User Score
7.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 110 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 110
  2. Negative: 15 out of 110

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  1. Aug 17, 2011
    10
    A much better game than the reviews suggest. Loads of secrets and replay value, fantastic graphics and music. If you love sonic you'll love this. Hell, you may even learn to like the Werehog.
  2. May 16, 2012
    9
    This game is nearly perfect. It's only flaw is the medal hunting. You have to roam around the hub worlds and levels searching for more sun and moon medals to advance to the next level. The problem is that they're unnecessarily hard to find. Another (minor) flaw is that the difficulty of this game spikes dramatically about halfway thorough. At that point, it takes some real skill to be good at the game. Otherwise, everything else is perfectly executed. Good graphics, story, day and night gameplay, hub worlds, voice acting, cutscenes. character choice, level design, etc. Expand
  3. Dec 11, 2010
    9
    Simply a fun game! This game goes back to alot of what makes Sonic who he is when you play through the Sonic day levels. They actually made a new Hedgehog Engine for this game to get the day levels down. The werehog levels are where some people might be thrown off alil. Yes, it can be a pain to keep having to switch between night and day, but playing as a werehog felt awesome especially since it made this sonic game also into a kid friendly God of War game! :) This is a great Sonic game is definately worth picking up for any sonic fan! Expand
  4. Mar 6, 2013
    9
    I really must give this gem praise. Sonic really should take another daring crack like this game did. The game was fun and those who deny it are kidding themselves. While it is true that the Where hog levels were not as good as the Day stages, they were still quite fun in its own right. Me and my brother played in cooperative craze trying to beat this. He played the Where hog and me the original Sonic since I wasn't as good as he was in the Night stages. The Day stages are fast paced and fun with platforming in the mix. This new concept in the 3D Sonic formula really drove you into playing for those stages again. The key in these stages was to go really fast, but not get carried away in it as well. Sonic games have always challenged your restraint in speed as the trick to playing cleanly through a stage and it sure doesn't stop in this game either. The only problem is that Sonic is a little slippery to control at times. The Night stages, contrary to popular opinion, were really not that bad. They weren't as fun as the Day stages, but they were fun in their own way and really helped hit home in the atmosphere this game was playing out towards. The only flaw in this plan was that there were too many Night stages to play through. This is really dissapointing because a balance would have really made this game much better than it already is and frankly, it would make me more inclined to play through it again. The story is decent, but its presentaion is the biggest victory over it. Its saving the world from Eggman again, but it really feels like that final battle that you have to keep persevering to finally prevail in the end. The scope of this game makes you really feel like your where you are. In the Arabian area, Italian town, Tropical Island, a bustling city, etc. The music is really where I must give props for. SEGA truly had outdone themselves in an original soundtrack in this game. Its diverse and high spirited, with different cultures added into the mix. The orchestration and jazz band are truly welcome in SEGA music as this is among their best soundtracks. It really brings the adventurous feeling of traveling from country to country, saving the world, meeting new people, etc. One of my biggest gripes about this game is the voice acting. Jason does his best performance as Sonic, but everyone can't be said the same way. Chip's character was also a bit annoying, but still memorable and he did grow on me after a while. Its not the best Sonic game ever, but its still definately an underrated game in the franchise, easily worth the buy, especially the 15 dollars its on sale for these days. If you want the best version of this game I highly suggest getting the Xbox version. Don't pass this game up if your interested. Expand
  5. Oct 28, 2010
    9
    This is amazingly fun! Well, this version is, anyway! I love both levels, even when it can get a bit frustrating, this game has combined extreme speed, with seamless 3D - 2D transitions and combat, with mostly smooth gameplay, well done SEGA!
  6. Nov 30, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sonic Unleashed is a very good attempt to bring Sonic back and it succeeds to me find out why. The story is quite simple but kind of funny with chip/ light gaia what happens is Dr.Eggman has lured Sonic into a trap to suck the energy of the chaos emeralds and shoot at the earth to wake up Dark Gaia so he can rule the world and call Eggmanland after that the rest of the story is simple just restoring chaos emeralds finding out what happens and learning more about Chip.
