adventure 2 is praised by the community at large because of the efforts of Maekawa.

Shiro Maekawa’s development style helped to draw players into the story and stay for the gameplay, making the two feel closely intertwined. This stemed from his abilities as a game designer and being able to see the entire picture of what the game should encompass and not just one facet of the production. On games where he had full control over the writing, like with Sonic Adventure 2 or Sonic and the Black Knight, the characters themselves were solid in their dialogue and there were not any instances where it felt like someone was “out of character”. This is because Maekawa knows the characters and how they should be portrayed. He could ensure a singular vision was held through planning, as the story progressed, and then all the way through the finished production.

One point that the Sonic fanbase seems divided on is if the characters are written in a way that supports growth. For example, from one game to another, does it seem that Sonic retains traits from previous titles? In my opinion, this isn’t the case. I feel like the characters lose a sense of grounding from one game to the next. Sonic can go from a carefree hero to an impatient showoff between two different titles and it makes me feel conflicted with how he grows as the story goes on. In games like Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic had to unravel a mystery as to why he was being framed for something he didn’t do, coped with the fact that there was an opponent who was a seemingly mirror-image of himself, and let his sense of justice lead him and his friends to save the day together. Nowhere in the game did I feel like Sonic took the stakes for granted or made a joke about the world coming unraveled all around them.

Maekawa was a part of Sonic Team that made the characters we know and love, like Shadow, Rogue, and the redesigning of Team Chaotix in Sonic Heroes. He knows how to convey the story of the games through cutscenes or scripted sequences. If he was allowed to return as a writer for the next Sonic game, I have no doubt that the formula and tone of the games would change. This is also a split point between the community about if Sonic games should stay similar to how they are or change completely in tone and direction. In the past era where Maekawa was a writer, the scope of the Adventure games and beyond was epic and more serious. In the games as of late, Sonic is more animated-feeling, with little gravity and depth given to the consequences of what happens should the heroes lose their battle. This isn’t a bad thing but it does seem to limit the types of stories that Sonic can be a part of or even exposed to.

Take the transition from Adventure 2 to Heroes as another example as to why Maekawa should return. He was able to write the games based on two specific types of gameplay styles needed. On one, there was a universal setting in which you played both the good and bad side, culminating efforts to finish the story. Two sides of the same coin, if you will. Whereas with the other game, the pace and feeling were more at the forefront of what the narrative focused on. The team dynamic and utility of each character being needed to clear action-packed stages made the game interesting and the story so different from what came before. Both of these games came from a Maekaw-driven production but couldn’t be more different.

The next mainline Sonic the Hedgehog game has to do something different than the ones that came before it. When it comes to expanding the horizons with gameplay, I feel that the franchise has already done that. It doesn’t need to push any more boundaries in that arena. What the game needs to do is create an expansive and epic story that is driven by the cast of characters we all know and love, giving weight to the decisions they make and the consequences that come after. Maekawa has already proven that he can deliver on this front and the Sonic franchise is in need of something that will bring fans together. Sonic needs Maekawa to help write another adventure, no pun intended…or maybe literal pun intended: you decide!

What do you think about Maekawa coming back to write for the franchise? Would you like to see a resurgence of the Adventure-era style? Sound off in the comments below and thank you for reading!