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SEGA is showing everybody up for April Fool's Day 2023 by not only releasing an ambitious, impressive product, but doing it a day early. Earlier today, SEGA released The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, a visual novel-style point-and-click adventure game. Drawing inspiration from Murder on the Orient Express, it places Sonic's supporting staff on a train (in period-appropriate attire), creating a locked room mystery when Sonic turns up dead. You play as a new character who teams up with detective Tails to interrogate everyone onboard and solve Sonic's murder.

There's more depth here than one might expect from an April Fool's joke. The game takes a little over an hour to complete, and while there isn't any challenge to the puzzles or brief platforming sections, the script, music and art direction show that this was clearly a labour of love. It may not be worth the time for anyone not invested in Sonic as a franchise, but there are some cute moments here for anyone already invested and there's a lot of fun to seeing them transplanted into a new setting and genre like this.

The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog is available on Steam now.

 

[Osha]

If it's a day early it isn't April fool's. If you want to grab someone with April fool's, do a clever one on the day..

Let me tell you about the magical tale of timezones.

 

[drazenm]

The whole investigation sickness has taken another level, murder mysteries for children.... As if everyone isn't already hating and doubting everyone and behaving as situations and scenarios from movies, TV shows and cartoon are occurring in their real life also.... It's like from that and that, when he, she... Awesome, just awesome.

 

[ZeroFX]

Let me tell you about the magical tale of timezones.

Read the op.

 

[MorningBlunt]

Comments here have dedded me more than I could ever wish for.

 

[Reploid]

When Nintendo released anything free on steam? Think about it.

 

[Foxi4]

lol I can hear sonic moan like Peter

That’s the first thing that came to mind, yes.

 

[HarveyHouston]

Oh NO! THIS IS HORRIBLE!

...

I'M DOWNLOADING IT RIGHT NOW!!!

 

[zebrone]

Finally

 

[Osha]

Read the op.

An article saying "it's a day early" doesn't change the fact that it was April 1st in Japan when it got released. Wanna take a guess at where the company is localized ?

 

[MetoMeto]

ok.............................

 

[relauby]

An article saying "it's a day early" doesn't change the fact that it was April 1st in Japan when it got released. Wanna take a guess at where the company is localized ?

This wasn't developed by Sonic Team, it was spearheaded by the Sonic social media team. The Japanese social teams didn't mention it at all, and the Steam page makes no mention of Japanese being a supported language, so I'd be surprised if Sega Japan had anything to do with this besides some higher-ups approving it. They probably just wanted to get it out on a Friday instead of launching a game on a weekend when people are out of the office.

 

[Bladexdsl]

the joke will be once aprils fools is over it will vanish

 

[Halbour]

have you looked at its desktop picture after being downloaded...??

 

[ZeroFX]

An article saying "it's a day early" doesn't change the fact that it was April 1st in Japan when it got released. Wanna take a guess at where the company is localized ?

Doesn't matter, English tweet for the western audience with march 31st timestamp + on march 31st on the steam page for worldwide, lame April fool's. I'm in Japan btw...

 

[FlitPix]

Just beat it and it's surprisingly good, give it a go!

 

[Marc_LFD]

Make one then.

You're actually defending Sega on only doing Sonic games than the wealth of franchises they have? You do you, I guess.

Sega could have ported their amazing arcade games to Consoles/PC, but who'd want to play that? Just give them more Sonic!

 

[omgcat]

Imagine the sheer level of autism needed to argue about an obvious April's fool release not being an obvious April fool's release because of the date. Gonna play this when I get home but jeez.

 

[FlitPix]

Yeah honestly just play the game and enjoy the free content-

 

[Jonna]

Doesn't matter, English tweet for the western audience with march 31st timestamp + on march 31st on the steam page for worldwide, lame April fool's. I'm in Japan btw...

Man, I'm usually very literal about things and a general party-pooper myself, and even I think this is warrant of a sarcastic "you must be fun at parties, eh?"

 

[ZeroFX]

Man, I'm usually very literal about things and a general party-pooper myself, and even I think this is warrant of a sarcastic "you must be fun at parties, eh?"

pleb tier*