Sonic 4 Episode 1 educational review (Mikyeong only)

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

if it doesn't belong, feel free to move/delete/lock etc

Sonic 4 Episode 1 educational review

Sonic 4 Episode 1 at a first glance is a colorful a classic 2D sidescroller game, designed to appeal to those who have grown up with the Genesis trilogy. Race through four zones, 3 acts per zone as Sonic ventures to stop Dr Eggman and rescue the animals.

The story continues from Sonic 3 and Knuckles, with the Death Egg destroyed and Sonic off to explore new settings. Dr. Eggman comes back and reuses creations from past games to attempt to defeat Sonic, for which the final showdown resides in his new base, E.G.G Station. Sonic defeats Eggman at his new base and frees all the animals from being robotized. When the player collects all seven chaos emeralds, a silhouette of metal Sonic is shown at the end of the game, hinting at a next episode.  

The game does rehash the same story from previous Genesis titles, with the exception of Metal Sonic appearing in the next episode. The story is rather simplistic for the type of game Sonic 4 is supposed to be. However, it did felt thrown together as an excuse to justify why certain aspects of Sonic 4 was copying aesthetics from early titles, from the zones themselves, right down to the bosses.

Sonic 4’s gameplay was supposed to be reminiscent of the original Sonic games for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. The game brought back mechanics such as the original spindash, shields, speed shoes and invincibility. Sonic can also use the homing attack, which zeros in on enemies and objects.

Some levels in the game, mixed with Sonic’s moveset, provide players a chance to interact with the environment. Mad Gear Zone has gear riding, where the player uses the large gears to unlock parts to different paths or to get from one place to another. Casino Street had card surfing in its Act 2, where the player can use the homing attack on a deck of cards and use them to surf to any location in the level itself. There were even some that were hidden, which can get the player far enough closer to the end of the level. Act 3 of Casino Street had barrels which Sonic shoots out of in order to advance in certain parts of the levels. Lost Labyrinth Act 2 had torch puzzles where Sonic carries a torch throughout the entire level and the paths that open depend on the lanterns the player lights. The mobile version of the same level consisted of mine cart riding throughout the entire level.  

The gameplay itself felt unpolished from the start. If the player had started with the earlier Sonic games, one might notice that Sonic’s speed is slower and stiffer than in past titles. The game does employ speed boosters along the way, however in a Genesis styled Sonic game, speed boosters shouldn’t be heavily relied upon to gain speed. Speed in this game was practically given to the player on a silver platter, rather than earned. Even if the player wishes the use the rolling mechanic, it instantly falls short within a few seconds, rendering it useless. The gameplay felt more automated than player based.

There were moments in the game where the spindash felt more like a requirement for speed than a fun novelty move, or that the homing attack felt more like a chore to use as it was forced in many parts of the game space.

The special stages were reminiscent of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game for the Sega Genesis. However, instead of the player controlling Sonic, the player controlled the board itself, thus in return giving more control over the direction Sonic could go.  However, unlike Sonic 1’s special stages, Sonic 4’s special stages were timed, at the same time, there were also time bonuses scattered throughout the stages themselves.

If the bosses seem familiar, it is because they were all pretty much ripped from the earlier Genesis Sonic games. To justify this change, the story does say that Dr Eggman uses his previous inventions from other games to attempt to beat Sonic. From the iconic marble ball from Sonic 1, right down to the Death Egg Robot from Sonic 2, each boss in Sonic 4 felt as if they were copied from the early games and pasted onto a new template. The bosses themselves do seem easier because of the use of the homing attack, however the bosses to attempt to bring out a bit of a challenge. The Death Egg Robot at the end of E.G.G Station does malfunction after so many hits, causing it to trip for which Sonic has to avoid being crushed. Also the arms are more interactive and the player can even use the robot’s own arm to beat the boss itself.

While the game attempts to bring in ideas from the past, its shortcomings lie in the execution of those ideas. It felt like the creators were trying to copy aesthetics from the Genesis games and paste them onto a Rush template, and call it “the game you’ve been waiting 16 years for”.

