Sonic 2006 Next Gen or Sonic Unleashed

[redmenace]

Unleashed is a better game. Crysis City is the only worth level of 06. Sure the others have some interesting parts, but they're very boring.

[Sion-Ta]

Depends... Do you prefer mashing A or holding down the X Button? -shot-

Yeeeeah... Let's see... 06 had some potentially good level design, but with its glitches (How do you die on an automatic section?), broken physics (I homing attacked onto a wall!), lack of direction (How much information do I need to collect? D8;), and my personal favourite... a heightened focus on combat... of which you spent over half the level just spamming the Homing Attack until things are dead. |D;;;

With Unleashed... if you don't spam the Boost too much on your first go, and you can torrelate the Werehog and medal collecting, you've got yourself a pretty solid game.

Of course since you've mentioned that you have a strange liking to bad games I'm not really sure what I would recommend... Curses, you have complicated a simple question... I hope you're proud of yourself. T^T

[Solly]

Sonic Unleashed, no doubt. While it's a very flawed experience, it's playable and you can get a lot of fun out of it if you're in the right mood.

Sonic 06 however is an atrocity, in my opinion. The whole game is a mess.

[SykoTech]

I don't get what's so great about the soundtrack of Sonic '06, honestly. His World makes ears' bleed, the other songs that played during the credits were meh, the majority of the BGM was completely forgettable, and the music in the HUBs was trash. The first part of Crisis City and the instrumental version of His World were the only memorable songs to me.

EDIT: Oh, and the first part of White Acropolis. That was pretty catchy.

Edited March 13, 2010 by Tentomon

[Sion-Ta]

I don't get what's so great about the soundtrack of Sonic '06, honestly.

Yeeeeeeeeah I don't really like this either. I mean it is good in it's own way, but it's the only soundtrack in the series that I can't hum along to... just has no beat to it (with a few exceptions).

Sonic must've really hated my singing... >':

[Eternal EX]

Yet another review from a sonic fan:

SONIC 06

Pros

-Graphics were good

-music was fantastic

-Shadow was pretty kool (my personal opinion)

-Blaze was by far the best character in the game

Cons

-level design was crap

-SILVER SUCKED MAJOR ASS

-well correction all the characters except the speed one's sucked ass

-story was basically mario n peach but in a sonic universe

-LOOOOOOAAADING times

-this game was just unfinished

Sonic Unleashed

Pros

-story was decent

-graphics was amazing

-music was great

-level design was great (personal opinion)

-in the jap version CHIP was adorable even though he was a guy instead of a guy

-best megazord remake sequence ever

-fastest sonic in history

-HOG engine was amazing

-Adabat was the best looking level (and level design) in the whole game

-opening CG scene was at a new level of amazing

-some of the DLC was awesome

-EGGMANLAND

Cons

-werehog (which really isnt a con since he isnt as bad as everyone says he is)

-Like people have mentioned, the werehog battle music got annoying very very fast

-some of the boss fights werent very fun

-medals

-adventure zone (area) was pathetic

-there was a decent amount of framerate drops (adabat day)

-some of the DLC was terrible crap or useless

-some of the enemy AI was boring.

If sonic 06 was finished I'd probably be in love with it since it wasn't awful in it's alpha/beta stage. But Unleashed was a by far better game.

[DMNBT]

Get Unleashed.

I'm having fun with 2006, but then again I got the game for about US$2. Unleashed is the far better game and depending on your location, may be easier to get (around here 2006 is very hard to find new or used).

