New Sonic Unleashed clip highlights speedy foot-age

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jun 19th 2008 at 3:30PM }

Well, that was terrible. The headline, we mean. IGN's new video of Sonic Unleashed gameplay (check it after the break!), on the other hand, is actually quite exciting. Though gameplay looks a little on the simplistic side, the side-scrolling shots of Sonic speeding through a colorful city certainly show off a solid graphics engine, not to mention an electric pace.

And no grating sidekicks in sight! We'll have more of this, please.

Tags: Sega, Sonic, Sonic-the-Hedgehog, Sonic-Unleashed

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 19th 2008 3:35PM

Wow...

=p

Monkeys Suck @ Jun 19th 2008 3:36PM

This actually looks kinda cool, almost like the old sonics from the genesis. Here's hoping it's not a disappointment come full release.

Dirty @ Jun 19th 2008 3:38PM

You sound like a Cubs fan.

PojoMofo @ Jun 19th 2008 4:36PM

when was the last time the Cubs werent disappointing, the 1800's???

ExMcCloud @ Jun 19th 2008 5:21PM

Because sega mad one of the greatist games of last generation at one time and Sonic was in it...Sonic Adventure was awesome....And Sega keeps messin it up...lol....Hopefully they can get it right!

Tiptup300 @ Jun 19th 2008 10:21PM

Only disappointing thing I see in the video is the music!

Dirty @ Jun 19th 2008 3:37PM

I cant understand why they keep trying to revive sonic. Sega needs to let go of their old "mascot".

Zertoss @ Jun 19th 2008 3:49PM

Because fans of the series still love Sonic and want to see him in more good games.

Titanium_Orchid @ Jun 19th 2008 3:38PM

I should send a copy of this to Gaye Herford.

Seriously though, this game looks pretty fun.

Untamed @ Jun 19th 2008 3:40PM

Looks like they've finally got some decent camera angles.

Gameplay also looks like classic Sonic just with a 3d perspective.

But, Sega will fuck it up with werewolf that controls like a tank levels.

KarlW @ Jun 19th 2008 9:39PM

Hope not. This game looks fantastic. Make it native 1080p and take my money today.

Young_Nastyman @ Jun 19th 2008 3:40PM

I was very skeptical at first announcement of this game, but now I can't wait

GearSecond!! (a.k.a AwesomeStuff) @ Jun 20th 2008 9:48AM

Nice avatar!

"Nay. We are but men! ROCK!!"

K387 @ Jun 19th 2008 3:40PM

Color me excited.

K387

StrangeBum @ Jun 19th 2008 4:09PM

I seem to forget..is excited a purplish hue?

But to be serious, this game looks really sick! I can haz fun Sonic gamez again?

arrrgh @ Jun 19th 2008 4:14PM

you dont have to sign off on your posts. Your name is under your avatar...

Jhongerkong @ Jun 19th 2008 5:40PM

arrrgh makes a good point.

This has been a Jhongerkong post. Copywright 2004-2008. All rights reserved.

Nigeria @ Jun 19th 2008 3:43PM

I gotta say I'm not sure which version I'm watching, but the game looks magnificent. Incredible. And fast. Really, really fast. Too fast?

The old Sonic games had speed and exploration - limited to a 2D pane, but still.

Hopefully Sonic Team won't surrender to the loud noises of the speed freaks and they'll stick by their guns and keep the Adventure that made previous 3D Sonics so enjoyable.

Yes, I said enjoyable.

Zertoss @ Jun 19th 2008 3:47PM

Pretty sure this was the 360 version, what with the LB and RB button cues.

And damn straight SA 1 & 2 and Heroes were enjoyable.

xFenixKnightx @ Jun 19th 2008 3:48PM

Thats the 360 version (which really doesn't matter) and this video has been up on IGN for a week now I think. Looks great IMO. I'm digging the new style.

Fatass of Rebuttalness @ Jun 19th 2008 6:38PM

"And damn straight SA 1 & 2 and Heroes were enjoyable."

