XP: Sonic Unleashed (Part 1/2) | Defending the Werehog

[@LokiScarletWasHere]

"Drops more frames than a drunken photographer" I'm taking that.

[@code-knight]

I thought of that joke on my own years ago, and I cracked up so hard when I heard Exo say it.

[@nicholashastings8616]

I think that will is better because it Come out in 2007

[@57yearoldjamesbond]

@Shane Jericho AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[@klukluglogloglo2611]

@@code-knight ook

[@laffysapphie]

"And it just makes you wonder why SEGA even bothered." Simple. The PS2 outsold both the 360 and PS3 during Christmas of '05 and '06. In fact, the PS2 outsold all other versions of the game during certain months. So, while I agree from a gameplay standpoint that they shouldn't have done it, from a business standpoint, they would've been stupid to NOT put it on PS2!

[@gamertime8598]

Wow, you learn something new everyday! I did not know that!

[@Chris-yp6zm]

@@gamertime8598 Yeah the PS2 was a beast in sales. For the record, the ps3 and 360 both sold around 80 million each. The PS2 sold 158 million! Almost double.

[@MoonSarito]

My first contact with Sonic Unleashed was on PS2, just several years later I went to play on PS3 and Wii, I thank SEGA for porting the game to PS2 because if it wasn't for that I wouldn't love Sonic Unleashed as much as I do today . Yeah... the graphics are way below the Wii version but I still think they're beautiful especially compared to other Sonic games on PS2, besides that despite some frame-rate drops the PS2 version's gameplay holds up very well . People need to stop thinking that just because a new generation came out, the old one has to die right away, not everyone migrates from one console to the other so quickly, the PS2 here in Brazil was a much cheaper option than the PS3, X360 and even Wii so it was still the main platform for a lot of people around here at the time.

[@ellagage1256]

Turns out a lot of people owned a PS2 at the end of it's lifespan compared to the much newer 360 and PS3

[@spinningseals9053]

I like how Exo tries to put in as many game development terms (mostly from his college education) in his recent game reviews to try and sound more intelligent while making such blatant oversights.

[@Delta225]

The fact that the Xbox 360 was technically weaker was not the reason multiplatform games performed worse on PS3. See, while the PS3 did have better overall specs, it's major flaw was that it was incredibly hard to develop for. The CELL processor of the PS3 was much more complex than a simple PowerPC processor, and developers didn't have time to optimize their game for this one specific architecture that hardly anyone knew. That's the real reason why, despite better specs, the PS3 versions of games were often worse than their Xbox 360 counterparts.

[@Thomas-te2lg]

Yeah.

[@greeneye2037]

NERD!!

[@n1njahawkssecondchannel84]

I still prefer the 360 version over the PS3

[@n1njahawkssecondchannel84]

A_ sp00n What a lazy text what’s with the dumb no text

[@ygobe2]

But the thing is most people would rather wait for a well ported console game with 60ps 720p than a hastily ported console game with 12 fps '720'p but I do see your point. PS3 was hard to work with. At least first party games who utilised CELL properly made AMAZING games that look better than some games today (TLOU which look better than some 'hyper realistic' games , little big planet looks better than some 'stylized games with less realism but more pop and style'games

[@tux9240]

Finally an Unleashed review that points out criticism, but still manages to give credit where credit is due ( *wink* *wink* *wonk* *wonk* the werehog stages still being fun and rewarding despite the slowness and focus on combat).

[@crcoghill]

Honestly, i welcome the slow pace and combat over "melting your brain with whoosh ehoosh effects" day stages. I mean.. you go super fast in that game.

[@tux9240]

For me, I don't prefer one gameplay style to another but instead like them both equally for the things they offer. The werehog is probably the best divergence in "sonic-esque" gameplay since adventure. Adventure 2's emerald hunting was worse than adventure's, and the mech sections gave me a headache many times because that was actual dauntingly slow gameplay. The werehog's combat does it's job of being fun to watch and play, and making you feel unstoppable while bashing on gaia minions or eggman's robots . The platforming is rough at first (downright tedious in eggmanland) but when you do it right, it feels rewarding for getting out of a tight spot. The boost sections are really fun to me and it felt even more exciting when you have mastered the reflexes of dodging things and taking alternate paths and such. Unleashed's boost levels aren't the best out of the boost games, but they give you the best sense of the rush of speed, and the levels are downright gorgeous to run through (I know Unleashed isn't pretty the closer you look, but atleast it does a good job of looking deceptively pretty. Daytime Adabat is my favorite Sonic level of all time, that level is so fantastic it's absolutely unreal).

[@Hdubs44]

The werehog isn't bad its just really fucking boring lol

[@blackhoggaming]

Like any recent review of unleashed

[@marlonmontelhiggins8570]

What's a "wonk"?

[@MarcMarioMaster]

I was always rather surprised that people disliked this game. I actually had lots of fun with the Wii version of Unleashed. The only things that felt somewhat wonky were the jumping physics in the night levels. The rest was pretty neat in my book.

[@Nirual86]

Thats probably why, most people played the versions on other consoles which are arguably worse in gameplay terms.

[@drifter402]

The Wii version was horrid becaues of the motion controls.

[@crazyfire9470]

I don’t see why people having problems with motion controls nowadays compared to 10 years old, other they just sucking at it.