Sonic’s movement in Sonic 4 felt sluggish. It seemed like the player had to work extra hard just to move Sonic smoothly through the levels. One way to move Sonic quickly is to jump dash through some of the levels, however in a true Genesis-styled platformer, that shouldn’t be required just to move the character smoothly.

Super Sonic in this game felt as if he was the same speed at Sonic 3 and Knuckles regular Sonic and for a super transformation that is supposed to be faster and powerful than the regular form… that is a big no-no. There were also times in the game where Super Sonic felt uncontrollable for the type level design Sonic 4 used. Some levels in the game, such as Splash Hill Act 3, the player was better off not using Super Sonic because of endless bottomless pits, for which if a spring was missed, Sonic would die.

The homing attack in the game, while a fresh and new addition to a Genesis-styled game, was executed poorly. The mechanic felt stiff and when the player uses it to hit an enemy, the recoil sends Sonic far back, thus losing control of the character. It takes about three seconds to recoup from the attack; however it can be annoying to be required to wait to move Sonic so he could attack again.

The physics are pretty much the most important part of a Genesis styled Sonic game. However, Sonic 4’s physics are pretty much broken and the momentum feels sticky. In previous 2D Sonic titles, Sonic kept moving even if the player let go of the control stick. In order to keep Sonic moving in Sonic 4, the player had to press down on the control stick and if not, Sonic would stop completely dead in his tracks. Also, the rolling was also sticky as well. In previous titles, when Sonic rolls, he actually picks up speed, but in Sonic 4, he decreases speed, rendering the mechanic itself useless.

The physics in Sonic 4 were pretty much more reminiscent to Sonic Rush than it was to any Genesis-styled Sonic game; right down to Sonic sticking on slopes and casually strolling up steep inclines.  

The graphics employ a more modern feel to a 2D sidescroller game, rendering some sections more 3D than 2D. The lighting however, gives off a more abstract view than most of the Genesis titles. There were some sections, such as Splash Hill Zone that seemed more plastic and thrown together, whereas E.G.G Station, even though it had a plastic feel to it, felt the most worked on as the Earth view was rather breathtaking.

The background for the stages, did feel more like wallpaper than they did actual background setting.

The music in this game is pretty much the standard for the series; however Sonic 4 does have different sounds for different acts in each stage. Casino Street Act 1’s music gives off a typical casino vibe while Lost Labyrinth Act 2’s music gives off a more tomb exploration feeling. Mad Gear Act 3’s music gives off a sense of urgency as the player must fight to beat a moving wall and being careful not to get crushed.

However, some of the sounds and rhythm can become repetitive after a few minutes has passed, making it feel that the actual track is only thirty seconds long. It just so happens to be looped a few times. Some music in Sonic 4’s soundtrack does have a tendency to be displeasing to the ear. Mainly Splash Hill Act 1’s music and Lost Labyrinth Act 3’s music has a more high, scratchy, repetitive sound for it. The music for the final boss doesn’t feel as if it has the same sense of urgency as Sonic 2’s final boss portrayed.  

One of Sonic 4’s biggest mistakes is its marketing strategy.  The game has advertised itself to be “the sequel you’ve been waiting 16 years for”. One of the ways it has done that is through a marketing tool called “Project Needlemouse”. It was a character countdown chart that listed many Sonic characters and the final ones standing where the ones who made the cut. Each day, a character was eliminated, until Sonic was the last one standing. This was done to assure fans that Sonic was the only playable character.

Design elements ripped from Sonic 1 was also another way to entice classic fans to buy the game. The game presented itself as a sequel to Sonic 3 and Knuckles, however when playing it, it never feels like a worthy successor.  This type of false advertising has hurt the game because it doesn’t play or feel like the game it prides itself to be and while there are aspect in the game that appeal to modern Sonic fans, the game was essentially supposed to appeal to fans of the earlier games.

Unlike the earlier games, when completing the first act of Splash Hill Zone, the player has the ability to choose whichever zone and act he or she wishes to complete. The player doesn’t have to complete the acts in order and once all 3 acts are completed, the boss acts opens up on a separate act.

