BioWare talks Sonic RPG

By Robert Purchese Published 18 July, 2007

Fast-paced, unsurprisingly.

Canadian role-playing mastermind BioWare has been spilling a few beans on its upcoming Sonic game for DS.

It's both excited and apprehensive about moving into the handheld market, which marks a change of direction for a developer used to creating lengthy and in-depth tales for PC or console. But that experience won't be put to waste, as the team attempts to create a faster-paced game with a more pick-up-and-play approach - presumably so you don't miss your station and arrive in Egypt by accident while RPGing to work. (Yes, trains run there. No, don't look it up on Google).

"We plan on taking those core Sonic elements that fans love about games and incorporating them into a brand new adventure that will feature the best of both worlds: all the fast-paced action of Sonic, plus a deep and engaging storyline that will keep players on the edge of their seats," Ray Muzyka, big boss at BioWare, told Wired.

"People don't tend to spend quite as many hours in a row on the DS as they would when playing a BioWare game for console or PC, so gamers can expect the Sonic RPG to be very easy to pick up and play at length or in shorter bursts - whichever they prefer!"

Specific details are still hard to come by, but Muzyka promised all the familiar faces and elements that have made the Sonic franchise so popular over the years - as well as a healthy dose of new features and environments to freshen things up. Maybe get Sonic some new shoes.

The project was announced last month and is due out sometime in 2008. We're hoping another Knights of the Old Republic-like reinvention might be on the cards here. What do you think, reader of the news?

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • MrsPacMan #1 5 years ago

    What a waste!!

  • SparkyDD #2 5 years ago

    I'd prefer to see a new KOTOR, nothing tops it. But if you want to make a great RPG, Bioware will do it so Sonic should be good

  • sickpuppysoftware #3 5 years ago

    but Muzyka promised all the familiar faces and elements that have made the Sonic franchise so popular over the years
    So no Tails then

  • LonesomeRoad #4 5 years ago

    Bioware have the midas touch. They will restore sonics tarnished name.

  • frod. #5 5 years ago

    What Sonic fan wants to play an RPG?
    What Bioware fan wants to play a Sonic game?

    I can't wait for the "deep and engaging storyline" about a blue hedgehog that runs really fast.

  • manic_mouse #6 5 years ago

    What Mario fan wants to play an RPG?
    What RPG fan wants to play a Mario game?

    See, it might be good! Let's not judge too quickly...

  • Tomo #7 5 years ago

    I want to play it. Sounds very interesting to me.

    People whinge when franchises churn out the same old gubbins and when something genuinely different comes along attempting to take a franchise in a new direction they bleat too.

    Can't win.

  • varsas #8 5 years ago

    I hope Bioware can release some details about the game soon!

  • dirigiblebill #9 5 years ago

    +1 to manic_mouse

    After all Sonic Battle on the GBA was alright, wasn't it?

  • Eighthours #10 5 years ago

    How the hell can you have a "deep and engaging storyline" in the Sonic universe? :)

  • dirigiblebill #11 5 years ago

    'but Muzyka promised all the familiar faces and elements that have made the Sonic franchise so popular over the years
    So no Tails then'

    Heresy! Tails is Joe McCool compared to some of the subsequent mascots.

  • manic_mouse #12 5 years ago

    "How the hell can you have a "deep and engaging storyline" in the Sonic universe? :)"

    Rose gets AIDs, Tails comes out of the closet, Knuckles goes to prison for manslaughter in a bar brawl? The possibilities are endless!

  • manic_mouse #13 5 years ago

    :Mario has always been more adventure focussed than speed like Sonic. IMO Sonic games are fun (the old ones), but Mario has always had more depth, therefore better suited to an RPG. "

    If anyone can add the depth needed to the universe it's Bioware. I have faith in their abilities!

  • MrsPacMan #14 5 years ago

    FAST BLUE HEDGEHOG

  • brooza #15 5 years ago

    What Sonic fan wants to play an RPG?
    What Bioware fan wants to play a Sonic game?

    Me.

  • orakio #16 5 years ago

    /pat

  • Paukl #17 5 years ago

    It can't be any worse than the attempt at a story in Sonic & the Secret Rings.

    My god...

  • Nova5lag #18 5 years ago

    One day sonic was running really fast and droped all the Chaos Emeralds... wait havent we seen this one before?

  • VMerken #19 5 years ago

    Wait for previews and trailers before passing judgment. Hopefully, history is able to repeat itself.

  • Azazel #20 5 years ago

    What Sonic fan wants to play an RPG?
    What Bioware fan wants to play a Sonic game?


    \o

    "How the hell can you have a "deep and engaging storyline" in the Sonic universe? :)"

    Ok, get this: A young kid gets sucked into the video game world of his favourite character - Sonic the Hedgehog, when his best friend 'Nick' a games store owner gives him a magic megadrive cartridge/xbox live gamerpoints card (delete as prefered). They can call it 'Last Action Hedgehog'

    /kills self

  • smoothpete #21 5 years ago

    2D or 3D?

  • Edwannawonga #22 5 years ago

    It'd be cool if it was like Baldurs Gate II with Sonic;

    Sonic is actually a child of Bhaal and he has to shape his destiny, choose to either play it good or evil. He can also shapeshift into an avatar of Bhaal - a blood-thirsty beast with seemingly-unstoppable brute force.

    Along the way you party up with Tails, Knuckles, and random hedgehogs. A little love triangle will form along the way (not mentioning any details) depending on your choice of dialogue.

    As for plot, Sonic was raised by an old man who gets killed by Robotnik, he vows revenge and gets it. The end.

    Oh yes, he also becomes a God.

  • spongebob #23 5 years ago

    If it worked for Mario and Luigi, it could work for Sonic. It is possible. Right?

  • RexRunti #24 5 years ago

    yes Sonic has last some of his appeal over the years but I challange anyone here to name a bad Bioware game. To difficult? How about an average Bioware game?

  • thegouldfish #25 5 years ago

    There were a really good range of sonic adventure books (if you want to jump goto page 12).
    which were well written and had interesting stories (or were 12 years or so ago), so I think it's quite possible to make a good story and a good rpg from sonic.

    Weather or not it happens remains to be seen.

  • Tiel #26 5 years ago

    I love bioware rpg's, but MDK 2 was average.

  • smelly #27 5 years ago

    >Weather or not it happens remains to be seen.


    *Whether - not weather - two completely different words.

    Thanks


  • NegativeZero #28 5 years ago

    What Sonic fan wants to play an RPG?

    Me!

    What Bioware fan wants to play a Sonic game?

    Me!

  • samadriel #29 5 years ago

    "Rose gets AIDs, Tails comes out of the closet, Knuckles goes to prison for manslaughter in a bar brawl? The possibilities are endless!"

    SONIC: Double Agent.

    "They say if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger. Well, Sonic didn't die. He had nothing to lose anymore, so he took the most dangerous mission of his career. That's how he ended up on the inside.
    Sonic didn't much help looking like hell. Not since Amy died. It's sad to see a good rodent fall so far.
    We locked him up not because he was a thief or a murderer, but to put him in touch with Coconuts, an imprisoned member of a group calling themselves 'Dr Eggman's Army'.

    Steel Penitentiary Zone, Act 1. A hell of a place to save a hedgehog's life."