[@hotcocoabomb_]

@@drifter402 classic/gamecube controller

[@jedisalsohere]

The only thing worrying me is that this is a Part One.

[@vrucie]

Nnnnnnmnnnmnyo

[@vrucie]

F

[@SPellswordProductions]

You haven't seen anything. Check out a KZbinr named MauLer who makes 6-part critiques with each part ranging from 60-90 minutes long. Insane.

[@jedisalsohere]

@@SPellswordProductions Jesus.

[@flaco3462]

oh my lord

[@DoctorFalchion]

28:47 "[...] and while I'll always prefer a simple world map" Delfino Plaza: "Nani?"

[@maverickay5807]

Super Mario Sunshine is so amazing ❤

[@ExoParadigmGamer]

Alright, rephrase. I'll always prefer a simple world map in a Sonic game.

[@AGZhark]

Just stop with the anime jokes

[@_Tzer]

its not anime joke its a japanese joke nani means what in japanese.

[@BugsyFoga]

Who else here grew up with the Ps2 and Wii version of Unleashed ?

[@gloriousraccoon76895]

Nathaniel Foga I grew up with the HD version but I will give the wii/ps2 a try

[@SuperPenguin34]

Just the wii ver

[@maverickay5807]

Wii then 360

[@blackhoggaming]

I did

[@Waylon128]

PS2 over here, never even knew there were other versions

[@Hamlock_]

I'm actually glad Sega released Sonic Unleashed on PS2. Back in 2008 the only console I had was a PS2, and there was no way in hell I could've convinced my parents to buy me a PS3 or a Wii. Sure, I got the literal worst version of Unleashed, but I was still glad I was able to play the game at all. Fast forward 11 years and I still have not played the 360/PS3 version of Unleashed, just never got the chance to own these consoles. But I currently do have a PS4 and Switch so here's hoping they remaster Unleashed one day.

[@originalname1008]

You can get ps now on the ps4 which allows you to play sonic unleashed through streaming.

[@doktorvons.8538]

Gameplay-wise, I find the PS2 version to be the best. Most of the content that's in the PS3/360 version is pure padding.

[@casualvanilla]

@@doktorvons.8538 The PS2/Wii version has filler as well (the fifth act of Eggmanland, some of the missions that take place in the same level design), just not as much as the PS3/360 version (fucking medals). It also helps that the Gaia Gate puzzles (which give you extra content) are optional, and you musn't ever go to them to beat the game.

[@idreadFell365]

Same thing here accept I don't own a PS4.

[@ultimelol5907]

You can get the psnow but dont

[@KimonoFlareonGX]

21:56 Lyrics (based on Depeche Mode's "Fly on the Windscreen") Dithers everywhere There are dots on the viewscreen For a start Reminding us The color gamut's low Tonight...! (Guys, why is dithering a meme? I don't understand why dithering's a meme. Email me a pizza roll on this webzone if you know why dithering's a meme.)

[@SooperDeformedBomberman]

thank you

[@mandatorial]

I really think that the humans in Mario Odyssey should have had this kind of design.

[@PALWolfOS]

I stand by my opinion that Mario’s roll is more of an upgraded version of his 3d Land Roll than a Spin-dash It’s not like it protects him from damage or is something he charges up at a standstill Edit: Everyone was making Sonic Adventure jokes when New Donk was revealed, this is a reductive argument based on superficial comparisons

[@PersTG]

@Caffeine Rush You see? Sonic is a good boy.

[@metr0nom314]

@Caffeine Rush i was literally thinking about this the night before, like i bet if mario had an anthropomorphic animal (probably a tanooki) girlfriend similar to sonic and elises relationship, people wouldnt care that mario just suddenly ditched peach and would just ship them

[@lavii3355]

+Caffeine Rush 👏THANK👏YOU👏

[@robbiewalker2831]

@Caffeine Rush To be fair, Mario and Samus did the Spin Jump before Sonic, with Metroid and SMB3.

[@Sonic171K]

This game didn't deserve all the hate it got back then.

[@BBHood217]

Just you wait. In the future, we'll be saying this same thing about Forces.

[@matthewbraith0411]

@@BBHood217 That's the thing about commenters, always try to defend the past.

[@jowysw]

@@BBHood217 I mean... The PS3/XB360 version had a lower metacritic score than Sonic 06. Unleashed is not perfect, sure. But it deserved better. Edit: that's wrong actually. Woops.

[@jowysw]

@Paul bell ups... My bad. Unleashed is 7 points higher than 06. Weird... I remember that wasn't the case. Maybe I thought of a review of the same outlet or something.

[@345optimusprime]

You’re talking about the IGN review they did for the PS3/360 version.

[@sarasaland4709]

Well, I can understand Mike Pollock getting a bit raspy in some areas. Eggman screams every line in this game and it’ll likely give him a bit of a sore throat.

[@Bitto1070]

How to play the werehog stages: Type 1: Using the combos in a cool way Type 2: S P A M T H E B U T T O N S.

