Following on from yesterdays new trailer and announcement of ‘Episode Metal,’ the Japanese Sonic 4 website has updated and with it, lots of new screenshot’s including images of ‘Episode Metal.’

The website also confirms the new level to be named ‘Oil Desert Zone’

You can check out all the screens after the jump.

Source: Sonic 4 Japanese Website

“So hey, about Sonic Unleashed…” – What you say? Sonic Unleashed? That game is sooo last week. Let’s say we focus on something a bit more next year, girlfriend? Luckily SEGA Europe’s been sending out some screenshots of Sonic and the Black Knight for the Wii so we can be next year… in 2008. Yeah, we’re rocking that DeLorean.

Sonic and the Black Knight is the continuation of the ‘Storybook’ series of the franchise that was kicked off with Sonic and the Secret Rings on the Wii. So we’ll treat it as the spinoff that it is and not facepalm ourselves into the ground. That would be impolite. There’s not an awful lot going on in these screenshots, and they’ve appeared on other sites before, but it’s nice to see that the game still exists, especially since a lot of you are going to have your artwork stashed onto it.

Enjoy these screens, a few of which are in ‘Extreeeeeeme’ blurrovision, and some which feature a familiar red knight. Hm, his face is covered. Now I can’t tell who it is…

Hit the jump for the screens.

Really really nice, as it happens! There were fears that the lack of horsepower on the waggle-console would lead to a decidedly crappier looking game, but Dimps appear to be doing a fantastic job of maintaining the style of the next-gen experience and pumping their own Wii-specific controls into it. Naturally there’s a graphical deficiency that you notice if you compare Wii to 360 graphics, and Nintendo’s console is having a bit of a palette downgrade going on (looking a bit more brown I’d say) but you gotta admit it’s pretty tasty all the same. Looks like Sega really do like to push the graphical power of the Wii as much as they can.

Hit the jump for the gallery, you can also see some Wiire-hog action going on. Look, he’s jumping over razorblades like in Sonic 1! But… he’s a werewolf! Khaaaan!

I had an interview with Miles Holmes, the Lead Designer at BioWare for Sonic Chronicles a while ago, which should be published on a website I’ve been writing for very soon. His favourite game is Sonic Heroes, as a random tidbit of information there. Interesting, no?

Hit the jump for the gallery of new screens.

Sure, we mock it but Sonic Unleashed is really turning out quite nice. We’re just not sure about the Werehog bit – he’s either fighting some alien creatures that, despite looking rather cute, seem like Sonic’s fighting Iblis Mk2 again (not very ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ at all), or he’s doing careful platform traversing that just makes you wonder “That could have been normal Sonic doing that in his stages”.

If Werehog’s doing all the skilful platforming, does that mean the awesome ‘speed’ stages that Sonic’s involved in has no substance other than just running full tilt and pressing the odd button every now and then? We hope not – only time can tell.

By the way, we’ve also been sent a BONUS ART PIECE for the game, you can click the image above to grab it in full size. Otherwise, hit the jump for screens of Werehog dealing out da punishment!

Finally, you also get to see the GUN Commander in full cartoony form. Hopefully he won’t break down and cry when he sees Shadow or something. Dude’s a soldier man. Ain’t no time to get sappy now.

Hit the jump for the images, as there are a lot of them.

Take a gander at all these new screenshots of Sonic Unleashed. High quality and everything. Some are from stages you’ve seen before, some are from the new China level, and some are HQ snaps of the Werewolf action. If nothing else it’s looking both interesting and tasty. Not an awful lot to report on these snaps otherwise besides the massive reach Were-Sonic appears to have to beat down foes, and some rather nice enemy design during the Sonic segments. Like the rather cool looking robot in the image below, which looks like something out of Knuckles’ Chaotix. If they’re called Badniks as well, that would be win. SEGA, make it happen.

Hit the jump for the full gallery.

GoNintendo has released two scans of the Wii version of Sonic Unleashed.  The screens are compared side-by-side to the Xbox 360 version of the game and while the graphics of the 360 version is obviously better looking, the Wii version does not seem that far behind.  However, the levels in Wii version are considerably…browner.  I have no idea as to why there is so much brown, while the 360 version pops with vibrant colors.  Check the link below to see for yourself.

Sonic Unleashed Wii Screens at GoNintendo

Some screenshots have been uncovered from a “SEGA FTP” that appear to be the first images of new title ‘Sonic Unleashed’.

Alsha ClanClan Prower of the EspioKaos Message Board discovered the following images whilst browsing one of “SEGA’s FTP” portals. They indicate a CG introduction involving Super Sonic being defeated by Eggman, and various locales based on cities in Greece.

The gameplay looks to be similar in style to Sonic and the Secret Rings; this has brought speculation to the table that “Sonic Unleashed” could well be headed for the Nintendo Wii. The graphics look a bit too good for the motion-detecting system, however.

SEGA have been unable to confirm whether the screens are a hoax or not to date, but we will be checking with them very soon on the matter. In the meantime, enjoy.

EspioKaos Forum