What did this game do right?

[Alice Twilight]

For those of you who enjoyed it like myself.

What did this game do to make you hooked? or really, just appreciate it and have fun.

Seems this game gets alot of hate for not being what people expected, but that's understandable.

But I digress.

[Ruby CUL Terumi]

Nothing much really. But I still enjoy it. Sometimes.

[Jango]

Well, they nailed the inclusion of rings and monitors.

But I digress.

Argue.

Ok then, I will. I disagree with the "it wasn't what people expected" line in parts. Since the very beggining and very first dev interviews, it was statet that the game was going to revisit classic levels and bosses on its first half (Episode 1) and bring new experiences on Episode 2, and that happened.

What I can agree, is related to the physics and music department. While the gameplay is Sonic (rings, springs and all the stuff), the physics were executed wrong, making you feel awkward most of the time. That was a slap in the face, since the game is named Sonic 4, and the three other games have really similar physics. It's not the fact that it isn't fun, but they build the level design to the wrong physics vice/versa. You feel like rolling with that level design, bouncing and heck, going fast, but no, the game doesn't allow you to do this. That wasn't fun to me. The music, that's a matter of tastes I guess. The compositions are good, but the instruments were not fitting...

As for Episode 2, it just hitted the floor, because most of us REALLY expected a change o pace. It did happened, but since the demand was so big, it felt like it was half way done.

Edited November 3, 2012 by Jango

[Jack / Joker]

That is all.

[Scott]

Uhm, it had Sonic in it!

Personally, take away half of the boosters and you might have a proper Sonic 4, the physics don't bother me, they're decent enough.

[Alice Twilight]

Well, they nailed the inclusion of rings and monitors.

Argue.

Ok then, I will. I disagree with the "it wasn't what people expected" line in parts. Since the very beggining and very first dev interviews, it was statet that the game was going to revisit classic levels and bosses on its first half (Episode 1) and bring new experiences on Episode 2, and that happened.

What I can agree, is related to the physics and music department. While the gameplay is Sonic (rings, springs and all the stuff), the physics were executed wrong, making you feel awkward most of the time. That was a slap in the face, since the game is named Sonic 4, and the three other games have really similar physics. It's not the fact that it isn't fun, but they build the level design to the wrong physics vice/versa. You feel like rolling with that level design, bouncing and heck, going fast, but no, the game doesn't allow you to do this. That wasn't fun to me. The music, that's a matter of tastes I guess. The compositions are good, but the instruments were not fitting...

As for Episode 2, it just hitted the floor, because most of us REALLY expected a change o pace. It did happened, but since the demand was so big, it felt like it was half way done.

I more or less meant like Classic Purist expecting Classic Sonic to be in it.

I was speaking on their behalf, personally I couldn't care less about the re-visited levels.

Mad Gear Zone and Lost Labyrinth are amazing.

[...]

Nothing. Literally nothing. Sonic The Hedgehog 4 took what made the classics great (though mainly from Sonic 2), rehashed from them, and called it a day. The music is ear-grating, the level design is linear, filled with speed boosters and spring corridors, and little to no platforming The zones in both episodes are either blatant rehashes from the classic games, or just use the same trope. Splash Hill is basically a plasticy Green Hill, Sylvania Castle is Aquatic Ruins 2.0, Sky Fortress Zone is a blatant (but somehow better) rehash of Wing Fortress, so forth. The majority of badniks are rehashed from the classic games, and so are the majority of the bosses in Episode I. The physics are messed up in both episodes, and rolling barely does shit for you, it in fact slows you down. Sonic 4 is, and never will be a true sequel to the classic games, just a pure mess by Dimps masquerading as a Classic Sonic game.

[Alice Twilight]

I liked the music.

White Park and Death Egg MkII are my favorite tracks.

[Random Rhyme]

I liked that they included Metal Sonic. I guess Im just biased because Metal Sonic is my favorite character.

[Milo]

Regarding both episodes (Metal Sonic lock-on included), hardly anything was done right.

Gameplaywise? The only thing I can think of that some people would appreciate was mapping the Super Sonic transformation ability to one single button, instead of it happening when you jumped in the air (S2) or double jumped (S3K).

Musicwise? Some of Episode I's music compositions are actually good, although they would sound much better with more appropriate instruments. Same applies with Episode II, although the soundfont choice is much better than Episode I to the point that the best tracks are actually passable.

Graphicswise? I'll give it to Episode I some credit-although it's artstyles of pre-rendered assets and cel-shaded characters largely clash with each other (most noticable in the first two zones), the game does still keep the aesthetics of the Genesis games -retraux zones notwithstanding-, and the game honestly looks better on starting with Lost Labyrinth Zone. I can't say the same for Episode II's first two zones, however.

