Sonic Unleashed Review: Unleashing The Beast

I’m certain I wasn’t the only gamer who got their hopes up a few months ago after seeing the first batch of screenshots for Sega’s new Sonic title, “Sonic Unleashed.” For some reason it seemed like there was some extra glimmer of hope this time around, and that we wouldn’t be let down by yet another Sonic game. From the screens there appeared to be some semblance of a return to 2D, and a step away from everything that has caused the series to deteriorate over the last few years. However, after actually sitting down and playing “Unleashed” I can say that anyone that got their hopes up might end up being letdown, yet again. HOWEVER, “Unleashed” isn’t a bad game, it’s just not the game that we were hoping for.

3D is a tough dimensional proposition for any game that established itself as a 2D classic. This goes for all franchises that have been around for the last 25 years, and not just our blue hedgehog friend. Sure, some 2D games have made the jump to 3D successfully, and have continued on in that form for multiple titles, but no matter how well those games have done, there’s still something to be said for their original releases. Those games introduced us to a 2D hedgehog, plumber, and elf (seriously, what the hell is Link?) to an entire generation, and that’s how we fell in love with them. At the same time, I’ve always felt that it’s unfair to hold Sonic to the same standards as we have placed on Nintendo’s titles. Sonic is, was, and will always be different. His games have always been faster, less predictable, and less linear than any Mario title. His 3D games have always tried to reflect those characteristics, and, unfortunately, they’ve never really succeeded, mostly because those mechanics are extremely hard to express in a 3D game. Somehow, despite everything it has working against it, “Sonic Unleashed” manages to be fun, but Team Sonic manages to spread out the fun so much that it’s really hard to enjoy the overall product. [Continue Reading]

Sonic going beast mode in this new trailer

Sonic Unleashed begins at the end of an untold story which sees Sonic confronting his nemesis, Doctor Eggman. Watch as, Sonic bounds around a fleet of spaceships and transforms into Super Sonic, using the Chaos Emeralds, in order to stop him. However, Eggman manages to trap him using a powerful new ray weapon which corrupts the power of the emeralds. He then uses the Emeralds’ energy to unleash a powerful beast from the center of the planet, which has devastating consequences, shattering the planet into pieces; it is up to Sonic to solve the crisis by traveling the world, finding shrines that will fix the Emeralds, in order to return the world back to normal.

In addition, Eggman’s ray also causes an unexpected transformation to Sonic’s state. Sonic’s progress will be made even more difficult as the ray, and transformed Emeralds, will have unforeseen side-effect on him, transforming him into a werewolf. There are benefits from this though. He will gain greater strength and abilities at night perhaps bringing something new to the gameplay for long running series.

Sonic Unleashed

Dr. Eggman is the primary antagonist for Sonic Unleashed. In this installment, he has called forth a slumbering beast from the center of the Earth, which causes such devastating tremors that the planet shatters into pieces; it is up to Sonic to return the seven broken continents back to normal by retrieving the Chaos Emeralds and activating their power.

Gameplay will primarily consist of two modes: a 3D sidescroller, with second-person gameplay (as found in the Sonic Rush and Sonic Rivals series), with seamless shifts to third-person view where the gameplay looks like (Sonic secret of the rings for the wii). Concepts returning from past games include Sonic’s trademark high-speed gameplay, as well as improved lock-on for automatically targeting and hitting enemies. Sliding across the ground also returns, but players will be able to perform new “side-step maneuvers”, allowing Sonic to dodge obstacles to the left or right at high speed. Another new control mechanic, whose final implementation is still being decided upon by Sega, is “drift turns”, whereby Sonic can slide around a corner.

An on-screen energy meter can be filled by collecting rings, which is used to activate a temporary speed boost, during which time the camera uses a fish-eye effect and motion blur; hitting enemies and obstacles will reduce the meter. The game will also have Town Stages, and players will be able to walk around the environment freely and speak to townspeople.