Freedom Planet

I first read the title as; "Femdom Planet"
Boy was I disappointed...
It’s Sonic for girls.
(which makes it better)
Freedom planet, I think is one of my top 10 favorite games ever. It's not often you get something inspired by Sonic, that is well made, and retains ALL the satisfaction. It's a really fantastic game that stands on its own merits. I was not only surprised by the quality of the game, but I got godd*mn goosebumps from how… happy Freedom Planet made me. It’s as if every single aspect of this game from the menu, sounds, to the music to the characters themselves were designed specifically to fill in that hole that Sonic games no longer occupy.
The story immediately harkens back to the Sonic Adventure days where the plot kicks off because the characters were at the wrong place at the right time to become invested in what’s going on. The dialogue and narrative reminded me of all the inconsequential Cartoon Network programs I used to watch that revolved around saving the world. I got massive flashbacks and vibes from the Sonic SatAm TV show and comic series and became even more naturally invested. Freedom Planet has the whimsical nature, likable and creatively-designed characters, and interesting locales to make me feel comfortable in mentally regressing back into a wide-eyed child who was amazed by everything.
I was able to appreciate the interactions between some of the characters and even become intrigued by references they made about things they did in the past. Lilac, Carol, and Milla had the conviction in their voices that gave their lines more memorability and weight to me, and by the end of the game it felt like they truly were a fleshed out team of friends who have each others backs.
And I’ll be damned if I don’t admit that the three of them had so many moments where I just had a sh*t-eating grin on my face going “Awwww!” whenever they did something adorable or in-character. In fact, the game caught me off guard with how well the silly, cutesy humor had me genuinely laughing quite a few times with not just the protagonists dialogue but the plethora of crazy side characters dialogue as well.
Its momentum based speed is immediately recognizable with Sonics signature pace, but with a few twists to improve upon the formula. Lilac, Carol, and Milla have melee capabilities that complement their speed; allowing you to engage an enemy quickly as you rush towards them. All of the characters have special attributes and abilities that can fit your preferred play-style, but unlike Sonic where different character mechanics mashing together created a mess, here it’s executed in a way where you have legitimate variety on how you want to tackle a stage. Replaying these levels as each character is a treat as it truly gave a breath of fresh air in going through the same stages again. And these stages are perfectly handcrafted, complex, and multilayered.
All I can say is that there’s just the right amount of speed, combat, puzzles, and platforming mixed into each of these stages to boggle your mind when traversing these beautiful and lively locations for the first time. The pixel art here is absolutely on point and wondrously calls back to the Sega Saturn and old school Sonic in the same vein as Shovel Knight did Mega Man justice on the NES. And it’s all boosted thanks to an mesmerizingly phenomenal soundtrack that keeps the pace going throughout the game and ramps up at just the right times when something big in the story happens, or when a set-piece falls perfectly into place.
And I dare not forget how truly captivating and rigorous the bosses in Freedom Planet are. Bosses follow fast, yet straightforward, attack patterns that require an attentive mind to keep track of and avoid. No two bosses in this game are the same and each one demands intense focus as you gauge when the correct time to attack is. Jesus, the last few bosses get so insanely hard that I swore I was in the mindset of playing a Souls game for a second. Not like such a comparison is a bad thing, but that’s how difficult these encounters can be. There were some truly jaw-dropping moments that made me realize that this game knows how to escalate its epic moments.
In conclusion, this game serves flawlessly as a tribute and natural evolution of the glorious 2D Sonic games while incorporating the right elements from it’s 3D successors that are so loved. And despite the glaring similarities, Freedom Planet has the undeniable ability and potential to stand on its own because of its changes and tweaks to the formula that elevate it to be arguably better than those classics. And fine I’ll admit it. I am definitely a furry after this game.
Now listen though, I'm not just giving this a thumbs up because it has a cute deer boy with a guitar and no shirt on. But it does have that, so… what the hell are you waiting for?
10/10

Don't go into this game expecting a Sonic the Hedgehog clone.
While Freedom Planet was originally a Sonic fan game, the physics and gameplay are completely different. So temper your expectations to avoid disappointment.

Freedom Planet is a great game that uses the best elements of classic platformers and turns them into an exciting adventure with unique characters and a vibrant world. The gameplay is dynamic, the levels are worked out with attention to detail, and the stylish pixel graphics and energetic soundtrack give the game a special atmosphere.
However, it is worth noting that the bosses in the game can be a real challenge. Their attacks sometimes seem too complicated and require quick reactions and precise actions. Overall, Freedom Planet is a great game for fans of the genre, but be prepared for the fact that it can seriously challenge your skills!

If the Sonic games were allowed to grow up with their earliest fans, they would be like Freedom Planet.
Zones are thematically tied to the story and the player's progress. It embraces challenge. Enemies take more than one hit to defeat and must be defeated by means other than jumping on them. It has a coherent story, and superb voice acting and music to carry it.
Freedom Planet is exactly how I want Sonic games to be as an adult player.

The platforming, movement, and combat all feel really well-polished. It really took me back to the era of the old 2-D Sonic games. The story and characters might not be for everyone (I found it all pretty cute), but you owe it to yourself to at least try it for the gameplay.

For whatever reason, this game manages to do a 2d Sonic-like better than Sonic, outside of Sonic Mania and Generation, in my humble opinion.

The campy, weekend-morning cartoon voice acted story doesn't waste your time and manages to hold my no-attention-having-self's attention. The game controls very tightly and seldom accosts you with crappy, off-screen obstacles like other Sonic games/Sonic-like games.

Off-screen issues are still occasionally a problem and the arcade-style life system, while exceedingly generous, does still feel dated in a burgeoning landscape of platformers without hard resets for losing all of your lives.

All-in-all, this game rocks and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a visually appealing 2d platformer and can tolerate minor amounts of some potentially Newgrounds style cringe. To me, it came off much more endearing than cringy, but I can absolutely see some people not reactiing to it as well; watch a couple videos if you aren't sure before you buy.

5 years after finishing Freedom Planet... and in the middle of the 10th anniversary of the first Freedom Planet that was released...
I don't regret buying it on sale at all, even with progress transferred here, saves, records and achievements... but there is still a lot to enjoy from this wonderful game!!!
Let's summarize... Freedom Planet 1 is magical, absolutely the successor to Sonic in many ways
the soundtrack is UNFORGETTABLE, the 3 protagonists Sash Lilac, Carol Tea and Milla Basset are incredible and legends, the story is great, all the characters are interesting, the gameplay of FP1 is great
Not to mention the Mahjong mode that is satisfying!
The atmosphere of the game is ABSOLUTE CINEMA!!!
9.5/10
Give Freedom Planet a chance!!!