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"Since there are literally hundreds of thousands of games out there, it’s no easy task for lead characters to make a lasting impression on the player. Once in a while however, you'll come across a leader that's different. Somehow, that character manages to set himself apart from the others."
Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog have continued their heated mascot rivalry well into the current generation of gaming. Who has come out on top in the era of the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii?
"While there are a lot of bad sequels out there, we've decided to single out the top five we think are the worst. Just like every list, not everyone will be happy with our choices. 2K Sports fans will no doubt wonder why the list isn't compiled completely of EA Sports' Madden releases which rarely improve. Fans of series we’ve chosen will certainly get mad like they always do. However we’re sure that many gamers will agree that the list that follows is pretty accurate."
"A lot of games have them and a lot of them are annoying. We're of course talking about side kicks in video games. Whether your favorite genre is the classic platformer or you're more into hardcore action shooters, chances are you've had an annoying side kick at some point. We run down our top five worst side kicks of all-time. It's not likely that you'll agree with them all, but you're certain to remember how some of these number twos bugged you at some point."
ArchangelUK of blogs.sega.com has spoken out for the younger fans, telling the older fans that there is no need for elitism. The idea of old/true fans vs. young/stupid fans has been an ongoing issue for a long time. Each time Sega releases another Sonic game, many people jump in to make sure their voice is heard. Read on to find out while all fans should rejoice, rather than undertaking pointless feuds.
Do you have a large hard drive for your Xbox 360? Are you tired of having to store bunches of discs? Fully downloadable games on Xbox Live are the new trend. Check out the latest update to the growing list!
In a new interview with IndustryGamers, Sega of America's VP of Marketing Sean Ratcliffe stated for a second time (first was last year) what perhaps most fans have been thinking this last decade: Sonic is broken. Not one to lament it seems, Ratcliffe said 'fixing' him will take time, with the efforts possibly ending up in less traditional avenues like XBLA.
Translation: 'new' Sonic will be their bigger investment as it sells better; oldschool fans can get their fix via digital outlets.
"Gameloft today announced a licensing agreement with SEGA Europe Ltd. to develop, publish and distribute multiple mobile games based on SEGA brands. This is the first partnership between Gameloft and SEGA Europe Ltd."
"Why he's overrated: Speaking of 'roid rage, check out this loser. Marcus Fenix is the kind of muscle-bound buffoon that makes even guys like Kratos seem like introspective philosophers. His personality consists entirely of grunting, shouting, and shooting.
As much as Epic Games has tried to fool gamers by licensing tie-in novels and comic books, we all know the truth. There is no real story to be had for Marcus in Gears of War, aside from arm up, take aim and go on a bug hunt. It's all ab..."
"The classic Platforming rush comes earliest and already in an inspiring form. Immaculately detailed backdrops shoot by at a dazzling pace, with lessons learned from the franchises’ first outing on Wii, Sonic and the Secret Rings, in that control of a player’s on-screen avatar can be comprehensive, without continuously disconnecting the player from the momentum. These levels show Sonic at his 3D best; effortlessly quick with layer-upon-layer of hidden depths for repeated play."
The last article by Jim Sterling I posted here on Grep seemed to have come with mixed response. I now give you something new that I think we can all agree on... the cheapness that comes with some games trying to make you play for more than necessary.
"Videogame history is littered with rage and frustration. While we all love and cherish this noble hobby we call gaming, it has still been the source of thrown controllers, broken furniture and endless streams of curse words. While much anger has been had at bad level design, cheap deaths and wasted money, plenty of rage has been reserved for the characters themselves.
Game characters can be incredibly annoying. This is the result of an industry where game developers try to be writers, and ..."
Sonic's decline into a miserable territory since after Sonic Adventure 2 is, simply put, pathetic. Those who were fans were ready to convert into the 3D gameplay since then but along came Sonic Heroes.
And Shadow the Hedgehog. And Sonic 2006. And Sonic Unleashed. And the Wii games. Failure all around. It's become so bad that an amusing image was made to reveal the truth about the time a new Sonic game is announced all the way until release, known as the Sonic Cycle (conveniently atta...
