SEGA will no doubt blow the top off of SOnic Unleashed during this week’s E3 Media and Business Summit in Los Angeles, but just before they do, GamesTM has popped up with a whole host of new information about the upcoming platformer, including information on its RPG elements.

The British magazine reports that Sonic Unleashed’s world opens up from a central hub in which our hero is able to converse with human characters. There will be nine levels in total, set in locations ranging from The Great Wall of China and an African desert to the Spanish seaside setting (which we’ve already seen) and New York City. The Japanese title for the gase is in fact Sonic World Adventure, which would suitably reflect the hedgehog’s globetrotting adventure.

As for gameplay, Sonic Unleashed’s lead designer Yoshihisa Hashimoto explained that no level would take more than five minutes to bomb through from start to finish, and that each 2D and 3D gameplay stint (which we’re promised the shifts between will fit into the game seamlessly) will last between just 15-30 seconds each. The decision, he explains, is to change the perspective as often as possible so that the player does not get bored. We’re assuming there’ll be multiple routes, however, to encourage players to return to hunt out each location’s best kept secrets.

And what about those reported RPG elements? GamesTM writes:

“New powers can be unlocked by locating hidden items throughout the stages while regular abilities, such as speed and strength can be upgraded via sliding scales after each victory over a boss.

So now you know.

Sonic Unleashed is planned for release this November, but we’ll no doubt be covering news on it coming from E3 during the course of the next few days.