Shadow the Hedgehog 2: Southern Stakes

Shadow the Hedgehog 2: Southern Stakes is an open-world action/adventure video game developed by Sonic Team, Traveller's Tales and Platinum Games, and published by Sega.
While the game follows similar gameplay features from its predecessor, the branching storylines are scrapped in favor of a more in-depth and involved storyline than the previous Sonic Adventure games. It also follows an identical structure to those games, with an open world and differing activities, yet focuses only on Shadow in the Southern United Federation.
== Gameplay ==
Shadow the Hedgehog 2 focuses only on Shadow's gameplay, which revolves around a mixture of gunplay, clue searching, occasional platforming, and light puzzle solving. The player has four different weapon categories (non-lethal, one-handed, two-handed, and throwable) and can carry one weapon in each category, or they will have to swap out one weapon with another in a certain category.
This time, however, the game uses a more in-depth and involved police/detective mode similar to that of a point-and-click game or L.A. Noire.
New to Shadow the Hedgehog 2 is the ability to dual-wield either the two-handed or one-handed weapons. This can be done when picking up weapons at gun stores or police headquarters, or from fallen enemies out in the open.
Another new aspect is the ability to manually choose dialogue during certain cutscenes, which will have an effect on how the world and certain characters will view Shadow.
== Plot ==
Immediately following the events of Sonic Adventure 5, Shadow decides to go his own way and relocate to the southern United Federation, basing himself out of Southtopolis. However, a group of new foes arrives in the Federation much stronger than a lot of enemies Shadow and his allies have faced in the past. Coupled with a major conspiracy being uncovered, Shadow is forced to regroup with old friends, acquaintances and even enemies to solve it. Unfortunately for them, they will have to deal with rising tensions across the country that could split everything and everyone apart.
== Setting ==
The game spans five states throughout the Southern Federation. They are as follows: 
* Chicorlina (North and South Carolina) 
* Fibria (Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee)
*Paleoa (Georgia and Florida) 
* Milarpe (Louisiana and Arkansas) 
* Choctaxa (Texas and Oklahoma) 
In addition to the five states, there are numerous cities big and small within them:
* Southtopolis, Choctaxa (Houston)
*Kauflass, Choctaxa (Dallas)
*Tulsa, Choctaxa
*North Choctaxa City (Oklahoma City)
* Baton Rouge, Milarpe
* New Versailles, Milarpe (New Orleans)
*West Letopolis, Milarpe (West Memphis)
*Bigsky, Milarpe (Little Rock)
* Trailson, Fibria (Jackson)
*Gulfport, Fibria 
* Birmingham, Fibria
*Montgomery, Fibria
*Letopolis, Fibria (Memphis)
* Francisville, Fibria (Nashville)
* Atlanta, Paleoa
* Creeon, Paleoa (Macon)
* Tallahassee, Paleoa
* Tellville, Paleoa (Jacksonville)
*Orlando, Paleoa
* Miami, Paleoa
*Columbia, Chicorlina
*Strands Beach, Chicorlina (Myrtle Beach)
*Charlotte, Chicorlina
*Raleigh, Chicorlina
== Timeframe ==
Shadow the Hedgehog 2 takes place from the very beginning to the near end of 2016, starting on January 9 and ending on November 7.
== Cast ==
Role 	Voice Actor
Shadow the Hedgehog	Jason Griffith
=== G.U.N. ===
Role 	Voice Actor
G.U.N. Lieutenant Commander Anthony Rubini	Rick Pasqualone
G.U.N. Soldier James "Jimmy" Ancelotti 	Rick Pasqualone
G.U.N. Soldier Jefferson Williams 	Phil LaMarr
G.U.N. Soldier Juan Rodriguez 	Nolan North
G.U.N. Soldier Lyndon Wilson 	Owen Wilson
G.U.N. Agent in Training James Davidson 	Lane Compton
G.U.N. Commander Abraham Tower 	Marc Thompson
=== Antagonists ===
Role 	Voice Actor
Senator Jonathan Davis 	John Goodman
Junior Senator Jack Sharp	Phil LaMarr
Jessica Davis 	Reese Witherspoon
Paul Goldfarb 	Ruffin Prentiss
Makenna Smith 	Dakota Fanning
Antonio Rivera 	Steven Bauer
=== G.U.N. Associates ===
Role 	Voice Actor
Lloyd Clark 	Jeff Daniels
Steve Young 	Arif S. Kinchen
Laura Wilcox 	Natalie Lander
Henry Smith 	Burt Reynolds
Rachel Williams	Laura Bailey
Jonathan Monroe	Roger Craig Smith
Felicity Macy 	Lacey Chabert
=== Shadow's Close Friends/Allies ===
Role 	Voice Actor
Rouge the Bat 	Karen Strassman
E-123 Omega 	Aaron LaPlante
Celia Aguilera	Rebecca Sanabria
=== Shadow's Other Allies ===
Role 	Voice Actor
Sonic the Hedgehog 	Roger Craig Smith
Miles "Tails" Prower the Fox	Colleen Villard
Charmy Bee 	Colleen Villard
Knuckles the Echidna 	Travis Willingham
Storm the Albatross 	Travis Willingham
Amy Rose 	Lisa Ortiz
Cosmo 	Kate Higgins
Wave the Swallow 	Kate Higgins
Dr. Julian "Eggman" Robotnik	Mike Pollock
Vector the Crocodile 	Keith Silverstein
Espio the Chameleon 	Matthew Mercer
Mighty the Armadillo 	Nolan North
Jet the Hawk 	Michael Yurchak
== Soundtrack ==
In an odd first of the open-world series, radio stations are not in this game. Rather, they are replaced by a playlist on Shadow's phone that can be edited at anytime, similar to Scarface: The World Is Yours. 
