Sonic Unleashed

[Emerald Emblem]

There are fewer levels in the Wii version and no hub world, also apparently Knuckles and Shadow don't appear in the Wii version while claims are that they do in the PS3 and 360 versions..

[D_prOdigy]

There are fewer levels in the Wii version and no hub world, also apparently Knuckles and Shadow don't appear in the Wii version while claims are that they do in the PS3 and 360 versions..

 

Every cloud...

[Ike]

How dare they remove Knuckles. Shadow I don't care about.

[James McGeachie]

As soon as i saw videos of the Werewolf in the Gametrailers, i started losing hope.

Then i decided that it wouldn't matter as long as there are Daytime Levels.

Then i found out that most of the levels are Nightime.

 

Fuck you, Sonic Team

 

It's not a case of "most" of the levels being nighttime, it's just the daytime levels last for minutes while the nighttime levels are slower and last much longer.

[Hellfire]

It's not a case of "most" of the levels being nighttime, it's just the daytime levels last for minutes while the nighttime levels are slower and last much longer.

Whichs ends up being the same as having less levels :P

[Zechs Merquise]

Well it's still early days with the reviews, but the word on the street is that it ain't great and the werehog stages are a bit rubbish, saying that it's getting higher scores on the Wii at the moment as apparently the hub world in the other versions is appalling!

[Hero-of-Time]

Well it's still early days with the reviews, but the word on the street is that it ain't great and the werehog stages are a bit rubbish, saying that it's getting higher scores on the Wii at the moment as apparently the hub world in the other versions is appalling!

 

The lack of hub in the Wii version is whats pulling me towards it rather than getting the 360 version. I care not for walking around trying to talk to random NPCs, I just want to get to the main levels of the game.

 

Here a few impressions regarding both versions from a G-Faqs user.

 

Since I've been indecisive on which version of Sonic Unleashed was the one to get, I decided to try both the Wii and XBOX 360 versions of the game. So far, from my initial impressions of the games, it still feels like a toss, because both versions seem to their ups and downs. Here are some of my thoughts on the subject if anyone's interested:

 

Well I tried the Wii version first, and my first impression of that version was...I was impressed. The intro cutscene really got me into it, and then the early running stage I felt was a blast, and I enjoyed myself throughly, finally feeling like Sonic had returned to some of his roots. On the Wii version, these parts are a blast, and feel real tight to control.

 

On the 360 version, it seems like the running parts are the downside so far. While they look great, and it's not nearly as bad as the Next gen sonic game from before, the controls just don't feel nearly as tight, and there are times that you can easily just run off a cliff without meaning to. I NEVER have had this problem on the Wii version so far.

 

Then there's the werehog stages, and while I wasn't gonna put em down right away, I can't deny that they're not really that fun. I play with the gamecube controller on the Wii version, and I felt that using that controller, these parts were pretty frustrating. Using the L & R buttons to attack feels really bad, and some of the basic mechanics feel frustrating to control. It seemed like everytime he's climbing a pole or something, you HAVE to hold on to X button all the time.

 

Then on the xbox 360 version of this game, while it's not perfect it's an improvement over the Wii version. You got your face buttons X and Y to attack, and they feel much more responsive. Grabbing on ledges and poles does not feel nearly as finicky as the Wii version. Basic platforming still seems to be a problem though in some parts, just like in the running parts of the game, you can easily miss a jump in the xbox 360 version, when I have not run into this problem at all on the Wii.

 

Now when it comes to presentation, playing the Wii version first, I had no complaints, and if all you're playing is the Wii version, you're probably going to be thrilled with this game. The cutscenes are mostly the same for both versions as far as I can see.

 

However, there are some differences. A major one I noticed, and is hard to ignore, is that early in the game on both versions, there is a cutscene where Tails is being surrounded by some monsters, in the Wii version, Werehog Sonic just shows up and saves him, but in the xbox 360 version, there's an entire level to go through, and a miniboss before you even save Tails. That is a big chunk of the game missing I'd say.

 

Better presentation in the xbox 360 in one part is something I don't think benefits the game that much. In both versions of the game, when you go to towns, you're supposed to go around and talk to town folk to find out information on where to go next. In the Wii version, you just select locations, and talk to static image NPCs and that's it. In the xbox 360 version, you actually roam around a 3d town, and talk to the actual NPCs standing there to get your information. But I found that this part of the game isn't that fun to begin with, so being able to just click through those parts on the Wii version, might actually make it better off. It's not exactly the highlight of the game, so i wouldn't wanna spend tons of time doing it.

 

Visually I think both games look great. Side by side, maybe not so much, but when I booted up the Wii version, I was pleased with the visuals. I suppose after playing the xbox 360 version, I can see where the Wii version cut some corners.

 

Anyway I just thought I'd share these impressions with you folks since I'm not sure if many of you will have a chance to play the other version.