[@TheChefBoo]

Square Square X Circle Over and over and over again

[@cyan.6399]

This is how it feels to learn Dynasty Warriors games. I picked up Hyrule Warriors and started off by spamming Y. I ended it by abusing B B B Y B B Y R X X

[@GamingShrimp]

Unless you use the Wii Version with the Nunchucks

[@_Tzer]

type 3 try to glitch through the stages

[@lpfan4491]

@@cyan.6399 That's actually kinda how warriorsgames work, funnily enough. Learn the best combos for every situration and then it is more about beating the levels than controlling the character.

[@lpsoldin3162]

"The Wii's "Hubs" look straight out of free to play phone games" *Sees a scene that looks like many good SNES, GBC, GBA, PS1 and PS2 games*

[@Blueflag04]

Savage

[@PeruvianPotato]

Still a massive disappointment

[@PownicMania5000]

Congratulations on making this huge Unleashed review! Your one of my favorite KZbinrs and have my most favorite reviews ever!

[@awesomeguy2009]

The Unleashed Project shouldn't count. It's a mod. And the mod doesn't even try to replace Unleashed. The developers just wanted Unleashed's Day stages playable on PC. The best way to do that *at* *the* *time.*

[@CarloNassar]

Yeah, mods don't count at all.

[@eddieolivas4804]

@@CarloNassar Well, somebody probably would've obliterated Exo in the comments had he not brought it up.

[@CarloNassar]

@@eddieolivas4804 I doubt it. It's a mod for _Generations,_ and any such person obliterating Exo would be countered by most peoplr.

[@mizzix]

56:48 actually the android version is a fan port of the touch screen java version and the java touch screen devices don't have multitouch so yeah you can't press 2 buttons at the same time

[@nexenojustice552]

Thanks

[@axelwoni.m.8940]

I consistently keep coming back to this video just for 22:01 It's easily the best part

[@Shadowsamaman]

Single version of the dithering song when?

[@ISSO1407]

He would probably get sued by Mr Plinkett.

[@themeshow1011]

I need to know what song he was parodying for that.

[@XLRider2]

@@themeshow1011 It's Depeche Mode's Fly on the Windscreen - Final.... I wasn't expecting a parody of that lol

[@johnnyboy6788]

What are the lyrics I want to know

[@onkeldare78]

21:56

[@panoramhusky]

The 360 version runs significanlty better on an Xbox One X, with a higher framerate and graphics quality.

[@Coyote_Bongwater]

the rez is the same but the X is pretty good at upscaling. the texture filtering is 16x so it does look slightly better and the frame rate is way better, kinda sucks tho that we need to wait until the Xbox Andiaconda comes out so it can run perfectly smooth SMH

[@kylecampbell565]

Hell probably cover it in part 2

[@Coyote_Bongwater]

@@kylecampbell565 hopefully

[@DeskoDev]

Not only that but buying the DLCs actually upgrades the shadow and global illumination texture quality... with no performance difference! If only they would actually enable the ability to increase the res.

[@javieralbadalejo6354]

That's a problem when you want to have the best version of the game but don't want to own a Xbox One..

[@PhantomHavok]

Oh my God.. FINALLY! Someone who understands and enjoys the Werehog for it’s own merits. I’ve played both versions of the game top to bottom as a kid. And even then I could see the enjoyable aspects of it, and had a total blast. Yes, even the medal collecting. It felt satisfying to collect.. collectables as it encouraged exploration. Which I absolutely adored on a first playthrough. Let me stress.. ON A FIRST PLAYTHROUGH. And yes, even speedrunning Werehog stages are fun because it’s so interesting to see how much you’ve improved over the years of playing. And.. because it’s fun to glitch.

[@ShadowtheYouTuber523]

Same with adoring medal collecting and speedrunning Werehog stages.

[@thesnesgeek]

The ps2 version is the best version. It's at least the simplest to grasp.

[@ShadowtheYouTuber523]

@@thesnesgeek the controls suck tho

[@thesnesgeek]

@@ShadowtheKZbinr523 Yes but Sonic the werehog controls like a car and that's hallirious.

[@PhantomHavok]

On a technical aspect, the PS2 is inferior in every single way to the Wii version besides the controller.

[@waspywasp451]

The werehog stages were actually my favorite to play on when I was younger. I still think he looks really cool

[@ChaosBrink]

I absolutely adore this game (360 version) and it’s my personal favourite in the series. However, ALL these criticisms are so valid and full of details I hadn’t noticed. It’s refreshing to see an unbiased take on this game and still see it appreciated Oh and good clement reference at 35:55

[@jaredhebert942]

I was not expecting the musical dithering bit (21:51-22:47 for those who want the highlight), but I was snickering the whole time. Plus, your analysis is thorough, insightful & entertaining as always; Well Done! Looking forward to Part 2, hope Xross Platform is successful & Keep Up The Good Work!

[@tigerwarrior2790]

Yay, another video from you. I haven't seen one in such a long time.

[@MrGuy__]

I think the Starfox Adventures bit is stretching it lol

[@maverickay5807]

Yeah

[@Billnyot]

I would say it's more of a coincidence that they both have plot points similar to each other rather than one taking themes from the other in terms of a generic plot. That being said it wouldn't stop me from believing if the story was somewhat inspired from Starfox Adventures from an official source rather than a simple speculation.

[@Nirual86]

Yeah neither game had the most original plot, the only thing they have in common outside of that is the concept of the planet being split apart and having some shoot-em up sections tossed in for good measure (which was the only thing that made SFA feel like a Starfox game so I can't fault them for that)

[@CarbonRollerCaco]

Didn’t Eggman break up the planet the same way in Sonic Advance 3, at least according to its English manual? Either way, it’s a rehash in disguise.

