Reception
After its initial release on the Dreamcast, Sonic Adventure 2 was well-received, being the recipient of very positive reviews, and scoring well with reviewers. Famitsu magazine scored the Dreamcast version of the game a 33 out of 40, and it averages an 89% according to critic compiler Metacritic. The game received praise for its fast-paced Sonic/Shadow levels, high-quality graphics, remodeled and enhanced Chao Garden and improved gameplay mechanics from the original. IGN's Anthony Chau praised the "astounding level design": "Whether it's the levels of speed for Sonic and Shadow, the shooting blast-a-thon of Tails and Eggman, or even the scavenger hunts of Knuckles and Rouge, the stages are both very large and wonderfully designed."
Like its predecessor, however, the game was subject to criticism concerning the game's camera system. Although sites like GameSpot admitted that the camera flaws in the original Sonic Adventure were "infinitely more frustrating by comparison" the sequel was still noted to "retain some of the quirky camera work". The game was also criticized for having a lack of challenging boss fights.
Despite these issues, the game was still a critical and commercial success with many reviewers agreeing that the game was one of the last great Dreamcast releases. IGN concluded that "If this is the last Sonic game in these declining Dreamcast years, it's satisfying to know that the DC didn't go out with a bang, but with a sonic boom."
The GameCube version, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, fared considerably worse in terms of reviews, despite having few single-player gameplay changes from the Dreamcast version, and only an 8-month gap between their releases. Even in spite of the mixed reviews, the game sold 1.44 million units in the United States alone as of December 2007, making it one of the GameCube's highest selling games. The game also sold well enough to be re-released as a Player's Choice title. In Japan, Famitsu magazine scored the GameCube version of the game a 33 out of 40.
Sonic Adventure 2 has also won several awards: IGN's and GamePro's Editors' Choice Awards and GameSpy's "Best of 2001: Best Dreamcast Action/Adventure game". ScrewAttack also rated Sonic Adventure 2 as the fifth best Dreamcast game.
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