Two new abilities--sonic drift and quick step--got a full workout on a second daytime level set within a European city. Sonic drift, which allows you to bank tight turns, enables the hasty hedgehog to slide through corners for more efficient turning. It appears to be a difficult move given that the demonstrator couldn't exactly pull it off himself.
Fortunately, he was able to execute a series of quick steps. This maneuver pulled off with the bumper buttons has Sonic sliding to the left or right to avoid obstacles. In the European level, quick step was all but essential in navigating the winding back alleys and avoiding enemy laser fire. While drifting appears to be a mechanic worth leaving out of this new installment, the quick step seems like a practical addition, particularly mapped to the bumpers.
The long levels may have difficulty holding our attention, but that doesn't prevent them from having some variety. About halfway through the European-themed stage, Sonic busted through a metal grating to enter a free fall platforming sequence. Rings hovering in the air were collected by moving Sonic left and right, adjusting his descent to catch the rings. Other platform games have featured similar sequences, but it's nice to see some variety thrown for good measure even if it's borrowed. Additional playable characters are also being promised to mix things up, although no confirmation on exactly which members of the Sonic family would be showing up in playable form.
Given the underwhelming quality of its gameplay, you'd hope that at least the presentation could spur a bit of excitement for Sonic Unleashed. The Hedgehog Engine on which the game runs has been in development at SEGA Japan for a few years now, not that it shows. There's nothing that sets the visuals above any other Xbox 360 game; in fact, it seems rather middling graphically.
To be certain, the game doesn't look bad but it isn't striking. Between the average-looking gameplay and decent graphics, Sonic Unleashed hardly invokes anticipation. The series has been on a steady decline for the last few years and unless some radical changes are made between this build and the game's holiday release, that descent is likely to continue.
