Let’s go back in time to 2008. Sonic was not in a good place. Some spin-off games like the Mario & Sonic and Sonic Rush series were great, but the mainline releases were not up to par. Releasing either broken at launch, like the much-maligned Sonic the Hedgehog 2006, having major issues, like Sonic & The Secret Rings, or even known quantities like Bioware phoning it in with Sonic Chronicles, it was hard to be a fan during this time.
However, SEGA and Sonic Team were quietly cooking a proper next-generation effort for the franchise. That release was Sonic Unleashed. Taking elements from Sonic Rush and Sonic & The Secret Rings but applying lessons learned from releases like Sonic Adventure 2, we received a Sonic game that screamed ambition. But did Sonic Unleashed blaze a clear trail for the Blue Blur to speed across for releases like Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations? Or did Sonic leave some skid marks on the ground, exploring a new possibility?
Premise
The game begins with an impressive CGI cut-scene, with Eggman having an army of ships flying in space. Sonic effortlessly lands on one of the ships, boosting and stylishly getting through Eggman’s forces. The good doctor then takes matters into his own hands, piloting one of his mechs to capture Sonic.
But he turns into Super Sonic when things look rough for the Blue Blur. With the power of the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic destroys all of Eggman’s ships. But things quickly take a turn when Eggman catches Sonic off guard and absorbs the power from the Chaos Emeralds.
Shooting a beam of dark energy into the Earth, it splits apart and summons Dark Gaia, a monster deep within the Earth’s core. But doing this causes Sonic to change into a new form, the Werehog. Eggman sends the surprised Sonic to Earth with the now-drained Chaos Emeralds in tow.
Waking up after his cosmic fall, Sonic meets a new friend, and the duo races to restore the now ravaged Earth.
The Emotional Story of Sonic Unleashed
While the overall narrative of Sonic Unleashed isn’t anything groundbreaking, it is an enjoyable tale that puts Sonic in a unique situation. Not only does he have to save the day, like he usually does, but he also needs to master his newfound Werehog form.
Turning into the beast at night, Sonic takes on a new appearance and loses his trademark speed, trading it for raw strength and stretchy arms. NPCs sometimes call out Sonic’s more intimidating form, and even his life-long friends are taken aback by it.
One of my favorite scenes in the game involves Amy Rose, Sonic’s love interest who was introduced in Sonic CD. Usually, the pink hedgehog ‘knows’ where Sonic is. But bumping into him in his Werehog form, she didn’t recognize him. And to everyone’s surprise, Sonic is bumed out by this.
Sonic feels genuinely hurt that one of his life-long friends doesn’t know him, and the person who deeply admires him can’t see past his new, darker form. He even shows shame when he saves her from some Dark Gaia monsters later on, running way before she could see him. It’s a touching moment, giving additional depth to a side of Sonic that I never considered.
Sonic’s Friendship with Chip
Meeting this little flying imp-creature upon crashing into the Earth, Sonic travels the globe with Chip to restore his memory and the Earth itself.
Initially, the little imp annoyed me. His grating voice and somewhat cheesy dialog didn’t help matters. But his interactions with Sonic are so wholesome. From little moments during cutscenes where he acts like a Looney Tunes character in the background to commenting on various items and food Sonic collects in the Hub areas, the little guy is a great companion to Sonic.
In addition, his deeper connection to the overall narrative of Sonic restoring the Earth has some solid payoff when the game concludes. As someone who’s played all the games in the series, Chip’s final moments with Sonic had an impact that separates Sonic Unleashed from other games in the series.
A World Adventure – NPC Interactions in the Hubs
While Sonic has great moments with Chip, Amy, and Tails, he encounters many other people across his world adventure. Across the seven continents, there are small HUB areas Sonic and Chip can visit. The areas are authentic to the real-world locations they are based on, with each NPC having unique dialogue with Sonic.
It’s not much, admittedly, but it gives life to the world. Running around these areas, you see NPCs enjoying food or talking to one another. Even if you can’t interact with everyone, it makes the world of Sonic Unleashed feel lived-in. The last time I felt that way about a Sonic release was Sonic Adventure, where Sonic and friends could explore hub areas connecting to the game’s action stages.
Sonic Team took that concept from Sonic Adventure and reached its logical conclusion, resulting in fun little areas that help break up the daytime high-speed platforming and nighttime rumbles.