Album cover collectables are also absent in this game; a select few list of songs are on Shadow's phone at the beginning, and other songs are unlocked as the story progresses.
The music menu begins with an "All Music" category, ends with a "Custom Playlist" category, and then has the following categories in between:
=== 80's Pop ===
* Berlin - The Metro (1982)
* Blondie - Rapture (1980)
* Corey Hart - Sunglasses at Night (1984)
* Cyndi Lauper - She Bop (1983)
* Daryl Hall & John Oates - Adult Education (1983)
* David Bowie - Let's Dance (1983)
* Duran Duran - Rio (1982)
* Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove (1981)
* A Flock of Seagulls - I Ran (So Far Away) (1982)
*The Gap Band - You Dropped a Bomb on Me (1982)
* KC and the Sunshine Band - Give It Up (1982)
* Kool & the Gang - Get Down on It (1981)
* Laura Branigan - Self Control (1984)
* Lionel Richie - Running with the Night (1983)
* Madonna - Papa Don't Preach (1986)
* Miami Sound Machine - Falling in Love (Uh-Oh) (1985)
* Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (1982)
* Oingo Boingo - Just Another Day (1985)
* Paul Engemann - Scarface (Push It to the Limit) (1983)
* Prince - When Doves Cry (1984)
* Rick James - Super Freak (1981)
* Shannon - Let the Music Play (12" Version) (1983)
* Trans-X - Living on Video (1983)
*Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) (1987)
=== Classic Rock ===
* The Animals - The House of the Rising Sun (1964)
* The Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace (1958)
* Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising (1969)
* Creedence Clearwater Revival - Born on the Bayou (1969)
* Creedence Clearwater Revival - Down on the Corner (1969)
* Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary (1969)
* The Crickets - That'll Be the Day (1957)
* David Bowie - Rebel Rebel (1974)
* The Doobie Brothers - China Grove (1973)
* The Edgar Winter Group - Frankenstein (1972)
* Elvis Presley - (You're the) Devil in Disguise (1963)
*Fats Domino - Ain't That a Shame (1955)
* Freddy Cannon - Way Down Yonder in New Orleans (1960)
*John Fred & His Playboy Band - Judy in Disguise (With Glasses) (1967)
*Little Richard - Lucille (1957)
* Lynyrd Skynyrd - Saturday Night Special (1975)
*Mountain - Mississippi Queen (1970)
*Steve Miller Band - Take the Money and Run (1976)
* Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Mary Jane's Last Dance (1993)
* Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Refugee (1979)
*ZZ Top - La Grange (1973)
* ZZ Top - Sharp-Dressed Man (1983)
=== Country ===
* The Allman Brothers Band - Midnight Rider (1970)
*Black Oak Arkansas - Hot and Nasty (1971)
*Blake Shelton - Straight Out (2016)
* Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue (1975)
* Carrie Underwood - Before He Cheats (2005)
* The Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil Went Down to Georgia (1979)
*Crossin Dixon - Let the Bad Times Roll (2008)
* Darius Rucker - Wagon Wheel (2013)
* Dixie Chicks - Not Ready to Make Nice (2006) 
* Dolly Parton - Just Because I'm a Woman (1968) 
*Garth Brooks - Callin' Baton Rouge (1993) 
* George Strait - Unwound (1981) 
* Hank Williams - Your Cheatin' Heart (1952)
* Jerry Reed - East Bound and Down (1977) 
* Johnny Cash - Ring of Fire (1963)
* Lady Antebellum - Need You Now (2010)
* Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama (1974)
*The Marshall Tucker Band - Blue Ridge Mountain Sky (1974)
* The Outlaws - Green Grass and High Tides (1975)
* Roy Orbison - Blue Bayou (1963)
* Waylon Jennings - Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) (1977) 
* Whitey Shafer - All My Ex's Live in Texas (1987) 
* Willie Nelson - Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer) (1973) 
* Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried (2008)
=== Hard Rock ===
* The All-American Rejects - Night Drive (2005)