[TwinbeeMkII]

Honestly, I'm sure I'm abit of a minority on the matter, but having just recently purchased and played 06 and Unleashed together, I'm finally allowed to say what I think. In the case of 06, either i was VERY lucky, or others have blown things out of proportion, because I encountered no glitches whatsoever in this game. Was it challenging? Yes. I also enjoyed that challenge more then I'd had in a sonic game in years. My only complaint (if I had to make one) is that some characters could have used some tweaking in their gameplay (amigos were abit guilty here). Other then that, the game was mostly just hard (in the good way). As for Unleashed? I'll admit some of the Werehog stuff is alittle fun...but to be honest I'm not a fan of Unleashed. Outside some hunting/exploring, Werehog isn't that great, but he's leaps and bounds over the dreadfully unfun day stages. I've not had this little fun with controlling Sonic since Secret Rings. So I can outright say it..I loved 06 and didn't have much fun with Unleashed. I may get torn apart for this opinion, but I'd rather be honest then join the bandwagon.

Edited March 14, 2010 by TwinbeeMkII

[Candescence]

Both games suck, but Sonic 06 is an abomination. Just... Don't get that game.

Also, get the Wii/PS2 version, if you prefer gameplay that's actually fair over graphics.

[Tori Himemiya]

Entire topic ('cept Top Cat): Don't get 06!

Me: . . .

Well Sonic 06 isn't that bad. You just need to have patience with it and avoid upgrades you don't need. It does have it's funny parts because either the gameplay or the story gets screwy in a way. I'm really serious. lol

Unleashed is pretty good. Again you need patience with the werehog. And that's all you need.

I hope you enjoy either game.

[Marcello]

I like 06 more. Its slower and I feel like I'm doing more than running forward or punching people.

The bugs never disturbed, because I never really noticed them. The loading times are really annoying, though.

And the rings, they bounce off of you sometimes which is just weird..

Unleashed has annoying things like Medal collecting, too fast, Sonic is hard to controll in levels if you want to go slow (but that doesn'T really matter, because you always have to go fast), Werehog gets annoying as hell after a while..

[Guest Jordan4K6]

I would get 2006, it's more fun than Unleashed.

Edited March 14, 2010 by Jordan4K6

[Stasis]

Both games have their problems, but I find myself playing Sonic 06 more. Why, you ask? Because I love the glitches! The purple gem gives you infinite jump, which combined with Boss battles and hub worlds makes for some serious fun.

I bought a 360 just to play '06 on release day...

[Glenn]

Lots of opinions here, so I'll either A: be brief or B: launch into an epic reply to address everything... sorry either way!

I got me a PlayStation3 for Christmas. I automatically ordered copies of both Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Unleashed and the former was the first game I played on my new console. I had previously completed Sonic Unleashed on the PlayStation2, as well, so my itch to play the latter wasn't as strong. I knew all the horror stories, read a decent chunk of reviews from professional sites and Sonic fan sites alike, etc. etc. but didn't care because it was Sonic! I'm a Sonic fan and that's that! So basically, what I'm saying is that I've played both games, one after the other, very recently for the first time. So my opinion is pretty strong at the moment, 'cause I still replay both of 'em regularly for better ranks and medals.

***

Sonic the Hedgehog is a victim of ambition. Sonic Team have clearly put time, effort, money, thought, skill and passion into the game. I don't know how anybody can say otherwise, frankly. The storyline is pretty darn epic and was perhaps the biggest draw for me to press on and complete it. I'm still in awe at how the three individual storylines of Sonic, Shadow and Silver are knitted together so brilliantly and so coherantly: there is never a moment where you're left scratching your head, wondering how A connects B with C... which is impressive as, in comparison, Sonic Unleashed has the most basic and straightforward of storylines. Here, the characters that matter are given plenty of establishment and attention, especially Princess Elise (who's pretty important to the plot). Some, however, require a basic knowledge of Sonic lore, otherwise you'll be wondering just why that pink hedgehog is hugging that silver one, or some such moments. Of course, this'll only really matter to you if you're interested in Sonic storylines and being told a good yarn. If you're playing purely for gameplay, and are planning on skipping most of the cutscenes, then you should rethink.

