The best we're going to get in a while... But I still want to strangle Chip if I have the chance.
That's why I give Sonic a 4/4.
Then here comes the werehog. Environments look quite good, but the Werehog itself is a dumb idea - the platforming's boring (at times, broken), the controls are awkward, etc. Tapping the control stick twice in the same direction to dash... Isn't that something for 2D games, not 3D platforming?
And the soundtrack wants me to pull my hair out. You're presented at the beginning of the level with some dumb four-second intro music before the tolerable sections play. But, the battle music is the same between all levels - a loud, jazzy, unreasonably silly and annoying track.
Since the Werehog levels are slower, and there are three acts per daytime level. Because the daytime levels are so much better, I felt myself forcing my self through these levels.
And Unleashed gets a 1/4, thanks to its partially effective atmosphere. At least it's not as bad as Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing.
Then there's the interface and the other junk they decided to throw at us. Aside from the new main character, the Werehog, there's also a new "assistant" named Chip, a fairy-like character with amnesia. He's another useless addition, and his voice pisses me off.
Since SEGA saw this as a port from an xbox/ps3 game, the town map has also been transferred, but instead of being interactive, it's a big menu. You just select highlighted areas of each village to find people to talk to, and about a third of them end up with Chip telling you that nobody's there. It's even more pointless than the original version, if that's possible.
So the remainder of the game gets a 1/2, simply because the cutscenes have some quality to them.
Sonic: 4/4
Unleashed: 1/4
Everything Else: 1/2
Total: 6/10
And an extra .5 for making the soundtrack half-tolerable: 6.5/10.
Probably the best rating I'd give to a Sonic game for a while, seeing the mess that Black Knight turned out to be. Why doesn't SEGA just go back to what they originally were? Maybe make another Rez or Jet Set Radio while they're at it?
But right now, I guess the Daytime levels will do.