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Sonic
 
Sonic Unleashed screens could be real, could be fake, frankly I don't care now
Jim Sterling
\\ 03.22.2008
78 comments

(Lazy Force Unleashed joke goes here)

You may have heard, but a new Sonic the Hedgehog game called Sonic Unleashed had been announced a while back. Well, the first screens have been revealed and they are actually somewhat ... impressive.

While some of these have to be pre-rendered, the shots that appear to be in-game are pretty damn beautiful. That said, after so many games rendered only with browns and grays, any game with some actual color is going to look gorgeous.

Take a look over the screens, see what you think. They sure look pretty, but Sonic has struggled time and time again to remain both entertaining and relevant in the modern gaming world. While Mario appears to go from strength to strength, the character who was supposed to be edgy and cool has, ironically, ended up appearing deflated and aged in comparison to his old rival. As someone who grew up adoring Sonic, it's demoralizing seeing my icon of old fail to recapture his magic so many times.

Will Sonic Unleashed break the trend, or will I once again invest naive hope in this game, only to be thoroughly disappointed again and end up cutting myself? It's far too early to tell, so I'm going to just gawp at these pretty pictures some more.

[Via Cheeburga's CBlog]

[Update: S'apparently fake. Blah. That's what I get for thinking something interesting might happen on a Saturday] 

[Update again: Okay, so NOW they're f'n real again! I'm getting mighty sick of this. They were apparently leaked from an FTP client and you can see even more screens here. Frankly, I'm done trying to decide.]

[Update ten billion: Might be real. Might not be real. I don't care anymore. We'll find out after the weekend. Now go eat Easter eggs.]

[Update? Yes, Update: We've had to yank the images for legal reasons. This has no become both the most updated, yet least useful, page on Destructoid.] 



78 COMMENTS, LATEST BY BMaN32x
@ Shin Oni, See Super Smash Bros Brawl for Sonic break dancing. "Come on! Step it up!" -    view discussion




There are 77 comments about this post:
vexed alex's Avatar
Beastiality kthx.
atheistium's Avatar
*sigh* I can only hope this goes well. Sonic had that "rad" attitude back in the day when words like "cool" and "awesome" still felt clean to use :D

I am skeptical.
Neonie's Avatar
I just wish... that... they would go back to 2D. Enough of this sonic three dimensional storyline bull shit. Give me a new 2D sonic game. I don't care if it's for a console, just becuase you CAN use those graphics doesnt mean you HAVE to for it to be good. Give me a new 2D-HD side scrolling sonic game for XBLA and I'll buy it.**

**Copy Pasta from Chee's blog becuase it applies here.
Rainbowblack's Avatar
I just wish... that... they would go back to 2D. Enough of this sonic three dimensional storyline bull shit. Give me a new 2D sonic game. I don't care if it's for a console, just becuase you CAN use those graphics doesnt mean you HAVE to for it to be good. Give me a new 2D-HD side scrolling sonic game for XBLA and I'll buy it.**

**Copy Pasta from Neonie post because it applies here.
Cheeburga's Avatar
Dude you gotta use the picture I made.
evil chad's Avatar
It looks too good to be on the wii and that frightens me alot. pleaaaase let this be the game that digs sonic out of the et style hole he's fallen in!
deiga-the-semivaliant's Avatar


If this picture isn't used for some epic lulz, I'll be very disappointed.
atheistium's Avatar
Actually I don't mind sonic being all 3D and such but side scrolling would be preferable.
Marioland's Avatar
I wish upon a star for this Sonic to be good. Please Sonic Team... DON'T SUCK AGAIN!
interbutts's Avatar
For some reason, when I saw that Super Sonic screen shot I got..
a small glimmer of hope.

I have a good feeling about this game.
BluFire's Avatar
Sure, it looks great and all, but I really am not looking forward to pushing the analog stick forward for 10 hours while sporadically pressing a face button.
FiveStar's Avatar


Stuff like this is the reason Sonic has gone down hill. I don't want to fight some reject Final Fantasy boss, I just want to fight whatever Eggman's new robot is and free all the woodland critters. It is nice to see that Eggman has gone back to his old look, though.
aborto thefetus's Avatar
I can tell that this will suck. I seriously have no hope for Sonic games anymore.
silentstrike27's Avatar
Watch out! Sonic's gone Super Saiyan!
Marioland's Avatar
Oh from the screenshots i can assume that there will be a story... Oh well.. i hope that they payed a real author to write the storyline at least....
Anus Mcphanus's Avatar
Must resist laym bestiality unleashed joke..... and please no human characters!
Unicorn's Avatar
please be good. if this fails, i've lost all hope for my hero from my childhood.
STUVNING's Avatar
They seriously need to kill off all the lame sidekicks for this one. Big the cat I'm looking at you.
13thDragon's Avatar
It looks like his power level is over 9000.
Rucksack's Avatar
The last "Sonic" game I put any real time into was Sonic and Knuckles back in my Sega Gen days.