I don't know. I liked Heroes, but both SA titles lacked real polish and had some pretty pathetic level design and gameplay elements. The voice acting made me want to scratch out my eardrums, as well.

Mr Khan @ Jun 20th 2008 1:04PM

I'm in this with Nigeria, Sonic Adventures were awesome, as was Heroes. It was Shadow and the 2006 game that sucked

Sora267 @ Jun 19th 2008 3:43PM

The only things that could screw this up are a gimmick (Like the Wolf Sonic thing), shoddy controls, or an attempt at a storyline.

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Jun 19th 2008 4:01PM

Well, the wolf still has potential to be implemented well (lol, i know), but they've already thrown story out the window with this clip of sonic running around what appears to be an amalgamation of different European places, only further embelished with rails being every-fucking-where.

Paul @ Jun 19th 2008 3:48PM

This looks pretty, but I am a bit worried about the gameplay.
Yes, speed was an original selling point for Sonic, but that is not the only thing the original games were about. What made the first games (Sonic, Sonic 2, Sonic 3+Knuckles) great were the excellent platforming to break up the speed sections. Even Sonic Heroes managed to realize this, despite the bad controls.
From the look of the video, it seems like all you have to do to play the game is hold down forward or right, then occasionally press jump or a bumper button.
Hopefully this will change before the final release

Ben! @ Jun 19th 2008 4:49PM

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I really enjoyed the original 2d Sonics, and while I appreciate that this title is going back to its speedy roots, I really hope that there are lots of platforming areas, too.

Lijik @ Jun 19th 2008 8:35PM

I haven't replayed the later genesis Sonic games in forever, but I did replay Sonic 1 about a month ago and it really felt like they had two separate teams working on the game. Half of the zones (Yes, entire zones not small 'sections' like most people claim) are hold right to win fests while the other half were straight-up platforming marred by the fact that Sonic was as slippery as all get out.

Something tells me that the more combat oriented Werewolf sections will be what contains the straight-up platforming since the controls will theoretically be better suited for it. Or at least, if Sonicteam was smart thats what they would do.

wibby @ Jun 19th 2008 3:57PM

This looks sweet! nice! I need a decent next gen platformer on my 360, not a XBLA casual remake...

looks like it's filled the spot!

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Jun 19th 2008 3:58PM

Looks like it has a major case of "Dude where's my difficulty" for most of it. Almost exemplifies my hatred of the Sonic Rush games' simple "move towards the end of the level and don't attempt to explore, as it is punishable by death".

Some of the new mechanics it showed look pretty promising, though quick-time events are demonicly evil. In truth it has potential, but i'm sure people can understand my scepticism.

Covarr @ Jun 19th 2008 4:03PM

What players want is speed AND challenge. None of the crap controls or blind jumps like in Heroes. A story that is there, but not overdone like in Sonic 2K6.

I didn't really see any non-generic enemies in this video. Part of what made the first Sonic games so great was the bright and colorful worlds and enemies. Robots made to look like bees, fish, dinosaurs, (giant enemy) crabs, etc. It was awesome.

Also, they should throw out this music, and see if they can't get hire Howard Drossin to do it like Sonic & Knuckles.

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Jun 19th 2008 4:19PM

Exactly! What made sonic games great was the memorable music which i still find myself humming quite frequently (while Sonic Adventure and games thereafter are struggling to have their soundtracks remembered). And also the good enemy design, as well as the fact that it didn't beat you round the face with A: a terrible story, B. the crappy acting that moves this story along, or C: retarded new characters.

Since Sonic 3 & Knuckles I think the status quo has been that you play a Sonic game to play as Sonic, Tails or Knuckles, with only slight deviations in the gameplay (when the hell did tails start building war mechs like in SA2!?) which enrich gameplay and give levels new elements to explore (who didn't love trying to find secret things flying about with Tails or Knuckles?)

Jerk Face @ Jun 19th 2008 6:30PM

I personally thought the music was kind of fun and catchy. *shrug*

But what do I know, I'm just a big Jerk Face.

