Sonic Unleashed officially announced, slated for Holiday 2008

Though we've been feeding it leftovers since last month, Sega of America has finally knocked on our door and confirmed that the adorable stray cat in our care did indeed have its origins in the publisher's bag. Much to our surprise, Sega also informed us that the cat is actually ... a hedgehog. We thought it felt a bit strange petting the dear thing, but are no less alarmed by Sega's evil habit of stuffing small creatures in bags.

Developed by the "renowned" Sonic Team, Sonic Unleashed promises a return to the blazing blue mammal's roots in "an unforgettable high-speed journey around the globe." Set for release on the Xbox, PlayStation 3, Wii and PlayStation 2, the game ditches low-tech blast processing for the "Hedgehog Engine," which "introduces seamless 3D to classic 2D camera transitions, whilst delivering a rich and expansive world with multiple paths to choose from." It certainly sounds like we're taking a step in the right direction, but given our previous next-gen brush with Sonic, we're not convinced we won't just clip right through the floor and fall out of the level.

Sega further notes that Sonic is faced with an "unusual situation" this time around, with gameplay changing from day to night (must be the wolf thing) and "combat fighting" becoming possible. We'll learn more about what exactly that means closer to the game's late 2008 release. (For now, watch the trailer -- posted after the break.)