[@Priception]

Sonic Unleashed desperately needs a PC port.

[@JarvisJarvis]

Sadly we won't get :(

[@Priception]

@@JarvisJarvis yeah even though there was this massive petition for it Sega must not like money. Also they ported Lost World to PC and not Unleashed, like who even likes Lost World?!

[@IceshadeComets]

its almost playable in rpsc3 if you want close progress

[@Priception]

@@IceshadeComets yeah true but if you want 60 fps you need a high end CPU.

[@GatorRay]

Agreed. Same goes for Sonic Colors.

[@BrokenAce1295]

It's no wonder this review took so long to make since it's extremely meticulous and thorough. To go even further with comparing the different versions of Unleashed is just awesome. When it comes to version preference, I always preferred the PS2 version over all of them. Even if it looks vastly inferior to the Wii version and the 360/PS3 version, I still have a lot of fond memories playing it and it's still very enjoyable to play. The Werehog is especially enjoyable on the PS2 version. I hate motion controls and further having to alternate between L and R triggers when using the Gamecube controller. The Classic Controller somewhat fixes this by having you alternate between the face buttons instead, but the PS2 version maps the Werehog's controls in a way that's so accessible and fun to play. The Square button is for the left hand combo, the Circle button is for the right hand combo and the Triangle button is for the combo finisher. It works so much better that way, in my opinion. I want to give a special mention to the Werehog's physics in both versions. He controls like a tank and feels very stiff in the 360/PS3 version while in the Wii/PS2 version he feels more loose. I can easily run in circles while dashing in the Wii/PS2 version while it's tough to do on the 360/PS3 version. This is significant because I prefer the Werehog's more loose controls in the Wii/PS2 version since it makes platforming with him feel more comfortable compared to the 360/PS3 version's more restrictive controls. As a whole, I find the Werehog far more enjoyable to play than the daytime stages (both versions) and that's solely because there's more to do with his beat-em-up, platform gameplay. The only appeal with the boost formula is that Sonic goes at extremely high speeds and that gets stale very quick. On top of that, the daytime stages are a big mess in terms of design. The stages have moments of precise platforming and exploration elements like the sun and moon medals, yet Sonic's controls are not suited for platforming and exploration at all. He goes way too fast and his controls are very stiff. Meanwhile, the Werehog goes at a slower pace which makes finding sun and moon medals a lot more bearable with him. His gameplay clearly works better with the exploration aspect, which is a big focus in this game and it honestly just leads me to believe that the actual game is the Werehog. The sun and moon medals (mandatory collectibles) were just added in to the daytime levels like an afterthought even though the daytime levels' overall design philosophy doesn't mesh well with that design choice. It demonstrates a severe lack of thought put into the game design. I look forward to what you think of the daytime stages (and the ending) on Part 2. I can already tell the next part is going to be intense.

[@casualvanilla]

The PS2 version isn't that bad compared to the Wii version. The load times are expected for PS2, and the graphics still look good for the system. I really must disagree with Exo when he says that it's one of the worst looking PS2 titles. The Werehog controls better in the PS2/Wii version, but I still hate the fucking Were-Claw. The fact that it activates just from walking for two seconds is bad design; it's like the Dodge Slash from Kingdom Hearts II with how pointless it is. I vastly prefer the daytime stages, but I can see why you like the nighttime stages more. They are much better for exploration, and this applies to both versions. Daytime exploration is better in the PS2/Wii version because items aren't as obscure as the medals in the 360/PS3 version. Those levels are still emptier on the whole however, so I can see why you find them dull.

[@NefariousLoto]

Eyyyyy you a Ranma 1/2 fan!! 😁✌️

[@isaiahjackson5552]

Can I get the spark notes

[@Joshua_Quinzel_Isley]

Unpopular Opinion: I think Sonic Unleashed on PS2 despite being vastly inferior in a lot of ways (because of system limitations and all that) is the best way to play the game. And similar to the Wii release, it's my personal way to play Unleashed in the first place.

[@tekworm]

Yayyy, waiting for EPG videos is torture!

[@astracrits4633]

Your pfp infuriates me.

[@crestofhonor2349]

Sonic unleashed has my most favorite soundtrack for any sonic game

[@DeltaSpark8]

Rooftop Run Day (which is better here than in Generations, I think), Dragon Road Day, and Jungle Joyride Night are my personal favorites. The mission failed music is also pretty funny since it's just the main theme played horribly, lol

[@HyperSonic777]

Sonic Unleashed is behind Sonic CD US/JPN for me.

[@Blueflag04]

Agree

[@williamwhite1036]

Same

[@FreakinSweet1987]

14:57 "You did not earn a trophy." What...? I've got 80 Platinum trophies and in all the years I've been playing from PS3 onward I've never once seen that pop up. Great video as always though!

[@turtleanton6539]

Weird

[@GiuseppeG11]

That happens when you use someone elses save. Aka cheating.

[@FreakinSweet1987]

@@GiuseppeG11 oh damn. He must have needed later stages for the video and got save states.

