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Sonic the Hedgehog’s next video game is in Roblox

Sega announced that Sonic the Hedgehog has entered the world of Roblox with a new game titled Sonic Speed Simulator. The game, which launched in beta on the Roblox servers today, was made possible by a collaboration between Sega of America and Gamefam, the gaming studio that was the first to utilize Roblox as a game development platform.

Roblox is a popular online game creation platform filled with user-generated content. Sonic’s appearance on the platform marks the first time a AAA video game property has gotten an official game in Roblox.

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In Sonic Speed Simulator, players race against their friends as their own avatars or as Sonic characters across locations from the Sonic universe, including Green Hill Zone. As they roll around at the speed of sound, they’ll unlock rewards, such as character skins like Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose and others that aid in increasing their stats. Once the game gets 10,000 likes, players will receive an exclusive community Sonic skin as a bonus.

We have officially partnered with @SEGA to bring @Sonic_Hedgehog to Roblox in our upcoming game Sonic Speed Simulator!

We worked with various sonic developers from the #Roblox community in order to make this possible!#RobloxDev

Try it here: https://t.co/TFCkRGpuT3 pic.twitter.com/yRAQlIC1Um

— Gamefam Studios (@gamefamstudios) April 13, 2022

“We’ve worked closely with Sega to create an official Sonic the Hedgehog experience on Roblox that will authentically delight the hundreds of millions of Blue Blur fans around the world,” says Joe Ferencz, CEO of Gamefam, in a press release. “We’re proud that Sega entrusted our talented team of creators to bring Sonic to the metaverse and deliver the highest velocity, and probably best-looking, game in Roblox history!”

Sonic the Hedgehog’s official Roblox debut comes on the heels of his cinematic sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The sequel broke box office records by raking in over $71 million in its first weekend.

Sonic Speed Simulator is still in closed beta testing as of this writing, but players can download the game for free on April 14.

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The best video games of December 2022: Midnight Suns, High on Life, and more
Hulk shouts at an enemy in Marvel's Midnight Suns.

