Sonic Unleashed

"Sonic Team got back on track!"

Here's how I felt about the whole shebang (BEWARE OF SPOILERS).

>>>Graphics: 9
Wonderful. Sega has certainly earned my trust on these. Most of the time, they don't cut corners. A special appreciation goes out to the stunning CG work. I can't think of too many other games that have better CG. Levels are enticing, and can be downright gorgeous at times!

>>>Controls: 6
More often than not, the controls get the job done. But I can't help but feel a sense of injustice when I fall to my doom, when I swear I tapped that jump button...However, my main gripe with controls is the insertion of Quick Time Events (QTEs). Yes, I know that I couldn't see some of the more impressive moments in the game (Werehog leaping towards the Egg Dragon? Heck yeah!). Yet I can't help but feel robbed of control when I have to endure these things. Why can't I claw at the boss myself? I don't approve of QTEs in general, and seeing them in SU didn't change my feeling.

>>>Music: 4
One of the biggest disappointments to me was the music. Except for Endless Possibilities and a couple of daytime stages, the music is the worst out of all the 3D sonics...I especially don't like Werehog's jazzy battle theme. It's repetitive and ill-fitting.

>>>Gameplay: 8.5 for day, 7 for night, 4 for hubs
I would say that, all-together, the gameplay took 2 steps forward, and 1 step back. Day stages get it right the most. Sonic is fast. Holy fricking crap, is he FAST!!! It's such a rush to see his heroic sense of adventurous speed finally being completely unleashed! (That's no secret...Get it?) If anything, some of the day stages have a rather unforgiving checkpoint system, being a better example of cheap, frustrating difficulty, rather than fair difficulty.

I'm in the minority when I say that I liked the Werehog. Good action, satisfying moves (once he levels up some), and it serves as a good break from the speed. If only the QTE's, random glitches in the level design, and aggravating shockwave abuse weren't present...

Hubs are just terrible. Face it, a character based around speedy platforming doesn't deserve to be shoehorned into a slow, plodding swamp of pointless medal collection and agonizing dialogue with NPCs that the average gamer couldn't care less about.

>>>Story: 7
Pretty enjoyable overall. The introduction of cartoonish comedy relief is a rather welcome one, I think. Chip's cute acts of emulation, and Eggman's antagonistic robotic companion were quite amusing. I would have liked to see more of Sonic's usual posse, rather than see a boring, lifeless Tails and one scene with Amy. How did Knuckles feel about the Angel Island being forced to share its sky space? Was G.U.N. concerned enough to send out their best and fastest agent, Shadow? Still, seeing Chip's Temple-Megazord at the end was both lame and freaking sweet at the same time! The story got the job done.

>>>Extras: 3
Deplorable. Cutscenes from the story should never be utilized as unlockables. I don't find artwork or level music to be very enticing either. All I know is, I won't waste my time going after that junk...I'll watch youtube if I wanna see the cutscenes again.

WHERE'S PLAYABLE SUPER SONIC?!

>>>Replayability: 6
This scores higher than a 5 only because I know I'll be crashing thru those day stages again sometime soon. Since the extras won't be bringing me back, the hotdog missions require too much of the average gamer, and the werehog stages are too long to warrant a second effort, I'll stick to the day stages, thanks. That's where the magic is.

Getting a 6.1 average, SU 360 isn't the most spectacular game of 2008. But it most definitely is Sonic's finest offering this side of SA2:B. You're on the right track Sonic Team, just figure out how to stay there...

Want some chocolate?

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 01/20/09

Game Release: Sonic Unleashed (US, 11/20/08)