History YMMV / SonicForces

** On a technical level, the game runs on a new engine called the Hedgehog Engine 2, resulting in much better graphics than previous games ranging from high-resolution real-time shadows, lighting effects, and some very pretty scenery upgrades like individual blades of grass in Green Hill Zone, all running at a flawless 60 frames per second on the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 PS4]] and UsefulNotes/XboxOne.

* MagnificentBastard: In this work, Eggman researches the Phantom Ruby in his attempt at world domination. Recruiting Infinite through promises, he implants him with a Phantom Ruby prototype and christens him as the Eggman Empire's high commander. With everything in place, Eggman lures Sonic into a savage beatdown, and with him out of the way, conquers the world in a matter of months. Eggman proceeds to display foresight and cunning in trying to keep his iron-fisted hold on the planet -- ordering his forces to destroy any remaining prototypes, keeping multiple power sources unbeknownst to his enemies, and targeting critical points in [[LaResistance the Resistance]]. He also factored in multiple ways to eliminate the Resistance outright, culminating in a virtual ColonyDrop when they were gathered in one place. Even in the final fight, Eggman pulled out all the stops, having kept the real Phantom Ruby with him the whole time, and had to be stopped by the combined might of Sonic, Classic Sonic, and the Avatar.

** A rivalry has proper up between this game and ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' over which game deserves the dishonor of being the worst mainline Sonic game. Supporters of ''Forces'' bring up how ''06'' suffers from an overly convoluted plot, UnintentionalUncannyValley, and a disorganized game that's blatantly unfinished due to being ChrismasRushed. Defenders of ''06'', however, argue that for all of that game's failing it at least had ambitions, compared to ''Forces'' which chose to play things as safe as possible, to the point this camp finds the game boring, and argues it suffers from more characterization and story problems than ''06''.

* AccidentalInnuendo: In the Spanish dub, Sonic says "Que bicho mas grande!" when passing by a Sandworm in the first level. This literally translates to "What a huge bug", but it sounds different to some Spanish speakers' ears as "bicho" is a slang term for a penis in many parts of the globe.

* CompleteMonster: [[Characters/SonicTheHedgehogInfinite Infinite]] is [[TheHeavy the high commander in the Eggman Empire]] and the primary reason behind the flawless conquest of Earth. Because of his position and power, Infinite took full part in the iron-fisted domination of 99.9% of the world, gleefully eliminating opposition, heroic or civilian, directly or by proxy through his illusions of Shadow, Chaos, Zavok, and Metal Sonic. He [[EstablishingCharacterMoment makes his introduction]] beating Sonic into unconsciousness for him to be imprisoned for six months. In the interlude, Infinite murders the Avatar's helpless friends, only sparing the Avatar so [[CruelMercy Infinite could relish their fear]]. He's put Omega out of commission from an early point to the finale; tried to kill Silver thanks to [[HeroKiller his love for ending heroes]] and instilling despair; and repeatedly tried to kill Sonic after his escape, only to not go through with it when Sonic is deemed not worth the effort. When the Resistance tried a full-scale assault on Metropolis, Infinite uses the Phantom Ruby to reduce them to even greater shambles. Later, he and Eggman try to trap Sonic in "[[AndIMustScream null space]]", a void of eternal nothingness, to live out the rest of his days. At the climax, Infinite [[ColonyDrop conjures a virtual sun to drop and burn everyone to death]]. A [[AxCrazy raving lunatic of a sadist]], Infinite envisioned omnicidal designs even as a lowly thief and stands out for the reasons behind his sadism and hatred for weakness.

** [[MemeticMutation Sticking to]] [[UsefulNotes/ConsoleWars longtime tradition]], and because the games have been released so close to one another in Fall 2017, it was an inevitability that ''Sonic Forces'' has been [[DuelingGames put up against]] ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'', as both games are the latest entries in the long-running franchises starring the famous gaming mascots. The similarities in scope (the [[BigBad villains]] Bowser and Dr. Eggman are extremely, [[TookALevelInBadass dangerously competent]] and kick the heroes' behinds throughout the game) and vocal theme songs of both games ("Jump Up Super Star" and "Fist Bump") only compounded the comparisons between the two games, with several music mashups between the two songs.

** The relevation that Classic Sonic is from another dimension/timelime has caused the assumption that the classic era games have been retconned from Modern Sonic's dimension/timeline, which as the presence of Green Hill and Chemical Planet should indicate, is blatantly untrue. Sonic also mentions that the Death Egg just won't stay destroyed in Egg Gate, referencing the times he's destroyed it in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'' and ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''. WordOfGod has also all but confirmed during SXSW 2019 that the classic era games are still canon to Modern Sonic's world by stating that Modern Sonic's timeline has remained the same.

** The characters referring to Classic Sonic as the Sonic "from another dimension", which seemingly {{retcon}}s the time travel aspect of ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', hasn't been very well-received, with many perceiving it to be confusing and making little sense. [[note]]It should be noted that this may be a translation error. In the original Japanese version, Tails uses the word "Sekai", which more accurately translates into world. This word has been used in Japanese stories involving time travel to show how different two eras can be, and was previously used in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' and the ''VideoGame/SonicRivals'' series to describe Silver's time, where the word was translated into world for English versions.[[/note]]
** The explanation for Infinite's backstory given in the prequal comics and ''Episode Shadow'' that he was [[spoiler:a regular mercenary working for Eggman who chose to undergo experimentation after being beaten ''once'' by Shadow and labelled as "weak"]] has been widely mocked and derided by fans, both due to how it is completely un-hinted at and at points outright contradicts dialogue in the main game (evidence strongly suggesting that it was the result of late-stage rewrites), but for making Infinite come off as a whiny {{Jerkass}} rather than an actually intimidating threat.