Gameplay of Sonic Unleashed
Mirroring prior titles in the series, Sonic Unleashed has different gameplay styles depending on the time of day. And just like that title, each style is unique.
Gotta Go Fast – Day Gameplay
Leveraging the power of PS3 and Xbox 360, Sonic Team adapts mechanics from Sonic Rush and Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) into the style we know today, as the ‘Boost Formula. ‘
Creating levels that stretch miles long, Sonic speeds through everything in his path, skillfully moving through obstacles while keeping the pace going. To accomplish this, Sonic got some new abilities. Taking the move from the DS series Sonic Rush, Sonic can run at insane speeds, boost through foes, and break objects. In addition, he can jump across walls, stomp when in the air, and drift around corners.
Chaining all these moves together, alongside others like the Quick Step and the returning Light Speed Dash, Sonic feels powerful to play as. When you master a level, using all of Sonic’s abilities without a second thought, it’s a magical experience.
My favorite example of this is the late-game level Jungle Joyride. It throws everything at the player, with Sonic narrowly quick-stepping across a tight dock, with the level gradually revealing a dense jungle to speed through. Then, Sonic must boost over a body of water, a bottomless pit. Sonic must drift and narrowly jump over falling pillars, all while you are worrying about running out of Boost Meter, which is the sole reason Sonic isn’t sinking to the bottom of the water.
The level demands you pay attention, and mastering it took a long time for me. Every day level in Sonic Unleashed is built like this, encouraging players to learn and master its mechanics to get the best times and those elusive S-Ranks.
Tightening the Shoelaces – Issues with the Day Level Gameplay
While the day levels offer some of the best 3D Sonic gameplay in the series, they aren’t perfect. One key issue is the homing attack, with the ability being mapped to the same button as your boost ability. So, when Sonic is in the air, the Blue Blur boosts through the air if there is no target.
This becomes a problem when over bottomless pits and not hitting the X/Square button in time could cause Sonic to boost right past his target. I overcame the learning curve, and the game was built with this control scheme in mind. Even then, though, this can be a minor annoyance.
In addition, Sonic’s ‘heft’ to his movement makes him feel less like a platforming character and more like a race car. This feeling is empathized when utilizing his drift ability. Using the ability while boosting, Sonic could easily fly off platforms. And even when not using the Boost ability, the timing of when you trigger a drift makes or breaks it.
Thankfully, later Boost games like Sonic Generations, addressed these issues.
Lastly, frequent Quick Time events break up big moments throughout the Day Levels. They can be fantastic to nail, but later on, they require longer button chains. This can be tricky to react to in time since they are randomized.
Out of the Way Bub – Night Gameplay
While Sonic boosts during the day, the night unlocks a new form, trading in his speed of sound for a new set of abilities.
Playing not unlike the PS2/PS3 era God of War titles, Sonic punches and slashes his way through the nighttime. He can still jump, with his movement options opening up with stretchy arms. When pressing the B/Circle Button, Sonic can grab onto targeted objects and yellow-colored poles/ledges.
Sonic could pull himself up these platforms, swing across them, and even pick up objects to throw at his foes. The actual platforming with the Werehog, once you get a feel for his slower movement, feels fantastic. Stages that originally took me 30 minutes to an hour to complete now take me 20 or less, all from mastering his movement options.
The game doesn’t tell you everything either, with one example being the grapple jump. You could press the grab button near a ledge and latch on to it. Or you could hold the button down and release it at the right time, turning Sonic into a ball and maintaining his momentum.
The only negative for his platforming is the lack of a drop shadow, which can make-or-break jumps over smaller platforms.
I’m Coming Through! – Werehog Combat System
While platforming is still a key aspect for Sonic’s Werehog form, levels are frequently broken up by encounters with Eggman’s robots and Dark Gaia monsters. Sonic can attack by mixing sweeping hits (light attacks) or punches (heavy attacks). He can combine them into various combos and even launch his foes into the air.
Once you unlock all his abilities, Sonic the Werehog is a genuine powerhouse. Pulling off some punches, cartwheeling into a finishing blow, and then charging up a spin attack that hits everyone knocked over feels great. And that’s one set of combos he could pull off.
Deeper mechanics are also present, such as a block that can cancel out most combos and a dodge that circles foes when blocking.
Overall, I quite enjoy the Werehog’s combat system, considering it’s Sonic Team’s first successful attempt at bringing a proper combat system into the franchise. No other game in the series attempted a combat system until 2022’s Sonic Frontiers, approaching things quite differently.
