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Review by Roger Hargreaves - We've run out of rationalisations for what Sega is doing with Sonic The Hedgehog.

The only logical conclusion from the past decade of games is that Sega hates the character, hates the original games and hates their fans.

What makes it worse is that each game contains elements which could easily be the basis for the perfect 3D reboot that is clearly never going to happen.

The recent Sonic Unleashed was slightly less disappointing than other efforts (or more so if you consider the additional wasted potential) but this has nothing to do with that.

Instead it's a follow-up to Sonic And The Secret Rings, swapping the Arabian Nights theme for Arthurian legend.

It sees Knuckles standing in for Sir Gawain and more creepy furry romance as Sonic chats up a female Merlin.

We'd like to say the setting was irrelevant, but forcing you to endure mammoth (but pretty) cut scenes, between levels that barely last a few minutes, is the least of its evils.

The worst is that Sonic now wields a smart-talking sword, so that instead of just getting on with some simple into-the-screen platforming you have to stop every few seconds to waggle the remote.

More design genius from Sonic Team!

Unlike Secret Rings, this uses the Nunchuck's analogue stick to move, with the remote used only for sword slashes.

With the novelty of motion control gone, you spend most of the game simply running forward (no matter what turns there might be in the course, the game moves you through them automatically) and jumping over the odd obstacle.

As a special extra, the sword controls have a preposterously slow time delay.

What's maddening about all this is that the presentation is superb.

The CGI cut scenes alone are stunning and the actual in-game graphics are also amongst the Wii's very best.

Unlike Secret Rings, it sticks to the Arthurian theme throughout and the realistic-looking backdrops are superbly detailed, with a good sense of speed. Which of course only makes the gameplay seem even worse.

The most laughable feature is battle mode, which mixes the treacly movement of characters at slow speeds with mindless waggling to create perhaps the worst multiplayer game ever.

The very worst thing about all this is that the alternative is so obvious to everyone but Sega - a proper 2D Sonic game with 3D graphics.

It's a holy grail which this game couldn't be further away from reaching.

IN SHORT: Sonic speeds ever further away from his roots and into one of his most ineptly-designed games so far.

PROS: High production values, with excellent cut scenes and impressively detailed, fast graphics.

CONS: Tedious, skill-less gameplay made almost unbearable by inane combat. Awful multiplayer and short levels.

SCORE: 2/10 Out: Now (UK)