While there are aspects of Sonic 4 that are rather enjoyable, such as the level interactions, the freedom to choose whichever stage and act to complete and the time attack boards… it has more shortcomings than strengths.

As par the level interactions, Lost Labyrinth Act 2’s torch puzzle was rather engaging and kept players pulled in while trying to get to the goal and Casino Street’s house of cards was an exciting way to travel from one point of the stage to another.  However the level design itself was rather underwhelming and cheap. There are many parts of the games design which requires players to use the homing attack on a chain of enemies, or die.

When it comes to the gameplay and controls, it does not feel like a true sequel to Sonic 3 and Knuckles. Sonic 4 tries it’s best to be the sequel fans have been waiting for but failed in the end. The end product felt rushed and thrown together and the level design and inspiration felt very lazy. It felt as if there was zero passion and commitment put into the game itself and if the creators had more time and thought it more through as to what makes the Genesis trilogy special and unique, they would have had a great product.

If the player has started off with the Genesis trilogy back in the early 90s, chances are, they are going to expect Sonic 4 to be true to its title. The game was a massive let down to those who had high hopes coupled with being a massive insult to those who have grown up with the Genesis trilogy and Sonic CD. In short, if the player has grown up with the first three games, then this game is not recommended.

However for someone who has come into the series later, one might find the game to be rather mediocre. 

Players must play at their own discretion. 

[Indigo Rush]

This is a really good review!

I personally like Sonic 4 from time to time, but on the whole it's a very unremarkable entry. It's testament to how little SEGA understood the legacy of its own flagship series, and while I'm sure good will was meant towards it's marketing, it ultimately fell flat on its face the moment they thought this was a competent and faithful sequel to the original saga. Really, the only thing tying it together with Sonic 3 & Knuckles is it's narrative, which honestly we never really needed. Episode 2 added some backstory to Metal Sonic's return, but was that needed, too? If anything, it further muddied the waters by bringing back the Miracle Planet... then shortly tossing it inside of yet another Death Egg and leaving it to drift off in space, as if there was supposed to be a conclusion. Too bad it didn't sell as well.

And as far as gameplay is concerned, it's just a hollow shell of what retro Sonic is supposed to be. It does have it's own flow to it, but it's markedly different from the classics. No realistic or natural ebb and flow to inertia, no sense of bouncing and launching from previously built-up momentum, just homing attack after homing attack and bounce pad after bounce pad. No true challenge or satisfaction when coming across ramps, slopes or loops, there's always a dash pad right in front of them, and even if there weren't, Sonic's rolling mechanics are non-existent, so there's no point.

In short, it's kind of fun in it's own right, it'd be alright as a small mobile series, but on the whole it's just underwhelming and nothing compared to what it claims to be.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

Yeah I have to agree. I personally have a love-hate relationship with the game. Most of the time the relationship ends in hate when I am working the controls.

its sad because as it's own game it is alright, but as a classic game I have no problem calling it an abomination 

[Semi-colon e]

If they'd not called it Sonic 4 it would still be mediocre, but considered less offensive, I think. Personally I really don't like Episode 1, but I liked Episode 2 significantly more, even though it's nowhere near as good as it should have been and didn't improve enough.

 

The mid air stop once you let go of the control stick in Episode 1 just kills the game for me. Super Sonic is even stuck with this in Episode 2 which had better control overall. The music also killed it for me. I get they were trying to be retro with it, but it just sounds bad and a real Sonic 4 would have, back in the day, made the music as good as possible. If they were trying to be retro, then they should see Castlevania: Adventure Rebirth. That game had an actual arcade chip which sounded vaguely Mega Drive ish, but just sounds a lot better overall.

 

Honestly I wish they'd bother to make Episode 3. The fact that they haven't even finished it arguably makes it even worse as it shows how little they care about it.