Damn Not Here… – Werehog Combat Issues
However, the Werehog’s combat has minor issues that can become frustrating. One is how electricity and fire can affect Sonic.
When robots using electric batons hit Sonic, it interrupts whatever move he pulls off. Being lit aflame causes Sonic to gradually lose health over time, and pulling off combos becomes more difficult. By using Sonic’s ‘Unleash’ meter, he can negate some of the effects of both elements. But when surrounded by many enemies in late-game Werehog levels and post-game DLC levels, these can become frustrating pace breakers.
Another issue that the Werehog has to deal with during battles against big Dark Gaia monsters. They can perform shock-wave attacks, with them knocking Sonic off his feet. You have to mash the A/X button to get back up, and while you are invincible until you get back up, it can cause issues. This is somewhat avoidable with a careful block and jump, but it can be a problem in levels containing bottomless pits.
Design/Progression of Sonic Unleashed
Accessing new levels for Sonic to explore involves finding a set of Gaia Keys, spread across seven zones, each split across Day (Sonic) and Night (Werehog) acts.
Every level has Sonic collect the Gaia Key or find the Goal Ring. However, the main collectibles are Sun & Moon Metals. Think Power Stars from Mario 64 or Power Cells in Jak & Daxter. While most are in plain sight, a fair number of the collectibles involve exploring.
In a slower-paced platformer, this is a non-issue. However, for a Sonic game, this collectible can become a headache for players eager to see the next Day level. More so, considering the bulk of Sun & Moon Metals are found within the Night stages, which are slower-paced and encourage exploring every area.
To Sonic Unleashed’s credit, many shortcuts in the Day levels contain the Sun/Moon Metals, helping new players find additional routes to secure that elusive S-Rank.
This specific issue stems from how much you enjoy the Night levels. If you enjoy the Night levels or don’t mind going a little slower on the first run-throughs, then progression is a nonissue. During my latest playthrough, I never had to revisit levels to hit the Metal requirement for stage access, with my playthrough on Series X only having me revisit a stage once or twice.
But I enjoy the Night levels. If you don’t, then these become major pace-breakers.
A Knight of the Wind – RPG Elements
While Sun & Moon Metals are the core collectables, Sonic also collects experience points. Earned from eating food purchased in the hub cities and defeating enemies as both Sonic and the Werehog, they can help the Blue Blur get faster and stronger.
Sonic’s normal form only lets you upgrade his speed and ring energy meter (boost), but his Werehog form has multiple things to consider. Combat skills to learn new abilities, strength to boost attack power, life, and unleash meter extensions, and even additional shields.
I recommend upgrading the Werehog’s strength and combat first, then the others second. But you earn more than enough experience through fights throughout his levels. Buying endless Chili Dogs isn’t a bad option either, with each offering 30 experience points.
While these are limited, similar to the Classic God of War games and other beat ’em ups of the 2000s, having options like these gives depth to Sonic’s moveset. His speedy self isn’t completely left out of the fun, with shoe upgrades giving him the Stomp, Light Speed Dash, and Air Boost, found in the stage entrances.
Audio
A critical aspect of any enjoyable Sonic experience is effective audio. Every game in the series stands out with its unique style and approach, helping games like Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic CD remain iconic. Sonic Unleashed is no different, with three ‘styles’ of creating the audio world of the title.
Hub World Themes
Every major location in Sonic Unleashed features a hub world that Sonic and Chip explore, each based on a specific location on Earth. Starting with the Greece-inspired Apotos and ending with the beautiful eastern jungles of Adabat, the music in each location creates a chill vibe.
The Apotos Day track screams ‘bright sunny day’, complemented by the Sonic-esque guitar strums. The Apotos Night track is a calmer version of its Day counterpart. The softer instruments take the lead, as if Sonic is enjoying a midnight stroll.
Day & Night Level Music
When things kick into high-gear, Sonic’s Day levels offer some of the greatest music in the entire series. Like Sonic the Hedgehog 2006, Sonic Unleashed combines the series’ iconic Dreamcast-era guitars and rock with increased instrument variety, creating powerful melodies.
My personal favorite has to be Jungle Joyride Day. The track has an insane build-up and this feeling of running alongside you, overcoming the same bottomless oceans and dense forests at the insane pace on display.
But when Sonic takes on his Werehog form, the music changes. The high-speed melodies and ‘lets go!’ vibes are changed into more low-key tracks that lean on strong emotions and additional instrument variety.
