SEGA had previously stated that the ideas behind the new Sonic games are supposed to be consistent across all consoles, even though the actual level designs will vary significantly. Today at Tokyo Game Show we had a chance to play the Wii version as both Sonic and his nighttime alter ego, the werehog.
Our first session was with the werewolf version of the blue speed demon which is much more of a slow, combat heavy experience. Players move Sonic with the analog stick but engage in combat by swinging the wiimote to punch and grab at enemies. Other motion-sensitive controls pop up when Sonic must use brute force to open a gate or smash an obstacle. The gameplay isn't drastically different from what you'd expect in a Sonic game -- it just moves a lot slower.
In our second play session, we got down to business with some old-fashioned running. The level we experienced resembled an old European town with long brick streets lined with cafes. It played similarly to the PS3 and 360 versions of the game only with less graphical detail and a bit more emphasis on straight-aways and long, arcing turns. There were some nice animations on display when Sonic took a tight turn and shot sparks out of his shoes, or when he collided with a wall and flattened himself for a split second.
Players still initiate the dash attack by flicking the controller forward, which will be familiar to anyone who played Sonic and the Secret Rings. So far, this adventure looks to be a more pure Sonic experience than we've seen in years and that can only mean good things.
10-25-2008, 01:24 PM
Sonic Unleashed (Wii)
Linear Mode
