Product Description

Sonic is truly in a world-wide race against time... as the sun sets, a new adventure awakens.

In this new adventure, Dr. Eggman is up to his evil antics again, in his quest for World domination. He unleashes a powerful ray that not only divides the world into several continents, but has an unexpected transformation on Sonic's state.

Sonic must travel across the globe, completing action-packed stages to retrieve the power of the Chaos Emeralds to ultimately save the world... and himself! Sonic's world has been transformed, courtesy of a powerful new game engine that delivers the tight gameplay of a 2D sidescroller in stunning, picturesque 3D environments. Sonic Unleashed takes everything you know and love about Sonic and upgrades it with spectacular scenery, new combat powers, an unexpected storyline, and, of course, blistering speed.

• Introducing the all-new powerful Hedgehog Engine that delivers a revolutionary gameplay experience, combining ultra realistic graphics with seamless transition between 3D to classic 2D high-speed action.
• Accelerate to super speed with Sonic Boost, avoid obstacles instantly using Quick Step and accelerate around corners with Speed Drift - this is Sonic at his fastest!
• Journey and explore seven unique, rich and vibrant continents - sprint across cobbled streets or race through lush jungles on a quest to save the world.
• With a massive world as Sonic's new playground, follow multiple paths and routes that presents different encounters, rewards and obstacles at every turn, as an unexpected storyline unfolds.
• Sonic's transformation brings new powers of combat and movement, giving an innovative and challenging Sonic experience.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #723 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Sega
• Released on: 2008-11-28
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Amazon.co.uk

Sonic Unleashed is built on a powerful new "Hedgehog Engine", which introduces seamless 3D to classic 2D camera transitions, whilst delivering a rich and expansive world with multiple paths to choose from. Under development for three years, the Hedgehog Engine produces a visually rich next generation look and feel with elements of classic Sonic gameplay mechanics. The Hedgehog engine will help re-define the gameplay experience for Sonic fans and newcomers to the franchise alike.

"By combining rich and vibrant scenery with dynamic viewpoints Sonic Unleashed will provide an immersive 3D experience whilst keeping alive the 2D gameplay elements and fantastic worlds that Sonic fans know and love" commented Gary Knight, European Marketing Director for SEGA Europe. "In addition to this classic Sonic gaming experience, when darkness sets in Sonic Unleashed players will be able to experience a completely new way to play as Sonic… making this his most exciting adventure yet!"

Having been broken apart by the evil Dr Eggman, it’s down to Sonic to put the pieces of the world back together again by retrieving the power of the chaos emeralds. In doing so, Sonic will find himself in a race against time and faced with an unusual situation that will challenge him in ways never before seen. By completing a wide variety of action-packed stages, spanning the seven broken continents of the world, gamers will need to unleash Sonic’s amazing abilities to save the world, and himself!

The opportunity to engage in Sonic in different ways during the day and night time levels brings a completely original way of playing to the Sonic franchise, in addition to running at high speeds in classic Sonic style, combat fighting will become possible. Super quick Sonic’s speed skills will be highlighted by four new modes, whilst the all new combat, movement and functional abilities will offer depth and variety to the game. As the sun sets in Sonic Unleashed, a different type of adventure will awaken in Sonic’s newest quest….

Customer Reviews

Almost there Sega!
Sonic The Hedgehog. One of the most popular characters of the nineties and at one point was more recognizable than Mickey Mouse himself. His rise to fame started on the 16-bit game console the Megadrive, his games were colorful, fast, had great music and best of all, SIMPLE. Now 18 years since his debut the blue blur has certainly fallen from his podium and SEGA, even now, have yet to make a game that matched the 2D games in comparison. But this game is a small step for gamers one giant leap for SEGA and Sonic Team.

I'll now categorize this review in the things i think are most important in a sonic game, Graphics, Music, Story, Gameplay, Fun and finally the Super Sonic portion of the game.

Graphics 9/10
WOW! Going at 300mph never felt so satisfying, the scenery is absolutely gorgeous and just feels so right when your playing the game. There are 8 continents and all have there own theme. Be it the savanna's of Mazuri, the bone chilling cold of Holoska, the mellow forests of Adebat or the dry sands of Shamar you are are going to be amazed by the detail and thought that has gone into the craft of the levels. The Day and Night stages all look good but the Day stages steal the show as they are so varied it never looks the same twice, the Night stages however all look relatively the same and can be a bore too look at. The only thing that holds this from being 10/10 is that there are several graphical glitches that, while not heeding the game play, are very disenchanting and annoying nonetheless.