[Ike]

Well it's still early days with the reviews, but the word on the street is that it ain't great and the werehog stages are a bit rubbish, saying that it's getting higher scores on the Wii at the moment as apparently the hub world in the other versions is appalling!

 

I thought it was getting pretty good reviews. IGN gave it (the Wii version) 7.2, Nintendo Power gave it 8. Seems to be getting 7 and 8's.

[Hero-of-Time]

GT review is up.

 

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/43199.html?type=mov

[Guest Captain Falcon]

Well I decided to get the Wii version since it was pretty cheap - just £24.99.

 

I may still get the 360 version, but I need to find out how big the difference in level design is - plus the price will probably drop like a stone after Christmas.

 

Initial impressions...

 

I've only played 2 Sonic levels so far and I'm not overly impressed. It's Sonic's momentum that's holding them back at the moment... though I probably will get use to it in time. Once he starts running, turning is difficult. You either can't turn enough regularly, or the drift is completely overkill - making subtle adjustments to improve you alignment to path isn't as simple as it should be either.

 

Graphically, it's not as good as SatSR from both a technical and artistic sense. The sense of speed is ok, again it's not up to SatSR, but the levels have been quite bland to facilitate this.

 

So whilst the sonic levels aren't as good as I hoped, the Werehog parts aren't as bad as I feared. Sure it's a mindless wagglefest (well button fest for me since I'm using the CC), but it's not completely dreadful.

 

And as for the levels, from what I've played, each continent has one running level which lasts a couple of minutes, and then you get to replay parts of that level for additional challenges that are generally pretty short.

 

The Werehog parts have you play 3 seperate levels in each location. And given that these levels can be twice or three times as long as a regular Sonic levels, I've spent a heck of a lot more time in his altered state.

 

The hub is completely pointless - reviews have likened it to padding, I call it cost cutting. It was probably cheaper to knock up some static backgrounds and text than to generate cutscenes to tell these parts of the story. Not that the story is worth telling.

[Hero-of-Time]

So after playing this for around 4 hours staright I can honestly say its a piece of.....WORK!

 

Ok, im just going to get this out of the way... I love the Werehog sections! Yes you heard me right infact I will say that I probably enjoy them more than the regular Sonic sections. Please hear me out

 

The regular Sonic sections are very fast with some great tunes, especially the ice stages but alot of the time I just dont feel like im in control of Sonic. In certain sections I could probably put down the pad ( using GC pad ) and Sonic would still make it halfway through the level. Also the controls are still a little twitchy when trying to turn around a corner.

 

When it comes to enemies there is a serious lack of them in the normal Sonic sections infact most of the emeies are there just so you can use them to get across long distances. This is probably due to the Werehog sections being so combat heavy so they just focused on the speed in the normal levels.

 

When playing as the Werehog once you get used to the button layout ( why use L and R for attacking? ) it becomes a addition to the game. These Werehog levels are obviously more slow paced but you do feel in control of what you are doing.

 

As for the game itself well as Captain Falcon said graphically Secret Rings looked better but its not horrible. I havent noticed any slowdown in the game and that is quite an achievemnt given how many enemies appear on screen when your a Werehog or how fast things are going when your Sonic. The music on the Sonic levels is pretty good with a few catchy tunes but the Werehog levels music is pretty bad

 

I have just got my 4th Chaos Emerald and seeing as there is only 7 I guess im halfway through the main story. If you go back to the various levels there are a bunch of challenges and extra things to do and unlock so it looks like there is plenty of replay value.

 

Despite my niggles with the normal Sonic levels this is still a great game that has brought Sonic back on track after the horrific Sonic the Hedgehog on the 360/PS3. I really dont understand how this got so many bad scores/reviews

[K-project]

GT review is up.

 

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/43199.html?type=mov

 

Have to say, I think this looks pretty good on the Wii. Looks to me as though some of the opinions I'm reading could be a bit harsh. I'm kinda glad of that though. Means I should be able to pick this up for a tenner before long!

 

Funny how all the reviews seem to be complaining about the Werehog stages, saying they get in the way of the running stages. I can only imagine that if there were no Werehog stages, they'd be complaining about the running stages! As it is, I reckon by the looks of things this could be one for serious fans of platform games, as both the running and the Werehog stages look good fun to me. We seem to be a dwindling people, but I adore platform games and I would buy this for a good price if I could.

 

Looking forward to hearing more opinions here of this.

[Retro_Link]

Funny how all the reviews seem to be complaining about the Werehog stages, saying they get in the way of the running stages. I can only imagine that if there were no Werehog stages, they'd be complaining about the running stages!

Though they could have used Tails and Knuckles inspired levels inbetween Sonics; there was no need for combat levels.

