Well, this past weekend was certainly an interesting one for we poor and twisted fools who still spend our days waiting for Sega to return to form and deliver us to the promised land. With the rumored screenshot leak for Sonic Unleashed, coupled with a supposed gameplay video, the hype for Sega's latest attempt to resurrect the hedgehog exploded at an alarming rate, proving just how willing to be kicked in the teeth time and time again we gamers actually are.
To keep everyone up to date, here are the latest slices of speculation and rumor from around the 'net:
- Sonic Unleashed has a "huge" production budget behind it, and not only Sonic Team, but Sega dev teams from the USA and Europe are also working on the title.
- The overall ambition is to rebuild the Sonic brand and prove that the franchise can work in a more 3D environment (though a lot of what we've seen appears to be in 2.5D, with 3D sections).
- A new character may be introduced (facepalm).
- Sonic will turn into a werewolf-type creature that will open up gameplay options new to the series.
- Sega plans to reveal the game in May.
- The proposed release date is November.
- It's believed that the game will be released on all three home consoles.
That's your lot for the moment. Until Sega confirms anything officially, this is nothing but speculation for now and is not intended to be taken as anything but. It's merely a gathering of all the hype around the 'net.
All I can say is -- we shall see. Sega has a LOT to rebuild, if this truly is meant to be the revival of the hedgehog. Sonic the Hedgehog in 2006 was almost impressively awful, and its inept design was due in no small part to a pre-Christmas rushed release ... kind of like what's being rumored here. If this is indeed pegged for a 2008 release, that's a bad sign already.
But like I said ... we'll see, and we'll also let you know as soon as more details surface.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
3:02 PM on 03.24.2008
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Dreams shattered. Again.
Whew. I think after I read the werewolf part, any interest there could've been have been is gone.
Just because it worked for Twilight Princess doesn't mean throwing it into a Sonic game is a great idea. What's next? Tri-Chao?
Or maybe I should just kill Sonic Team......angry mob, anyone?
:[
Don't we Jim?
Is there an echo in here?
I'm guessing the 3D environment adventure roaming would mostly come from him transforming in a night environment and tearing most of his shitty friends to shreds.
WTF... how was that Idea even pitched??
Some S.O.B. somewhere heard 'Sonic ... blah blah blah ... werewolf' and ACTUALLY thought it was a good idea.
Someone has to stop them. In the event that this happens, I vote that we start an all powerful ONLINE PETITION!!! .. yeah, that oughtta show um.
.. damn dreams ..
Werewolf? Why? Reminds me of Link's last adventure...
WARNING! FAIL IMMINENT!
I dont Care GIVE ME THE GAME AND LET IT BE GOOD!!!!
Too bad the burner was on and created the abomination you see today. I think the Sonic team should step back, and write a few dozen things on the dry erase board as to WHAT THE F THEY WANT SONIC TO BE.
Klonoa 3, where are you? *sniff*
On the up side, I'm rather digging the visual style. I've got a weakness for graphics that lean more in the direction of solid colors than inevitably-muddy-until-every-game-console-has-64GB-of-RAM texture maps...
That's the only Sonic i enjoy.
AND FOR GOD'S SAKE WE DON'T NEED NEW CHARACTERS
"We here at Sega understand the frustrations our loyal fans have been feeling about the Sonic franchise, specifically Sonic the Hedgehog(tm) for the XBox 360 and Playstation 3. So it was a unanimous company decision to bring the series back to its roots with our latest project, Sonic Unleashed(tm).
An imperitive of this project is to look at made the series popular to begin with over 15 years ago. By using elements like side views and level designs akin to those found in the original games, we hope to rekindle the spirit of the Sonic series. We are also bringing back the fan favorite sidekick, Smacky the Binturong. You don't remember him? I think he was in Sonic The Fighters. In addition, Sonic's classic ability to turn into a warewolf from Sonic 2 is returning! It will be just like old times!"
But seriously, what the FUCK!? New character? WAREWOLF!?! They pulled this shit with the 2006 game. Saying they're "going back to Sonic's roots", then they throw in fucking Silver the Time Traveling Butt Licker and human princesses. Fucking Sega... Either make Sonic GOOD or just kill the series.
But one word to everyone and the word is STOP. Wait until the official announcement and some proper gameplay videos before you rip it to shreds. We're not going to get a fully revived Sonic if we don't show Sega that we as fans don't have any faith in what they're doing.
Also: the only way I'll be fine with a "werewolf" Sonic is if that is secretly code for Dark Sonic(Super Sonic, but evil like).
I think I'd rather take my balls to a rusty cheese grater than play another sonic spinoff/rehash/re-invention. Sonic has been dead to me since I tried playing the first Whiz-bang 3D setup on the Dreamcast (and it was already going downhill toward the end of the Genesis's lifespan). At this point it's not entirely impossible that there could be some kind of return to form, it's just highly unlikely at this point.
I really haven't been following the Sonic series for quite a while now. Has there been a sonic game yet where they give him a gun and he's a cop who doesn't like to follow the rules? Just wondering since every other cliche' seems to have been tried at this point.
the 1st next gen sonic game was TERRIBLE but i totally appreciate the 2D element of this new version and i defintely will keep my eyes open for this game.
since I love sonic in 2D, I think this might be the game that'll get me hooked on the series again...
Back to my GameTap'd Sonic 2 & 3...
I'm not hating on the werewolf idea just yet especially since we haven't seen any gameplay of it yet and isn't Link turning into a werewolf just as an absurd an idea? As long as the new character isn't playable and you play as Sonic throughout the whole game I'm going to put my faith in it....
PROVE ME WRONG SEGA
Here is what the Huge budget money will not be spent on.
1.Decent game code for the game engine.
2. more than 1 track from sonic 1 and 2 song makers "dreams come true"
3. people to think about controls./
4. people to make the game code efficent.
5. ports to every platform that are broken.
what it will be spent on.
1. some Middleware game engine that will not be used the rightway.
2. more physics engines.
3. more motion capture that don't matter much since he is a damned 4 foot hedgehog
4. more Pop stars voice actors for the cut pre renderedc scenes that take 90% of the budget.
Christ, it's like after one paragraph, users are going "BAWWWWW! IT GOIN TO HELL!" even after seeing a video and at that time, we weren't condemning it. Hell, it looked fun.
Just wait, guys.