Because the gameplay is what suffers. The level design is epic. Everything looks gorgeous (although the framerate seems to suffer because of this) and you'll want to just pick up the SIXAXIS and run as far as your little hedgehog legs will carry you. There's plenty to try and slow you down, though: traps, spikes, springs, whales, badniks, monsters, etc. etc. But what's most challenging to overcome are the squiffy controls and shoddy camera. Mostly, if you're running in a straight line, you'll be okay. But turn back for something, or try to attack somebody you've just passed by, and it becomes gamebreakingly annoying to have to fiddle manually with the camera. There is a snap function with L1 (I think 'tis L1) that allows you to centre the camera behind Sonic, but you shouldn't have to. And when everything does behave itself, you're thrown into "speed sections" of gameplay that feature Sonic pegging it down some course and all you've got to do is jump and steer. It'd be fine, too, if steering him wasn't like trying to steer a milkfloat with burst tyres. Whilst wearing oven gloves. On the Moon.

Shadow and Silver fare better. Shadow is devoid of the "speed sections", instead given vehicles and more combat moves. Some of the vehicles are total bitches to control but at least won't fly off into oblivion if you so much as breathe on the analogue stick. Silver is perhaps the best part of the game (and where all the love went during development, it would seem). Save for one abysmal puzzle involving a gigantic stone ball in Dusty Desert, his telekenetic gameplay is truly something new and exciting. Nothing beats the feeling of standing before a massive badnik as it fires ten rockets towards you, only to make Silver pluck the rockets out of the sky and launch them back towards the enemy. And okay, so he's slow at running about the huge landscapes and vast interiors, but it makes for a refreshing and more thoughtful approach to the same environments you've been lobbing Sonic and Shadow around for the past few days... and I mean days, 'cause the game itself is huge. It'll take you forever to get through and there's tons of little sidequests in the hub towns. These hub towns do deserve all the bashing they get, mind. The game should be called Now Loading, featuring Sonic the Hedgehog and everything you do in a hub town triggers a loading screen. The framerate drops to glitch-tastic levels of poorness in the most simple of sidestreets, too, and for why I'll never know, especially if they can make Wave Ocean run smoothly.

But you know what? After a day or so, you'll get used to it. You'll know which bits of which maps make the framerate drop and you won't mind as much. You'll get used to throwing Sonic around and suddenly he'll start going where you want him to. And there'll still be moments of pure frustration (like Silver in Dusty Desert, or indeed the Kingdom Valley "speed section" which is simply impossible and ruins your lovely score right at the end of the zone) but they'll become few and far between. In fact, you'll almost welcome the random insertion of some playable Z-list characters like Rouge the Bat or Blaze the Cat, no matter how much they rhyme, because you'll be kept on your toes. Overall, then, it really does depend on what you're looking for. If you're a long-term Sonic fan who loves a good story and can forgive a few headaches, then Sonic the Hedgehog is worth a purchase, for sure.

***

Sonic Unleashed is pretty epic, too. There's no denying it. Because rather than have three different storylines go to all the same places, it has two distinctive gameplay engines travelling to two very different worlds... namely, day time and night time. During the day, you're treated to some breakneck Sonic the Hedgehog stages that blend 2D and 3D styles seamlessly together. During the night, you take to the streets as Sonic the Werehog and engage in platforming and brawling in something that comes off as the perverse love-child of Tekken and Crash Bandicoot. And here's where the game's biggest division lies. Some hate the night stages and I can see why. They slow the pace of the storyline right down, especially given the unforgettable, almost-impossible speeds of the day stages you've just aced minutes before. But there's something almost welcoming about taking things slower for a while. Goodness knows, after something like Jungle Joyride - Day, your blood pressure will need to take five minutes and walk the Werehog! Thankfully, too, your ability to do so isn't hampered by a disaster of a control scheme and a pain-in-the-backside camera flicking all over the landscape. Both modes of play are accessible and, after a few hours, second nature.

