Welcome, GuestLoginRegisterBe sure to register or log in to earn points for interacting with our community!RSSSubscribe EmailNews Tips HomeTechGadgetsAppleiPhone AppsVideo GamesUnboxingHoliday Gift Guide EntertainmentCelebrity GossipMusicMoviesTelevisionComicsSportsPro SportsBasketballFootballBaseballHockey Lifestyle CuisineFashionWomenPoliticsEventsCESE3Mind CampPersonalitiesAndru EdwardsMonica EdwardsVideo ShowsThe Bleeding EdgeThe End Score ReportFilmCrunchUnboxing Live!ForumsGalleryAboutArchivesContact On Gear Live: GreenPois0n iOS 4.1 jailbreak now available
Friday October 15, 2010 10:00 amSonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 review
Tweet
Posted by John KilhefnerCategories:Platformers,PlayStation 3,PlayStation Network,Reviews,Virtual Console,Wii,Xbox 360,Xbox Live Arcade
It’s been so long since we’ve played a Sonic game worth our time, and Sonic The Hedgehog 4 has been a long time coming for Sega and Sonic fans alike. During the 90s Sonic was unstoppable. Even Mario had trouble keeping up as the blue blur dominated sales and conquered the hearts of reviewers everywhere. However, the jump to 3D proved to be Sonic’s awkward teenage years. Sure, it started off alright with the Sonic Adventure series, but even those lacked the special feeling of the 2D games. Sonic’s love affair with the press and fans came to a screeching halt. The hedgehog’s career was in desperate need of a bubble shield or invincibility power-up. So, after years of churning out lackluster Sonic after lackluster Sonic, Sega finally went back to the drawing board and came up with a solution - Sonic The Hedgehog 4. It's available for the iPhone and iPod touch, Xbox 360, Wii Virtual Console, and PS3. Is this the comeback we’ve been waiting all these years for? Read on to find out.
The first thing you will notice when playing this game is that it is exactly like the good ol’ 16-bit days of Sonic. That is, lots of running, jumping, and ring collecting. The levels are designed in the same vein as stages from the original Sonic The Hedgehog and Sonic The Hedgehog 2. With a total of four zones, each with 3 acts and a boss stage, there are 16 levels in total to choose from. After you beat the first stage, Splash Hill Zone, you can choose the stages in any order you want. While there are not many levels, each act is ripe with secret routes and different ways to play that create an experience beckoning to be enjoyed again and again. Furthermore, the levels are for the most part recreations of stages from Sonic 1 and 2. Splash Hill Zone is Green Hill Zone redone; Casino Street is Casino Night; Lost Labyrinth is Labyrinth; and Mad Gear is Metropolis. While they are done different enough to make you feel like your playing something new, it isn’t really a sequel when you're just going through the same stages again. The gameplay is nearly identical to the old Sonic games. He can spin dash, jump, and run really, really fast. However, gone is the double tap hit introduced in Sonic 3, as it is replaced with a homing maneuver introduced in the 3D era. This homing attack works quite well in the 2D environment, making for some really cool mid-air moments not possible in the original games. The standard power-ups can still be found in Sonic 4, although the new ones from Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles have been tossed to the wayside. So no more fire, water, or lightning shields - just a plain old bubble shield. I agree with the taking it retro aspect, however, one would argue that a full reset is a tad much. Point being, I want a lightning shield! A few new moves could have benefited our spiky haired protagonist all the same, as the standard affair is just not enough in this day and age. No, Sega, this does not mean throw a werewolf in there, just give us a couple more techniques. Perhaps a way of earning more as we progress through the game. The graphics of Sonic 4 are incredibly pretty without going overboard. They remain relatively simple in conjunction with the retro feeling they are aiming at, but add some new razzle dazzle to keep this generation of gamers happy. The look of Sonic himself is different from his Genesis days. He is rendered in full 3D and appears more like he does in the new games than he did in 16-bit. Seeing Sonic whiz through levels at chapped lipped speed is an amazing sight in itself. Get Sonic up to full speed and his quills blow back in the wind producing a blurred after image, and his feet become blurs of red. The zone that stands out the most is Casino Night. The background is brilliantly done up with bright lights and a packed city scape. The second act is especially detailed, with cards and dice that flip and spin as you whiz past them, and palm trees emblazoned with lights. The music of Sonic 4 attempts to recreate the same kind of music from the original Sonic games, and does so with generic success. However, the Labyrinth Zone’s soundtrack perfectly captures the old feel of the original with a new sound. Overall, the soundtrack ends up feeling more like a day spent cleaning the house rather than a speed romp through fantastical environments full of danger. So, yes, this is Sonic at his finest. A Sonic game that can be played without thinking about how needless these 3D town environments are, or wondering why in the world you are turning into a werewolf. However, it is this very same return to its roots that limits Sonic 4 from seeming like a true sequel. Each recurring Sonic title during the Genesis era was marked by new changes, moves, improved level designs, and characters. In Sonic 4, however, you are reduced back to your lonesome, without even Tails to keep you company. Without a second character then there is no co-op play, which just seems like a step too far back. The versus modes from Sonic 2 and 3 were incredibly fun, and would have been welcome additions to Sonic 4. Perhaps in the next Episode? In spite of these issues, Sonic The Hedgehog 4 is the Sonic that we have been waiting over a decade for. With more episodes to come, we can’t help but get excited for what else is in store for this classic feeling Sonic!
