Newest good sign that Sonic Unleashed might be the first good Sonic in some time: It honors the time-honored tradition (first introduced in Sonic Adventure) of having a whale in a Sonic stage. Here Sonic’s taking it to the icy continent of Holoska, where he speeds around some snowy hills, rides a sled off huge jump and then runs off a giant whale that just sorta pops up in the middle of the ocean. See it for yourself in the trailer after the jump. Read more…

I published the cinematic intro for Sonic Unleashed a few hours ago, and I’m back with yet more Sonic video to feed your speed addiction — and by speed I mean running really fast. Anyway, here’s a look at some opening dialog between Sonic and Chip, the Hub World area, and the Windmill Isle level which was playable at TGS 08. Read more…

Sega is pulling out all the stops in their upcoming Sonic The Hedgehog next gen title. The Sonic Unleashed cinematic intro looks like it was directed by Michael Bay, packing more high speed chases, explosions, and special effects than Bad Boys, Transformers, and Armageddon combined. Alright, I might be exaggerating a little, but it looks really really good.

Don’t take my word for it — watch the video after the jump. Read more…

Sega has just sent us over two new trailers for their upcoming Sonic Unleashed title. The next-gen trailer showcases Sonic making his way through both day and night versions of Shamar, a sand filled backdrop, complete with ancient buildings and an Arabian beat.

Those concerned that the music may cause Sonic to suffer the same fate as Sackboy can rest easy. This Middle Eastern number is purely instrumental. No lyrics FTW!

In addition to the next-gen stage, the second trailer highlights two levels for the Wii titled Spagonia (openly influenced by European architecture) and Apatos (one feta cheese crumb away from being Greece).

Grab your tabbouleh and hit the jump for a look at all three stages. Read more…

Hedgehog by day - Werehog by night

E3 08 … the moment of truth. Would Sonic Unleashed suck? Well, if you are willing to have an open mind, and can toss aside your hardcore “sonic must run fast all the time” mentality, then the answer will be no, Sonic Unleashed will not suck.

First off, Sonic unleashed is scheduled for release in November of 2008 for the Wii, PS2, PS3, and 360 consoles, and as expected, the next gen versions will be different in terms of both content and game play mechanics.

The version we were granted access to at E3 was the 360 version. So the information below is in large part specific to the next gen version of the game. The code we viewed was an early version, and SEGA made it clear that lighting, camera, and AI was still being worked on.

That said, lets dig into some Sonic Unleashed details. Read more…

Not much to say at this point, but we recently received word that while Sonic Unleashed will not be playable, it will be present at this years E3 as a part of SEGA’s behind closed doors “invite only” access. Fortunately for you, we have been granted access to this event, and plan to report back to you as soon as it concludes.

On a personal note, I am very excited about the potential of Sonic Unleashed, and have been very impressed by what I have seen thus far. If you haven’t taken a look at any of the available footage for this game yet, check out the trailer below. I must issue a warning though, if you are anything like me, you will be whistling the tune from this video for hours — it’s that catchy. You have been warned. Read more…