Joystiq E3 eyes-on: Sonic Unleashed
by Jem Alexander 
{ Jul 21st 2008 at 5:20PM }
The first thing you notice about Unleashed is that it's very pretty. Even with rough shadows and unfinished lighting physics, the game looks gorgeous. It looks like it might also play quite nicely, depending on controls. There are two different styles of gameplay in Unleashed which, together, could satisfy most Sonic fans.
For a lot of people the name Sonic is synonymous with "speed," and the day-time missions in Unleashed reflect this. The first level seemed simple enough -- hold the analog stick in the right direction and watch Sonic go, making sure to jump in time. Obviously, this won't be true throughout the game, later levels will feature more precise platforming sections and less non-stop running. There are also different routes to take throughout the levels, which require a specific button combination press in order to reach.
Gallery: Sonic Unleashed
For those who enjoyed the 2D Sonic games for the exploration, the newly-revealed nighttime levels will be more to your taste. During the opening of the game Sonic is transformed into a Werehog. By day he is unaffected, but at night he becomes slower but far more powerful. His arms elongate and become elastic, allowing him to climb and batter his enemies into nothing with his fists.
These nighttime portions of the game feel reminiscent of old PS1 platformers, such as Crash Bandicoot and Spyro. There's exploration and combat mixed in, to give us a bit of downtime after the fast-paced daytime levels. Combat looks very stylish, with purple and blue sparks flying out of Sonic's now oversized fists. We just wish we knew how the controls feel.
Sonic Unleashed will be polished and will certainly look good when it's released this Christmas. If the entire game plays as platformy as the levels we've seen, then it will also play well. We're reserving judgment, for the most part, until we get some hands-on times with the game. Until then all we can say is that Sonic Unleashed is looking to be the best 3D Sonic game yet -- although that's not saying much.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Phil @ Jul 21st 2008 5:26PM
I'm liking this, I REALLY am. The whole aspect of using werehog sonic as an excuse to slow down the speed is also a good idea, just for those who liked the exploration part of the previous games, rather than the non-stop factor.
Anyone else really liking the HUD? Honestly, this is how I had kinda hoped it would be adapted into. Flashy but simplistic.
...Yeah, I'm fairly excited.
... @ Jul 21st 2008 5:48PM
The HUD is very nice and all...
But let's see them actually make a good game.
liquidninja @ Jul 21st 2008 8:10PM
"just for those who liked the exploration part of the previous games"
Well from what I've seen in this demo:
http://www.gamespot.com/video/945571/6194260/sonic-unleashed-e3-2008-stage-show-demo
--and what this guy is saying:
"...later levels will feature more precise platforming sections and less non-stop running."--
they'll have all that in the part you're playing as regular sonic.
JerJer @ Jul 21st 2008 5:28PM
For those who enjoyed the 2D Sonic games for the exploration, the newly-revealed nighttime levels will be more to your taste.
er......3D? not 2D?
Zertoss @ Jul 21st 2008 5:37PM
I assume they are referring to the Mega Drive/Genesis games that they referenced at the beginning of the post.
Heh {XBL: P4nic 4tt4ck} @ Jul 21st 2008 5:32PM
Colour me interested, yet wary.
Benny @ Jul 21st 2008 5:41PM
If the day-time missions work, and the night-time platforming really is like the Crash Bandicoots and Spyros of yesteryear, I'm in.
Huey2k2 @ Jul 21st 2008 5:44PM
I miss 2d sonic games :(
iofthestorm @ Jul 21st 2008 5:50PM
Sonic Rush (for DS)? It's a modern-day 2D sonic and it's really good. The sequel is a bit meh, but it's pretty good too.
Lijik @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:14AM
Word of warning though, if you do get Sonic Rush- the first two zones as Sonic are pretty much "Hold right to win" and the first boss is beyond frustrating until you get used to the occasionally wonky camera angle. Later zones have more platforming and directions going on, and later bosses won't nearly be as frustrating an experience as the first one.