The storyline is shorter and altogether more straightforward. There's no jumping through time, no paradox, no Chaos Control and no huge cast of characters. You've got Sonic, his new sidekick Chip (or as some would call him, Marmite: you either love him or hate him), Tails in a few instances, a helpful Professor Pickle and Dr. Eggman and... well, that's it. Oh, and Amy Rose, but I've tried my best to blank her from my memory. And this time, too, you don't flick between different characters with different moves and abilities. You're either Sonic and running fast or Sonic and beating the living crap out of anything that moves. The humour is more prevalent and cartoony, the serious plot moments few and far between and the whole storyline strives to perfect a tone akin to a Pixar film, with epic jawdropping moments and a true message of friendship sprinkled throughout. Sonic the Hedgehog could never have, for example, gotten away with a boss battle on a lump of rock hurtling towards the planet's core, but Sonic Unleashed does. Oh, and the opening cutscene? Worth the asking price alone for that, especially on a HD tellybox.

The major problem facing this game is frustration. If you max out all of Sonic the Hedgehog's statistics, he's almost too fast and more often than not you'll be inadvertantly throwing him into yet another abyss (a reference to the previous game I could have done without, frankly). There are moments of platforming, too, that Sonic the Werehog doesn't fare much better. The directional controls are linked to the camera's direction but sometimes the camera moves during a very important jump, meaning you'll be facing a pit of lava or a raging waterfall by accident. These moments are rare, however, and there are plenty of continue starposts around, moreso than Sonic the Hedgehog had at any rate. The most frustrating stage of 'em all is Eggmanland. It is a beautiful, rich and breathtaking sight to behold, but it is simply too big and too complicated. My best run saw me get through with only one death to my name, and the clock still read 37:45:24 at the end. Because while the earlier stages flow more smoothly than... er... something that flows smoothly, the later and larger stages suffer some serious framerate glitches. Annoyingly, the biggest culprits are the two biggest day stages, during moments you just want everything to work perfectly and look gorgeous. It breaks the illusion somewhat, no question.

But the hub towns are much better this time around, the side quests more fun and accessible, and when everything comes together and you finally start thinking and reacting on a par with Sonic's incredible speed, Sonic Unleashed delivers in spades. Is it cartoony? Yes. Is Chip annoying? Sometimes. Is the dialogue poor? Not always, but often. Yet everything has a bright side: is Dr. Eggman's robotic assistant absolutely hillarious? You bet! Are the day stages perfect when they work? Absolutely! Is the overall experience more rewarding and worthwhile than Sonic the Hedgehog, then? Well, that's the big question, and the one you've asked us all to answer. And I guess I can't really say, because it depends what you want.

If you want an epic, story-driven adventure game, get Sonic the Hedgehog and overcome the niggles.

If you want a fun, gameplay-driven action game, get Sonic Unleashed and contact your inner child.

***

Hope this has helped!

[eXtaticus]

Why buy either when After Burner Climax is just around the corner?

[Marcello]

Why buy either when After Burner Climax is just around the corner?

Because they are totally different? Because she said she wanted a Sonic game?

Who knows, with your wacky logic?

[The Tenth Doctor]

My opinion? Sonic 06. Here are my reasons.

If you like Adventure and Adventure 2 then this is built upon the same principal. The music is classic and has you wanting them on your ipod quickly (Thank you Solaris phase2!). Yes this game may be incomplete and have hardly any replay value but it is a hell of a ride getting to the end. Your guaranteed to like at least one story.

Sonic Unleashed tried to mix new and old. It really did. It came out well but sadly fell short. The music is awesome but has less memorable tunes (Perfect Dark Gaia just feels hollow compared to Solaris). It has great replay value but has more gameplay problems for me (quicktimes!!!). There is only one story so if your struggling you can't go to another one to have a break.

In all it depends on your tastes. If you like Adventure and Adventure 2 you'll like 06. If you like Rush and Secret Rings you'll like Unleashed.

[Mars]

Most people tend to prefer Sonic Unleashed over Sonic Next Gen '06, but uh, GAH! I don't know. I'm still torn over what I want. Oh well. So I hear that Sonic Next Gen '06 have many glitches. So I hear the warehog levels are hard to control in Sonic Unleashed...or at least that's what I get from this topic.

