Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

DeASplode

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CTU_Loscombe said:
The chase bit isnt from any of the older ones and so is brand new
Uhh, there was a chase boss in Sonic & Knuckles. Mushroom Hill Zone.
Chasing Robotnik through the forest, jumping over spikey balls, trying to hit him a few times.

I'd say the chase boss resembles that.
 

FinalFreak16

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I loved Sonic 4 for its throw-back to the original Sonic games. The only problem i had with it was the length, and more importantly the Story. Considering the game is a direct sequel to Sonic and Knuckles there was no apparent relation in this one at all. It could have easily been the first in the series.

It seemed a bit wierd for Robotnik/Eggman to just do the usual tricks of Sonic 1 and 2 after everything that had happened. Heres hoping episode 2 amps up the story a bit.
 

Dimbo_Sama

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I more or less agree with this review. Yeah, I grew up with Sonic, so I got way more of the re-hashed ideas and designs than the reviewer did of course, but it never felt like Sonic with a HD lick of paint, it feels more to me like they took Sonic Advance, Mixed it with Sonic 3 & Knuckles and refined the hell out of it.

I just don't understand why they took this long to make the game, and then just give us 5 zones, Sega has this game written well, all it needs is more levels, with fresh and enjoyable ideas. I don't understand why they can't do that as a stand alone game rather than a Download.

But I didn't feel cheated by the quality, just the length.
 

robinkom

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Some people will never be pleased no matter what. I honestly cannot see all of the "failure" being talked about in this thread. You pick up the controller, you start the game, and it feels like the original Sonic games. Where is the failure? The stuff that was taken almost verbatim from Sonic 1 & 2? So what? Nintendo does this all the time with Mario. Sega's been adding gimmicks non-stop to Sonic these last few years and those games were horrible for veering too far from the basics of what made Sonic enjoyable in the first place.

The obvious nods to the early games were done on purpose for nostalgia's sake to strike a cord with the older players. It was done blatantly so that you think to yourself "Hey I remember that from a game I loved years ago!" This was 16 years coming after all.

It's a chronological sequel to Sonic & Knuckles and is only the first part so far. I think we'll see more elements from Sonic 3 and S&K in future episodes as well as new things we've never seen before.

Also what the reviewer failed to mention is that when you have to fight all of the Boss forms over again, they're a little harder with new moves added in. And the Giant Robot fight is taken from Sonic 2... except for the part where it goes bat shit crazy and hops around like a jack rabbit after you've jumped on it enough times. Yeah, I died a lot. Apparently I don't have the focus and reflex I had 16 years ago.
 

Staskala

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Am I the only one having a deja-vu here?
I mean, that final boss is an exact copy of the one from 3, what the hell. Oh and Robotnik is swinging a ball at you? Never seen that before. I think a chase scene pretty much exactly like that was also in one of the Advanced games. Levels look like a complete rehash from older games.

You know SEGA, when we asked for games like the old ones we didn't mean that we wanted those exact games with a graphical update.
 

coldfrog

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SilverUchiha said:
I figured this wouldn't be interesting. This is the first Sonic game in years to come out that I didn't really look at and think was interesting. Hell, level design looks pretty much like the old games. Personally, I'm more excited for Sonic Colors. Gameplay videos actually look more entertaining.
The reason, as far as I'm concerned, why fans knock this game is because they changed the physics in a weird way, and the controls are no where near as smooth and fun to play. The animations also look wrong... they just don't have the smooth flow that the original Sonic games had. A new person might not notice this, but to me, I don't care what they do to the levels, but the actual action should not have changed that radically.

EDIT: Crap, I quoted the wrong person somehow. Sorry. Probably the person I intended to see this won't now :p
 

CrystalShadow

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Each level, you can also unlock secret stages if you get to the end with over 50 rings. These little mini-levels were clearly designed for the accelerometer of the iPhone but they offer a small reward of some different gameplay if you are Sonically skilled.
Without having seen what the special zones look like, I can't really judge this, but I'm more inclined to think they were designed with the Wii version in mind...

After all, Sega and Nintendo are pretty cozy these days...
BlueHighwind said:
Why exactly is this NOT on the DS? This title is perfect for a handheld.
Because the DS has already had old-style sonic games.

(Eg. Sonic rush).

Not to mention, if you have an older DS, you can play GBA games...

Which leads to Sonic Advance 1, 2 and 3...

Which all play quite similarly to this really.
 

