E3 2014: Sonic Boom gameplay footage and impressions from the show floor

Sonic Boom is set to be an entirely new series in the storied Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Encompassing both a television show and a video game, the new venture is described as a spin-off, rather than a reboot. What you’re getting here is something very different from the usual Sonic fare. The character designs in particular have gotten a massive overhaul. As far as the video game is concerned, this is the next big installment for the WiiU and 3DS – a part of an agreement between SEGA and Nintendo for exclusive Sonic games on the platform. Below you find footage from the gameplay demo on site at E3 2014

As you can see, the gameplay is a bit of a departure from the norm as well. Game like Sonic Colors showed a speed-obsessed Sonic flying through the levels as fast as he can. What we’ve got here harkens back to Sonic Unleashed, which featured open-space brawling levels. Personally, I thought those sections were the downfall of an otherwise good Sonic game, so it’s disappointing to see that kind of gameplay return here. You can see from the video that the action is pretty slow, the traversal clunky. Not really what I’m looking for in a Sonic game, especially when it’s not as well-executed as, say, Ratchet and Clank. Our time with the demo didn’t involve any of the speedy sections of the game, though those may be the saving grace for adrenaline-junkie Sonic fans.

Also, what’s up with the Knuckles design guys?