** Several fans refer to the [[CharacterCustomization Custom Hero]] as "Original the Character" (or something along those lines) due to this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIgOcFIo0kE infamous fan comic]] (done by [[PromotedFanboy now official comic illustrator]] Creator/TysonHesse). They also refer to the Custom Hero as "Buddy" based on a [[https://board.sonicstadium.org/uploads/monthly_2017_03/buddy.png.612c66f14337d85e81896f2c6351bcec.png rumor]]. The red wolf seen in the trailer introducing the concept has his own nickname of Gadget owing to his techy/nerdy apperance. Otherwise, the promotional Avatars, notably the wolf, are given either "Rookie" or legitimate names.

*** [[spoiler: After he was outed as a MemeticLoser, "[[BerserkButton Weak]] the Jackal" caught on as [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname "The Ultimate Mercenary"]]'s name before he [[ReforgedIntoAMinion became Infinite proper]].]]

** A rivalry has proper up between this game and ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' over which game deserves the dishonor of being the worst mainline Sonic game. Supporters of ''Forces'' bring up how ''06'' suffers from an overly convoluted plot, UnintentionalUncannyValley, and a disorganized game that's blatantly unfished. Defenders of ''06'', however, argue that for all of that game's failing it at least had ambitions, compared to ''Forces'' which chose to play things as safe as possible, to the point this camp finds the game burning, and argues it suffers from more characterization and story problems than ''06''.

---> "Cause when your time is up and everything is falling down."\\

** The comparisons to [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics the Archie Comics]] and ''[[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM SatAM]]'' with the comic's cancellation confirmed. Also, one of the mandates SEGA requested of Archie Comics was that Robotnik/Eggman can't win in the long run, aside from maybe a few smaller victories here and there. This game [[DownerBeginning opens with Eggman having won]].

** Infinite's origins, being created in a lab [[note]] Described by Amy to be a lonely place to be brought into the world [[/note]] become even more sad when Eggman's former idol [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW Dr. Starline creates Surge and Kit]], programming memories into them for Operation Remaster, while {{Gaslighting}} them on the side.

---> "For the first time in his life, Sonic truly understands the meaning of '''war'''..."

---> ''You'll always be our shining hope!''

** "Sonic Forces Me to Be Disappointed", as a word-play on the game's title.

* RecurringFanonCharacter: Gadget, the [[NerdGlasses bespectacled]] wolf with rust red fur is probably the most common depiction of the custom PlayerCharacter for the game and his popularity almost reached to the point where he's his own character. As stated numerous time gadget is directly based off the character used in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5x1yL2kGT0 Custom Hero reveal trailer]] and has been making rounds within the fandom. The fact that Gadget is usually the one being shipped with Infinite probably contributes to his popularity.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HStmu3qJ2kM#t=31s The Double Boost in the middle of Stage 7,]] being an example of how to do a linear corridor segment in a way that's awesome.

** Storyline wise, many fans weren't happy to hear Classic Sonic was now from another dimension rather than just be from the past. Largely because the story just causally mentions it with ''no'' explanation why this is now the status quo despite the fact this now raises a ''ton'' of questions of how Modern Sonic's timeline works.

** The characters referring to Classic Sonic as the Sonic "from another dimension", which seemingly {{retcon}}s the time travel aspect of ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', hasn't been very well-received, with many perceiving it to be confusing and making little sense.

* DubInducedPlotHole: Silver says Tails has "[[SanitySlippage lost it]]" after the supposed death of Sonic, but when we see Tails he acts no different than usual. This happens again when Knuckles mentions that Sonic was tortured by Eggman for 6 months on the Death Egg, then Sonic appears [[AngstWhatAngst just fine]] the next time we see him. These lines mentioning Tails "losing it" and Sonic being tortured are absent in the Japanese version and were added in the English version for seemingly little purpose other than to make the story DarkerAndEdgier.

* DubInducedPlotHole: Silver says Tails has "[[SanitySlippage lost it]]" after the supposed death of Sonic, but when we see Tails he acts no different than usual. This happens again when Knuckles mentions that Sonic was tortured by Eggman for 6 months on the Death Egg, then Sonic appears [[AngstWhatAngst just fine]] the next time we see him. These lines mentioning Tails "losing it" and Sonic being tortured are absent in the Japanese version and were added in the English version for seemingly little purpose than to make the story seem DarkerAndEdgier.

* DubInducedPlotHole: Silver says Tails has "[[SanitySlippage lost it]]" after the supposed death of Sonic, but when we see Tails he acts no different than usual. This happens again when Knuckles mentions that Sonic was tortured by Eggman for 6 months on the Death Egg, then Sonic appears [[AngstWhatAngst just fine]] the next time we see him. These lines mentioning Tails "losing it" and Sonic being tortured are absent in the Japanese version and were added in the English version for seemingly little purpose than to make the story DarkerAndEdgier.

* DubInducedPlotHole: Silver says Tails has "[[SanitySlippage lost it]]" after the supposed death of Sonic, but when we see Tails he acts no different than usual. This happens again when Knuckles mentions that Sonic was tortured by Eggman for 6 months on the Death Egg, then Sonic appears [[AngstWhatAngst just fine]] the next time we see him. These lines mentioning Tails "losing it" and Sonic being tortured are absent in the Japanese version and were added for the English version for seemingly little reason than to make the story DarkerAndEdgier.