John McPoop (PSN:johnnynumber5) @ Jul 21st 2008 5:50PM
can't wait
Co @ Jul 21st 2008 6:51PM
Really?!
All the shit you give... well pretty much EVERYTHING (and everybody) you can't wait FOR THIS??
Seems only fitting, Poop.
Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jul 21st 2008 6:04PM
To me, the last great Sonic game was Sonic Adventure, except for the extra characters like Big and that damn fishing!!!
-Vexx- @ Jul 21st 2008 6:07PM
LOL! Yeah, except I liked SA2 Battle other than that. IDK. Maybe Sonic and the Secret Rings.
AoE @ Jul 21st 2008 6:31PM
Really? Sonic Adventure was the beginning of the end in my mind... I mean with the possible exception of sonic 3D, Adventure's the first one that you have to say "I enjoyed except for..." right? That's why I consider it the first bad sonic game (though obviously this was the start of the downhill run, not the bottom of the hill that we eventually reached)
tifosiotaku @ Jul 21st 2008 6:47PM
Big The Cat is voiced by the same guy who voices Duke Nukem. I'm not kidding.
Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 7:29PM
"Big The Cat is voiced by the same guy who voices Duke Nukem. I'm not kidding".
O-o Lol WUT?
"Is tiem to kick ass and get frog and I'm all out of ass,duh".
4MyFriends @ Jul 21st 2008 8:32PM
I agree with the fact Sonic Adventure was the beginning of the end for the series. Sure it was decent, even good at times, but overall it still had the same things we criticize Sonic games for these days; Laughable Voice Overs, bad camera angles and poor gameplay mechanics that lead to constant cheap deaths
-Vexx- @ Jul 21st 2008 6:06PM
It's Sonic Rush but ya know. For a console Im sure it will be better than Sonic(X360,PS3)
MasterCKO @ Jul 21st 2008 6:39PM
Like Joystiq and many commenters, I'm wary, but somewhat excited that Sega just might have finally done it. Maybe, just maybe, they made a good Sonic game again. 8^D
neoalec @ Jul 21st 2008 7:02PM
Sonic Adventure was awesome all around. Top-notch presentation, and the variety was incredible. It's in a lot of people's top Dreamcast games. All of this about no good 3-D Sonic games is nonsense.
AoE @ Jul 21st 2008 8:17PM
That mostly come from those of us that grew up with the 2D Sonic games which were simple, fast, fun and blissfully free of crap voice acting. Adventure was full of crap voice acting, fun... when you're playing as Sonic (which is what, maybe 1/2 the game at most?), not so fast anymore... although there were moments/levels of fastness... and let's not forget the rather broken camera. Please please PLEASE don't place Adventure anywhere near the early Sonic games. Sonic CD was EPIC, Sonic Adventure was... the trendsetter for all 3D Sonic games since.
neoalec @ Jul 21st 2008 8:29PM
Please don't put me in with the jaded PlayStation generation. I'm a child of 8-bit and 16-bit, and always will be. I collect classic arcade boards from the early 90's. I had a Genesis and played all the old Sonic games when they were new. The fact is, Sonic Adventure was magnificent. If you don't like it, you can't appreciate top-notch, high budget game-making. From the graphics, to the soundtrack, to the level design, it was as good as anything made before it. At the time it was my favorite game ever made. Maybe you didn't play it when it was brand new (I had a DC with the game before it came out in the US) but back then, it was the bomb. And I played it with the Japanese voices, so I didn't have any complaints about the voice acting.
AoE @ Jul 21st 2008 9:38PM
Well it sounds like you beat me to the dreamcast, I got mine the day they launched in the states. And had to deal with the god-awful voice acting in the american release... and the god-awful camera (that apparently wasn't in the Japanese release?) and the god-awful levels dedicated to alternate gameplay/b-list characters...
