Gaming News Round-Up: March 25th, 2005

- Though word first got out during the Walk of Game opening ceremony during the Game Developers Conference, Sega has now officially announced Shadow the Hedgehog, a spinoff of its popular Sonic the Hedgehog series. The chief difference between the two seems to be the firearm Shadow is equipped with, as opposed to the more family-friendly Sonic; the move has drawn criticism in some circles for inserting the gun into an all-ages franchise. Explaining the change in tone, Takashi Iizuka, the game's director, commented: "We maintained Shadow as a mysterious character and now fans can control his destiny by engaging in a unique gameplay experience that offers a multitude of possibilities!" - The latest issue of Ziff Davis' EGM consumer magazine has the first details on a number of major Sony-published PlayStation 2 sequels due out in Fall 2005. Officially unveiled for the first time in this month's magazine are Jak X, a racing game sequel to Naughty Dog's previously platform-based Jak & Daxter series that's described as being tangentially evocative of Twisted Metal, Ratchet: Deadlocked from Insomniac, featuring squad-based play, battle suits, and online co-op play, as well as Sucker Punch's Sly 3, which promises a longer gameplay experience alongside ever more complex heist shenanigans. - Also updated on Gamasutra today (free reg. req.): our first 'Day In The Life' feature, charting an average work day for UK-based freelance Broken Sword writer/designer Steve Ince, as well as newly advertised jobs from Blue Fang Games, SCEA, Legacy Interactive, and more.