Zero (video game)

"From Zero... to Hero."

- Tagline Zero is an upcoming platform-sword fighting game in development by Storm Eagle, to be published by Sega. It is a sequel to the 2017 game Sonic Forces, and is slated for release in October 2019 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

Premise
Set directly after the events of Sonic Forces, the story follows the adventures of the titular Zero the Jackal, then known only as Infinite, humiliated and left for dead after suffering defeat to Sonic, Shadow, and the Avatar. With Infinite neutralized and having the Phantom Ruby forcibly removed from his bust, he has abandoned that messed-up, uber-edgy phase of his life, vowing only to fight for good for once.

A chance re-encounter with the Avatar allows Zero to break into Eggman's fortress and steal back his sword, but not before the conniving doctor sends a ruthless offensive against the quick-thinking jackal, setting off his quest to find his own true strength.

Gameplay
The game mixes traditional platforming with Zero's swordplay ability. Without his sword, Zero can run, punch, kick, headbutt, and even body-slam most enemies. When he equips his sword, he can run slightly faster than normal, slice through many enemies in any direction, and unleash special, more powerful sword attacks, all while on the run. About 99% of the main quest can be played with all abilities unlocked for a more dynamic difficulty curve than what's usually found in previous games in the Sonic the Hedgehog video games.

Soundtrack
In a stark contrast to the nu metal approach from Sonic Forces, the soundtrack for Zero draws primarily from the punk rock scene. Its main theme, 'Zero', features guest vocals from Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness.

Trivia

 * The opening sequence for Zero uses 'The Light of Hope', a song originally from the Sonic Forces soundtrack. The song is interrupted mid-sequence with a vinyl record-scratch, freeze-frame shot of Zero in a feeble state.
 * Zero uses the phrase "social distortion" a total of thirteen times. He also mentions "bad luck" seven times.
 * If save data for Sonic Forces is present, the Avatar that is depicted in the main story will look like the first user-created character from the Forces save file. Otherwise, he will look like the generic red wolf seen in the promos.