There were many, many excellent, timeless, epic titles released on the Dreamcast (so many that I doubt I'll ever be able to bring myself to retire the DC) but Sonic Adventure wasn't one of them. If you can't realize that this was the very entry in the franchise that laid the framework for all crappy sonic games that have come after then I don't really know what to tell you man; I wish I had your tolerance for broken cameras and b-list characters with wildly divergent control/gameplay styles. The game may have been big budget, but it was hardly top notch.
And yes, for the record I am enough of a hardcore Sega fan that I've picked up every Sonic game since (actually, nearly every Sega release for every console I own, Sonic or otherwise) hoping for one that doesn't suck... as I hope for Unleashed as well... though this one looks to maybe deliver on that promise.
neoalec @ Jul 21st 2008 9:45PM
The camera I took to be symptomatic of all 3-D games in general at the time, so it wasn't too bad -- it was manageable. In fact, supposedly some of the bugs and camera problems were corrected for the US release. I just accepted them -- a few camera problems here and there can't overshadow quality game design. I don't think the camera angles in 3-D platformers have improved that much since. I'm pretty sure the Japanese voices are in the American release if you select them. Sonic entered the 3-D scene with a bang and it gradually diminished with each successive release. Actually, I don't think the latest one for the 360 and PS3 is quite as bad as a lot of the reviews say, although the loading time was terrible and some of the mini challenges unreasonable. The music was good, the cutscenes looked nice, there were some okay level ideas, the graphics were decent when running on the 360 in 1080p. You could see that some pieces of the team laid the ground work for a good game, but not everyone followed through. The game reeks of being rushed to market.
Levi @ Jul 21st 2008 7:06PM
In Leviland, the last great Sonic game was Sonic Rush.
Trunks @ Jul 21st 2008 7:31PM
"Not only is he now chubbier"
What the hell are you talking about? He used to be a short chubby fellow, but now he's a tall skinny dude.
It may be nitpicking, but as a fan of the old style, I'm moderately offended.
WRE: I own all 3! (4 if you count the DS.) @ Jul 21st 2008 7:49PM
Everybody needs to stop with the "Sonic's chubby this" and "Sonic's chubby that".
Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 7:31PM
"the best 3D Sonic game yet -- although that's not saying much".
So I guess the Adventure games don't count eh?
Okay the GC ports sucked ass and 2006 couldn't be more broken but if you ignore that Sonic is still pretty Solid.
Kellydude025 @ Jul 21st 2008 11:18PM
I played Sonic Adventure 2: battle for gamecube, and i was very amused. Sonic Adventure sucked as do all the other sonic 3D games.
Deprincer @ Jul 21st 2008 8:38PM
I thought it was coming out in November, not christmas... D:
Andrew @ Jul 21st 2008 10:49PM
"Lighting physics"? Do you know what you're talking about? No, you don't.
ebola! @ Jul 21st 2008 10:48PM
They're going to ruin it with the werewolf thing. This game has everything going for it except for the werewolf thing.
Wiinterfang @ Jul 21st 2008 11:07PM
Sonic Unleashed has a lot of potential.
Kellydude025 @ Jul 21st 2008 11:22PM
I am quite amused by the "Daytime" aspects of Unleashed. I think the night time aspect is a good idea but needs some tweaking. The game play does look a lot smoother.
I hope they stay away from the RPG aspects of the last sonic....that sucked...actually.......that sucked so much, in fact, that even light couldn't escape.
SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ Jul 21st 2008 11:38PM
this game has me really excited actually. this seems to be what Sonic should have evolved into when he went 3D anyway. like Mario, for example, stayed true to the platforming we loved when he went 3D. Sonic opted to add hundreds of disposable characters and guns.
ill hold final judgment until i get my hands on it but im liking what im seeing so far.
#28 @ Aug 1st 2008 10:38PM
Sonic is dead, just bury him already.