WarchildX @ Jun 19th 2008 10:16PM

As far as I'm concerned, they rarely have moments where they just can't churn out a good track on a Sonic game. This post inspired me to break out my old Sonic Adventure OST. Final Egg 1, Red Mountain 2, Twinkle Park 1, all of the Windy Valley, and more were great in that game.

Nomi @ Jun 19th 2008 4:06PM

The transition from side scroll to full er...3D? are amazing...hopefully they make it harder and it seems like (thank god) that it wont just be running...

AoE @ Jun 19th 2008 4:10PM

"Though gameplay looks a little on the simplistic side" C'mon Ludwig, you know what happens when Sega tries to add more complication to a sonic title... simplicity is required to make a sonic game any fun, if the last 8 years or so worth of sonic games are anything to go by.

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Jun 19th 2008 4:34PM

Stop treating Sega like a retarded child. Yes, they've made shitty sonic games, but your acting like (to extend the metaphor) you'd be happy simply if Sega could simply dress itself properly, let alone express a coherent idea.

I don't want a mindless blur of random colours whilst being reassuredly patted on the back for doing the most mundanely simple of tasks.

AoE @ Jun 19th 2008 5:59PM

Dude, I'm a hardcore sega fan; I've been a fanboy since the SMS days; and the fact is sega today _IS_ a retarded child compared to where they used to be. I'd like to see the old, great sega return again. The one that made all the kickass fun quirky titles that you couldn't even imagine another company producing. Part of that I'd think is getting a 3D sonic right. And you have to admit, it's a SIMPLE formula to nail, yet the haven't been able to in nearly a decade... a formula that they invented no less! Now you understand why I'd be happy to see sega, as you say, dress themselves properly?

Jacksons @ Jun 19th 2008 4:13PM

Looks pretty, but I've got to see more gameplay. Running high-speed on a one-way track will lose its appeal in minutes. If there's some platforming/exploration/anything else it could turn into something pretty fun!

ssuk @ Jun 19th 2008 4:25PM

Awesome in High Definition, however SEGA have taught me a lesson with the last Sonic game, good graphics and interesting looking gameplay != good game.

I can already see the gameplay looking shoddy at best. Things look twitchy, the 2D gameplay looks fairly fun, however the 3D part of the game looks terrible. The bit at the end where you bash enemies into those super-enemies will get annoying as you keep missing the damn things and they always get a cheap hit on you. It's been like that for all gimmicks in Sonic games. Not to mention the amount of control-taking grinding sections and quick time events just to catch you off-guard at the last moment and killing the speed the game seems to do so well.

E3 should bring a demo on the 360/PS3, so we'll soon see... Hopefully.

Martez @ Jun 19th 2008 4:26PM

This stuff looks great! Exactly what Sonic fans want. Why even bother with the werewolf nonsense? Can Sega just not go a whole game without sticking something utterly stupid in?

ThePerfectCompanion @ Jun 19th 2008 4:51PM

Wow I'm now officially excited for this game...

Please don't disappoint Sega!

#28 @ Jun 19th 2008 4:56PM

This looks exactly like sonic and the secret rings, albeit better looking and more inventive. I have to say, Secret Rings was one of the worst games I have ever played. Boring as hell everything with a few useless items thrown in and blaring awful progressive rock music at every turn. Playing one track where you can't do anything but lamely move from side to side and jump is a horrible gampelay experience. I am not looking forward to this no matter how much they improve the rest: one track bullshit = no sale.

Sonic must die, or go back 2d.

Zachary Hinchliffe @ Jun 19th 2008 5:03PM

If FOXHOUND reads this, i'll take that copy of Sonic PS3 you said you'd give away for free. I gave it a rental one time, and actually had a bit of fun with Sonic's action stages (the story, adventure fields, and other characters were shit). still, I have always said to myself I'd finish it if someone gave it to me for free. Hit me up on AIM (zachhinchliffe) if you're serious.