Sound 9/10
Finally the embarrassingly bad rock and techno tunes have been gotten rid of and not a minute too soon. Instead of that rubbish we are now treated to a variety of instrumentals that really capture the location and atmosphere of the level. Sadly though the music is very passive and instantly forgettable in comparison to the Megadrive music which would stay in your head so long it wasn't funny. The voice acting in this game is also another brilliant step forward from the other 3D titles, gone are the cheesy lines and the terrible 8 year olds here are some actual voice acter's who deliver they're lines to great effect (I must give a nod to the guy who did the voice of Dr Eggman he was sensational.)The flag song for this game ,'Endless Possibility', is in two words F**king AMAZING! It is amazingly catchy and energetic and it really is a song i cannot describe in words.

Story 10/10
Ok its no secret, sonic games have never had good story. It was always just, Dr Robotnik/Eggman, had captured some animals and turned them into robots and sonic had to show up and SAAAAAAAVE THE WORLD (WU-HUU). But this time there is an actual plot to this game, i won't spoil anything but this is the jist of it. Upon trying to destroy Dr Eggman's new flag ship, sonic is inadvertently captured and the chaos emeralds he possess' are used as the power to a new weapon that splits the world up into 8 different continents and releasing an ancient, mysterious terror onto the land named Dark Gaia. The experiment not only releases this creature but turns Sonic into a beastly version of himself, whenever the moon shows, aptly named the 'Werehog'. When Sonic is sent hurtling back to earth with the spent Emeralds he comes across a strange being who has lost his memory who decides to tag along with Sonic, he is dubbed 'Chip' by Sonic. So the game is basically you traveling the globe in search of Gaia Temples in order to restore the Earth back to normal. Along the way you'll come across Tail's (Sonic's old friend and compardre'), Dr Eggman and his various giant robot bosses, giant, ancient animals possed by Dark Gaia itself, Eggman's own level and amusement park named EGGMANLAND, People who are possessed and need exorcising, 8 HUGE lands, ride a whale, a bobsled, a rocket, run up and down a dargons back and finally fight off against Dark Gaia in one of the most epic fights ever on a Sonic video game.

Gameplay 8/10
Sonic's games are never, ever going to be pick up and play simple again, i think that needs to be realised but the game plays as well as it looks with most of my Kudos going to the Day time stages. The Day time stages are well designed and fun, they are not so easy its boring but neither is it so hard its worth committing suicide, the game does not feature a factor most Sonic games have had in that holding one button and merh, pressing the jump button here and there would basicallt get you through the level. The puzzles in level are well thought but if you want to get A or even S ranks in this game your going to have to play over again to find shortcuts and basically memorize the level in order to beat it flawlessly. So why 8/10 well i guess if you've heard reviews on this game you'll know the why it was recieved so poorly...the Werehog. The Werehog stages have become infamous for their terrible camera angles and repetitive combat system. I didn't think it was THAT bad but i can see where people are coming from. The camera angles don't really present a problem until you get to sections that require tight rope walking in which case the slightest error will send you to your death. As for the combat again, not that bad but i know what people mean, just pushing buttons repeatably isn't fun and is very monotonous but its nothing thats too major to put you off beating the game. So now perhaps the two signature thing's about any Sonic game are the Boss battles and his speed. These two things are brought together beautifully in one. Some of the boss battles are quick, quirky and most of all repeatedly fun and challenging.

Fun 10/10
This game is fun...no seriously i can't describe it any other way. You have to play this game to know how fun this game is.

Super Sonic 9/10
This is in a way the thing i look most forward too in a Sonic game. You've got all the emeralds, all that hard work and time you invested in this game and the game rewards you the way any game should, with the hero becoming more powerful and awesome than ever before. Again i won't spoil what made this level of the game so awesome, all you need to know is that it the graphics were stella, it was fun, fast and the music was some of the best i've heard yet. The only thing i wish they would keep in the new games is the ability to turn into super sonic during game play as that would totally add another notch to how awesome this game is.

OVERALL: 8/10 or 4 stars translated
Sonic has fallen since the 90's but with this game in the eyes of fans he's clawed his way back and lets hope this is the start of better things too come. Don't trust what reviews from critics you hear about this game it is good but unfortunately people nowadays would rather our spiky hero was put too rest rather than revival. BUT NEVER FEAR, SONIC WILL NEVER DIE!

suprisingly good!
I wasnt too instrested in this game at first since sega havent made a decent sonic game since sonic and knuckles for the mega drive, but im so glad i gave this a try.

