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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.

 

[Jacklack3]

"The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog"? I think SEGA's been playing that game for a while

 

[SkittleDash]

I'm scratching my head as to... Why? But I do like a murder mystery so I'll probably play through it. lol

 

[Marc_LFD]

A new Jet Set Radio game would have been nice than more Sonic.

 

[Chary]

I'm pretty sure they already released The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog already:

 

[djpannda]

lol I can hear sonic moan like Peter

 

[PopcornSweetie]

I'm pretty sure they already released The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog already:

He is still alive in "his world" tho

(Gotta love how buggy 06 is. But i love it!)

 

[CeeDee]

GOTY

 

[1B51004]

HE'S DEAD

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG IS NO MORE

REJOICE

 

[Costello]

odd timing !

 

[DoctorBagPhD]

A new Jet Set Radio game would have been nice than more Sonic.

Make one then.

 

[JuanMena]

Tails discovered the truth with the Prower of friendship (and you,)... it was Yuji Naka whom murdered Sonic!
Fin
*credits rolls*

 

[The Catboy]

Neat, I’ll check it out

 

[AutumnWolf]

Game of the year material.

 

[VinsCool]

So does this mean the Fan Game that was promoted to become this release also officially became canon?

 

[Xzi]

Turns out the culprit is colon cancer from too many chili dogs.

 

[Costello]

I'm scratching my head as to... Why? But I do like a murder mystery so I'll probably play through it. lol

I'd look at the calendar to figure out the answer

 

[SkittleDash]

I'd look at the calendar to figure out the answer

I did think that first but it did come out on the 31st March. Although now that I think about it, by the time it released, it would've already been 1st April in Japan. So I'm very sure this is indeed a April Fools gag. lol

 

[Kamiyama]

Would it kill Sega to release Sonic Generation 2.

Generations was the first and last Sonic game for a really long time that was actually good and playable.

 

[ZeroFX]

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..