[Diogenes]

I think what really tanked Sonic 4 is that everything feels like an imitation. You've got graphics based on levels from the Genesis games, but they all look like cheap plastic and cardboard cutouts. You've got repeat bosses that aren't as fun to fight as the originals. You've got music that sounds kinda familiar but it doesn't have the same energy or style. And of course the physics and controls are broken all to heck, so while it might look "close enough" in a video, actually playing the game feels all wrong. They couldn't match the classic Sonic feel, and they didn't have the integrity to just do things their own way, so they just ended up with a mess.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

Just now, Diogenes said:

I think what really tanked Sonic 4 is that everything feels like an imitation. You've got graphics based on levels from the Genesis games, but they all look like cheap plastic and cardboard cutouts. You've got repeat bosses that aren't as fun to fight as the originals. You've got music that sounds kinda familiar but it doesn't have the same energy or style. And of course the physics and controls are broken all to heck, so while it might look "close enough" in a video, actually playing the game feels all wrong. They couldn't match the classic Sonic feel, and they didn't have the integrity to just do things their own way, so they just ended up with a mess.

Pretty much this. This sums up how I feel about this game.

[Ripe]

I think Sonic 4 is fine but it just lacks replayability that the Mega Drive -games have. Level design, reused elements, physics, all of those elements jist aren't as good as in older games. But to me the games biggest offense is the amount of content (combined with Ep2). I mean, you except a sequel to have a more content than the previous game S3&K but no, the list of good thing removed from the game is just long.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

Eh, the game is OK. I enjoy some parts of it I will not deny it but I find it pretty horrible on most counts.

I REALLY hope they don't make Ep 3 though, that would be a retarded move on their part. 

[TheOcelot]

One of the most disappointing things about Ep1 is it's overall lack of originality and the momentum-less physics.

This game obviously re-uses level themes and designs from the classic games, such as Green Hill, Casino/Carnival Night, Labyrinth and Metropolis zone and of course the bosses. Now, having recently given the Advance series a try, I can appreciate more of the design choices in Sonic 4. For example, Egg Station is a blatant rehash of X-zone from Advance 1. The second faze of the bosses in Ep1; when Eggman does a 360 with the ball-chain, the crushing pillars, Sonic chasing Eggman, Egg Robo going berserk are all modelled after the crazy boss fights in the Advances games. Incorporating designs from the classic and Advance games and there being an overall lack of originality was disappointing.

Now, the momentum-less physics aren't just a bad choice for a Sonic game, they would be a bad choice for any game! The fact that Sonic doesn't pick up speed when moving downhill doesn't feel right. The homing attack has no flexibility so you need to be pin-point when using it. The over-use of the bubble (badnik) chains/automated sequences makes the homing attack feel like a forced stage gimmick rather than an extra move for Sonic.

For example; if Sonic jumps on a bouncer and is thrust into the air and you spot a platform which you need to land on, you will often struggle to land on the platform because the momentum-less physics won't give you the freedom to move Sonic quickly and exactly where he needs to be with the homing attack being of little help. So, you end up falling back down and having to jump on the bouncer again to try and reach the platform. It's frustrating level-design and bad physics which kills the flow of the game and any enjoyment factor. Advance 1 for me has far better physics than Ep1.

The final boss which is a rehash of Egg-Robo from Sonic 2 doesn't help things because the lack of an original final boss makes the ending feel anti-climatic. The insta-kill bit (near the end of he fight) when Egg Robo crash-lands onto the ground, feels like a cheap bullshit design which can result in you having to replay this long-winded boss fight over and over again.

So the lack of original design in Ep1 is wide-spread and when you add the god-awful momentum-less physics, disappointing soundtrack which doesn't do the music from the classic and Advance games justice........then you have an extremely messy game with different elements which don't fit well together.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

So, this is more of a thank you post plus some footnotes. 

I never expected my review to be seen in a positive light. While it took me 2 and a half days to write this, I was telling Diogenes that I was afraid no one was going to like it because he wasn't doing it with me. This is all me and my opinions on the game but written professionally. The only part he had in this was beta reading and suggestions about what I should cover in the review itself. I wanted to kinda teach people about the game but allow readers to make up their own decisions without any bias from the reviewer. I couldn't talk about my favorite parts of Sonic 4 because I didn't want to use too many "I" statements in a educational review. 

