PlayStation 2

Sonic Unleashed

Sonic Unleashed is half great game and half tedious gimmick. The daytime levels will amaze you for they harken back to the 2D classics and are positively overrun with raw speed, zigzagging pathways, loop- de-loops and more, all of it complemented by responsive controls and good technology. As far as I'm concerned, these stages are so well crafted, in fact, that die-hard Hedgehog fans can probably justify purchasing the title for the sunlit selection alone. Just resign yourself to trudging through the nighttime stages as penance for the daylight ones. Come on -- if you're a Sonic fan, you should be used to sacrifice and suffering by now, anyway.

Plenty of fan service and unlockable goodies offer reasons to keep coming back to the game. The faster Sonic levels are a real treat, and Sonic Unleashed has many high points to balance out the lows. The real bummer is not so much the concept of the werehog sections as it is how these portions of the game painfully drag the rest of the game down. They pale in comparison to the more classically-minded stretches that come close to bringing back the charm and excitement of the olden days. This is a good, solid Sonic adventure, but it’s still not great.

Sonic Unleashed is a decent Sonic game for someone that can overlook the slower Night stages. The Werehog missions aren't all the way bad but when played several times in a row, they tend to become repetitive and unwelcome. The way the game will appeal to you will most likely be based on how accepting you are to the Night stages. If the game was simply composed of Day stages then Sonic Team would have another winner here similar to Sonic Adventure.

A trop vouloir manger à tous les râteliers, Sonic s'embourbe dans une diversité de genres qui ne lui sied guère. Efficace sur le plan visuel et doté d'une maniabilité satisfaisante, Sonic Unleashed se montre beaucoup moins convaincant sur le plan du gameplay. Phases de jour amusantes mais bien trop courtes, phases de nuit hors de propos et très vite redondantes : le constat est on ne peut plus mitigé. Pourtant, force est de constater qu'on s'y amuse, et que si Unleashed est un Sonic plus que moyen, cela reste un titre sympathique et bien plus recommandable que ne l'étaient certains autres opus de la série. Celle-ci est donc sur la bonne voie, mais beaucoup de travail reste à accomplir pour lui permettre de retrouver ses lettres de noblesse.

Warum nur? Was Sega sich da geleistet hat, ist fast schon ein Verbrechen an den Gaming-Erinnerungen unserer Jugend. Sonic Unleashed ist gleichzeitig das beste und schlechteste Sonic aller Zeiten. Tagsüber stimmt einfach alles: Atmosphäre, Geschwindigkeit und Leveldesign. In den Nacht-Levels will man dem Spiel am liebsten Gewalt antun, so viel Frustration kommt auf! Sega hätte mit Sonic Unleashed eines der besten Spiele des Jahres auf den Markt bringen können, wäre da nur nicht das unnötigste neue Feature aller Zeiten: ein Werigel mit dehnbaren Armen. Man hätte Sonic einfach niemals entfesseln dürfen. Eine spaßbringende Formel sollte nicht geändert werden, nicht zum Leidwesen der Gamer.

Sonic Unleashed, na sua versão PlayStation 2, não é o regresso da personagem à glória dos velhos tempos que os fãs desejavam. É um título medíocre e contém alguns pontos positivos. No entanto, aconselhamos os fãs a optar pelas versões de nova geração.