A blog from safetys-off.com detailing five video game series which have run their due course and should now "die". Some are currently very popular and others not, so head on over to read about why.
Binge Gamer's Intern Perry takes a look at the elements that make a game and provides a guide for future games to follow. Listing examples, both good and bad, on some obvious subjects and some not so obvious that need to be taken into account: Play Control, Characters/Writing, Graphics/Glitches, Depth/Replay Value, Atmosphere, Licensing, Hype, Initial concept, Sound and Music. Hit up the source for the in depth read.
"I am sure that everybody, at some point in their lives, has been playing a videogame and suddenly found themselves questioning the sexual preferences of the characters involved. Ultimately, one finds one's self asking the final and most pressing question of all -- is that character a dom or a sub?"
"Too bad it's not enough to save this game. Sonic Unleashed could have been one of the best titles the series has seen in years. But much like its protagonist, it's split into two very different experiences. The traditional Sonic levels combine 3D elements with old school gameplay, and pulls it off well enough to appease all the longtime fans. The challenging platforming, need for timing, and signature speedy gameplay are all present and accounted for. The werehog levels are practically opposi..."
"Sonic is the immortal gaming icon who cannot die, it would seem. His latest outings have been poor but he has been kept alive by both his fame and the party Olympic and tennis games that feature his blue spiky hide.
Now we have a new fully Sonic game called Unleashed and the question is will it revive past glory, or will it sink the hedgehog closer toward inglorious termination. The answer is
well, yes hell survive, but if he wants to be a star again, hell have to reinvent himself. ..."
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"As a side effect of Sonic's proximity to the beam when it was fired, he was imbued with a bit of Dark Gaia's power, and now whenever night falls he transforms into Sonic the Werehog. If you're currently rolling your eyes or sighing heavily then you are doing it right; if you're thinking "Gee, that sounds like a nifty idea!" then you're probably that special kind of boy or girl that likes to drool while they talk, and should seek immediate medical attention."
"....The pre-rendered cutscenes are quite beautiful to watch, and the in-game cutscenes are what you would expect from a Sonic game. The environments are bright and colorful, as they should be, and some of the particle effects are rather pretty to stare at. But then again, I'm not entirely sure you could screw up the look of a Sonic game unless you slap him in a gunmetal gray power plant for the entire adventure. The in-game music is, for the most part, well done. However, there is this one pa..."
"Last week we delivered buyer's guides to inform our readers what to get the gamer in their life this holiday season. Today we bring you a list of ten games that should, in no circumstances, be placed under the tree for your joystick junkie. This list of games was actually harder to construct than a list of must-haves for the simple fact that there were a ton of games this year that we should avoid at all costs. Each game represented below is a mockery of why we came to love games in the first..."
Yahtzee goes in depth with the new Sonic Unleashed, describing it as "gameplay he would expect from a *bleeping* ROM hack... designed by Hitler"
All in all, you cannot expect anything less from Yahtzee at this point, but he really gives it to Sonic Unleashed, commenting on how there are no talented members of Sonic Team left.
"PC
Prince of Persia
PS2
Persona 4
PS3
Sonic Unleashed
Wii
Neopets Puzzle Adventure, Story Hour: Fairy Tales, Word Jong Party
DS
Build-a-lot, Cate West: The Vanishing Files, Driver's Ed Portable, Left Brain Right Brain 2, Slingo Quest"
Sonic Unleashed is the latest game in the acclaimed (but recently dogged) Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Featuring the all-new "Hedgehog Engine" - built ground up for the titular Hedgehog - the game was promised to be the franchise's return to form. So how does it stack up? As this review from A+B+Start explains, there's some good, some bad... and some infuriating. Read on for the full review.
Sonic Unleashed recently hit most major platforms just last month, and while critics say its better than previous titles, it still isn't the next gen Sonic everyone is hoping for. One of the main reasons labeled by critics are the Werehog sections, where you trade speed for strength and bash the hell of Dr Eggman's minions brawler style. Apparently these levels sucked, so why were they included? Because according to one Sonic Unleashed developer Sonic's most liked feature, his speed, makes le...