Mortons4ck

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It should be pretty obvious that Sonic 4: Ep. 1 is just a experiment by Sega to test the waters for the commercial viability of a 2D Sonic game in the current market. That's probably why the level design seems a little rehashed, to cut down on costs. If this game is successful, expect to see newer level design.
 

SpaceMedarotterX

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Staskala said:
Am I the only one having a deja-vu here?
I mean, that final boss is an exact copy of the one from 3, what the hell. Oh and Robotnik is swinging a ball at you? Never seen that before. I think a chase scene pretty much exactly like that was also in one of the Advanced games. Levels look like a complete rehash from older games.

You know SEGA, when we asked for games like the old ones we didn't mean that we wanted those exact games with a graphical update.
YES YOU DID! IT'S WHY YOUR CREAMING YOUR SELF OVER THE FAN REMIX, WHICH IS EXACTLY THAT!

I am so SICK of everyone's constant whinging!
 

jp201

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Finally a good sonic game. Haven't seen a decent sonic game since sonic adventure on dreamcast
 

AngelicSven

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When the reviewer described that he's never played a Sonic game before, I thought it'd go this way.

Though it's a major re-hash, depending on cost, it could fill my afternoon. It looks good enough.
 

Zechnophobe

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Greg Tito said:
Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

Playing a whirling ball of fur is way more fun than I thought.

Read Full Article
Anyone else think this is like Gabe telling Tycho how awesome Counter Strike is?

Greg, m'man, the game I just watched a video for, and the game I played on my sega way back when? Look almost identical :p. Better graphics, but pretty much all the same concepts. Simple and slick, lots of speed, etc.

Even down to your description of the boss battles. The final boss, by the way, is the same from sonic 2 (or at least, it was looking pretty darn similar).
 

Swifteye

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Tim Latshaw said:
theaceplaya said:
And also, if Sonic 4 is just Sonic with an HD coat of paint that Sega doesn't deserve praise for, why is the gaming community creaming its collective pants over the Sonic Fan Remix? Not saying it doesn't look good (it really does) but how can Sega do the same thing and everyone hates on it? I'm being dead serious, I just don't get it.
Didn't you get the memo? The best Sega fans know that Sega is never supposed to do anything right anymore! It's all about complaining non-stop when they try something new, then when they finally cave in and try to provide a nostalgic experience, that's when we change our minds and cry about it being too similar to the old stuff we constantly told Sega we wanted to relive!

I swear it's like some form of reverse Stockholm Syndrome.
That's exactly what's happening here. They are rehashing old levels and designs? Why are they doing that it couldn't have been because we ASKED THEM TOO.
 

bjj hero

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I liked that Greg hadn't really played before, a fresh perspective. Having said that, I read a review by someone who had played other Sonic games and he said he was let down due to lack of pace.

Speed is one of the things that made Sonic so exceptional.

No doubt there will be a bundle when all episodes have been released, I'll probably get it then.
 

Antiparticle

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mjc0961 said:
First of, the physics engine. If they were going for a game that's supposed to be like the old games like they said multiple times in press statements for the game, you do not change the physics engine so it plays like some other IP with Sonic having a cross-over appearance. That is called failure and SEGA was piling as much of it onto this game as the could.
In short, after watching those it should be quite easy to see why anyone who was hoping SEGA would deliver on their promise of having Sonic 4 be like the old games feels that SEGA fucked up to the point of not having any respect for the company again.
Good videos, thanks, saves me the trouble of typing it all out. Yeah, "Sonic 4" feels all wrong to any fan of the old games. And don't even me started on that retarded homing attack! Part of the game is aiming your jumps, not turning Sonic into a homing missile, what the fuck were they thinking. Don't claim you're making another "retro" Sonic game and then mess up so much! Try again SEGA, I'm STILL waiting for a worthy successor to Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
 

hansari

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Susan Arendt said:
BlueHighwind said:
Why exactly is this NOT on the DS? This title is perfect for a handheld.
Um...why should it be? Not arguing that it wouldn't be fun on the DS, but nothing wrong with it being on the big screen, either.
Well like most people, I have a lengthy daily commute. I suppose on the list of "things to do to kill time", playing Sonic would be a pretty awesome addition to that list.

Doesn't require heavy thinking (for those of us riding around long before the sun) but is still a challenging puzzle/platform game.

So at least from my perspective, its just a missed opportunity. (but whatever, there will be MORE sonic games)