I like a challenge. I suppose I will simplify the question then.

What game is longer/more challenging?

Keep the replies going.

[eXtaticus]

Because they are totally different? Because she said she wanted a Sonic game?

Who knows, with your wacky logic?

Why waste perfectly good cash when there are far better games on the horizon? Why disappoint yourself with tripe? Why bother playing such awful trash? Why taint your childhood memories with modern rubbish? Why not play something worthwhile?

PS3? Skip Sonic altogether. Xbox 360? Buy '06; you may be pleasantly surprised...

Of course, if you have nothing but toaster and £30 to spare, then buy Sonic Unleashed. Twice. FOR EVERY PLATFORM.

Edited March 15, 2010 by Extaticus

[Nepenthe]

Why waste perfectly good cash when there are far better games on the horizon? Why disappoint yourself with tripe? Why bother playing such awful trash? Why taint your childhood memories with modern rubbish? Why not play something worthwhile?

Buy '06; you may be pleasantly surprised...

Is that what people call irony?

Anyways, I'm with the people who say that Unleashed is the better game by default despite its love-it-or-hate-it reputation simply because your money will always be better spent on a product that's more finished and realized. Regardless, they are indeed completely different games in aesthetics, gameplay, and intentions and thus will be truthfully recommended for very different reasons, so is there anything you're specifically looking for in the experience beyond length and difficulty? Do you want serious or light-hearted, many or few playable characters, platform-centric or speed-centric? It might help you better if you're more specific. xP

[Ebby]

I don't get what's so great about the soundtrack of Sonic '06, honestly. His World makes ears' bleed, the other songs that played during the credits were meh, the majority of the BGM was completely forgettable, and the music in the HUBs was trash.

THANK YOU!!!! Someone understands!!!!

[eXtaticus]

Is that what people call irony?

No; she's a PS3 owner.

While the Xbox 360 version of Sonic '06 was exceptionally fun to play (aside from a few minor bugs and glitches), the PlayStation iteration was filled with slowdown, pumped with pop-up, plagued with nigh-on-unbearable loading times and cursed by controls that were comparable to a wet eel on a hot day; all of these horrible factors bonded together to transform a once-wonderful diamond-in-the-rough into a slippery mesh of faults, blemishes and faux pas.

There; happy now?

[Nepenthe]

I have the 360 version of Sonic 06, and while I don't hold the opinion that the game should burn in Hell for various personal reasons, namely apathy and disgust at some of its detractors, the problems you describe on the PS3 version are exactly what I experienced during my run with my copy. So while I haven't touched the PS3 version, it seems to me I can infer that both are just about the same in terms of overall quality, minus performance issues that may be unique to each, and that neither can be considered a good game much less "exceptionally fun to play."

[Brianzilla2004]

Sonic 2006 and Sonic Unleashed both suffer from very different problems. On one hand, you have Sonic 2006, which is essentially Sonic Adventure 3. On the other, you have Sonic Unleashed, which is essentially Sonic Rush 3. Sonic 2006's downfall is how far from completion the game was at the time of its release. That's not to say it would've been an amazing game otherwise, but I think it would've been the first good 3D Sonic game since Sonic Adventure 2, had it been given proper time and resources. Sonic Unleashed was shipped in a perfectly acceptable state, with very few technical problems. It uses impressive new tech, which gives it beautiful visuals. The problem is that the gameplay just isn't all that fun.

For me, it's a real toss-up. If you can tolerate the glitches and load times, Sonic 2006 can be pretty fun. You could think of it as a Mercedes C320 that was shipped from the factory without its doors or roof, with Sonic Unleashed being a brand new, shiny Pinto. It's a lose-lose.

[eXtaticus]

a Mercedes C320 that was shipped from the factory without its doors or roof,

This actually sounds much more fun than a Mercedes C320 with doors and a roof...