Nearly sixteen years have passed since Sonic Unleashed first hit the shelves back in November 2008, and now it’s finally stepping onto the PC stage with a complete native port known as Unleashed Recompiled. This transformation into a PC version is thanks to the relentless efforts of fans who developed the XenonRecomp and XenosRecomp tools. These tools have ingeniously converted PowerPC code and Xenos shaders into PC-friendly C++ and HLSL code.
This breakthrough essentially means that, theoretically, any Xbox 360 game could now be recompiled for a native PC port, even those that haven’t been included in the modern Xbox Backward Compatibility program. This opens up a realm of opportunities for bringing several games back into play and expands the modding possibilities more than ever. If you’re experiencing a sense of déjà vu, it might be because a similar mission resulted in Zelda 64: Recompiled and N64: Recompiled, which we’ve talked about before.
Now, turning our attention to Sonic Unleashed, one might ask why fans were driven to create a native PC port before Sega could. The truth is, Sonic Unleashed has long been a prized goal for the Sonic modding community on PC. There were already efforts, like the Unleashed Project, which has sought to carry over key elements of the game (namely the Daytime stages that laid the groundwork for subsequent Boost gameplay) into the original PC version of Sonic Generations. Until the advent of Xbox Series S/X Backwards Compatibility and FPS Boost, the only way to savor these levels at a brisk 60 FPS was through modding Sonic Generations on PC. The original PS360 console versions often struggled to maintain even 30 FPS in Sonic Unleashed’s expansive levels, which were packed with cutting-edge features for their time, such as Global Illumination.
In recent years, strides in Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 emulation via Xenia and RPCS3 have offered another route for enjoying the full game on PC. However, these methods came at the cost of performance due to the additional strain of emulation.
At last, Sonic Unleashed enthusiasts can revel in the game’s true potential on modern platforms, courtesy of Unleashed Recompiled. This version takes advantage of the advancements from Xenia’s emulation developments but refines it into a straightforward PC port. The port includes expected features like uncapped resolution support and comprehensive graphics settings. Plus, there are some intriguing extras, such as a “Music Attenuation” setting that automatically lowers in-game music if you’re playing something else. Players can also lift the frame rate cap above 60 FPS. However, due to potential physics hiccups beyond this threshold, employing tools like Lossless Scaling or your GPU’s frame generation capabilities is suggested for smoother gameplay.
For those keen on playing Unleashed Recompiled or diving into their own Xbox 360 recompilation projects, it’s essential to legally own the Xbox 360 game copies, any DLC, and so forth, as with any project adjacent to emulation. Nonetheless, when compared to sticking with consoles—and given that Unleashed Recompiled supports extensive graphics and gameplay mods, like Foreign Input System and Improved Progression via the HedgeModManager—the choice for the ultimate Xbox 360 gaming experience has never been clearer.
Welcome to the PC domain, Sonic Unleashed—it’s been a long wait, but you’re finally here.