Ideawise? Based on the few things this game did right, I'd like to believe that under this game's belt were several good concepts and good intentions.

That's pretty much it, because Sonic 4 otherwise reeks of mediocrity in the genres/categories it applies under (as a Sonic game in general, as a downloadable (sereis of) platformer(s), as a retruax platformer, etc.); not to mention it's an absolute catastrophe as a Genesis-styled Sonic game-the very thing that it is titled and marketed as (at least for Episode I anyway).

Edited November 3, 2012 by Zinos

[Wentos]

It can't be much if people are still speculating to find what it actually did right.

[Multikaris]

Maybe it's better than the hell Crash went through, but it's still Sonic's nadir.

[Crash]

Maybe it's better than the hell Crash went through, but it's still Sonic's nadir.

Hit the nail on the head.

[hangarninetysix]

E1 had good special stages. That's about it.

[Dr. Homem]

One thing they did right in terms of the concept, was making Metal Sonic playable as a main character for the first time. What they did badly was the execution. Metal Sonic with his own moves, as opposed a "heavier" version of Sonic would have been rather epic.

Dimps have had lots of good ideas. Co-op is a fundamentally good idea. New badniks or old levels with new twists. The run on walls section of Sky Fortress Zone. Bringing Sonic CD and Sonic 2 together along with the major characters to "reimagine" the Genesis storylines.

All good ideas...executed in a mediocre fashion.

It's the potential of Sonic 4 that was wasted, sadly.

[JezMM]

Things I enjoyed:

The level design. While completely taking a shit on classic Sonic platforming, I still find it an enjoyable "regular" platformer, with every stage offering an interesting new gimmick. A couple of levels are bleh or have stupid sections (they have a knack for putting a mean "final exam" insta-death pit at the end of most levels where you either get the stage's gimmick spot on first try or die) but otherwise yeah.

Most of the music. Some of the tunes were forgettable and all of them far too short, but the great stuff was really great.

Episode 2's graphics. Though I enjoy Episode 1 too, it all felt a bit flat. Loved Casino Street and Lost Labyrinth's backdrop though.

Episode 2's special stages are pretty fun with fresh ideas considering they yet again rehash the half-pipe full of rings design. Now never do it again Sonic Team.

Episode 2's Final Boss was pretty cool and original. Oil Desert would also be a goodie if not for how long it is and the stupid completely unrelated pinch mode attack.

Overall I had fun with Sonic 4. It does not live up to the classics at all but it's certainly no Sonic 2006 level of disaster as an entry in the main platformer series.

[Komodin]

Having a separate button for the Super Transformation. Surely, I'm not the only one who got screwed over a few times by trying to jump over/to something but accidentally went Super, losing rings and (possibly) a life due to suddenly having to deal with slippery controls in the process, right?

Edited November 3, 2012 by Komodin

[Blue Blood]

In general, E1 did Super Sonic right. He was exactly as he was in the Classics (S4 engine notwithstanding) with a separate transform button. E2 ballsed it up by leaving him as broken as the whole of E1 and forcing you to turn back into normal Sonic. I don't like the idea of powering down at will, but I don't see any reason why he has to go back to normal for the combo moves.

[TheOcelot]

In general, E1 did Super Sonic right. He was exactly as he was in the Classics (S4 engine notwithstanding) with a separate transform button. E2 ballsed it up by leaving him as broken as the whole of E1 and forcing you to turn back into normal Sonic. I don't like the idea of powering down at will, but I don't see any reason why he has to go back to normal for the combo moves.

I like the idea that you can de-morph (for point of a better word) from Super Sonic to normal Sonic. In S3&K you had to enter a bonus of special stage to go back to normal. I wish you could de-morph in Sonic 2 as well, but I digress. The idea of de-morphing in Ep2 by having to use a co-op move, was just lazy, just like the re-use of Super Sonic from Ep1. Trying to beat the final boss in Death Egg MkII for example, is frustrating if you want to finish the last few hits as Super Sonic, as the co-op moves keeps forcing you to change back.

Edited November 3, 2012 by NightwingFox

[SilverTH]

included tails

[Platinumb]

Probably the only thing it done right was mapping transformation to Super Sonic to a different button other than the jumping button.

[Cricketswinter]

I really enjoyed the music, along with the graphics.  Some of the levels got a little boring, or didn't have the good Sonic feel.  But I love the music.

[The Chairman Of The Board]

The best thing it did for me was deffinantly the music and Super Sonic