* Alter Bridge - Come to Life (2007)
* At the Drive-In - One Armed Scissor (2000)
*Corrosion of Conformity - Drowning in a Daydream (1996)
*Evanescence - Weight of the World (2006)
*Kaleo - No Good (2015)
*Limp Bizkit - Build a Bridge (2003)
* Mastodon - Ísland (2004)
*Pantera - Cowboys from Hell (1990)
* Paramore - Decode (2008)
* The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Face Down (2006)
*Royal Thunder - Whispering World (2012)
*Shinedown - Heroes (2005)
*Trivium - Until the World Goes Cold (2015)
=== Hip-Hop ===
* 2 Chainz - I'm Different (2012)
* Ace Hood feat. Future & Rick Ross - Bugatti (2013)
*Big Tymers - Get Your Roll On (2000)
* Birdman feat. Lil Wayne - Get Your Shine On (2005)
* DJ Khaled feat. Kanye West & T-Pain - Go Hard (2008)
* Geto Boys - Mind Playing Tricks on Me (1991)
* Grits - Ooh Ahh (My Life Be Like) (2002)
* Gucci Mane feat. Travis Scott - Last Time (2016)
* Jermaine Dupri feat. Ludacris - Welcome to Atlanta (2001)
*Juvenile feat. Soulja Slim - Slow Motion (2003)
*Lil Boosie feat. Foxx & Webbie - Wipe Me Down (2007)
* Lil Wayne - Go DJ (2004)
* Ludacris - Act a Fool (2003)
* Ludacris feat. Mystikal & I-20 - Move... (2001)
*Mannie Fresh - Real Big (2004)
*Migos - WOA (2016)
* OutKast - Rosa Parks (1998)
*Petey Pablo - Raise Up (2001)
* Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane - Black Beatles (2016)
* Rick Ross feat. Jeezy - War Ready (2014)
* Three 6 Mafia feat. Young Buck, 8Ball & MJG - Stay Fly (2005)
* T.I. feat. Trae tha Truth - Check This, Dig That (2012)
* Trae tha Truth feat. Young Thug - Try Me (2014)
* Travis Scott - A-Team (2016)
* Trick Daddy - U Neva Know (2004)
* Wyclef Jean feat. John Forté & Pras - We Trying to Stay Alive (1997)
* Young Dolph - Royalty (2016)
=== Jazz ===
* Alphonse Trent and His Orchestra - St. James Infirmary (1930)
*The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five (1959)
* David Bowie - Blackstar (2015)
* Dizzy Gillespie - Groovin’ High (1945)
*Dr. John - Street Side (1979)
* Duke Ellington - Cotton Tail (1940)
* The George Shearing Trio - What Is This Thing Called Love (1962)
* Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers - Dead Man Blues (1926) 
* Louis Armstrong - Potato Head Blues (1927)
* Louis Prima - Pennies from Heaven (1956)
* Miles Davis - Summertime (1958)
* Roy Haynes with Phineas Newborn and Paul Chambers - Sneakin’ Around (1958)
* Sonny Rollins - The Bridge (1962)
* Sonny Stitt - Street of Dreams (1980)
* Sun Ra and His Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra - Sea of Sounds (1973)
*Thelonious Monk - 'Round About Midnight (1947)
=== Latin ===
* Celia Cruz - Químbara (1974) 
* Gloria Estefan - Mi Tierra (1993) 
* Héctor Lavoe – Mi Gente (1975) 
* Irakere - Aguanile Bonkó (1993) 
* Irakere - Baila Mi Ritmo (1979) 
* Joan Sebastian - Un Idiota (2001) 
* Joe Cuba Sextet - Calle Esta Durisima (1973) 
* Juan Gabriel - Hasta Que Te Conocí (1986)
* Machito and His Afro-Cuban Orchestra - Mambo Mucho Mambo (1952)
* María Conchita - Vamos a Bailar (1983) 
* Oscar D'León - Llorarás (1975) 
* Pepe Aguilar - Me Vas a Extrañar (2001) 
* Pitbull feat. Gente de Zona - Piensas (Dile la Verdad) (2014)
* Selena - Bidi Bidi Bom Bom (1994) 
* Tito Puente - Oye Como Va (1963)
* Willie Colón - Sin Poderte Hablar (1979)
=== Modern Pop ===
* Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover) (2015) 
* Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj - Side to Side (2016) 
* Britney Spears - Do You Wanna Come Over? (2016) 
* Bruno Mars - 24K Magic (2016) 
* Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna - This Is What You Came For (2016) 
* The Chainsmokers feat. Daya - Don't Let Me Down (2016) 
* The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey - Closer (2016)
* Christina Grimmie - Shrug (2016)
* DNCE - Cake By the Ocean (2015)
*Ellie Goulding - On My Mind (2015)
