In a show of blistering speed, Sonic escapes a grim fate and almost makes it work in this latest installment
After an attempt to reboot the dying franchise with 2006's 'Sonic The Hedgehog', the old speedy veteran was truly on his last legs. Sega knew that one more screw up like that previous rubbish of a game would cost them big, loosing their entire fan base (except for the freaks who actually liked "next gen Sonic").
Sonic Unleashed is a welcome change to skin and bones. It features the blue hedgehog doing what he does best, and that's run from start to finish of levels as quick as he possibly can. With the help of a complex new game engine, dubbed the "Hedgehog Engine', Sega have truly re-captured the blistering speed Sonic so sadly lost in the mid 90's.
However, Sega seem unable to let the hedgehog loose on his own, and have thrown in a little spin to the gameplay/story to make everyone wonder "why sega why". You see, Unleashed sees Sonic make the transformation into werewolf, or rather, Werehog. This change is brought around when Dr. Robotnik (I'm sorry, I can't refer to him as 'Eggman') uses the power of the chaos emeralds to shatter the earth, and awaken an ancient evil known as Dark Gaia.
The plot is weak, involving Sonic to re-power the emeralds, bringing the earth back together and thus restoring order, but, Sonic has never really been about the story. In the 90's era, story was never really there, even though Sega attempted to tell a grand tale, but the truth is, story is never a reason we play Sonic, it's merely an excuse.
As expected the Sonic levels play amazingly. The Sonic fan-boy that I am just has to say that Sonic is back in these levels. The way he runs through levels at top speed, knocking everything out of his way, how the background goes by in a blur, the whole experience is simply amazing. In typical Sonic fashion, the levels get increasingly harder as you progress, almost to the point of frustration, but hey, you expect that.
When the sun sets, and the Werehog takes over, the game changes dramatically. You stumble your way through platforming levels while beating the pulp out of anything that moves. Sega have attempted to make a deep combat system here with the Werehog, but it just ain't moving past a two button mash-fest. It is a weird concept, give Sonic all the speed and freedom he'd ever want, but then strip him of everything that makes him good, and turn him into a brutish Mario who can't jump.
Though I'm being to cynical. The Werehog levels aren't bad, there just long and in what feels like a game that Sega is trying to re-deem themselves, it makes for an odd gameplay element. For the matter of the game, its a concept that works well. There are just some serious problems with the Werehog concept, some of which are levels that are too long, too slow, and repetitive combat.
The game is set up in a Sonic Adventure fashion, in that the world and its shattered pieces act as a HUB, which then allows you to enter city levels where you can interact with the towns people and perhaps help them out if need be. This all acts as way of extending gameplay, as well as break up the levels, so your not simply jumping from one to the next. Personally I feel that this set up in possibly the best Sega has designed, besting themselves on the Sonic Adventure framework.
Sonic Unleashed is as one would say, great, but flawed. The Sonic levels are brilliant, and if only for that, makes the game truly outstanding to play. The Werehog pulls the game back from greatness and simply just makes it "good". Though if you have been a long time fan of the series, that this will restore some of your faith in the little hedgehog, and if you've never played before, this is possibly the best 3D game to start with. If you were scared away by 2006's train wreck, don't fret, this game is a masterpiece compared to that.... thing.
As I said, great, but flawed, Sonic Unleashed is a breath of fresh air, and a welcomed step in the right direction