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Thanks to GamesAreFun.Com, we have the first 5 Official Shadow The Hedgehog Screenshots below, all from the original trailer. See them by clicking on the links below.
Sega has announced that Shadow The Hedgehog will be making its way to all 3 major video game consoles, the Microsoft Xbox, Sony Playstation 2, and Nintendo GameCube. The game will be released this winter and will be developed by Sega Studios USA.
“Since we first introduced him in [2001’s] Sonic Adventure 2, we have wanted to feature Shadow in his own game,” said Takashi Iizuka, game director, SEGA Studio USA. “We maintained Shadow as a mysterious character and now fans can control his destiny…”
Hooplah! It’s Easter, the time of eating Choccy Eggs… there’s also something vaguely religious about it and all (…NAAAH, the eggs! ;D), but woo. I’m going to be taking a day or so’s holiday for Easter with family (which means no comp access, hooray – be nice while I’m gone guys!), but it wouldn’t be a holiday without a long-overdue update, right? 😉
Well, after all that Shadow the Hedgehog hullabaloozah, you people certainly have been vocal about that. Be it in the SSMB Forums, in the TSS Mailbag or be it submission of Fan Articles. The latter of which will be added next week; we had a couple of Shadow oriented articles submitted, and quite frankly I just want to avoid the thing for the time being P; So next week for the articles. Promise.
E3, short for the Electronic Entertainment Expo, unveiled their speaker and exhibitor list, which includes appearances from SEGA of America.
E3 is undoubtedly the largest gaming event in the world, as it spans almost every company from around the world. As always, SEGA will be making their appearance, along with their newest releases – Shadow the Hedgehog will probably be playable, and many of Sonic Team’s secret projects (including Sonic DS and the new GCN Sonic title) may well be unveiled.
The Expo is set for May 17th and ands on the 20th, but please be aware that participation and entry to E3 is only permitted to industry professionals. However, members of the press will undoubtedly fill you and us in as they days go by, so keep checking back on Sonic News for the latest updates.
In an announcement made earlier this week by their press FTP, SEGA America confirm Shadow the Hedgehog is only one of ‘several’ new Sonic games coming from the franchise in 2005.
Taken from the PDF released by Sega,
“In addition to presenting a retrospective Sonic video, SEGA of America president Simon Jeffery and Takashi Iizuka, game director, SEGA Studio USA surprised attendees of the ‘Walk of Game’ induction ceremony with a sneak-peek of a mysterious trailer labeled Shadow the Hedgehog; one of several new projects coming from the Sonic franchise in 2005. SEGA did not release any details about this new game, but assured fans that there will be more information about several new Sonic titles forthcoming.
On the 8th March, the Game Developer’s Conference’s “Walk of Game” ceremony was the time for SEGA America to display its new game in development: Shadow the Hedgehog.
As Sonic the Hedgehog was awarded a place in the Walk of Game, SEGA took the opportunity to speak at length about Sonic’s achievements. This followed a trailer where Sonic’s brief game history was shot to pieces by an approaching Shadow, gun in hand.
The gameplay in the brief, trailer video included familiar Sonic Adventure 2 level design aspects coupled with the novelty of shooting, as seen in other platformers such as Ratchet and Clank. More game features were teased, involving various ‘Sonic Battle’ style charge moves and some sort of ‘hyperspeed’ warping mode.
The unveiling of Shadow the Hedgehog took place on the 8th March in America, where the ‘Walk of Game’ celebrations were taking place. Sonic the Hedgehog was the first entry into the ‘Walk’, and SEGA celebrated and were understandably happy. Ironically, that’s where they decided to first show this little “beaut”. Hmmm.
It has come to this. It’s amazing just how much of a pull idiot gotho-choice Shadow has on teenager fanboys/fangirls. His appearance in Sonic Adventure 2 was cool. His return (from his timely death) in Sonic Heroes just annoyed everyone. And now we get a whole GAME on this bumbling whinger? You know Shadow’s only here to cash in on silly goth-compulsive-depressants anyway, but hey if that’s your bag, so be it. The popular “word on the street” is that this game was derived from opinions set in a survey organised by SEGA of America some time back. This survey asked fans what kind of Sonic spinoff game they would most like to see. This isn’t the case, as the movie shows it has been some way into production, so the survey must have just been a hint/teaser. Although I still wouldn’t be surprised to see those results and find millions of rabid Shadow loonies craving for more. He’s dead already!
Character quibbles aside, ‘Shadow the Hedgehog’ is a game starring everyone’s “favourite” sulky git. Nothing’s been revealed aside from the trailer TSS has seen, and from the looks of things it appears a lot like a ‘backwards step’ to Sonic Adventure 2 style stages, with Sonic Heroes graphics. Did we mention Shadow has a gun?
Oh yes. For the perfect case of “dumbing down”, this game also has the added “value” of weaponry. Shadow is seen with at least two guns at his arsenal, a pistol and a machine gun (…I can’t believe I’m typing this description on a Sonic website…). Looking to mix Sonic style platforming with… shooting, Shadow the Hedgehog looks like the designs we’d more likely see from a slightly demented fangame.
While we’re obviously none too impressed that SEGA and Sonic Team have decided to go downmarket with the Sonic series and selling itself to the lowest common denominator possible, there is still some aspects of the game that seem intruiging, funny as it sounds. Notably, strange meters at the top of the screen – perhaps indicating some sort of charge move. If we were to go with this assumption, the most obvious candidate would be a Chaos Control maneouvre. More moves include something akin to his ‘Sonic Battle’ actions, and some sort of “hyperspeed” mode where Shadow is flying across a plane of obstacles at high speed. Again, probably linked with Chaos Control. The idea of guns may be some sort of inspiration from Ratchet and Clank, but to be honest when the idea of guns is crap anyway who gives a toss? And again with the whole “Choose to be good or evil” rubbish. Seriously SEGA, it’s getting old. The whole thing reeks of 2001 again. With guns. And 100% more “Shadowy” (cringes).
We’re hoping upon hope that if anything, this game will at least shed some light on all the Shadow plotholes that Sonic Team created in Sonic Heroes. Because that way at least all questions are answered and he can just sod off to where he came from (his crater-shaped grave). If this isn’t the last Shadow game (or last game with Shadow IN IT), then we’re in for a very sad end to the Sonic the Hedgehog series as we know it.
Good news though, is that this game is NOT the new Sonic the Hedgehog game Yuji Naka is banging on about for Nintendo Gamecube. He’s stipulated time and time again that the new SONIC will be revealed (and playable) at E3 in May. Which only calls to question who had the brain fart that spawned this idea. Hopefully Sonic Team Japan aren’t paying too much attention to this; an easily forgettable spinoff that’s likely to be as dull as the character starring in it. As always though, we remain open-minded and won’t give you definitive reactions until we’ve played it. Just don’t hold your breath for anything special. Or good. Stay with TSS for updates.