"Our love died long ago, but the Blue Blur and I share a history. We grew up together. And, yeah, things have been rough recently, but Sonic Unleashed will heal the wounds. Right? Sonic Unleashed seems different than those other Sonics, I say. Things will return to how they used to be, a time when my favorite Hedgehogs sassy humor was intentional, not ironic. Is that too much to ask?"
According to Siliconera's look at the Japanese Sonic Unleashed website, the game will be delayed, but for Japan only. The reason? To improve the quality of the title. Makes you wonder what kind of version we'll be getting...
Sonic Unleashed is due in Europe and North America this month (the exact date depends which console you have) -- for some, this week.
Game On Nintendo has their nine best games list for Christmas up for the Nintendo Wii!
What's the first thing that comes to mind? That Wii Music is on there of course, who let that in? It's also a bit of a surprise to see Sonic in there due to recent complaints from fans it's just not the same, maybe a sign of change?
Then you have you very obvious inclusions, such as Guitar Hero and Call of Duty. Wii Music is better though, right?
Finally there's some lesser known games, such as the...
Do you remember playing Doom and laughing at all your friends who didn't have it? Or played a recent Star Fox game and wished they'd stuck to the high standards set by Star Fox 64? Have you been a devoted Metroid fan right from the start?
This article is all about games and their transformations over the years. It gives you the run down on each game and the big changes, along with bringing back a lot of fond memories.
Are there any other games you felt have really evolved over a long pe...
Courtesy of blog Wii @ Everyday comes the scans from the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu for this week, with new game announcements and more images of those known upcoming games.
Games featured:
A blogger Don Reisinger has typed up an article on the Sega mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. Their claim is simple, Sonic is dying out and is no longer able to meet expectations, or match the older games.
Their evidence includes poll statistics, competition from other companies and mascots, the hype is now gone for new releases as the original players are getting older and that it lacks the appeal of current day games: sex and killing.
Is this really goodbye Sonic?
Could Sonic Unleashed be the Hedgehogs redemption? Well at this point it could certainly go either way. In a blow out of information Nintendo Power magazine has revealed a number of details and screenshots on both the Wii and other versions. Detailing the Wii controls and some new levels this is all topped off by a newly released trailer. Watch and enjoy.
"Animal Crossing: City Folk
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: November 16, 2008
Genre: Simulation
You can walk with the animals and talk with the animals all over again starting November 16, as Animal Crossing: City Folk updates Nintendo's stalwart "communication game" for a new hardware generation. Like Animal Crossing: Wild World before it, City Folk seeks to take the GameCube original Animal Crossing and enhance it with new graphics, features and characters. And, ..."
"There's little doubt, Sonic Unleashed is looking a lot better than Sonic Team's other recent outing most of us are still trying to forget. In fact, any Sonic game without a blue hedgehog's desire to trade saliva with a Homo sapien appeals to me. Speaking of Unleashed, we got some new screenshots from either the Xbox 360 or the PS3 version. You can really see some of the great visuals rendered by Sonic Team's "Hedgehog Engine," which has been in development since 2005."
Sega today has created their website for the upcoming Tokyo Game Show 2008, and has released their lineup for the show:
Sega held a press conference earlier today in Japan that detailed the publisher's upcoming games for Japan, that was headlined by Phantasy Star Zero being dated for December 25th. These games now have some new media to look at, so check em out over at the source.
What Sega is bringing to the table in Japan:
The box art for Sonic Unleashed has been revealed for the PAL regions. The game features 2D scrolling, and 3D elements as well. There are many places in the real world that you can go to including countries like China, and Greece.
CESA has released a first list of games [PDF] that will be shown at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show that will be held from October 9, 2008 to October 12, 2008. As per tradition, this is only the first of multiple lists that will be released by the organization for the games that will appear at TGS 2008. A full list of the notable games can be seen in the quote and at the source.