While December is historically a quiet month for the video game industry, that was not the case in 2022. Delays caused several AAA games to launch in the final month of the year, while some charming indie titles also tried to carve out a spot for themselves in what would turn out to be a surprisingly busy month. While a couple of this month's releases were hit-and-miss, the December 2022 game lineup featured a diverse array of experiences that will please players of all kinds across all platforms. 
In particular, seven titles stood out to us most throughout December. From an ambitious Marvel RPG to a simulator 20 years in the making, these are the games released in December 2022 that you should check out. 
Marvel's Midnight Suns
Marvel’s Midnight Suns - Release Date Trailer | D23 Expo 2022
Superhero games aren't a rarity nowadays, but few are as ambitious as Marvel's Midnight Suns. Created by the former XCOM team at Firaxis Games, this is a full-blown Marvel RPG where players can spend a lot of time getting to know characters from the Avengers and beyond. On top of that, battles are fun turn-based strategy affairs where cards are used to perform special abilities, and players can explore a large open world around their Abbey home base in-between missions. At 40-plus hours, it's a long game that takes a while to get going, but any Marvel fan will appreciate the solid worldbuilding and deep gameplay once they get into its rhythm.
"Even at a time where Marvel is more popular than ever, Marvel’s Midnight Suns finds a way to stand out by going the extra mile," I wrote in a four-star review of Marvel's Midnight Suns. "The boring level design and issues with Abbey exploration can dampen an otherwise fantastic experience, but my appreciation for these characters and the well-thought-out nature of the card-based combat encouraged me to play until the final hours."
By finding a middle ground between XCOM 2, Persona 5, and Slay the Spire, Firaxis created a game that has all of the hallmarks of a solid Marvel experience, but in a way that still feels fresh. It's worth checking out if you are a fan of Marvel, card games, strategy games, or RPGs. Marvel's Midnight Suns is available now for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, and is in development for PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. 
Need for Speed Unbound
Need for Speed Unbound - Official Reveal Trailer (ft. A$AP Rocky)
Need for Speed Unbound's launch earlier this month might have been muted, but that has no bearing on the game's quality. While its trying-way-to-hard-to-be-hip dialogue will get on your nerves after a while, this is a fun street racing game with a wide selection of cars, lots of customization, and tough AI opponents. Those latter three elements always make for an entertaining racer, and Need for Speed Unbound sticks out even further thanks to its distinct cel-shaded art style. 
"The racer eventually hits its limits due to sometimes cringe-inducing writing and repetitive objects, but the ride there packs in a lot of fun," my three-and-a-half star Need for Speed Unbound review explains. "Need for Speed Unbound is surprisingly challenging, making each race important and engaging, and it has a lot of style. During this gap between Gran Turismo 7 and next spring’s Forza Motorsport, this open-world racer refuels a series that has been running on fumes."
While you'll get the most out of Need for Speed Unbound in single-player, it also features an open-world multiplayer mode for those who want to race around a city based on Chicago with their friends. There haven't been any major racing game releases this fall, so this game thankfully fills that void quite nicely. Need for Speed Unbound is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. 
High on Life
HIGH ON LIFE - Official Game Trailer - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022
Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland's game studio Squanch Games just launched High on Life, a Metroid Prime-inspired sci-fi shooter where every weapon can talk (and spout quips). It's a comedy game first and foremost, so your mileage will vary depending on your sense of humor. Thankfully, it's also fun to play. 
"Like Rick and Morty’s Pickle Rick episode, High on Life doesn’t build to a grand punch line," Giovanni Colantonio writes in his three-and-a-half star review of High on Life. "It’s more focused on those immediate hits of fun that’ll keep players entertained in the moment — you probably remember “I’m Pickle Rick!” clearer than any actual plot details of that episode. Satisfying combat, smooth traversal, and a smattering of hilarious vignettes make for an admirable adventure game whose individual parts are more memorable than the full picture."
If you enjoy watching a good episode of Rick and Morty or playing Metroid Prime, High on Life is one of the more novel and refreshing releases this month. Comedy games are inherently divisive, but it's nice to see Squanch push the boundaries of what humor in a video game can look like. High on Life is available now for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S via Xbox Game Pass. 
The Callisto Protocol
The Callisto Protocol - The Truth of Black Iron Trailer
The Callisto Protocol, Glen Schofield's spiritual successor to Dead Space, finally released this month. While reception has been mixed due to some tech issues and divisive combat, it still provides lots of scares, gross gore, and top-notch visuals on current-gen platforms. It's a fairly short experience, so you should see everything the game has to offer in under 10 hours. It also features a star-studded cast featuring the likes of Josh Duhamel, Sam Witwer, and Karen Fukuhara.
"The Callisto Protocol does more than enough to scratch the Dead Space itch that’s been lingering for a decade," Colantonio claims in his three-and-a-half-star review of The Callisto Protocol. "It’s familiar without feeling like a rehash, putting its own creative stamp on the horror genre. It’s not without its fleshy weak spots though, as overworked combat and performance instability leave room for the new IP to mutate into something more powerful down the line."
For those looking for one more solid horror experience before the year ends, The Callisto Protocol provides that in abundance. Although it doesn't seem like it will outright replace Dead Space in horror gamers' hearts anytime soon, playing through the game seems like a nice way to whet your appetite ahead of the Dead Space remake's release in January 2023. The Callisto Protocol is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Chained Echoes
Chained Echoes - Launch Trailer
Retro-inspired JRPGs aren't a new concept, but the games that get it right can be just as fun as the classics. Thankfully, Chained Echoes is a nice throwback RPG. Solid pixel art backs up interesting worldbuilding that blends fantasy and sci-fi, and the battle system centers around an Overdrive meter. Using attacks will fill the meter, and moving into a certain sweet spot will buff your attacks; use too many though, and you'll overheat and get debuffed, forcing you to use attacks that move you back down the meter.
It's a clever way to balance the risk-and-reward systems seen in RPGs like Bravely Default, but it also keeps things engaging as players aren't locked to just one attack or battle option with Overdrive. Of course, lots of other gameplay elements, as well as a hefty amount of story and overworld exploration, keep this RPG experience fresh over time. For an RPG mostly made by one person, it's quite impressive. Chained Echoes is out now for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The game is also available via Xbox Game Pass. 
Dwarf Fortress
Dwarf Fortress Steam Edition - Launch Trailer
Dwarf Fortress is a 20-year-old game that's never looked this good. It's hard to explain in its entirety, but in essence, Dwarf Fortress is a fantasy simulation game where players build and manage a colony of dwarves. Its open-ended nature makes it a great simulator for emergent fantasy storytelling. Previously, Dwarf Fortress was a freeware game with minimalist ASCII graphics that gained a cult following as developer Bay 12 Games slowly updated it over the past 20 years.
This month, a version of the game with more contemporary graphics hit Steam and itch.io, making Dwarf Fortress more accessible than ever. It's a very daunting game to get into because of its complex systems and overwhelming UI, but once you get the hang of it, it's really hard to put down. Dwarf Fortress is available now for PC via Steam and itch.io. 
Aka
Aka - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch
Aka is the best chill and wholesome game of this month. Players control a red panda living its life in a tropical archipelago after fighting in a war. The game can get quite somber in tone at times, but it typically has a positive, reflective outlook on life. It balances relaxing exploration with crafting and gardening to create an experience that might not be groundbreaking, but is always entertaining. This is a cute little indie game that's not getting that much attention, but it should be on your radar if you enjoy wholesome games, life and farming sims, or red pandas. Aka is available now for PC and Nintendo Switch. 