Now that I am here, I can make some "I" statements. I personally enjoyed Lost Labyrinth, especially Act 2. Act 3 can go to hell though. I enjoyed the torch puzzles and I enjoyed doing speedruns as well.  Sonic 4 is pretty much the only game where I actually hang out in the time attack lounge from time to time. Casino Street is a rather interesting zone and I enjoyed all of it's acts. I really like the house of cards and the barrel shooting got me engaged. I also really enjoyed it's soundtrack, par a few sounds though. I also really liked the special stages and how I can chose which act I wanted to do first.

I'm sure many people know this, but Sonic 4 was my first 2D Sonic game into the Sonic series. I was that person who started Sonic late (around 2011-2012) and I picked up this game and I didn't think that I would enjoy it at first, but I did. And it became iconic to me. And this is from someone who started out with the Sonic 06 and the boost trilogy. I have played this game before I played the classics, so that pretty much effected how I felt about the game in the past. Alot has changed since then and I look at this game from a more a critical lense. Part of me still relives the enjoyment I got from playing this game and part of me is starting to see it for what it really is. As of now, it is a love-hate relationship.

Thank you all for supporting me with this and thanks for the awesome comments on it. I also do wish to thank Dio for giving me the kick in the butt that I needed and to believe in myself. When I posted this the first thing he said to me was that he was proud of me for sticking to my opinions on the game and doing this on my own. I wanted to use his writing style, I wanted to use his thoughts because we think exactly alike on this game, but I didn't. So thank you.

[Myst]

Nice review! I'm a bit late, having experienced this 5 year old game (On Android) over the past two weeks. I was actually rather impressed with Episode 2. The levels didn't feel like a rehash of old games, the graphics were great, and the backgrounds didn't have that Wallpaper feel that Episode 1 had, Metal was a nice bonus, and the bosses were awesome. On the other hand, I hated Episode 1. Even the menus were ugly and unappealing. The boss rush at the end felt more like I was playing Advance 4, not Sonic 4. You pretty much summed up every complaint I have with the game in your review. I would like to see an Episode 3, as long as it follows the style of Episode 2.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

In hindsight,  I find that what really doomed Sonic 4 was Episode 1 which originally was praised by critics,  but since the illusion lost power over time they compensated by slamming Episode 2 which actually felt like something actually trying to be a sequel to the classics and not completely shamelessly ripping them off. 

Episode 1 definitely deserves the vitriol it gets as a cheap sequel,  but I honestly think that Sonic 4 would have fared leagues better nowadays of Episode 2 had been its initial entry in the first place.

Heh,  one more reason to hate Episode 1.

 

[Toa Axis]

18 minutes ago, Jovahexeon Joranvexeon said:

In hindsight,  I find that what really doomed Sonic 4 was Episode 1 which originally was praised by critics,  but since the illusion lost power over time they compensated by slamming Episode 2 which actually felt like something actually trying to be a sequel to the classics and not completely shamelessly ripping them off. 

Episode 1 definitely deserves the vitriol it gets as a cheap sequel,  but I honestly think that Sonic 4 would have fared leagues better nowadays of Episode 2 had been its initial entry in the first place.

Heh,  one more reason to hate Episode 1.

 

The critical reception of Episode 1 is really amusing in hindsight. It really goes to show that many people don't really care if something actually plays like the Genesis games, it just has to look the part. Just needs to remind them of the good 'ol days! 

Like you said, the veil eventually was pulled back over time, but still, it was an interesting time for sure.

(Just wanna say that liking Sonic 4 is fine, and sorry if my post comes off as a bit vitriolic)

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

Also about the character countdown, I'm looking at it and I want to know how the hell couldn't anyone not know it was gonna be Sonic only from the start? I mean look at the characters listed, Froggy.... Tikal? Really???

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

If I recall correctly,  it wasn't so much suspense  of Sonic making it it in,  but a countdown to see how many and which characters would be in as playable.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

6 hours ago, Jovahexeon Joranvexeon said:

If I recall correctly,  it wasn't so much suspense  of Sonic making it it in,  but a countdown to see how many and which characters would be in as playable.

yeah but froggy?? chip??

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

5 minutes ago, Mikyeong said:

yeah but froggy?? chip??

Probably should've said it was a bout of how many and which characters would be in and/or playable.