*Fifth Harmony feat. Ty Dolla $ign - Work from Home (2016)
* Flo Rida - My House (2015)
*Hailee Steinfeld - You're Such A (2016)
* Justin Bieber - Sorry (2015)
* Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop the Feeling (2016)
* Mike Posner - I Took a Pill in Ibiza (SeeB Remix) (2015)
* Noah Cyrus feat. Labrinth - Make Me (Cry) (2016)
* Selena Gomez - Same Old Love (2015)
* Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better (2016)
* Sia feat. Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills (2016)
* Twenty One Pilots - Heathens (2016)
* The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk - Starboy (2016)
=== R&B ===
* Al Green - Let's Stay Together (1971)
*Anthony Hamilton - Comin' From Where I'm From (2003)
*Aretha Franklin - Think (1968)
* Ben E. King - Stand By Me (1961)
* Beyoncé - Irreplaceable (2006)
* Christina Aguilera - Change (2016)
*Chubby Checker - Let's Twist Again (1961)
* Clifton Chenier - Ay-Tete Fee (1955)
* Commodores - Nightshift (1985)
* Destiny's Child - Say My Name (1999)
* Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man (1968)
* Eddie Floyd - Knock on Wood (1966)
*James Brown - Prisoner of Love (1963)
*Jodeci - Come and Talk to Me (1991)
* Joni James - You Belong to Me (1952)
*Jr. Walker & the All Stars - (I'm a) Road Runner) (1966)
*The Meters - Cardova (1969)
* Ne-Yo - Mad (2008)
* Otis Redding - Try a Little Tenderness (1966)
* Pretty Ricky - Grind with Me (2005)
* Sam & Dave - Soul Man (1967)
* Sam Cooke - Wonderful World (1960)
* Selena - I Could Fall in Love (1995)
* T-Pain feat. Yung Joc - Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin') (2007)
=== Rock ===
* 3 Doors Down - Kryptonite (2000)
* Alabama Shakes - Don't Wanna Fight (2015)
* The Black Crowes - Remedy (1992)
* Charlie Mars - How I Roll (2012)
*Daughtry - It's Not Over (2006)
*Edie Brickell & New Bohemians - What I Am (1988)
*Hinder - Hit the Ground (2014)
* Kings of Leon - Use Somebody (2008)
* Kings of Leon - Waste a Moment (2016)
* Matchbox Twenty - Unwell (2002)
* The Orwells - They Put a Body in the Bayou (2016)
* R.E.M. - Losing My Religion (1991)
* R.E.M. - Turn You Inside-Out (1988)
* The Revivalists - Wish I Knew You (2015)
* Rob Thomas - This Is How a Heart Breaks (2005)
* Santana feat. Rob Thomas - Smooth (1999)
* Sister Hazel - All for You (1997)
=== Shadow the Hedgehog Vocal Trax ===
* A2 - The Chosen One (2005)
*Crush 40 - All Hail Shadow (2006)
* Crush 40 - I Am... All of Me (2005)
* Crush 40 - Never Turn Back (2005)
*Everett Bradley - Throw It All Away (2001)
* Julien-K - Waking Up (2005)
* Magna-Fi - All Hail Shadow (2005)
* Magna-Fi - Who I Am (2005)
* Powerman 5000 - Almost Dead (2005)
* Remix Factory - E.G.G.M.A.N. (Doc. Robeatnix Mix) (2005)
* Sins of a Divine Mother - All of Me (2005)
* Sins of a Divine Mother - Broken (2005)
== Trivia ==
* This is one of the darkest games in the entire Sonic the Hedgehog series, given its heavy social/political commentary and mature themes throughout.
* This is the first game in the series since Sonic Lost World in which Dr. Robotnik is forced to work together with Sonic and his allies to take down a bigger threat.
** However, in both that game and Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, Robotnik eventually betrays Sonic and his friends, while in this game he stays allies with them throughout.
* Many real life events occur throughout the game, including:
** a police shootout in an equivalent of Texas
** the deaths of many famous celebrities, including Shadow witnessing the murder of Christina Grimmie
** many violent rallies and riots across the country as a result of the ongoing presidential election
* Shadow the Hedgehog 2 was Burt Reynolds' final acting role. In fact, some of his dialogue hadn't been completed when he passed away, so archive and unused recordings were used for some of Henry Smith's lines.