Wondered if maybe it was some alternate version of New York.
That is because it is, and now you know.
Before Sonic Adventure, it didn't feel like Earth.
True, hence the name change. Sonic has so many continuities now that it really does not matter at this point. I do miss the abstract design of the old games, but most of the new designs didn't bother me. At least they tried brining back more of the abstract elements in the world and stage design with Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations. The Sonic Rush games kept way more of the abstract world design, but that is because they're in another dimension.
Sonic Adventure led us to where we are now: Sonic hanging around with live actors in boring Montana.
Yeah, for like two games. Sonic Adventure 1, and Sonic Adventure 2. SA2 starts off in Downtown San Francisco btw on the Hero Side. Not Montana. After that Sonic Heroes brought back some more fantasy and abstract elements, but clearly still had its Adventure elements taking immediately after SA2. By the time Sonic Unleashed came out, while their were still real world inspired designs, humans no longer looked realistic or photo-realistic. They took on more cartoonish designs to fit with the Sonic cast better. As much as I dislike Unleashed, this I did not have a problem with.
The problem with Sonic today is you got so many "smart ass fans" thinking they know everything with the whole: this is "Sonic/Not Sonic, My Sonic/Not My Sonic!" Or the whole "Sonic was never good or got lucky!" Game critics who don't give a fuck and say dumb bullshit for the clicks or to come off as they have all the answers. This means you too, Yahztee. Sega for trying to please everyone. double downing on one repeated idea and not fixing the rest, or constantly trying to reinvent the wheel. And of course, rushing their games out to meet an arbitrary anniversary deadline or holiday sales! Them going with a different direction in realistic settings for about 4 games total (5 if we count Sonic '06, which we won't), did not ruin everything for the rest of the series. It's just another dumb argument that goes nowhere and solves nothing. You don't like the direction fair enough, something like that going for a more accurate looking Earth never bothered me back then, and sure as hell does not now. I can't even bother to give a fuck. At least they bothered to go back to more abstract looking world and did a fine job for the most part.
I look forward to the next game, but pray they don't fall in to the same trap of taking one idea and running it in to the ground with little or no improvements. I prefer linear Sonic games. This open world is a neat idea, but I don't need 3 more versions of it, should the game be a success.