[@darktoonlink2k145]

Your Mr. Plinkett impersonation is amazing and makes for good meme moments. Great review so far, i can’t wait for part two! 21:51

[@PapaYoshAMVs]

I'm so MAD this did not blow up bigger, this deserves so much attention

[@DSmith3279]

Exo saying, "Oh... Wait..." Is my favorite bit of his. 😂

[@KBABZ]

Hiya Exo, great to see you put out another video! Really enjoyed it as well, as always. I had a question regarding the OSSC: do you have any tips for getting it to work well with de-interlaced 480i content? I'm struggling to make it work and it's locking out a big chunk of the games I can put through it.

[@ExoParadigmGamer]

+KBABZ do you mean using the OSSC to deinterlace 480i, or passing 480i through to deinterlace on the capture card? Or upscaling 480i footage that has already been deinterlaced to 480p?

[@KBABZ]

@@ExoParadigmGamer The second one, passing 480i through to deinterlace on the Capture Card. I bought an Extron HD-HD that I'd hoped would be able to do this, but it doesn't. Right now I pass the footage through my Xbox One so my Elgato HD60S can accept it, but only the OSSC's "Bob" output options are accepted.

[@ExoParadigmGamer]

+KBABZ Personally, I think bobbing looks the best so I've always gone with that. It's the most accurate progressive representation of what interlacing looks like and unlike blending or weaving it maintains 60fps. Arguably the Framemeister's method is best, which combines bobbing and weaving, looks closer to 480p, but even then you get some combteeth in high movement areas. But my guess is you probably don't have one.

[@KBABZ]

@@ExoParadigmGamer Correct, I have the OSSC because it was cheaper than the Framemeister, and has more accurate colours and no blockiness on big swathes of certain colours. I agree with you about the bob best representing that look of PS2 games, but that doesn't look very good in screenshots as the pixels appear far too chunky. Obviously, screenshots don't need to be 60fps.

[@eddieolivas4804]

@@ExoParadigmGamer how do you turn your Wii from 480i to 480p? And why do you continually compare Sonic Unleashed with Sonic Boom?

[@LouiesVarietyHour]

It would be hilarious if Sega released Sonic Unleashed PC after this video is released

[@bunnyboyking5215]

I expect all future Sonic PC ports to have Denuvo.

[@NezumiVA]

To be fair, regarding Chaos, I always took the implication to be that Chaos was a guardian of the shrine, but not inherently that they originated with him. So it could be that both happened.

[@Aisubun]

well this is a pleasant surprise! finding creators i watch in comments section where i'm not expecting them always puts a smile on my face :)

[@valenzuelasstudios1838]

7:35 "Unskippable cutscenes should be illegal" -Exo. I agree so I won't be forced to watch the cutscenes that have Amy in them.

[@dshaynietheawesome]

Negative chaos energy is the same as dark gia energy and positive choas energy is the same thing as light gia energy The emeralds were connected to the gia temples from the beginning before they were discovered by the echidna tribes and before the creation of chaos who was a chao mutated by the negative choas energy just like sonic was mutated by dark gia energy the same thing mic drop

[@_Tzer]

Positive energy=super sonic negative energy=dark sonic Pure balanced empowered energy=hyper sonic

[@ygobe2]

Mike (Pollock) drop

[@magpiejay12abc]

"The plot rip offs Adventure" Well, yes, this game is literally called Sonic World Adventure in Japan. What were you expecting?

[@PeruvianPotato]

Idk, have a more original plot like SA2

[@ChorusKids]

Last time I checked, Sonic Rush Adventure had a original plot despite the Adventure name.

[@lpfan4491]

@@ChorusKids Well, except that the only actually relevant part is a ripoff of the first rush.

[@lukebytes5366]

Problem is, this has nothing to do with the adventure games aside from that plot structure.

[@funnychimpdotcom8455]

Fly on the Windscreen had me dying

[@SnazzyGoober]

To counter your argument on the muddy low quality textures exo, originally the game was gonna be on two discs so that way they could fit in the high quality global illumination textures and there was gonna be an installation process to compensate for it, but they valued accessibility and thus used lower quality version to cut back on that.

[@awesomeguy2009]

49:20 you don't have to fight all those enemies. The only time you have to fight in Eggmanland are the last two rooms. You can literally skip all enemies and beat the stage in around 15. Unless you wanna go for an S Rank...

[@Maguarkwo671]

I got the S Rank without doing the enemy encounters

[@awesomeguy2009]

@@Maguarkwo671 I got an A Rank from a sub 11 minute speedrun, would've gotten the S if I combo killed the last 3 titans lol if you wanna check it out it's on my channel :)

[@draco2351]

I was one of the few who did grow up with the PS2 version. I still wouldn’t change that experience for the world, but it’s amazing realizing later about it’s technical prowess compared to other versions of the game.

[@sonicsaver2138]

As someone whos finished the mobile version here's some things to note. 1. It only has 3 continents. 2. The bosses for the Werehog are basically the same throughout the entire game. 3. The final boss is just Eggman.

[@chaosstryker]

Sonic Unleashed is the worst looking game on ps2? Oh boy, you haven't seen the worst yet, much worse

[@gloriousraccoon76895]

Phoenix Games

[@CarloNassar]

At least Unleashed actually has mouth movements, unlike Mega Man X7.

