Hedgehogs and guns... ok, maybe it's not exactly the best combination since youngsters in magical chicken suits; but it is different.

While they may be giving the famous blue-blur a nudge back to the more favorable second dimension that he's well accustomed to (see Sonic Rush); It would seem that Sonic Team are testing the well paddled in water of the third, this time however with a much darker character set to “hog” the limelight...

In all fairness they couldn't really have picked a better character to base an original spin-off to the 3D Sonic titles; Shadow the Hedgehog is in every sense of the character and the title itself a blank canvass. Lets take a brief overview of Shadow himself; debuting back in 2001 in Sonic Adventure 2 on the Sega Dreamcast (later re-released on the GC) the not so infamous black and red streak played a vital role in the overall plot of the game; More importantly though Shadow provided SA2 with not just a darker storyline but he also opened up an entirely new way to play.

Essentially when Shadow came into existence he became a rival to Sonic; similar but subtly different. For many Shadow was considered (and still is) to be a superficially “cooler” version of the blue blur; and his overall appearance reflects this. Jet black from spikes to sneakers with stylish deep red streaks complemented by an apathetic yet menacing stare; Shadow's composure is anything but friendly.

So, we have the main character but what of the game itself? Since the title was initially announced there have been in all fairness, more than a few concerns regarding how the game plays, most of these concerns are minor things like the camera which has been improved upon recently. Initially the most controversial aspect of the game was Shadow's ability to wield weapons to add something new to the gameplay. Depending on how it directly effects the overall experience it's looking like it may help the game along rather than hinder it's progress. The other key element to how the game plays is the way that “You” the player get to control Shadow's destiny and ultimately decide whether he chooses the path of righteousness or the spiraling descent down the slippery slope of erm evil and y'know, bad stuff...

Speaking of spirals (apologies for the tenuous link) the actual level design looks to be shaping up rather well. Trademark single, double and even triple loops seem to be present as well as new “twists” to the tried and tested (on Sonic) level features as parts of the level quite literally spiral off into the distance, injecting many of those special moments that recreate the trademark rush of previous sonic-based titles.

Lengthwise the game promises an engaging storyline of sorts featuring Shadow's decidedly dodgy past which apparently will no doubt fill in those blanks conveniently created in both SA2 and SH. Most noteworthy of which is Shadow's “relationship” (if you can call it that) with Dr Robotnik's (Eggman for recent Sonic “fans”) niece Maria... Indeed. The game also boasts over 50 mission based levels with plenty of scope for potential replay value.

With it's unique mix of semi non linear gameplay, stylized OTT gun-play and a re-playable storyline; Shadow the Hedgehog looks to be another tentative step into the unknown for Sonic Team. While it's unlikely this small step will turn out to be a giant leap for games in general, it should hopefully prove itself to be an original and enjoyable experience.

Hedgehogs and guns... why not?! Review soon...