Half the game you play as old school blue speedy sonic, the stages are mainly done old school, running as fast as you can and just jumping over things, they havent destoryed it trying to make it 3D ether, it feels great and very remenesince ( i cant spell at all, sorry)

The 2nd half you play as a warehog ( or however you spell it) I thought this was going to be the downfall of the game after i played the first level as old sonic, but oh how i was wrong. Its just like a new style platformer, you get different moves and need to beat up lots of bad guys, you can do different graps and throw smaller monsters at other ones, the combat is suprisingly fun. They have also thrown in a few "puzzles" and some platform jumping in the warehog stages, but mainly its fighting.

They have also added an experience system, so you can lvl up normal or warehog sonic, giving them more speed, attacks or life and so on.

If you still arnt sure, go and rent if from somewhere cuz it has put my faith back into sega

Super Sonic!
I honestly wasn't expecting much, boy was I wrong! Sonic Unleashed is one of the best games I've played in a long time.

The game itself follows Sonic & Chip's worldwide adventure to restore the broken fragments of the planet after a devastating attack by Dr Eggman.
Gameplay is split over Sonic's speed levels and Werehog's fighting stages. In addition there's Tail's plane flying levels, several explorable hub worlds filled with secrets/sub plots/and missions ( which are all optional.)

Graphics: - in a word, stunning. The visuals are crisp and vibrant, and move at an incredible speed. The animation is really fluid. The cut-scenes and presention are of really high quality. The art style is really good - your adventure takes you all over the globe, from the frozen icecaps of Holoska to the sunny mediteranean-esque Atopos, the looks and atmosphere are great, (both on standard Tv and HD.)

Audio: Like the graphics - really good. The stage tunes are rather catchy!! The main theme song 'Endless Possibilities' - (sung by Jaret Reddick from Bowling for soup) is a great song + the character voices suit the characters.

Gameplay:

Sonic's levels feature all of the best bits of his previous 2d and 3d games combined. Sonic can boost, drift, slide and grind ( and later on learn to light dash, wall jump and stomp.) The stages are relatively large and fun, sonic is lighting fast, there are multpile pathways/secrets = lots of replay value.

Werehog's levels play exactly like 'God of War', which is a good thing. They feature a mix of platforming/fighting and some surprisingly good puzzles.
The fighting system is deep and all aspects can be upgraded with experience points (- to unlock new moves, increase health etc.)
You also have charged, special + unleashed attacks, you can pick up and throw enemies and parts from the scenery, and do finishing moves.
Like God of War - there are a few QTE's in the game - but they are reletively easy, and are often the best bits in the boss fights.
The camera is great and always moves itself into the best position to show you where you need to go.

Hint - for the tricky parts of platforming, keep HOLD of the grab (B) button throughout whilst jumping around - the Werehog will instantly grab hold of any ledge/pole he's facing - like in Tomb Raider, and you'll be able to get around a lot quicker.)

In all I like both the Sonic and Werehog gamestyles a lot. Sonic only has the one main stage per country, Werehog has two levels for the first country - but only one per country thereafter.
Both characters gain experience and can upgrade their abilities.
Both characters have great boss fights, that actually get better and better further into the game (Werehog's final boss being by far my favorite.)


Lifespan: The game itself is fairly lengthy, and has a large amount of secrets - as well as music/artwork/videos/special items to collect.

There are 400 sun and moon medals to collect - I remember another reviewer complaining about having to collect the medals to progress.
On avarage I only found around 50% of them on my 1st playthrough and I was never asked to collect more medals to continue the story, so it's not really a problem - although I can't help but wonder what having all of the medals will unlock.
The hub worlds have many missions ( everything from collecting rings to ghost hunts, even trivia quizzes!) The characters in the hub worlds are surprisingly likeable, and they have fairly decent storylines you can play through - but be warned some of the decisions you make will affect their outcome, so choose wisely.

This game has many secrets and is built to last.
(Hint - if you were to buy + feed Chip with his favorite foods only - I wonder what might happen.....!)

Overall: This is one of the best games I've played in years.
If you're a fan of the Sonic Adventure series or 3d platform games in general, then I would highly recommend it.
If you prefer the 2d retro games only I'd suggest trying a demo/renting it first, or watch the videos on youtube.

Also, ( I own the Wii version too) the x360/ps3 version is better designed, has more levels/content and has better graphics then the Wii version, but it is also more complex and challenging.
If you're buying the game for someone who's young or has difficulty with fast games + lots of buttons - the wii version is alot more simple and straightforward, and might be preferable in that case.

But overall the x360/ps3 version is the better game.