Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 Review
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Sonic he can really move. Sonic he has an attitude. Sonic he's the fastest thing alive. After a few questionable Sonic titles and a huge outcry from fans. Sega has returned Sonic back to his roots. However does going back home a good thing or should Sonic should finally rest in peace?
Story - There is no real storyline in this game. It's back to good old days. Sonic must rescue his animal friends from the evil Dr. Eggman.
Gameplay - Sonic 4 is a 2.5D side platform game. If you played any 2D Sonic game, then you know what to expect. However this Sonic game has a couple new editions to it. A couple new mechanics is that Sonic is now able to lock onto his enemies. This will be a hit or miss for purist, because it kind of makes the game even more easier. Players are now able to choose their level of any stage they want. This could be another hit or miss purist. There are only four levels each with three acts and one boss fight. The levels are as followed Splash Hill, Casino Street, Lost Labyrinth, and Mad Gear. Splash Hill is inspired by the first Sonic's Green Hill Zone. Casino Street is what you expect on a Sonic Casino stage, a lot of rings, 1up's and of course the bouncing around. Lost Labyrinth is the infamous underwater level. I hated it in Sonic 1 and in Sonic 4 I really hate it. However I do love the challenge of the puzzles in this level. Mad Gear zone is the last zone and it reminded of Scrap Brain zone from the first one. The final boss is hard. Compare to the easy bosses, the final boss is a welcome great challenge. This wouldn't be a sonic game without emeralds. Sega made sure that this game was nostalgic. The special stages are very similar to Sonic 1 but very brutal. This time the special stages are timed, unlike Sonic 1 where you can take your time. Good luck when you reach special stage 4.
The gameplay is what you would expect from the 2D Sonic game. However there are just a few minor complaints. These complaints don't ruin the experience in anyway. 1. The camera takes to long to pan up when Sonic is looking up. 2. Sonic isn't really fast in this game, unless your press the homing attack. I just felt that Sonic should start off with his speed, in this one he takes too long. Also I was hoping for a little more items, like the one's seen in Sonic 3. In this game we get the classic shield, speed, and temporary invincibility. Other than that the gameplay is solid and Sonic is back.
Gameplay Video
Graphics - The graphics are great. Although I felt that at times the camera zoomed in too much, it made Sonic look big. The backgrounds in Lost Labyrinth looks like someone took a picture and place in the game. The frame rate runs smoothly and the water graphics could of been better. Still it brings the original Sonic feel that we all know and love.
Sound - The music is back to that 16-bit sound. However it's not something I will be rushing to find. The music I think is the weakness aspect in the game. The music sounds uninspired and generic. When it comes to sound effects nothing has changed.
Replay Value - With 7 emeralds to collect, the desire to be number one on the leaderboards. You will be playing this for a while, but once the nostalgia wears off there isn't much to offer. The game will take you at least 2 hours to beat.
Final Grade B- Sonic 4 Episode 1 gets a B-. The game is heading into the right direction. Let's hope in Episode 2 they fix some of the camera issues and make the music better. However the gameplay is fun, solid with a few new editions. The final boss and special stages are hard. Sonic is back but at a price of 15 bucks. I say wait for the bundle.
Story - There is no real storyline in this game. It's back to good old days. Sonic must rescue his animal friends from the evil Dr. Eggman.
Gameplay - Sonic 4 is a 2.5D side platform game. If you played any 2D Sonic game, then you know what to expect. However this Sonic game has a couple new editions to it. A couple new mechanics is that Sonic is now able to lock onto his enemies. This will be a hit or miss for purist, because it kind of makes the game even more easier. Players are now able to choose their level of any stage they want. This could be another hit or miss purist. There are only four levels each with three acts and one boss fight. The levels are as followed Splash Hill, Casino Street, Lost Labyrinth, and Mad Gear. Splash Hill is inspired by the first Sonic's Green Hill Zone. Casino Street is what you expect on a Sonic Casino stage, a lot of rings, 1up's and of course the bouncing around. Lost Labyrinth is the infamous underwater level. I hated it in Sonic 1 and in Sonic 4 I really hate it. However I do love the challenge of the puzzles in this level. Mad Gear zone is the last zone and it reminded of Scrap Brain zone from the first one. The final boss is hard. Compare to the easy bosses, the final boss is a welcome great challenge. This wouldn't be a sonic game without emeralds. Sega made sure that this game was nostalgic. The special stages are very similar to Sonic 1 but very brutal. This time the special stages are timed, unlike Sonic 1 where you can take your time. Good luck when you reach special stage 4.
The gameplay is what you would expect from the 2D Sonic game. However there are just a few minor complaints. These complaints don't ruin the experience in anyway. 1. The camera takes to long to pan up when Sonic is looking up. 2. Sonic isn't really fast in this game, unless your press the homing attack. I just felt that Sonic should start off with his speed, in this one he takes too long. Also I was hoping for a little more items, like the one's seen in Sonic 3. In this game we get the classic shield, speed, and temporary invincibility. Other than that the gameplay is solid and Sonic is back.
Gameplay Video
Graphics - The graphics are great. Although I felt that at times the camera zoomed in too much, it made Sonic look big. The backgrounds in Lost Labyrinth looks like someone took a picture and place in the game. The frame rate runs smoothly and the water graphics could of been better. Still it brings the original Sonic feel that we all know and love.
Sound - The music is back to that 16-bit sound. However it's not something I will be rushing to find. The music I think is the weakness aspect in the game. The music sounds uninspired and generic. When it comes to sound effects nothing has changed.
Replay Value - With 7 emeralds to collect, the desire to be number one on the leaderboards. You will be playing this for a while, but once the nostalgia wears off there isn't much to offer. The game will take you at least 2 hours to beat.
Final Grade B- Sonic 4 Episode 1 gets a B-. The game is heading into the right direction. Let's hope in Episode 2 they fix some of the camera issues and make the music better. However the gameplay is fun, solid with a few new editions. The final boss and special stages are hard. Sonic is back but at a price of 15 bucks. I say wait for the bundle.
