Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

"Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood" is an RPG being developed by famed Canadian RPG developer BioWare (Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights) for the Nintendo DS. It is scheduled for a 2008 release in North America and Europe. No Japanese release date has yet been specified.

Recent information has been revealed about the game in a Nintendo Power article. The information goes as follows:

• 11 party members total - 7 known are Sonic, Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Rouge, Shadow, Big the Cat

• In the game, graphics will have a water color look, all hand drawn.

• You can have up to 4 party members at one time.

• Each character can do certain things. (ex: Tails can fly over things)

• Control done fully with stylus.

• Able to split party into teams at certain moments.

• Rings are used as currency.

• No random battles, you see enemies on the field before they attack you.

• Turn based battles, choose commands for everyone in your party before they actually follow through. Bioware hopes to have the battles fast paced.

• Team attacks.

• "Fatigue Points" instead of MP.

• Choose which attributes to increase when you level up.

• Purchase level special attacks.

• 2 acts - The first takes place in the normal Sonic World. The 2nd takes place in a "darker world".

• Remixed classic tunes.

• "fully animated cut scenes"

• Simple dialogue trees.

• Side quests.

• Classic levels revisited (ex: Green Hill Zone and Mystic Ruins)

Currently known story: Sonic's on vacation from defeating Eggman 2 years ago. He gets a call from Tails that Knuckles has been kidnapped by a group called the Marauders, and that 6 of the 7 chaos emeralds are missing. Eggman will not be the main villain, but will be a creditable bad guy. Something about a "twist" between Eggman and Sonic that goes back to the earlier games.