[@casualvanilla]

@@londonjackson8986 That damn game. It may be nostalgic for many people, but wow, the graphics looked dated in even 2002. Revenge of the Flying Dutchman, whether on PS2 or GameCube, looks like a Nintendo 64 game, just with some more objects going around and a better framerate.

[@casualvanilla]

@@londonjackson8986 Only around five to six music tracks in the entire game, all based on what clothes Spongebob wears.

[@TheReZisTLust]

Tetris

[@SQGReviewShow]

I can see why this took a LOOOONG time. Also, I love the jokes you put in the video like that Eggman clip in the beginning and "Dithers Everywherrrrrrre." Keep it up!

[@Nitro_0999]

21:55 I'm in tears! Thank you Exo for this masterpiece! You just made my day!

[@Tiggster-qr8mw]

I want lyrics to that song

[@hunterkeps9058]

It wasn't funny and focused on something that shouldn't even be focused on.

[@Nitro_0999]

@@hunterkeps9058 and why shouldn't that be focused on?

[@hunterkeps9058]

@@Nitro_0999 because people just shouldnt focus on framerates and resolutions

[@Nitro_0999]

@@hunterkeps9058 Say what now? Why not? What kind of logic is that?

[@ZackL.R.]

When you’ve shown the PS2 footage , my mind instantly tough of the DS

[@ShadowtheYouTuber523]

Let me guess, you wanted a DS port?

[@ZackL.R.]

I was mainly talking about the amount of ditering i guess.

[@ZackL.R.]

And not really, could have been another rush game but three is enough.

[@ShadowtheYouTuber523]

Ok. Altho, back when I had the PS2 version, I didn't see any dithering at any point (I'm Finnish and unfamiliar with that word)

[@ZackL.R.]

My first version was the wii version

[@Jahlil.W]

22:01 The greatest song i've ever heard in my life.

[@aliaspseudonym525]

Although I didn't WATCH all of this, I really enjoyed listening to this, & I was looking at it, the video seemed great. As did the audio of course. All in all, a really enjoyabl upload! Thanks for making this! Looking forward to part 2!

[@zitathenigerian-amer.mappe6790]

This analysis video never gets old!

[@Nyaalexi]

I am an unironic defender of this game as well. It is my favorite game of all time, after all. I actually played the SD version before HD, and it's pretty interesting. Took me quite a while to actually play the HD version, but now that I have, it's absolutely brilliant. I get that it has its issues, but it's overall a very good time. It does have the best quality assets of ANY Sonic game, even the ones made today. And it needs a PC port like, right now. This game would look and run so much better on any modern platform. I know this game wasn't reviewed very well early on, but I know other people love this game now. This game is very good, it deserves better treatment. I'll agree that collecting medals automatically works a bit better, but I don't mind manually collecting them. And yes, I actually like Werehog. It's different from normal Sonic for sure, but I think that's OK, amd I can actually beat them in a reasonable time. You should pretty much put all your XP into Werehog combos, even if you're experienced at the game. I haven't played the dumbphone version, despite the fact that I actually had one of those until 2019. So yeah, this game is great, and it needs a re-release.

[@doraeguyakaneddie6586]

Sonic forces you to unleash the lost world

[@maverickay5807]

Ayeee

[@duffman18]

& Knuckles

[@skidmark9863]

Of the colorful generation.

[@BitchChill]

That'll take Generations for him to get to, but watching it will be an adventure

[@Megaman.ExE7]

First off, Let met me just say that I'm so glad you're back. Looking forward to more of your work and Hope all is well and that you're in good health

[@andresmarrero8666]

I like the warehog and wish that they would bring it back and refine it. I also have no problem with Dark Gaia. He was an ancient force of evil that can't simply be gotten rid of. Could they have tied it to the world and previous events better? Absolutely, maybe have one of the gaia temples be attributed to Chaos.

[@Bamboo_bazooka]

or the echidna tribes lived arround each of the gaia temples or something

[@farisweiss2373]

The gods of KZbin have blessed us, this video is amazing, and this shows that love, time, and effort are what people want, thank you exo.

[@robloxking2578]

Despite what people say, Sonic Unleashed for Wii will always be fine by me.

[@valenzuelasstudios1838]

Especially when the PS2 version has worse graphics, muffled audio quality, laggy controls, heavily compressed FMVs that has frame skips and video playback delay, longer load times, and so much more.

[@valenzuelasstudios1838]

@Extended Long I may be cheating a bit on the lag because I use a Wii motion plus remote with the motion plus adapter combined. Also, I use the wiimote+Nunchuck scheme instead of the classic controller scheme.

[@brendantjeerdsma492]

Thank you for talking about one of my favorite Wii titles and doing a wonderful job talking about the game. I never got the chance to play the 360/PS3 version and I’m learning so much on how this game compares to the version I grew up with.

[@Tacom4ster]

Your reviews are so extensive that I don't mind waiting

[@Azurephoenix13x]

Y'know, I forgot how good your analyses were. Even though I stopped caring about this franchise a while back, your commentary, editing, and overall direction really kept me invested the whole way through. I'm not even joking... By the time I felt somewhat compelled to look at the video progress bar, I eventually came to the realization that I was already halfway through the video. You really do pour a lot of time and effort into these, and it really shows. You're very talented.

