It’s been a long journey, but after nearly sixteen years since Sonic Unleashed originally hit the shelves in November 2008, we now have a full-fledged native PC port, aptly named Unleashed Recompiled. This achievement is a testament to the dedication of fans who have skillfully utilized the XenonRecomp and XenosRecomp tools. These tools have enabled the conversion of PowerPC code and Xenos shaders into x86 PC-compatible C++ and HLSL code, respectively, paving the way for this port.
This breakthrough suggests that theoretically, any Xbox 360 game could now be given the same treatment, bringing them back to life even if they weren’t initially supported by modern Xbox Backward Compatibility. It’s a thrilling prospect, as it not only revives forgotten games but also expands the potential for modding. If this rings a bell, you might recall a similar project that gifted us Zelda 64: Recompiled and N64: Recompiled, which we’ve covered in the past.
Now, why did dedicated fans take it upon themselves to port Sonic Unleashed to PC instead of waiting for Sega to do it? For years, this game has been something of a holy grail for the Sonic modding community. You see, the Unleashed Project and various mods have long strived to bring the game’s standout Daytime stages—with their pioneering Boost gameplay—into the PC version of Sonic Generations. Before the Xbox Series S/X added Backwards Compatibility and FPS Boost, the only way to experience these stages at a smooth 60 FPS was through modding the Generations PC version. The original PS360 hardware struggled, often dropping below 30 FPS when attempting to run Unleashed’s expansive levels brimming with detailed graphics, including full Global Illumination (though of a pre-baked variety, unlike today’s real-time techniques).
In recent times, advancements in Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 emulation with Xenia and RPCS3 have made it possible to play the full game on PC, albeit with some performance trade-offs due to the nature of emulation. But now, with Unleashed Recompiled, fans can finally enjoy Sonic Unleashed in a form that is truly liberated for the modern age. This new PC port benefits from the refinements of Xenia’s emulation progress and comes packed with features like uncapped resolution support, robust graphics settings, and more. There’s even a handy “Music Attenuation” option that fades out in-game music when you’re listening to your own tunes. And while you can push the FPS cap beyond 60, caution is advised as it might mess with the game’s physics. Using Lossless Scaling or harnessing your GPU’s own frame generation solutions is recommended for smoother gameplay above 60 FPS.
However, to dive into Unleashed Recompiled or embark on your own Xbox 360 recompilations, you’ll need to legally own the original Xbox 360 games and any related DLCs, just as you would with any project related to emulation. Yet, compared to playing on consoles, especially since Unleashed Recompiled boasts fully-fledged graphics and gameplay mods like the Foreign Input System and Improved Progression through the HedgeModManager, opting to play Xbox 360 games on PC has never been more enticing.
Sonic Unleashed, welcome to the world of PC gaming—we’ve been eagerly waiting for this moment.