This doesn't look like this is going to change that...
Video_Cognito's Avatar
Do want. Keep it to a Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Robotnik minimum, plz, unless if it's gonna incorporate SatAM/Archie Sonic characters.
Shin Oni's Avatar
sonic looks like he's breakdancing in one of those pics.

If Sonic REALLY were to breakdance in this game. It wins.


on a serious note, I really do hope this game is good. I'm wanting to play a new and good sonic that doesn't suck and lately i'm getting pretty tired of Mario. Only cause they're just about being the same.

I need just about being the same with Sonic though.
The Wizard's Avatar
Sonic Team: Why do you hurt me like this?

Why isn't Sonic in Mobius!? That's where he belongs, not the human world! And why are we fighting some new monster! I wanna beat up Robotnik (not Eggman, Robotnik)! OH well, here's hoping its gameplay is a mix between Rush, Adventure, and Secret Rings, cause that would pretty much make up for the crappy story.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar
@atheistium: Um, I still use words like “cool” and “awesome”...

Well, these screenshots actually do look rather promising. Here’s the thing, though: I don’t believe that being in 3D and being a good game are mutually exclusive, and I also don’t think that doing a “2D/HD” side-scrolling Sonic game would automatically make it good. There’s no magic formula, but as STUVNING and Video_Cognito have said, getting rid of the damn side characters would be a big step, in my book. The only people I want to see are Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Dr. Robotnik.
MechaMonkey's Avatar
Sonic goes Super Saiyan?

No thank you.
infinity's Avatar
1- this game is destined to fail. i absolutely won't mind if i am wrong in that statement, but i don't expect that to happen.

2- do people actually NOT know about the existence of super sonic?
killatia's Avatar
@The Wizard
the sonic games nevered took place in mobius, only in the archie's comicbooks and cartoon show.
The Wizard's Avatar
Wait, there's hope:
-Robotnik doesn't look realistic
-There's a speed meter and sonic is sidestepping in one picture, so it could sorta be on rails
-there's also a "ring energy" meter, which either could be like Rush's "Tension Gauge" or could indicate how many rings sonic can burn up as Super Sonic

THERE'S HOPE!!
pedrovay2003's Avatar
So... What system is this supposed to be for? It looks great, but I can't see it being on the Wii with those visuals (although that'd rock)...
Professor Pew's Avatar
Make-believes reborn
Myths in minds re-thought
Question all that's known
Legends blurred and torn

Make-believes reborn (Make-believes reborn)
Myths in mind re-thought (Myths in mind re-thought)
Question all that's known (Question all that's known)
Legends blurred and torn (Legends blurred and torn) (Blurred and torn)
pedrovay2003's Avatar
And the only reason I immediately thought of the Wii, by the way, is because some of those shots look a lot like Sonic could be on rails, like Secret Rings.
BluFire's Avatar
This isn't as cool as SONIC CHRONICLES. The enemy is called the ICEBO in that game. Kind of. Not really. I don't feel like explaining.
Mecha Rabb's Avatar
Mecha Rabb's Avatar
00pz
Pedro Blandino's Avatar
i have a feeling this might not be from teamsonic. aka fan made.
this looks like maya
DeusPayne's Avatar
Other than the Sonic game for the DS, I haven't played a sonic since they went 3d. And the DS one only has 3d boss battles, all the other stuff is old school 2d, and even the 3d in the bosses is really just glorified scrolling.
charliesuh's Avatar
Is this a 360/ps3 title?
AgentMOO's Avatar
Super sonic is as yellow as my stream of urine that will grace the game disc.
Up2NoGooD's Avatar
maybe its like the wii game but on the next gen consoles! wayhey!
pedrovay2003's Avatar
Also, I just noticed that Super Sonic's eyes aren't red in those pics. I don't think Sega would leave out that kind of detail when the rest of the shots look awesome, would they? Maybe this is fan made like Pedro was saying...

Wow, and just when I started to have some faith...
Crunshii's Avatar
Sonic team should hire the artists from Odin Sphere (Atlus) and make Sonic 2D HD in supreme gorgeous animated sprites.
Riser Glen's Avatar
Pedros 1 & 2, I believe, are correct. Looking at the HUD bars (which look Photoshopped on) and the other details make this look pretty fake.
charliesuh's Avatar
PEDRO IS RIGHT!
This shit is totally fake! For one thing, these images were leaked from some random private photobucket under the name of Aisha Clan Clan Prower. Also the detail that pedrovay2003 noticed about Super Sonic's eyes not being red, it's definitly not a detail Sonic team would forget.
Also in one picture showing the HUD he has 00 rings and no ring power and in another he has ring power and still 00 rings. And also in a third he has 24 rings yet the score is still at 00000.

