Sonic Unleashed?

[Opa-Opa]

I hate the fact that every other single game that I play is way more polished than any recent Sonic game. I was playing Sonic 06 today and it's awful. It's like a broken beta version of Sonic Adventure. If someone toned down the graphics and showed it to me in a normal tv screen I'd ask if that was a broken version of Emerald Coast.

[Esrever]

I still think there is something a bit fruity about all this.

If it's for Wii, why is it in HD? And if it's for Xbox/PS3... shouldn't it look BETTER than this? What's with the super low poly environments and low res textures? On a strictly technical level it looks even worse than Sonic 2006... save of course for staggeringly perfect antialiasing. I mean seriously, from this to this? Really? And then of course there's the video, which is nothing like a game trailer at all... with the first half consisting of nothing but environment shots, and the second half featuring some totally-unplayable looking gameplay of a weirdly-animated Sonic tearing through nearly-empty stages at seemingly random camera angles. (And no logo, no system information...)

I know, I know, there's a billion screens and even a video to boot... but is there anyone else out there who still has trouble looking at this thing and believing it's an actual real game? It seems like way too much work for a hoax, but I don't know... maybe it was some kind of proof-of-concept put together by another studio, or something made strictly for internal use, or something like that? Because the claim (I think) is that it's PR material that leaked early, and it looks nothing like PR material at all. It's just weird stuff that arrived on the internet in a kind of bizarre (and totally unconfirmed) way.

[Cuckooguy]

Currently I believe it's an April Fool's joke.

I could be totally wrong, but it's currently what I believe.

[Opa-Opa]

I'd take this over this at any time. The graphics from this new screenshots may be low-poly, but at least they are beautiful.

Frankly, after playing a bit of the beach level from Sonic 2006 and realizing he didn't leave any footprints in the sand I began to ask myself what's with all this talk about "next-gen". Doesn't seem very "next-gen" to me not doing something the Dreamcast could do so well.

But I know what you mean. If this so-called "trailer" hadn't been briefly published on Gametrailers I would have much higher doubts about this. But lately, every Sonic Team rumor ends up being true, so I maybe we should expect all this (and I mean ALL, Werewolves included) to be true.

My vote goes to a giant lizard. Those seemed to work on SA1 and 2.

[Dasher]

Yeah, and the screenshots of this new lizard are included, and its uglier than the others.

[Frieza2000]

It seems like way too much work for a hoax, but I don't know... maybe it was some kind of proof-of-concept put together by another studio, or something made strictly for internal use, or something like that? Because the claim (I think) is that it's PR material that leaked early, and it looks nothing like PR material at all.

I might be more suspicious but for the "Coming Soon..." at the end. That suggests that it was intended for the public; it would be strange to include in an internal demo.

High-res werewolf shot

[G.Silver]

Since the PR stuff was supposedly going to magazines we'll probably know in less than a month, if it turns up in print then it's probably legit.

I'm thinking the video is meant to show off what the game will actually be like, even if it does look unplayable. It's still more "informative" than most trailers, where the mishmash of FMV and extreme gameplay closeups have little bearing on what the game plays like.

[(...)]

It seems like way too much work for a hoax, but I don't know... maybe it was some kind of proof-of-concept put together by another studio, or something made strictly for internal use, or something like that?

You do all realise that this is viral marketing, right?

"Oh noes! I've accidentally left all these high-res screenshots and this unusually polished early trailer on a public server with a really obviously-named web address. I hope no one finds it and plasters it all over the Internet!"

Normally, no one would give a damn about another Sonic game, but by "leaking" the information, suddenly all the game sites are writing about it.

[FlashTHD]

Ohhh, that sure explains Sega filing copyright infringement claims to Youtube to scrub the trailer off of there!

[Locit]

I'm thinking the video is meant to show off what the game will actually be like, even if it does look unplayable. It's still more "informative" than most trailers, where the mishmash of FMV and extreme gameplay closeups have little bearing on what the game plays like.

I can't help but wonder if the trailer wasn't made explicitly to show to games journalists that might be covering the game in its early stages. "we saw it in action," they could say. Still, I'm of the mind that it was an intentional leak meant to let everyone know that someone is working on the game and to help frame its eventual official reveal- probably at E3.

[Zeta]

I think everyone crediting complex schemes to Sega is looking for geniuses in a henhouse. They really are that stupid.

