Looking back on Sonic X Shadow Generations, many were excited at the prospect of DLC for the title. Starting with the release of the Sonic Movie 3 Level Pack, I was eager to see more support, including additional stages. Maybe a sizable paid DLC with several stages, new and old.
That never materialized, but the Sonic Modding Community once more impresses with a direct answer to this request. Sonic X Shadow Nocturne from Shindash is an ambitious Mod for the PC release of Sonic X Shadow Generations, adding new stages for Shadow and Sonic to speed through.
Here’s everything you need to know about the exciting upcoming Mod release.
What is Sonic X Shadow Nocturne?
Sonic X Shadow Nocturne is a level pack that adds a new adventure to Sonic X Shadow Generations. Both Sonic and Shadow speed through new and returning stages. Originally a simple level mod, Shindash went on to create a more ambitious Mod Pack.
And one of the biggest new additions is the Blue Blur himself.
The Blue Blur – Playable Sonic & New Abilities
Sonic the Hedgehog wasn’t playable in Shadow Generations, but that changes with Nocturne. Sonic AND Shadow are both playable in the mod, both featuring an expanded moveset.
As shown in the above video, the hedgehogs have returning abilities from Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Unleashed. From Adventure 2 is the ability to roll and bounce around. Your momentum increases as you roll downhill and bounce, keeping the pace going.
Meanwhile, the Drift from Sonic Unleashed returns, helping Sonic and Shadow get around tight corners. The inclusion of these moves joins the refined control scheme from Shadow Generations, with Chaos Control and the Doom Morph abilities returning.
Sonic has Shadow’s new abilities, but to better fit his character, he has new animations and visuals. So instead of turning into an Alien Squid, he rides Extreme Gear Skates, or when riding across water, he uses the Sonic Riders Extreme Gear.
With new and returning moves, the two hogs venture across several stages.
The Stages of Project N
Featuring zones from other Sonic titles and new locations to speed through, Sonic X Shadow Nocturne promises to be as ambitious as a proper mainline Boost Sonic title. Here are all the revealed stages below!
Ark Rush (Sonic Adventure 2)
Expanding the original Space Colony Ark stage from Shadow Generations, Shadow and Sonic speed through an expanded take on the level. While major set pieces from Shadow Generations remain, the level design incorporates elements from original Sonic Adventure 2 for the Ark and Radical Highway portions of the level.
In many regards, it feels like a ‘Hard Stage’ variant of the already-quality opening level from the base game.
Fog Forest (Original)
An original level taking loose inspiration from Sonic Heroes, the speedy hedges speed through a foggy jungle using lily pads and other set pieces to reach the goal ring. The highlights include heavy utilization of the bounce and roll abilities, demonstrating skills that expand level design for a Modern Sonic stage.
Steampunk City (Sonic Racing CrossWorlds X Sonic Heroes)
One of the original level themes of Project Nocturne, Steampunk Canyon combines ideas from Sonic Heroes and Sonic Racing CrossWorlds.
Taking the steampunk city from CrossWorlds and fleshing it out into a full-on 3D Sonic platforming level is a wonderful idea. Some standouts from the gameplay highlight include a fun 2D platforming section that uses the dynamic camera to great effect, and the several paths to pick from encourage repeated runs.
Digital Circuit (Shadow 05)
Digital Circuit returns from Shadow the Hedgehog, with all the elements that made it a fun zone returning, alongside visuals and the theming the location offered in Sonic Racing CrossWorlds.
The stage also spotlights how helpful the addition of rolling is to the level design. It’s a welcome return of one of the more enjoyable stages from Shadow’s standalone game.
Wonder Festival (Original)
Taking inspiration from casino levels from past Sonic games, Wonder Festival has the hogs speeding through a curvy circus park high above the city skyline. It also features a cool 2D set-piece, involving the hedgehogs running through a 16-Bit Green Hill while avoiding gunfire from the foreground.
Heavenly Skies – Skyward Castle
By far the biggest accomplishment of the mod has to be the Skyward Castle level. It’s a mammoth level, with Sonic and Shadow speeding through a mysterious castle. The level begins with the hogs speeding through a loop and then jumping across castle ruins.
Soon after, the stage’s second ‘act’ begins, with the hedgehogs riding over seas of lava and climbing up an active volcano. And they eventually reach the top, erupting into a gorgeous set piece with Sonic and Shadow diving back to the castle grounds, avoiding flaming meteors.
And the level’s final stretch is, fittingly enough, in the iconic water highway from Sonic 06’s Kingdom Valley. It’s a level that tells a story through gameplay, similar to the greatest stages from Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic Adventure 2.
Silent Beats – The Music of Project Nocturne
And what would an ambitious Sonic project be without an amazing soundtrack to accompany it? Known for his work on remixes and other fan projects, Silent Dreams contributes his talents to Shindash’s project with some amazing music.
By far the biggest standout has to be his tracks for Skyward Castle. I’ve listened to the ‘Full Mix’ video linking the three themes of the stage on loop. Combining ethereal beats and a strong melody, this track would work perfectly in Sonic the Hedgehog 06 or Sonic Unleashed.
Closing Thoughts on Sonic X Shadow Nocturne
My favorite part of being a fan of the Blue Blur is seeing how people celebrate the series. The original Sonic Generations had ambitious fan projects, such as Project Unleashed.
What makes Sonic X Shadow Nocturne so exciting is that it’s a brand new adventure to play through. Similar to other projects like Sonic Forces Overclocked, this takes a foundation and does something awesome and exciting with it. I can’t wait to see the complete Project Nocturne.
You can follow the project’s official Twitter/X page and enjoy video updates Shindash puts out!