Related Tags:iphone games, ipod touch games, platformers, playstation 3, ps3, reviews, sega, sidefeatured, sonic, sonic 4, sonic 4 iphone, sonic 4 review, sonic the hedgehog, sonic the hedgehog 4 episode 1, wii, xbox 360Tools: PermalinkComments (0)
Digg ThisAdd To del.icio.usEmail this story Related Entries Advertisement #comments .singlecomment {margin-top:10px; border-bottom:1px #ccc solid;}#comments .singlecomment .left {float:left; width:160px; font-size:11px !important;}#comments .singlecomment .left a {font-size:11px !important;}#comments .singlecomment .left img {float:left; margin:0 10px 0 0;}#comments .singlecomment .left em {display:block; font-size:10px !important;}#comments .singlecomment .left strong {display:block; font-size:11px !important;}#comments .singlecomment .left .image {float:left; margin:0 10px 0 0;}#comments .singlecomment .left .image img {float:none; margin:0;}#comments .singlecomment .right {float:left; width:410px; overflow:hidden;}#comments .singlecomment .right .footer {font-size:10px;}#comments .singlecomment .right .footer a {font-size:11px !important; font-weight:bold;}#comments .singlecomment .right .footer strong {font-size:10px !important;}#comments .noborder {border:0 !important}#comments .ichat {float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;}#comments .level_2 {margin-left:50px;}#comments .level_2 .right {width:370px;}#comments .level_3 {margin-left:50px;}#comments .level_3 .right {width:320px;}#comments div.on {background-color:#F2F2F2}#comments div p.footer {}#comment_form form .textfield {width:500px;}#comment_form2 form .textfield {width:500px;}#comment_form2 {margin-top:20px;}#comment_form2 #changedmind {font-weight:bold; float:right; text-decoration:underline;}div#well div#comment_form2 {background:#fff; margin-bottom:0;}Comments:Be the first to comment Advertisement Post a Comment:Name: (required)
Email: (required but not displayed)
Location: (optional)
URL: (optional)
Comment:
Smileys
Remember my personal information
Notify me of follow-up comments?
Submit the word you see below:
Post a Comment:
Name: (required)
Email: (required but not displayed)
Location: (optional)
URL: (optional)
Comment:
Smileys
Remember my personal information
Notify me of follow-up comments?
Submit the word you see below:
Playfeed CategoriesAccessoriesActionActivisionAdventureAnnouncementsBungieCAPCOMCasualCorporate NewsCultureDownloadable ContentDrivingE3EditorialEidosElectronic ArtsFeaturesFightingFirst Person ShootersGames for WindowsGames for Windows LiveHardwareHot DealsInternetKonamiLucasArtsMicrosoftMMORPGMods/HacksMusicNamcoNintendoNintendo 3DSNintendo DSNintendo GamecubeParty GamesPAXPCPlatformersPlayStation 2PlayStation 3PlayStation NetworkPoliticsPortable/MobilePSPPuzzleRelease DatesRetroReviewsRole Playing GamesRumorsScreenshotsSEGASimulationSonySpecial EditionsSportsSquare EnixStrategySurvival HorrorTake2Third Person ShootersTHQTrailersUbisoftVirtual ConsoleWiiWirelessXboxXbox 360Xbox LiveXbox Live ArcadeXbox Live Marketplace Playfeed ShowsGamerAndy Advertisement Site LinksHomeSearch GearLiveRSS FeedsPopular ArchiveTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyReport a Website BugAll About Gear LiveAbout Us & ContactHow GearLive WorksFAQsJobs at GearLiveGear Live Tools
Check out the Gear Live Touls that let you integrate Gear Live into your site.
