Poor Sonic, he never gets a break.

There is the infamous "Sonic cycle" which says, basically, no Sonic game can be good, ever.

Well, I played Generations and I can say, if it's not good, anything below Game of the Year is not worth playing.

Not to say the game is perfect. I enjoyed the modern stages more, and the stages are so different  you are bound to not like one of them, but when you do like, you want to revisit it.

Plus the soundtrack is good, making that attempt of a high score all the better.

There are some nice little touches too like being able to choose any music to play the stage, some challenges and a gallery.

I salute the Sonic Team, if anything, by sticking to their guns and fighting an uphill battle against negativity.  Generations was good enough to get me curious to know where some of it's best stages come from.