Sega today revealed the first gameplay footage of Sonic Forces, the “modern Sonic” game previously known as Project Sonic or Sonic 2017.
Aside from a graphical upgrade, Sonic Forces looks similar to the kinds of 3D games that Sonic fans have seen before — Sonic Colors, which was released on the Wii and Nintendo DS in 2010, comes to mind. The camera sits behind the titular hedgehog as he races through city streets; the player mostly holds up on the analog stick while jumping occasionally.
Things appear to be going poorly for our furry blue friend, as the city he’s exploring is under attack by Death Egg Robot sentinels. The giant robots seem to be destroying the landscape by hand, but are also shooting fireballs that explode all around Sonic. He gets around on his speedy feet, and also makes use of moves like the spin dash and classic elements of the series such as bounce pads, which send him flying through the air.
Like 2011’s Sonic Generations, Sonic Forces will include two different versions of the Sonic character. One is more reminiscent of his more cartoony 2D origins, while the other is designed to look like the more modern 3D character from games in this millennium.
Sega announced Sonic Forces during Comic-Con International last summer. The game is set for release this holiday season on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One. Sega is also working on a new 2D entry in the Sonic franchise, Sonic Mania; yesterday, the company announced it had delayed that game from spring to summer 2017.