AdvertiseYou can buy advertising on Gear Live through our advertising partner Federated Media.
Gear Live SocialCheck us out on:
FacebookYouTubeTwitterMySpaceBlip.tvGear Live StoreNew! Get Gear Live hats, shirts, hoodies and more at the new GearLive Store, coming soon.
© Gear Live Media, LLC. 2007 – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.
Gear Live Presents: Gear LiveMost RecentMost ClicksBeyond the iPhone: Why Paying Attention to the Diverse Mobile Devices and Channels Pays DividendsDeal of the Day: Save $100 on Nokia N8 smartphoneWorld’s first all-robotic surgerySLEEPTRACKER Watch ReviewMod Your XBOX Without a Mod ChipFlash on iPhone is just around the corner Gear Live Presents: Bleeding Edge TVMost RecentMost ClicksBleeding Edge TV 367: Windows Phone 7 Connector for MacBleeding Edge TV 366: Xbox 360 Fall 2010 dashboard update reviewBleeding Edge TV 365: iOS 4.2 for iPad preview walkthroughBleeding Edge TV 179: How To Mod Your iPhone on Windows Using iBrickrBleeding Edge TV 190: How to Replace Your iPhone BatteryBleeding Edge Byte 025: Melting Hard Drives With Thermite Gear Live Presents: PlayFeedMost RecentMost ClicksNetflix on Wii no longer requires a discSonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 reviewRedbox testing out video game rentalsE3 2005: Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi ImpressionsXbox 360 Controller for Windows Installation ImagesApparently That Xbox 360 Red Light of Doom Problem Hasn’t Been Fixed Gear Live Presents: UnboxingMost RecentMost ClicksUnboxing Live 064: Apple iPod nano (2010)Unboxing Live 063: Apple TV (late 2010)iPod touch 2010 unboxingXbox 360 Messenger Kit Unboxing GalleryXbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition Unboxing GalleryThe T-Mobile Sidekick 3 Unboxed Gear Live Presents: TV EnvyMost RecentMost ClicksTV Talk: Coal Miners Reality Show, Incredible Hulk RebootComedy Central’s Night of Too Many LaughsGlee: Spoilers, Rumors and TidbitsVanessa Hudgens Admits to Nude PhotoKelly Clarkson Snubs American IdolIdol Producers, Judges Speak Out About Antonella Barba Pics Gear Live Presents: Film CrunchMost RecentMost ClicksJessica Alba’s Fake Nude SceneMel Gibson Loses His Hangover (Role)In Theaters This Weekend: October 22, 2010Mr. Skin Lists Greatest Nude Scenes in New BookReview: Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixCelebrity Double-Take: Amy Adams vs. Isla Fisher Gear Live Presents: EndscoreMost RecentMost ClicksTexas Rangers punch ticket to first World SeriesRick Rypien dealt six games for attacking fanPhiladelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants set for gigantic rematch in Game 5James Blake’s Girlfriend, Jennifer Scholle, Makes it to Maxim MagazineCold Pizza’s Dana Jacobson is SingleAmerican League Fantasy Notes: A.L. East Gear Live Presents: Dropping DimesMost RecentMost ClicksFirst Look: Tuesday, March 17First Look: Friday, March 13First Look: Thursday, March 12Do Not Draft Amare Stoudemire!My PFS Experts League TeamDropping Dimes Draft Blog: Round 1, Pick 7 Gear Live Presents: Food SqueezeMost RecentMost ClicksHow to: Slice a bagel into two linked halvesVideo: How to Eat a Chicken WingPuerto Rican Cuisine Done Right: La Isla Restaurant ReviewA Guide To Different Apple TypesApple Nutrition FactsFresh Beet Salad Recipe Gear Live Presents: VenturusMost RecentMost ClicksMore than half of Facebook users log on to play gamesGreater Manchester Police tweet every emergency call in 24 hoursEditorial: Facebook is not your dear diaryGet Your phpBB Forums IndexedBlog Business Summit: 10 Ways To A Killer BlogBlog Business Summit: What’s Next In Online Communication? HomeTechEntertainmentSportsLifestyleEventsVideo ShowsPersonalitiesForumsGalleryAboutArchivesContact .iTt{ FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica; FONT-SIZE: 11px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: black; BACKGROUND-COLOR: lightyellow; BORDER: black 1px solid; PADDING: 2px;}
1 comment:
Post a Comment