All just maybes but it's a pretty damn good maybe
Reaprar's Avatar
Lets play guess the generic story line!


Lets see, my guess is, Oh sonic turns super, fights Eggman, turns super, Eggman traps him and then seperates his super form from his regular form.


*SPOILERZ*
Riser Glen's Avatar


You may not be able to see it in my resize, but Sonic's blur does through the lifebar HUD. Also, the placement of the text is inconsistant both in sharpness and placement. So basically, these were more than just rendered in Maya, they were touched up (a lot) in Photoshop.
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar


sup guise
Morrius's Avatar
So they've given sonic an angry beastial dark side? Who FUCKING CARES! Just make a game where you run from left to right, jumping on things REALLY REALLY FAST. No shitty RPG hub, no awful ancillary characters. Just stuff, to jump on, really fast. Just Sonic. No shitty shooting sections, no fishing.

Thanks very very much.
MetalGearROFFLE's Avatar
Why the FUCK does he appear to have a were-hedgehog form? Fuck you Sonic Team for continuing to screw up a good thing.

@The Wizard: "Mobius" was just a planet made up by Sega of America to make it seem like Sonic really lives on some other planet or some shit. Apparently he actually lives on Earth. When you think about it, having him from another planet makes about as much sense as having robots come from Cybertron! Oh wait...

If this game sucks, I'll lose ALL faith in the little blue guy period. It's a shame that what was once one of the greatest video game series back in the day has fallen so far from grace.

P.S.: Does anyone else HATE referring to him as Dr. Eggman? I'm an old-school purist, so I still insist on calling him Robotnik. It just sounds better. And yes, that picture of Sonic making the "OH WTF!?" face is epic WIN.
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar
Zelda taught us that wolves are like ten times better. Enjoy your Sawnuk the Werehog.
EternalDarkWing's Avatar
Trowble's Avatar
Sega stop fucking around. Make this a good release a good.
Segasonicdude's Avatar
Fake?.......AW MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!

...................I want Retribution for having Played and Beaten Sonic for the 360 (All Achievements)

At Least Hes Great in Brawl.......
its a side view Game,
thats the Key
Make More Side Scrollers!!!!
Kyousuke Nanbu's Avatar
Sonic.

Good.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

I can see why people like you so much Jim, you're hilarious. Face it dude, Sonic will never, EVER be good again.

Hell, at the moment sonic's greatest game is Smash Bros Brawl and he's only a guest in that one.
Riser Glen's Avatar
flabzilla's Avatar
I think i'm having a harder time believing these are fake O_O.
B-Radicate's Avatar
It'll still suck.
0bshaky's Avatar
@ EternalDarkWing:

Thats the type of guy who still thinks Sonic is "cool" and "rad".

I dont want him near my children or pets.
Segasonicdude's Avatar
@0bshaky

Try and Stop me!

(But that isnt me in that Pic...That shade of blue is incorect)
liquidninja's Avatar
@Video_Cognito
Took the words right from my head, but aw it's fake.
Should've known because Sega (or any japanese developer) wouldn't ever make a game that uses those kind of graphics.
CjnLion's Avatar
Good grief... how do people fake this kind of stuff? I could understand it if we were dealing with one screenshot, but this looks like hundreds of hours of work... for kicks?
Segasonicdude's Avatar
@CjnLion

if it is "Fake" They Did it to mess with People like me and My brothers
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar
Psst! Jim! It's legit!

http://www.sonicstadium.org/sonicnews/438/
drogaz1's Avatar
Are these screenshots confirmed fake or just might be fake? Because why would someone spend all those hours just to fool people?
Jim Sterling's Avatar
God damn it, Internet. STOP FUCKING WITH ME!
drogaz1's Avatar
Never mind, Phoenix Gamma just confirmed them as real. In that case,PLEASE DON'T SUCK!
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar
Just slap a question mark on the title and call it a day.
Pedro Blandino's Avatar
jim, every one is saying they got it off a ftp. all these pictures are coming off one person who said they got it off ftp.
this proves nothing. wait till Monday till i give sega a call.
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar
Now you've done it...
kohelhunter's Avatar
please dont make this suck sega
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar
ConsFEARacy's Avatar
I'm so confused....
Elrando's Avatar
@Phoenx Gamma

Well that pretty much clinches it, nice work.
Sam Spectre's Avatar
Fuck! Now I have high hopes for this game that will be tragically shot down.
Eschatos's Avatar
The only Sonic game I want to play at all is Brawl.
HarassmentPanda's Avatar
Hmmm. Needs more Robotnik, more 2.5D, and less talking hedgehog.
Necros's Avatar
Hesitant...
BMaN32x's Avatar
@ Shin Oni,

See Super Smash Bros Brawl for Sonic break dancing. "Come on! Step it up!"

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