Sonic the Hedgehog

Publisher: Sega

Platform: PS3

Category: Action / Adventure

Rating Info

Release Date: 23/03/2007

Member Rating:

Number of Players: 1-2

Sonic the Hedgehog Description

Sonic's back, he's brought his friends, and he's ditched the suffixes to his game titles. It looks like SEGA are showing us that they're getting back to business: 'Sonic the Hedgehog' is all you need to know. A December 2006 release for the PS3 in the East and in North America, Sonic looks to bring a bit of star power to the console's 'post post-launch' line-up. While the franchise has waned slightly since the heady days of the SEGA MasterSystem and MegaDrive, Sonic still carries a pedigree and it looks like the developer is looking to show old fans and new gamers alike that the 'Hog's still got it. The story takes Sonic and his crew to a mysterious new world where a human princess (who may turn out to be a love interest for the blue speedster which, quite frankly, is a bit icky) rules with a rather familiar looking gem around her neck. It turns out this is a Chaos Emerald, and Doctor Eggman (we still don't know what was wrong with the name Robotnik) has a bit of a hankering for it. Sonic, of course, just ain't gonna stand for this, and blurry blue heroic antics ensue. Speed is the name of the game here, with the developer using the next-gen spec of the PS3 to maximise the sensation of going really, really fast. The levels offer up tons of interactivity, including rails to grind and the patented bumpers to send the hero flying up into the air. The screenshots also show a much more realistic finish to the levels than previously seen in the series, with post-apocalyptic cities and mechs that don't look like they're housing oppressed little bunnies anymore. The Havok physics engine will also provide a high level of destructibility vis-a-vis the sprawling landscapes, so you can expect to see flying debris coming at you from all directions as you rip through the landscapes. There's also a rather creepy addition to the cast in the form of Silver the Hedgehog, an eerie glowing fella from the future with a gift for throwing things around using only his brain. Whilst it doesn't look like he'll be as fast as Sonic, the telekinetic powers will provide an interesting twist to his levels. All innovation and technical wizardry aside, you should really just be pleased to have a Sonic game that you can play on your PS3.

Screenshots

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Write a review of Sonic the Hedgehog

Reviewed by: Pure_Mind_Games	Date: 31/05/2008	Rating:
call me a sonic fanboy if you wish I don't care. I like this game, yes the camera gets in the way sometimes but not nearly as often or as frustrating as other people would have you believe.

Reviewed by: JackDusty	Date: 06/07/2007	Rating:
This game is sucks monkey balls. Back in the day, Sonic was a name that guaranteed a fun, fast, exciting game that was challenging but in the right way. These days he has totally lost his way. Each game that arrives seems like a more and more desperate attempt to revive the franchise and each seems to fail more spectacularly than the last. This, sadly, is no exception. The graphics are bright and cartoony as you'd expect but the mix of Sonic-like animation and real-looking human characters just doesn't work and seems more like a crazy mod than a genuine game element. The camera is infuriating and on a game where you should be moving fast you often cannot see whats ahead or change direction quickly. The controls are frustrating and feel heavy and laboured, not what you expect from the blue lighting at all! The effect of bad controls is worsened by the fact that this game seems to demand pinpoint positioning at very high speeds often meaning you die in very unfair ways because you simply cannot tell what to do. Most high speed areas are simply a matter of trial and error and you will have to do them many times before you learn the route well enough to complete it. This is meant to be an adventure game but with the classic Sonic platforming format retained but for me, Sonic in 3D has never worked. The more platformy, high-speed sections in this game hold some appeal but the controls make it difficult to really enjoy. The RPG elements of walking around, talking to people and solving puzzles are annoying and slow and I mean that in both senses of the word. They drive the plot at a very lethargic pace and the game itself struggles to load and draw the areas despite the massive power of the PS3. Overall, this is one for hardened Sonic fans only and even they will probably find it a bitter dissapointment

Features

Sonic's trademark speed re-defined via top-tier animation production values.
Next-generation technology such as rag-doll physics, light scatter and environmental blur effects will make the world of Sonic come alive.
A rich storyline that delivers an epic free-roaming & high-speed adventure as technology advances so does Sonic in tone, voice & mannerisms.
3 playable characters, each delivering a very different game experience.
Sonic- negotiate terrain with his trademark speed.
Shadow- power your way through stages with vehicles.
Silver- a brand new character with telekinetic powers which enable him to manipulate objects.
10 action-packed mission stages with new environments and some old favourites.
Customize & personalize your abilities by going to the Town Shop after collecting rings to purchase custom moves!
Multiplayer modes where you can play through a unique co-op adventure with another player, or duke it out with others whose goals are completely different than yours!

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