PS3 Fanboy

Hedgehog by day ... Werehog by night. Are you ready for Sonic's latest foray into 3D platforming?

If for some reason you're waiting for the PS3 version of Sonic Unleashed, be prepared to wait a bit longer. The PS2 and Wii versions of the game will be available tomorrow as planned. However, the Xbox 360 and PS3 version have been delayed. The 360 version of Unleashed will be available next week -- but the PS3 version is inexplicably delayed to December. We're not sure for the reasons behind the delay, but we doubt anyone is truly crushed by a few weeks of wait for the hedgehog's upcoming game.

[Via Joystiq]

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Remember when people were cautiously optimistic about Sonic Unleashed? Finally, we thought: a return to Sonic's 2D roots. None of this crazy mascot 3D nonsense! Well, looks like Sonic Team is up to their old (not not so old) ways: this new trailer for Sonic Unleashed includes tons of 3D platforming sections, brawling areas (with combo meter) and almost zero 2D gameplay. Are you still excited for this?

Sonic has had a hard time since he discovered the third dimension. Not only is he now chubbier, but his adventures in 3D-land have been met with lukewarm reception. The general consensus is that the last great Sonic game was on the Mega Drive. With Sonic Unleashed Sega are hoping to reinvigorate the franchise with a focus on speed and platforming, as well as evolving the character (literally) into something unique.

The first thing you notice about Unleashed is that it's very pretty. Even with rough shadows and unfinished lighting physics, the game looks gorgeous. It looks like it might also play quite nicely, depending on controls. There are two different styles of gameplay in Unleashed which, together, could satisfy most Sonic fans.

For a lot of people the name Sonic is synonymous with "speed," and the day-time missions in Unleashed reflect this. The first level seemed simple enough -- hold the analogue stick in the right direction and watch Sonic go, making sure to jump in time. Obviously, this won't be true throughout the game, later levels will feature more precise platforming sections and less non-stop running. There are also different routes to take throughout the levels, which require a specific button combination press in order to reach.

For the first time, we get to see just exactly what happens when Sonic turns into his Werehog form in Sonic Unleashed. The blazing blue hero undergoes quite a transformation, not only physically, but also control/gameplay-wise. It seems platforming and combat are the strong points here, while Sonic's regular form will focus on speed. It's nice to finally see what the other half of Sonic Unleashed will look like. If you missed yesterday's interview on Joystiq, with US producer Patrick Riley, we suggest you check it out for more details on Sonic's Werehog form, nighttime stages, and more.

An interview on Joystiq unveiled many juicy tidbits about the upcoming Sonic console game known as Sonic Unleashed. A number of new revelations have been mentioned, including that the game will also take players to China and Africa in addition to revealed stages Greece and "Europe." There will only be one other playable character which is used briefly for short sections (like mini-games) as the game is played for "99% Sonic in his two forms" (regular and Werehog).

The most striking details come from the day and night gameplay. Nighttime stages, the time when Sonic transforms into a Werehog, will appear in some stages as both real-time day-to-night changes and also fixed night or day stages. One last tasty morsel is info on a demo: "Yes, the current plan is to release a playable demo shortly before or right around release." There's a lot more info to read up on at the Joystiq interview so go read it up!

We are unsure what message this COPS-style video is trying to convey, but it sounds like Sega is pleading with gamers to give the blue hedgehog yet another chance. Unlike the previous trailer, this Sonic Unleashed teaser features no gameplay footage and a more serious tone. The voice-over tells us a creature with blue hair and seemingly the shape of Sonic has been attacking (or at least waking up) unsuspecting citizens from all over the world, complete with an exact time and date. Is this Sonic gone evil? Is it Scourge? Is it Shadow? We'll find out more at E3 next week.

[Via 1UP]

This new Sonic Unleashed gameplay trailer looks... awesome. It has all the makings of a 90s great Sonic game -- speed, color and more speed. The stage design is classic Sonic and the visuals look gorgeous. Can this be the Sonic game to revitalize the aging franchise? After the glitches and control problems with Sega's last attempt on the PS3, did we run out of optimism for the beloved blue video game icon? We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Hey folks, we've got new images of LittleBigSonic Sonic Unleashed! Pardon the little joke there; it's just funny that every time we see this game (or at least see it at a side view) it reminds us of that world-creation sim by Media Molecule. Perhaps it's the bright and vibrant atmosphere that gives us this impression. Or, maybe it's the image of a tiny Sonic avatar navigating around such gigantic levels.

Whatever it is that makes us think this way, the association is nevertheless a positive one. We're definitely keeping both titles on our radar for good reason. Sonic's a bit tougher to keep watch on though ... he's just too fast. Har har har. Just check out the gallery already.

Kind of strange to have a teaser trailer after gameplay footage was leaked to the 'net, but oh well. Here you see Sonic frothing at the mouth (we would assume) and tossing a ring into the air ... and then smashing it into the ground with his inner furry. Not fury. Furry. He gets hairy. It's weird, but we'll probably get more details as the game gets closer to release.

Sonic Unleashed was accidentally ... unleashed to the gaming world, and videos and screenshots from Sonic's upcoming outing spread through the internet like wildfire. Well, Sega's finally admitting that Unleashed is real, and it's coming to PS3 (and Xbox 360, Wii and PS2).

The world has apparently been shattered into pieces by Dr. Eggman, and once again, Sonic must save the day. A new night and day system will have the hedgehog take on a new menacing form -- one that could also consume Sonic.

Classic 2D gameplay will be integrated into a dynamic 3D world, courtesy of blast processing Sega's new "Hedgehog Engine." Once again, we're all praying that this might be the first decent not-horrible Sonic game in ages. It'll be readied for the holiday season this year. Check out the trailer, after the cut.

There has been quite a lot of talk recently about leaked screenshots of Sonic Unleashed, a newly trademarked Sonic game possibly for the PS3 and Xbox 360. While the rumored leak was met with initial skepticism regarding the authenticity of the screenshots (probably due to early April fool's jitters), the high-res screens certainly looked real enough to cause debate and confusion. If those high quality pics weren't enough to convince non-believers, then perhaps this gameplay video from SEGA ON will do the trick.

In the video, we see Sonic race through a sandstone town and a jungle-like area. Both places have been seen previously in the leaked screens. As far as we can tell, the level design is looking good, and this might mean that we could be seeing a worthy current-gen Sonic game. That is, if it is real ... and most of all, coming to the PS3. We're crossing our fingers on both accounts.

[Thanks Andy!]