 Kotor has finally played Sonic Mania and it's left him with complex feelings that he needs to express. We don't normally do reviews, so we thought we'd tell you a story instead. This is what it feels like for a lifelong Sega fan to play Sonic Mania. Once upon a time, a little boy met a small blue hedgehog. It was the boy's fifth birthday. He hadn't asked for any present in particular, but he received a best friend for years to come. The boy and his hedgehog did everything together. Over many long, wonderful summers, they would play together in the bright sunlight, running about with glee. When the boy went to school, his playground adventures were filled with the exploits of his hedgehog, as he and his friends acted out the events of their favorite games. They'd compare notes each Monday on the cartoons they'd seen that week, and come up with their own new stories starring their hero. The boy's very first regular comic book series was all about this speedy blue friend, and it would inspire him to go on to try and become a comic artist himself one day. He would draw blue hedgehogs and two-tailed foxes on every piece of paper he could get his hands on, trying to perfectly capture his friend's playful smirk. But nothing lasts forever. One day, as the boy continued to grow older, his little blue friend waved goodbye. In his place appeared someone new, who seemed somehow edgier, more adult, whose games felt very, very different. The boy was confused. Was this the same friend he'd known for years? He looked similar, but not the same. This new hedgehog seemed far more fascinated with guns and swords and werewolves. There was some fun to be had here, maybe, but it just didn't feel right. Something was missing. The boy tried his best to like this new hedgehog, but he just couldn't quite convince himself that he was having fun. His new friend had a habit of dragging the boy off on adventures that seemed like a fun idea at first, but quickly became uncomfortable, frustrating, and tiring. Maybe the boy was just getting older. Maybe it was his fault for being too wrapped up in the past and being unable to embrace the fact that nothing lasts forever and that you can never go back to your childhood. Even so, the boy thought, perhaps it was time to part ways with his friend. Things just weren't the same, and he had other important things to do. And yet, even as the boy grew older still, he couldn't stop thinking about the original blue hedgehog that he'd befriended all those years ago. No matter how dated his childhood adventures became, they never really lost their sense of joy. The boy never went very long without thinking about his long lost friend. He'd play his old games, sometimes reread the comics of his youth, and constantly daydream about what it would be like if a friendly little blue hedgehog were to one day return. Then, finally, it happened. The boy could feel it in the wind, something familiar had blown back into town. His arms tingled with goosebumps as he felt the joy and wonder and excitement of his youth bubbling back to the surface. Someone, somewhere, was calling his name. The boy ran, slowly at first, then at full sprint, launching himself off into the horizon to the fields where he'd played as a child. He could barely contain his excitement and he bounded across the grass in search of his lost friend. And there he was, a small blue hedgehog, as short and round, as bright and friendly as he had ever been, waving eagerly to the boy, beckoning him to come on one more adventure, another spin around playgrounds both old and new. With unbridled glee, the boy threw his arms around his friend. Finally, they were back together again. Finally, they were reunited. As the two sank into a warm embrace, the boy could barely hold in his tears. I never stopped believing in you, he whispered. Thank you for coming home. And so, hand in hand, the pair began a journey together. They'd been apart for a long while, but none of that mattered now. Things were as they'd always been. A little boy and his very best friend were reunited at last. The moral of this story is simple. Never give up on your childhood. Even if it takes years and years and years, some things are definitely worth waiting for.