RPG specialists BioWare, presently hard at work on a role-playing version of the Hedgehog, have confirmed that the new game will include a few familiar faces from Sonic's past.

The version of Sonic Chronicles will apparently include Sonic's old pal Big the Cat.

"I think maybe the challenge there, if people are not as excited about having the friends, is making them worthwhile, making them a good part of the game," studio big wig Greg Zeschuk told MTV last week.

"They're not going to be gimmicky. They're not going to be side things. It is actually a core part of the gameplay mechanic. It's actually, we think, going to revitalise the love of the Sonic friends, especially Big the Cat."

"The choice is moment to moment; it's in the story, it's within your exploration. It's also within your choice of companion characters and sidekicks. You're going to have a different experience in games depending on who you bring with you," adds BioWare's on the topic.

He adds that people might even dislike the friends they meet along the way, the developer aiming to evoke emotion between characters of some variety.

"If you provoke that kind of emotion and you're trying to provoke that, it's a good thing. Provided you allow players to enjoy the experience throughout. Hopefully they like some characters. Hopefully they dislike some characters. And if we can bring that and maximise that, it'll be really fun."

By Luke Guttridge