    The graphics in this game are fantastic it looks like it is Disney the only problem which is one of the reasons why I lowered it to 9 is the frame-rate issues later on like abadat. The game-play is almost perfect in the day time the only problem is the unresponsive at times jump button and the werehog is good despite what people say the only problem i find is his balancing and the spike part in empire city but I can ease that now.
    Time for one of the best parts music nearly every single track is memorable the main ones are endless possibilities by Jaret Raddick , Rooftop Run and cool edge.
    The bosses are easy except for the quicktime event in perfect dark gaia mash the x button 60 times is too much i say but it does get easier.
    I liked the aeroplane sections not that bad it was fun to shoot at ships and watch the beautiful view The bad is frame-rate sometimes drop, quicktime events over done, the shooting part kind of , unresponsive at times
    Expand
  7. AaronMayorga
    Nov 30, 2008
    10
    The Daytime are very fast and awesome especially on the new Hedgehog Engine by Sega.The Nighttime stages are a very important asset to the game. They may have a slower tempo but the stages are very large and interesting.The music once again beautiful especially the final boss theme. It is a very great game at heart and you should by it.
  8. MikeG
    Dec 3, 2008
    9
    Great game with some frustration in the mix. A lot of reviews are bashing the werehog like it's unplayable, while it is different and sometimes frustrating (instadeaths ruining your rank) it's not terrible. The daytime levels are the best gameplay Sonic has had since his 2D era keeping both speed and platforming in mind. I'm not sure why reviews are giving the game a mediocre score when the game is very good, the werehog breaks up the pace a bit but that's not always bad. Expand
  9. Hbran456
    Dec 30, 2008
    9
    Sonic Unleashed is SEGA's latest attempt at making a fun and interesting Sonic game, and the good thing is...they have succeeded. The game is split into two main parts, night and day, which most people already know. The day sections feature our favorite super sonic hedgehog, in one of his most enjoyable outings yet. The countdown starts at the beginning of the stage, Sonic yells "GO!" and you are sent screaming through the level. The controls are flawless, the framerate rarely dips, and for the first time in years the camera is amazing. The drift mechanic and the speed boost are welcomed additions. Drift lets you skid around corners at high speeds and speed boost (my personal favorite) makes you go crazy fast and is terrific fun. The second these stages started I got a huge smile on my face and I began to remember what a good Sonic game was all about. When the night stages started, however, my smile slowly faded. In night stages you play as a slow werehog, which isnt nearly as fun as Sonic, but...it's not that bad. Compared to the day stages, yes, they are slow, clunky, and sort of repetitive. But after a while, you get used to it and it is quite fun. Overall, Sonic Unleashed is a a must-buy for any Sonic fan, and I reccomend it to anyone who wants to play a fun and exhilarating game. Lets face it, there is just something amazing about running really, really freaking fast. Expand
  10. MarcusL.
    Jan 23, 2009
    10
    Sonic Unleashed is an awesome game. No, that's not going to be the ENTIRE review. But let me explain why. Firstly, the day stages. Every review I've seen praises these stages greatly, since they are reminicent of the good old 90's Sonic games. Addtionaly, Griffith's voice has improved. Massively. As does Amy Palant's Tails voice. Now, he sounds like a boy. FINALLY. Now, the night stages, the biggest downside. According to most. The night stages are great. Yes, they are repetitve and yes, can be annoying. But there is a ton of ways you can complete the stage. Trying out new combos, finding stuff, and all that jazz. Also, Chip. Another downer. But, actually, on the 360 version, you rarely hear him. Not that it's a good thing. Chip is a great addition. All in all, Sonic Unleashed shows one thing. Sonic is back and better than ever, after a 7 year 'break'. Fingers crossed for Black Knight, eh? Expand
Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 50 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 50
  2. Negative: 10 out of 50
  1. As much as I disliked lumbering through levels as Sonic’s hulky Werehog, I disliked hunting through the hub worlds looking for coins even more. Sega, if you really want to fix Sonic, the first thing you should do is stop trying to fix him.
  2. 50
    Ultimately, this simply isn't the fresh start Sonic fans were so desperately hoping for...but at least it's not as execrable as the last two efforts.
  3. Sonic Unleashed is a glorious return to true console form for Sonic.