[K-project]

Maybe so, but I think the Werehog stages look pretty good, and the character itself looks fun to control. I'm not against the thing anyway.

[Guest Captain Falcon]

Well I'm a bit further in now.

 

Got to the Desert Sonic level and I got wondering... how come that level looks so good given the previous 4 weren't that special. It really is quite surprising just how big the difference seems - especially given the location doesn't give you much to play with.

 

Control him's getting easier as I get more familiar, but it's still not what it should be - I was hoping the control would be as tight as the Adventure games. Luckily the level design is proving not to require it - it's quite forgiving.

 

And the music is damn catchy.

 

Still gutted there's no Empire City though...

[Retro_Link]

Why the Werehog:

 

http://gonintendo.com/?p=64623

 

Why can’t we get a Sonic game with nothing but running?

Because Sonic runs too fast…

 

A snippet from an IGN Three Red Lights podcast, with David Clayman referencing a conversation he had with the Sonic Unleashed team…

 

“I asked one of the developers at TGS, you know I was like, come on everybody just wants Sonic running, like whats up with the werehog? And he was like, well, heres the deal… he runs at this miles per hour, kilometers per hour, and he laid out all of the statistics on how fast this hedgehog goes, and he was like In order to make a game where Sonic is running and everybody enjoys the whole thing we’d have to design this many miles of level, and it was some ungodly number. And he’s like and that would be like maybe a three hour game and I was like wow, well that kinda stinks and he’s like yeah, so we gotta do this other stuff.”

 

Hell, all the old games could be beaten in 3 hours or less, and they were awesome. I’ll take a 3 hour fantastic game over a 10 hour sub-par one.

[pedrocasilva]

Why the Werehog:

Werehog Unleashed.

[Ike]

Why the Werehog:

 

They did it in Secret Rings, so why not Unleashed?

[K-project]

http://gonintendo.com/?p=64623

 

Why can’t we get a Sonic game with nothing but running?

Because Sonic runs too fast…

 

A snippet from an IGN Three Red Lights podcast, with David Clayman referencing a conversation he had with the Sonic Unleashed team…

 

“I asked one of the developers at TGS, you know I was like, come on everybody just wants Sonic running, like whats up with the werehog? And he was like, well, heres the deal… he runs at this miles per hour, kilometers per hour, and he laid out all of the statistics on how fast this hedgehog goes, and he was like In order to make a game where Sonic is running and everybody enjoys the whole thing we’d have to design this many miles of level, and it was some ungodly number. And he’s like and that would be like maybe a three hour game and I was like wow, well that kinda stinks and he’s like yeah, so we gotta do this other stuff.â€

 

Hell, all the old games could be beaten in 3 hours or less, and they were awesome. I’ll take a 3 hour fantastic game over a 10 hour sub-par one.

 

And I'm like woah! And he's like, so what? So we like, thought about buying this game and so, like, y'know, like didn't, because it's not what we wanted y'know? So he's like, gutted, because like....(ad infinitum)

 

Sheesh. Do people really talk like this?

[Retro_Link]

And I'm like woah! And he's like, so what? So we like, thought about buying this game and so, like, y'know, like didn't, because it's not what we wanted y'know? So he's like, gutted, because like....(ad infinitum)

 

Sheesh. Do people really talk like this?

haha yeah I know it's rediculous!

 

Personally that excuse is a load of crap to some extent, because they could make a fantastic game by designed an awesome level, and then having different routes through it for Sonic, Tails and Knuckles.

Sonic runs and grinds, Tails has flight paths and Knuckles climbs, glides, digs and punches his way through a level.

 

They could change the gameplay by having Sonics level as they are now. Tails' could be a race [like they are in Sonic Adventure] where you have to hit all the shortcuts to win. And Knuckles could have to deviate off the paths slightly to hunt out say 3 emeralds in each level.

[RossK]

well im still hoping to get it for christmas

and by the way

in GAME its 14.99 until december 4th!

[Ganepark32]

^ really? On the Wii? Damn..... what to do. I want to get Fable 2 for £20 but if this is £15 on the Wii then I don't know what to do. I can really only afford 1 otherwise my parents and nephew will have to go without pressies this xmas and I can't do that.

[ReZourceman]

in GAME its 14.99 until december 4th!

 

When you trade in......?

[James McGeachie]

I've been reading opinions of Sonic fans from another forum and apparently (despite review scores) the Wii version of this game is worse than the 360 one after all in most of their eyes. It seems like the issues with the Sonic levels on the 360 are the stuff that fans of the 3D game are already able to tolerate easily, where as the issues with the Wii version is that the Sonic levels are shorter and the werewolf levels are longer (and more of them).

[dazzybee]

A couple of my friends have played both versions, and both of them say the Wii version is better...just. They say the 360 version is a bit of a choppy, dog. The Wii version is at least fun....ish!!