(Redirected from Night of the Werehog)

Sonic Unleashed
Developer(s)	Sonic Team^[a]
Publisher(s)	Sega (PS2, Wii, Xbox 360, PS3) Gameloft (mobile)
Director(s)	Yoshihisa Hashimoto
Producer(s)	Akinori Nishiyama
Artist(s)	Sachiko Kawamura
Writer(s)	Kiyoko Yoshimura
Composer(s)	Tomoya Ohtani Fumie Kumatani Kenichi Tokoi Hideaki Kobayashi Takahito Eguchi
Series	Sonic the Hedgehog
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3,^[1] mobile^[2]
Release	PlayStation 2 & Wii^[3]^[4] NA: November 18, 2008 AU: November 27, 2008 EU: November 28, 2008 JP: December 18, 2008 Xbox 360^[5] NA: November 20, 2008 AU: November 27, 2008 EU: November 28, 2008 JP: February 19, 2009 PlayStation 3^[6]^[7] NA: December 9, 2008 AU: December 18, 2008 EU: December 19, 2008 JP: February 19, 2009 Mobile phones^[2]
Genre(s)	Platformer, action-adventure, beat 'em up
Mode(s)	Single-player

Sonic Unleashed^[b] is a 2008 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The story follows Sonic as he attempts to restore the world after his nemesis Doctor Eggman shatters it with a powerful laser to unleash Dark Gaia, an ancient evil, while dealing with his 'Werehog' form, which he gains after coming into contact with the energy of Dark Gaia. Gameplay features two distinct styles, with each being played either during daytime or nighttime. Daytime stages incorporate Sonic's traditional platforming and trademark speed, with a combination of behind-the-back third-person viewpoints and 2D side-scroller platforming; gameplay seamlessly transitions between these two views.^[9] Night-time levels see Sonic transform into the Werehog; gameplay slows down to accommodate greater platform play, and involves combat against waves of enemies using the Werehog's brute strength.

Dark Gaia is the main antagonist and boss fight of Sonic Unleashed, he is the second main boss of Eggman Land, the ninth and final main world of the game, the fourth (sixth if counting the Egg Cauldrons from the two Sky Chase levels in the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 versions) and final day-time.

The game's development began in 2006, after the creation of its game engine, the Hedgehog Engine. It was initially conceived as a sequel to Sonic Adventure 2, but developer Sonic Team began to introduce enough new innovations that separated it from previous games, and it was renamed Unleashed. The Werehog gameplay was conceived to help introduce newer gamers unfamiliar with the Sonic franchise to the series. The game's existence was first brought to light when Sega trademarked the Unleashed name in March 2008, and shortly after, images and a gameplay video were leaked. Three versions of the game were developed: one by Sonic Team for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, one by Sonic Team and Dimps for the Wii and PlayStation 2, and one by Gameloft for mobile phones. Sonic Unleashed was released in the west in November 2008, and in Japan the following month.

The game offers two different gameplay mode such as fast-paced levels that take place in the daytime and lower levels which take night time. Both modes of the game offer different objectives complete. Sonic Unleashed consists of series of levels, and each level of the game takes place on the particular content that is based on the real-time world.
The gameplay of the daytime stages would be carried over to the Wii version of its sequel Sonic Colors, which many describe as 'Sonic Unleashed minus night stages.' This game was eventually released in Japan as Sonic World Adventure, which was the former localized title for the game before the name change.

Public anticipation for Sonic Unleashed was high, as video game journalists saw it as a possible return to Sonic's platforming roots. While it was commercially successful—selling 2.45 million units—critical reception was mixed. Reviewers praised certain elements, such as the sense of speed in daylight stages and the graphics and audio that make up the environments, but criticized others, such as the Werehog game mechanic, as well as several gameplay and design concepts. Many felt Unleashed was not the game to reinvigorate the series.^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]Sonic Unleashed was delisted from retailers in 2010, following Sega's decision to remove all Sonic games with below-average Metacritic scores from sale.^[14] Despite this, the game was released on the PlayStation Network in April 2014 and on PlayStation Now in March 2017, and was also given Xbox One backwards compatibility on November 29, 2018.

3Development

Gameplay[edit]

Third-person gameplay in daytime levels (Apotos, Xbox 360/PS3 version)

Sonic Unleashed is a platform game in which the player controls the titular Sonic the Hedgehog in two modes: fast-paced levels that take place during daytime, showcasing and using Sonic's trademark speed as seen in previous games in the series, and slower, night-time levels, during which Sonic transforms into the Werehog, and gameplay switches to an action-based, brawler style of play, in which Sonic battles Gaia enemies (those created by the main enemy in the game, Dark Gaia).^[15]^[16] Each level takes place on a particular continent, each of which is based on a real-world location.^[8] In sections of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, the player may choose to advance the time of day in order to play as either Sonic or the Werehog; in the PlayStation 2 and Wii versions, time is advanced automatically.^[17]

Daytime levels focus on Sonic's speed, and to this extent, sees the player control Sonic through fast-moving stages containing both 2D and 3D styles of gameplay.^[18] 2D sections are reminiscent of the Mega Drive/Genesis-era Sonic games, where the player controls Sonic in a side-scrolling fashion,^[19] while 3D sections see the camera placed behind Sonic, so the player may move in all directions. In addition to moves available in past games, such as the Homing Attack,^[20] new moves are also introduced. For instance, a new sidestep feature known as the Quick Step is available, allowing Sonic to dodge left and right, and a Drift feature, which allows Sonic to make tighter turns without slowing down.^[20] The game also features a gameplay mechanic previously used in the Sonic Rush series called the Sonic Boost, which greatly increases Sonic's speed, allowing him to smash through objects, destroy enemies instantly, or even access different level paths.^[21] In the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, an on-screen 'Ring Energy' meter displays how much boost is available.^[21] The amount of boost remaining may be increased by collecting more rings, and is decreased by using the Boost.^[21] In contrast, the PlayStation 2 and Wii versions of the game represent available Boost using bars, which may be added by performing 'Action Chains', destroying multiple enemies in quick succession through the use of homing attacks, or by collecting rings. Japanese game company Dimps helped design some of the stages.^[22]^[23]

Werehog gameplay in nighttime levels (Spagonia, Wii/PS2 version)

Nighttime levels feature slower-paced, action-oriented levels, in which Sonic transforms into the Werehog, a beast form that has great strength and stretchable arms.^[12] Gameplay here sees the player use a variety of melee and combo attacks to defeat large numbers of enemies, collect items, and move items around to advance through the level, and use his stretchable arms to cling to distan

Sonic Unleashed Gameplay