The best showcase of this is Jungle Joyride Night, with the level offering some of the greatest music in the series. A powerful bell-chime beat begins the track, with soulful violin dancing alongside piano solos. It puts the Werehog on a journey, fighting through one of his last challenges before confronting the game’s climax.
As much as I love the Night Stage music, it has one crippling issue that drags things down, that being the Night Level Battle music. Every time Sonic encounters a group of enemies, this jazzy battle theme plays on an endless loop before the fight concludes.
There is no option to turn the battle theme off in the options in the 360/PS3 version. So it takes away from the amazing music the Night Levels offer.
Presentation
Releasing in 2008, Sonic Unleashed stood tall amongst other games of that era. Utilizing SEGA’s in-house Hedgehog Engine, Sonic Team used baked Global Illumination and other impressive features.
The result is adapting the realistic art direction they tried using in Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 and stylizing it into something that wouldn’t be out of place in a Pixar film. Every location has amazing colors, lighting, and variety, really selling the ‘world adventure’ aspect of the experience.
Sonic has also never looked better. With impressive detail on his character model and having the smoothest animation work in the series up to that point, Sonic looks amazing in Unleashed. His Werehog form matches this, using effective fur-tech and great use of squash-and-strech animation to sell his newfound strength.
There is a cost to these impressive visuals, however.
Performance
Sonic Unleashed pushed the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 to their limits in 2008, with the game running at just below 720p and struggling to hit its 30 FPS target on both platforms. Sometimes, the PS3 version did run better, but the trade-off was that performance during the Night Stages was abysmal. This was because of the Werehog’s impressive fur texture.
This has a profound negative impact on the overall experience. Jumps that otherwise could’ve been simple or a good Werehog Combo could be completely fumbled, all due to heavy frame-rate drop. Early levels in the game mostly hit its 30 FPS target, but levels like Jungle Joyride and Eggmanland could hit 20 FPS or lower at points.
That hits unplayable territory, specifically for a game like Sonic, which requires fast inputs and minimal lag.
The X-Factor – Sonic Unleashed on Xbox Series X|S
The 360 version of Sonic Unleashed was one of the few Xbox 360 games to receive FPS Boost, meaning the 30 FPS cap was removed and replaced with a stable 60 FPS.
While the game still runs at just below 720p, the heightened performance offers a significantly more positive experience. Levels that struggled on the original Xbox 360 now fly by with little issue. The same goes for loading screens, which are faster across the board. Even the Auto HDR support helps clean up the image quality.
The PC – Unleashed Recompiled
My most recent playthrough used this version of Sonic Unleashed. Created in under six months, this Recompliation takes the original Xbox 360 version of the game and translates that code into something modern hardware can understand.
This was unleashed, pun intended, across a wide range of hardware. The Recomp offers major quality-of-life fixes to the experience, including settings expected of PC releases (resolution and unlocked frame rate options), the option to turn off the Werehog Battle theme, and even mapping the homing attack back to the A/X button.
You can learn more about the Recomp here, which offers a great guide on how to get it up and running on your PC. It even works well on the Steam Deck.
Playing the game this way, I experienced Sonic Unleashed at native resolution (1600p) on my display, with everything maxed out and my frame rate cap being 120 FPS. I was stunned at how well my laptop handled it.
Closing Thoughts on Sonic Unleashed
Ushering in a new era for the franchise, Sonic Unleashed had a lot on its shoulders. Needing to create a new formula for future titles, all the while offering the same grand adventures people expected from the series following the Adventure titles, wasn’t easy. More so with the ghost of Sonic 06 haunting you at every turn.
Sonic Team did it, creating an ambitious new adventure for Sonic that stands proudly alongside other games in the series. Pacing issues, performance woes, and growing pains for both gameplay styles can’t stop Sonic from finding endless possibilities.
This game was reviewed across Xbox Series X and PC using my digital copy of the game.
Score – 8 out of 10
Pros:
- Fantastic presentation
- Amazing soundtrack
- Enjoyable gameplay for both Sonic and his Werehog form
- The story offers great character moments
- Performance on Series X & PC are smooth as butter
Cons:
- Performance on native Xbox 360/PS3 hardware is subpar
- Progression issues can mess up the overall pacing
- Issues for both Day and Night levels could cause minor frustrations
- The Werehog’s Battle theme takes away from the otherwise amazing Night Level themes