[RocketPunch]

You do all realise that this is viral marketing, right?

"Oh noes! I've accidentally left all these high-res screenshots and this unusually polished early trailer on a public server with a really obviously-named web address. I hope no one finds it and plasters it all over the Internet!"

Normally, no one would give a damn about another Sonic game, but by "leaking" the information, suddenly all the game sites are writing about it.

You're probably right, but we're talking about a company that, in recent years, couldn't market its way out of a paper bag.

[Isuka]

I don't think screenshots like the ones shown so far (or even worse, that trailer of sorts) are prone to ignite instant hype or anything like that so as to justify that kind of media exposition.
If it was, in fact, a suspicious yet at the same time kind of convincing attempt at viral marketing, that would mean that SEGA has some faith in the game being successful... or maybe that it's so god-awful and flawed, they must do this so to spice its release up.

Anyone wants some pizza?

[FlashTHD]

Anyone wants some pizza?

As long as it ain't Domino's, fetch it like quick.

[Opa-Opa]

How about some of those tiny hotdogs we see at kids' parties?

Meanwhile, I've been playing Sonic '06. I'm thinking about writing all my thoughts as I go by, then we can all compare notes! =)

[K2J]

Meanwhile, I've been playing Sonic '06. I'm thinking about writing all my thoughts as I go by, then we can all compare notes! =)

I don't think my mind can comprehend that amount of profanity.

[Radrappy]

How about some of those tiny hotdogs we see at kids' parties?

I don't think you're supposed to eat those. . .

[Opa-Opa]

I don't think I would be able to say so much profanity in one post if I wanted to.

[cjmcray]

I was actually looking forward to this game at first. The idea of Sonic turning into a werewolf seemed kinda interesting, and a bit of a change from the recent 'evil apocalyptic monster wants to use all 7 Emeralds destroy the universe and the very fabric of time!' storylines. It gave off the impression it would be a light whimsical game that didnt try to be so melodramatic. Made me think of Rush Adventure and that EggPirate.

But then I came across a screenshot of this game, featuring yet another giant monster.

Fuck it.

It's a silly reason to lose hope in a game, but this is the same kind of shit we've been seeing in Sonic games for years, (Chaos, Biolizard, Iblis, Metal Overlord, Black Doom, Babylon Genie, Erazor Djinn) so forgive me if i'm not terribly optimistic about this.

[DackAttac]

I think the worst part about it is that a monster gives you the opportunity to let your imagination run wild, but Sonic's final boss beasts of burden are starting to get a little same-y. The key to adrenaline in a boss fight like that isn't size and big teeth and beady eyes. It's the "oh my God, what the hell is that?" factor. And, really, they've recently been looking more and more like Chaos recolors.

[Arcade]

I hope they give Super Sonic Boss battle a twist, like having only 30 seconds to beat the Boss and Eggman/Robotnik robot getting stronger every second (After getting tired of Super, Eggman designed a device that sucks Super power, so you only have 30 seconds to beat the Boss or you die). It would be cool to have some a battle after the Super one, like facing a trashed version of the Super Sonic Boss battle, only as Sonic, and you can only get 3 rings in the hard mode... and no rings at all in “Insane” mode..

[Shadow Hog]

I say we ditch all these silly ideas and just make the final boss Giygas.

You cannot grasp the true form of its attacks.

[P.P.A.]

My prediction is that in the obligatory Last Story, Weresonic will go totally insane (possibly fight against Knuckles or Shadow), which then causes Dr. Robotnik to activate a device that splits Weresonic and normal Sonic. Weresonic grabs the Chaos Emeralds Sonic collected so nicely throughout the game and transforms into that dragon beast thing from the screenshots. Then Sonic goes Super and they battle in space while the game's theme song plays. So unoriginal I bet it will happen. :(

[Yami CJMErl]

I say we ditch all these silly ideas and just make the final boss Giygas.

You cannot grasp the true form of its attacks.

This would be too awesome for words. Shame it has about as good a chance of happening as EarthBound Zero and/or 2 going outside Japan.

[Gaz]

Well, for what it's worth it seems Sonic Unleashed is offcially confirmed now.

One slightly interesting thing to note is that there's going to be a PS2 version as well as 360, Wii and PS3.

Edit: Proper trailer.

Not hugely different to the leaked one but seems to include some new footage.