[molul]

Yesterday I played a bit with S4E1 for Android, just to see if I could enjoy it after the big let down back in the day. I was thinking "ok, Episode 2 was awful but the engine was fully 3D as opposed to Episode 1, so maybe Episode 1 actually looks better, and I don't hate the physics that much". And guess what?

No, seriously, it was awful. It was even more awful than the PC version. I was playing on a 1920x1200 Android tablet, and images looked like gifs in terms of colour depth, menus were horrible (blurry text?), the touch controls were so small I could never use them right (not to mention the physics making it even worse).

Then I played Sonic 2 remastered, with its perfect gameplay, touch controls, and not-blurry-at-all graphics. Funny, I hate Sonic 4 a little bit more now!

[molul]

Now this is funny. Yesterday I played Sonic Advance 1 on an emulator. I played it a few years ago and wasn't very fond of it, but yesterday I got a different vibe, specially because of the physics.

And this raised a big "?" in my head: didn't Dimps develop Sonic Advance? They had a great physics engine there (or so it seems). Why did they do what they did in Sonic 4? I mean, they knew how classic physics work, they knew how to properly program them. Now... what happened?

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

3 hours ago, molul said:

Now this is funny. Yesterday I played Sonic Advance 1 on an emulator. I played it a few years ago and wasn't very fond of it, but yesterday I got a different vibe, specially because of the physics.

And this raised a big "?" in my head: didn't Dimps develop Sonic Advance? They had a great physics engine there (or so it seems). Why did they do what they did in Sonic 4? I mean, they knew how classic physics work, they knew how to properly program them. Now... what happened?

Yeah, Dimps did well with Sonic Advance and it felt like a true Sonic 4, what the fuck happened is beyond me. 

[molul]

Now that I remember, I believe (take this with a grain of salt) I read in the old Sonic 4 forums at Sega forums, that the lack of momentum was because the game was originally planned for device tilting instead of touch controls for movement, and therefore momentum was difficult to handle as you'd need to move the device too much to compensate momentum until you stop moving.

Which leads to the main problem: Sega Of America took a Sonic Mobile project and converted it to Sonic 4 just because, without thinking too much.

[Iamaspaz]

Technically,the REAL sonic 4 is Sonic and knuckles (yes,I said Sonic and knuckles,not sonic 3 and knuckles!),since it DID take place after Sonic 3,and is kinda the same length as sonic "4",if not shorter.

[molul]

Commercially, yes. The fact that most people say Sonic 3 is Sonic 3 + Sonic & Knuckles is just because... Well, it doesn't make sense to say it in these forums, right? XD

I personally liked to know what actually happened to Sonic 3 (being split and stuff). While I liked playing as Knuckles in Sonic 2, considering S3&K as the whole experience that was originally planned just makes sense. Launching Sonic & Knuckles after Sonic 3 and not naming it Sonic 4 was really weird to me back in the day.

[Iamaspaz]

6 minutes ago, molul said:

Commercially, yes. The fact that most people say Sonic 3 is Sonic 3 + Sonic & Knuckles is just because... Well, it doesn't make sense to say it in these forums, right? XD

I personally liked to know what actually happened to Sonic 3 (being split and stuff). While I liked playing as Knuckles in Sonic 2, considering S3&K as the whole experience that was originally planned just makes sense. Launching Sonic & Knuckles after Sonic 3 and not naming it Sonic 4 was really weird to me back in the day.

Yeah,I agree. But still,tit IS technically sonic 4. BTW,why DO people call it Sonic 3 and knuckles?

[Semi-colon e]

Sonic 3 and Knuckles is simply the way to refer to the complete game from the start of Sonic 3 to the end of Sonic and Knuckles storyline wise, especially as that's what the title screen calls it when you lock them both on together to get the full experience. Sonic and Knuckles is essentially just the second half of Sonic 3 in an expansion pack as it were, so it's not Sonic 4. At the same time, just calling it "Sonic 3" in discussions would have people asking "well is that just the Sonic 3 half or the combined game?"

 

Besides, if we're really going down that route, CD came after 2 but before 3, so CD would be 3, 3 would be 4, and S&K would be 5