Sonic Unleashed was supposed to be a very different game than what we eventually got our hands on when it released in February 2008 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles, as well as later that same year for the Wii and PlayStation 2.

Concept art has recently surfaced online showing an alternate version of Sonic: Unleashed that had a much more traditional look and feel to it. The images show classic Sonic in his blue hedgehog form instead of the chunky were-hog we all know and love.

The concept art gives us a glimpse into what could have been if Sega decided not to take such an unconventional approach with their iconic character. Instead, we would likely be looking at a much more faithful representation of Sonic that stayed true to his roots in terms of both appearance and gameplay.

It's interesting to think about how differently the game might have turned out had this direction been taken instead. Would fans have still responded well to an open-world adventure with fast-paced action sequences? Or would it have felt too safe, too similar to what we'd already seen from other Sonic titles at that time?

We'll never know for sure now because as always seems the case when dealing with video game development - things change and sometimes those changes aren't necessarily welcome by everyone involved. Nonetheless, these concept pieces are an interesting reminder of just how fluid (pun intended) the process can be behind-the-scenes in creating such massive projects like Sonic Unleasure.

In conclusion, while this alternate version may not have made it into our hands as a finished product - at least not yet anyway - it's still fascinating to see what could've been if Sega had chosen down that particular path when developing their take on one of gaming's most iconic franchises.

Sonic unleashed concept art