[@supermariof0521]

I thought you said you weren't gonna cover "Sonic Unleashed". None the less I'm excited.

[@Shadrow]

When you cameo in an Exo video because you made Sonic the Hedgehog MIDIs like 9 years ago. And the context is "they sound better than the MIDIs in the official mobile game". This world's weird, man.

[@YoshidoBombido]

And out of nowhere, the 360 version became the definitive version.

[@senranalt9361]

So at 7:31, turns out you can skip the cutscenes in the Wii/PS2 version, but in order to do so, you need to 100% the game on your first run and keep that save file so you can access the movie gallery in it. This is because the game has a quirk where viewing cutscenes on your 100% file will trick the game into thinking you already viewed them, thus allowing you to skip most of the cutscenes on another file (with the exception of some Gaia Temple cutscenes which are not accessible in the gallery). Yeah... It's a needlessly convoluted way to skip them to the point that usually speedrunners use this trick, so I definitely agree that skipping cutscenes should've been an option from the start.

[@QuestionBlockGaming]

"[The ps2 version of Sonic Unleashed] is one of the worst looking and worst performing games on the console" That's... not even remotely true. Textures suffer, lots of dithering, screen tearing and all; it's still nowhere near as bad as games like Ephemeral Fantasia, Rune: Viking Warlord, (specifically the ps2 version of) Black, Shinjuku no Okami, and City Crisis- and i'm intentionally leaving out the dozens of shovelware titles!

[@casualvanilla]

What gets me is how he says worst-performing. Sonic Unleashed on PS2 runs hardly different than how it runs on the Wii version. Examples of bad performance are SpongeBob Creature KK (a game trying to run at 60FPS but struggles due to poor optimisation), GTA: Liberty City Stories (ported from the PSP), and Shadow the Hedgehog (same as Creature from KK).

[@beta511ee4]

@@casualvanilla What about Sonic Heroes?

[@casualvanilla]

@@beta511ee4 Sonic Heroes on PS2 is the only version to run at 30 FPS (sometimes unstable - notably in boss fights) and has the same texture downgrades as the Xbox port. Sound effects also tend to not play altogether in this version, mainly when characters are talking. However the load times aren't as bad as Shadow on PS2, and the special stages control better than they do on the GameCube for whatever reason.

[@IkesDaddelbox]

But I gotta say, Rune is an Unreal Engine game that has been ported onto the Ps2. Yes, it looks terrible but it's actually amazing for what it is.

[@QuestionBlockGaming]

@@IkesDaddelbox It is impressive, but then again, Unreal Tournament was a launch title for the PS2, and ran at an amazing frame rate, had keyboard and mouse support, and even had split screen play. There was a precedent for solid UE1 titles to be put onto PS2 from the very beginning, and somehow Rune totally bombed it.

[@brandonh5124]

Been quite the while since your last review, but so far that wait seems to be worth it! This review’s going great so far, can’t wait for part 2!

[@iggyminious]

40:07 "I think it's wise that Sega never tried to bring beat-em-up gameplay back after Unleashed." Poorly aged things

[@BlaxxShadow]

The beat em up gameplay in Frontiers is debatably even worse. Kek

[@ChaddyFantome]

Blessed once again with quality content. Thank you Exo!

[@rushink]

Since Radical Soda is not gonna do a review on this game, I might as well subscribe to this guy. Nice video.

[@matthewbraith0411]

Better choice anyway XD

[@rushink]

@@matthewbraith0411 Not really. It's still good, though.

[@BitchChill]

He is now, and it's funny

[@Dalvory]

I don't know what else to say other than fantastic job. Looking forward to the second part.

[@toalesovikk7168]

20:01 generations is literally timeless, it takes place in a void out side of time.

[@AnthonyPoole246]

I consider Sonic Unleashed my favorite Sonic game, hell my favorite GAME of all time, but I do like seeing valid critisism about the game because it helps me appreciate what I learned from and what makes the game fun for me, I thank you for making this because you really did bring up many valid and well detailed explanations, keep it up!

[@edwheezer6231]

7:28 I believe I've heard that you actually CAN skip cutscenes in the Wii version, but only if you have a 100% complete save file on the disc. Still a stupid restriction, but... at least it's possible?

[@ChiefMedicPururu]

Huh.

[@FireCraftEntertainment]

I love it, the review is the best review I have ever seen and listened to my entire life! The time and effort you've put on this is incredibly shown. Thank you And keep it going!

[@earlduran6419]

I should mention that the pre-rendered cutscenes in the 6th gen versions performs slightly better than the in-game engine cutscenes in the 7th gen versions.

[@omencito]

I can't stop watching this review, it's too good

[@DanDoesGaming2014]

I couldn’t help dying every time you said “oh, wait”

[@TheUnGhost]

You're very dedicated to reviewing this game. I'm not even sure if the AVGN himself would bother to review his games like you do. Plus, I've been guilty of forgetting to disable resamples on Vegas.

[@TheUnGhost]

Also, could you do a review of Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga? It's a remake of Lego Star Wars I and II which adds more content, a new multiplayer mode, and online co-op.

[@kylecampbell565]

“Why did Sega even bother with the PS2 version?!” Probably because The PlayStation 2 is the best selling console in history at 155 million units. You may as well be mad at Sony for making God of War II for the PlayStation 2 or Altus making Persona 4 for the system

[@CarloNassar]

I felt the same about Persona 4.

