An unreleased cinematic for the cult classic Sonic Chronicles: Dark Brotherhood was published online, giving fans a closer look at the incredibly fluid 2D cutscene.Posted to Twitter by Jonathan Cooper, an expert in video game animation, the cinematic is split across two screens, mimicking the display of the Nintendo DS. After a quick logo splash for developer Bioware, the video begins in earnest, depicting Sonic blitzing his way through the barren canyon. The Blue Blur launches himself at Dr. Robotnik, who is floating overhead in a hovering machine, before making a quick escape from a horde of missiles. According to Cooper, the cutscene was intended to play as the introduction to Sonic Chronicles but was ultimately cut by SEGA and replaced with a montage of gameplay backed by the same music.Related: Sonic Frontiers Is the Perfect Opportunity To Revive a Forgotten Sonic Mini-Game

While the incredibly fluid animation is stunning to behold now, SEGA never publically explained why the cinematic was cut from the game. Fans speculate that it may have something to do with the art style, which is very different from the traditional visuals of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Dark Brotherhood was the first and only Sonic game to be developed by Bioware; it also holds the title as the only game the developer made for the Nintendo DS system. A sequel was alluded to, based on the cliffhanger ending of the original game, but this project was never greenlit.

While Sonic Chronicles: Dark Brotherhood has made a name for itself as a cult classic, the game is vastly different from other titles in the franchise. Rather than being a speed-focused platformer, Chronicles is a turn-based role-playing game. Players step into the ever-durable sneakers of Sonic as he and his friends set out on a quest to stop Master Emerald from being kidnapped, eventually landing in another dimension known as the Twilight Cage.

Beyond Sonic, Chronicles featured a large cast of playable characters including Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles, Amy Rose, Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge, Big the Cat, Cream, Shade, E-123 Omega and even Dr. Eggman. Upon its release, the game received mixed to positive reviews as critics praised its visuals and gameplay while noting that the story and writing left much to be desired. Sonic Chronicles: Dark Brotherhood is only available on the Nintendo DS as it was never ported to another device.

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Source: Twitter