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4 video game news stories that shaped the industry’s future in 2022
Living room with Microsoft Xbox Series X (L) and Sony PlayStation 5 home video game consoles alongside a television and soundbar.

With the video game industry in constant growth mode, it's rare we ever get through a year without some massive bombshell announcement with huge implications for the future. In 2021, for instance, we saw Epic waging war against Apple’s business practices, Valve disrupting hardware with its Steam Deck announcement, and a harrowing Activision Blizzard scandal that acted as a tipping point for the industry and its often difficult working conditions.

The news didn’t slow down in 2022 -- if anything, it escalated. The Activision Blizzard revelation in particular had something of a snowball effect this year, rolling its way into several major threads. Between high-profile acquisitions and a push for unionization, this year very much felt like a direct continuation of 2021. Nothing was a one-off story, but rather part of a historical moment that could make the 2020s the most pivotal decade in gaming history when all is said and done.

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Celebrate the holidays like a true gamer with these 6 yule log videos
best video game yule logs hades log

Sometimes you just want to create a cute holiday vibe in your home, letting you curl up next to a roaring fire. That mission can be tough if you don't have a fireplace, though. That's where yule log videos come in. You can head over to YouTube and load up any number of cozy yule log videos simulating that experience.
There are plenty of traditional yule log options for you to choose from, but what if you're a gamer? Perhaps you won't settle for anything less than a neat gaming-themed fire that will make your younger cousins think you’re very cool and have the rest of your family concerned about your life choices. If that applies to you, here are six great gaming yule logs you can fire up this holiday weekend.
Minecraft Holiday Yule Log
Minecraft Holiday Yule Log (Official)
Let's start with an old standby. If you want a good-natured, uncomplicated gaming fire, look to the blocky world of Minecraft. Released in 2016, this two-hour YouTube video lets you watch a fire burn in a holiday-decorated Minecraft cabin. While it lacks the realistic graphics of The Last of Us Part II and it plays the same fire sound effect every couple of seconds, this will do if you’re looking for a gaming-themed yule log that almost anyone can recognize. It's official, too -- it says so in the title. 
Happy Holidays featuring Charlie the Yule Dog from Marvel's Midnight Suns
Happy Holidays featuring Charlie the Yule Dog | Marvel's Midnight Suns
Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Marvel, but it’s this neat comic book universe that has spawned some movies and video games. The latest Marvel game, Marvel’s Midnight Suns, even got a Yule Log of its own almost an entire year before it was released. The official video is titled Charlie the Yule Dog, so I don’t really think I have to put in that much comedic effort here after that pun. I just want to highlight that it’s nice for a game to give such a fledgling universe of characters some time in the spotlight.
AVGN's Yule Log of Video Games
AVGN's Yule Log of Video Games
Are you celebrating Christmas with people who really don’t like video games? Then you can try to convince them that you, a gamer, are actually on their side with this yule log from the Angry Video Game Nerd. This timeless classic is over an hour long and shows video games burning over chiptune music. Warm your family's weary bones by the flames of Bonk's Adventure and Beavis and Butthead's Sega Genesis game.
Little Inferno: Ho Ho Holiday
Little Inferno Ho Ho Holiday Expansion - Official Trailer
“Wait, that’s a trailer, not a yule log video you madman!” is what you’re probably thinking. Well, I'm just trying to keep you on your toes. We have gamified everything from language learning to literal geese, so of course, we’ve found a way to gamify yule logs. If your least favorite part of these videos is the fact that you can't interact with them, then Little Inferno’s Ho Ho Holiday expansion is for you. Little Inferno is a funny, satirical indie game that's all about burning things, and this expansion that just released in November adds over 20 new toys for you to burn. I think this technically counts as a yule log, because it makes you feel like one. 
House of Hades Yule Log
House of Hades Yule Log [4k]
This isn’t a comedic yule log entry. I’m just here to tell you that Hades is a good game and has a great yule log video. Put on this calming 12-hour yule log and just play Hades. Watch the Hades II trailer while you’re at it, and then play Hades again. Why are you still here? You should be playing Hades -- it’s one of the best games of all time.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Yule Log
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) - "Yule Log" - Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures released a Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Yule Log ahead of the film's release earlier this year, and it's actually a pretty great one. I'm extending this one to Sonic fans as a holiday olive branch after my very critical review of Sonic Frontiers earlier this year. I hope this gift brings you peace this holiday season. Regardless, this is actually a nice yule log, especially if the people around you know who Sonic is. Roast some chili dogs over an open flame while you watch this one.
Hopefully, one of these very niche yule logs can fill your weekend with some gaming cheer. Happy holidays from the Digital Trends gaming team!

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