[@kylecampbell565]

Carlo Nassar well that was before Persona became mainstream and was more of a niche series that didn’t have the best sales. A sixth Gen game is cheaper to make than a seventh Gen game, and they could reuse the engine and assets from persona 3. Plus for about 99% of development the PlayStation 3 was still priced at $600 meaning not many people owned it, and JRPGs have never sold the best on Microsoft’s systems

[@CarloNassar]

@@kylecampbell565 I still think it would've sold much better on the PS3.

[@kylecampbell565]

Carlo Nassar yes but it also would’ve been a lot more expensive to make thus reducing profits. As an outside observer it seems Persona 4 was when the series started to become mainstream so I think it being on the PS2 helped

[@CarloNassar]

@@kylecampbell565 Well, that's a shame. BTW, your comment might as well include some of the Mega Man games (particularly 4-6, X5, and X6), even though some of them didn't sell too well.

[@kylecampbell565]

6:00 I don’t know why they did this for Generations and Forces but I’m pretty sure by making Lost World’s cutscenes pre-rendered it was easier to port to the 3DS

[@BlaxxShadow]

21:55 For Dithering Song.

[@jackloxtile2764]

( 21:51 - 22:46 ) This moment caught me so off guard. Thank you for this song piece.

[@TheBlueTyphoon17]

I agree on your thoughts on Unleashed's visuals. It has great art direction and lighting, but from a technical aspect, it definitely has aged.

[@TwistedLullabies]

Empire city

[@donathan2933]

This is actual criticism not, blind hating, and nitpicking. I commend you making a great video on Unleashed

[@thepositiver9977]

He's back! (A dinosaur story).

[@MattTOB618]

50:52 "LET THAT SINK IN" "Oh, what does he want now?"

[@DanielLopez-up6os]

Who wanted this on the ps2? Well those who still had a PS2 and didn´t have 600 bucks to drop on the Ps3...

[@oscarzxn4067]

Well, I also want The Witcher 3 on PS1 then.

[@DanielLopez-up6os]

@Zachary Erickson At launch, 20gb one was 499, and the 60gb one with HDMI 599.

[@esmooth919]

I.E., me.

[@andrix7777]

Wait, are you serious? I got mine for 199, and it came with GTA V.

[@RichJake391]

@@andrix7777 That's around 2011 or so. 5 years after launch.

[@davidneighbour]

True that Sonic stories are recycled but then most of the Mario games are with rescuing Peach from Bowser... AGAIN. Nice to see someone acknowleding some positives for this game. I always thought it was overlooked but seems to be more positively looked on now compared to it's original release.

[@CarbonRollerCaco]

David Neighbour But Mario generally doesn’t PRESENT itself as story-oriented outside of side content and the RPGs. Sonic does.

[@BitchChill]

You're saying that like it's unknown knowledge

[@greenhxify]

I only played this on wii and enjoyed it so I’m excited to see what you do with this video ^_^ Edit: for sonic players being an introduction to brawlers, sonic unleashed for wii did a good job. It was perfect for me c:

[@kobizarre2003]

The werehog parts are literally some of the most fun I have in any of the sonic games. Sonic unleashed is also my favourite sonic game

[@Araraura1]

40:58 But they were both published by Sega ᵒʰ, ʷᵃᶦᵗ

[@awesomeguy2009]

Different developer, Bayonetta is 100% combat focused instead of Unleashed being 50% focused on combat. Not only that, Bayonetta came out a whole 2 years later. They had time to look at Dante/The Werehog and see what worked, and what didn't. Come on, man.

[@cyan.6399]

You're forgetting how game publishers work. They have *teams.* Bayonetta doesn't have the same team as Sonic.

[@PeruvianPotato]

That's like saying the Total War games since Medieval 2 are games by Sega

[@noahbearden9849]

A day when you upload is always a great day

[@Saxdude26]

The laughter on the Let's Play... well, I know what I'm watching right after this.

[@thepanthar]

this game was my childhood :)

[@baddworld]

the werehog is basically just adventure gameplay tbh, but i feel like 06 has some of the best level design ever, just how they're mapped out i really enjoy mechanics are another story, I really love how unleashed is just so gorgeous and fast paced while playing also and it has good difficulty

[@GreenSwede]

17:00 It makes sense to me that the hub worlds suffer from performance issues. While it's true that not much is happening and that the NPCs are standing still, a big issue when it comes to most game engines is when you have bigger worlds that you can explore in. On any ordinary stage that you play in Sonic Unleashed or Sonic Generations, the streaming of all assets are usually cut into sections so that you don't have to render everything simultaneously. That includes objects that cannot be seen, such as ones behind walls and other structures. On a hub world however it's a lot more difficult to cut the level into different chunks because it's not linear and it's also more wide open with different sections you can walk in. This causes the game to render most if not all of the entire level at once depending on the camera's view.

[@strain42]

I love this idea of the new series and this was a FANTASTIC game to start it off with. I can't wait to see what else you've got in store. Maybe the Legend of Spyro trilogy? Whose three games span across...like 8 different consoles lol Can't wait to check out part 2!

[@callumsparrow4379]

21:53 - Dithering Song (Edited Version)