There will be 462 titles at the show, broken up thusly:
Wii - 27 titles
PS3 - 12 titles
Xbox360 - 14 titles
D...
In a press release today, Sega has announced its lineup for the upcoming Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany. Headlining the publisher's offerings are two of its more recognizable mascots: Sonic and Amigo, in the form of Sonic Unleashed [PS3/360/WII], Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood [NDS], and Samba De Amigo [WII].
With the Beijing Olympic Games currently ongoing, Sega has also decided to bring Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games [WII/NDS] and Beijing 2008 [PS3/360] to the show, ev...
Gamasutra's Brandon Sheffield sat down with Sega of America's CEO Simon Jeffery to discuss the house that Sonic built. The longtime Nintendo rival made headlines when it announced that it was dropping out of console manufacturing after the demise of the woefully underappreciated Sega Dreamcast. Steadily growing stronger, however, is the developer/publisher's western division, which has become the sixth biggest publisher in the United States, and has acquired a few studios in the West.
To...
In a rare and honest moment, Sega of America's Vice President of Marketing Sean Ratcliffe admitted in an interview the criticism of Sonic since his 16-bit days is probably warranted. Remember why we all secretly love Sega again?
Full interview here; latest Sonic Unleashed trailer here.
Sonic was once a popular game and almost at one time competed against Mario, but those days left with some bitter taste with the fans in recent years. With bad Sonic games which didn't feel like a Sonic game and didn't do it well.
Can Sonic Unleashed bring Sonic from the grave and give it back its popularity? Who knows, but see for your self on the first Gameplay trailer for Sonic Unleashed.
A tipster contacted GoNintendo about a Sonic the Hedgehog movie, which is a rumor as of right now. He gave GoNintendo three vides on YouTube that chronicle the events of the movie. Do you think a Sonic movie is coming?
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
The biggest thing to mention here is a release date for Sonic the Hedgehog's next epic failure/grand adventure, Sonic Unleashed. It'll be shipped to stores this November on the PS3, 360, Wii and PS2. Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood an RPG on the DS is being developed at BioWare, will arrive two months earlier in September.
As most of you know, in the last Sonic game for the Xbox 360 and PS3, Sonic fell in love and kissed a human woman. Well, a representative of Sega who was showing the new Sonic game titled "Sonic Unleashed" at a company event in San Francisco said, I promise there will be no humans making out with Sonic" but he did reveal that there will be new humans in the game. Sonic Unleashed will also feature day and night modes of play and it looks like Tails and Knuckles will not be playable in the new...
The newest Sonic game (Sonic Unleashed), which is coming to the Wii, is being worked on by the same company that also worked on Sonic Rush and Sonic Rush Adventure, Dimps. Dimps will code the game and design the stages for it, Patrick Riley revealed. There is also a whole new core of members working on this game, different from the previous Sonic games. The stages in this game will be traditional 3D and side scrolling 3D and the transitions through the game will occur seamlessly. They are bri...
"Sega has "unleashed" a handful of new screenshots of its upcoming Sonic instalment, Sonic Unleashed - and worryingly it's still looking quite good.
The new game, which will be on Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3, takes a long-awaited refocus on platforming (the crazy wolf stuff aside). Reassuringly, the game's lead designer Yoshihisa Hashimoto has even cut ties with the last awful 360/PS3 Sonic game, stating that Unleashed has "no relation" to it."
It seems that SEGA's "Sonic Unleashed" will continue to be leaked one way or another, at least, until the game is released. While it does seem a bit odd that we already have a leak after they gave us gameplay footage, this newest leak is the story teaser. According to a previous rumor, the game will involve some sort of werewolf Sonic, and this teaser seemed to have confirmed it. When the ring is tossed up into the air, a transformation occured. No one knows if this is real or not, but it...
![Box shot of Sonic Unleashed [Europe]](http://i.neoseeker.com/boxshots/R2FtZXMvTmludGVuZG9fV2lpL0FjdGlvbi9BZHZlbnR1cmU=/sonic_unleashed_frontcover_small_sB1DWdP7FqzZtmZ.jpg)