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Author Topic: Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I  (Read 8781 times)

Kimimaru

  • Max Stats
« on: November 12, 2010, 02:02:50 AM »
I don't have this game yet, but I want to know if anyone here has played it yet and your opinions on the game if you have indeed played it. First off, I'd like to say that I'm very happy that they finally allowed you to play Super Sonic in normal levels again. Second, I've heard that the physics for this game are much worse than the Genesis games. Sonic supposedly stops instantly when you don't hold the D-Pad in any direction, and I've also heard that the Homing Attack breaks the game. Furthermore, many have said that the game isn't worth the $15 you chip out for it, mainly due to its length.

So, what does everyone think? Is Sonic 4 a worthy investment?
The Mario series is the best! It has every genre in video games but RTS'! It also has a plumber who does different roles, a princess, and a lot of odd creatures who don't seem to poop!

The Chef

  • Super
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2010, 12:27:55 AM »
It stinks. It ain't even worth 10 bucks. Sonic feels really heavy and can barely move in midair. If you let go of the d-pad he drops like a rock. The Homing Attack is practically the only way to get around fluidly. Using the roll or Spin Dash makes you move slower. Sonic's running has no speed cap (which makes this the exact opposite of the original trilogy, where running has a speed cap while rolling did not). You can easily walk out of a half-pipe if you get stuck. Sonic automatically uncurls when you go off a ramp. Every single level has pointless boosters and automatic spring chains. You can play any stage in any order you want. You can repeatedly restart the Special Stage whenever you want until you get the Chaos Emerald. The game only has four zones total. It feels almost as if they deliberately gimped Sonic's abilities to justify putting the Homing Attack in the game.

Kimimaru

  • Max Stats
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2010, 02:58:41 AM »
Thanks! I probably won't get it in that case.
The Mario series is the best! It has every genre in video games but RTS'! It also has a plumber who does different roles, a princess, and a lot of odd creatures who don't seem to poop!

Turtlekid1

  • Tortuga
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2010, 11:49:54 AM »
You can repeatedly restart the Special Stage whenever you want until you get the Chaos Emerald.
Frankly, I think this is a good idea.  Having such limited opportunities to enter Special Stages in the Genesis games made getting the Emeralds very frustrating.  Not an appreciated challenge - just frustrating.

The game only has four zones total.
Keep in mind that there will be two more sets of four zones.  They split the game into three episodes to make the download size manageable.
"It'll say life is sacred and so is death
but death is life and so we move on"

CrossEyed7

  • i can make this whatever i want; you're not my dad
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2010, 01:02:41 PM »
To be fair, it's four zones with three acts each, which works out to the same number of levels as Sonic 3 (six acts of two zones). But to also be fair, Sonic 3's levels were much bigger and more interesting and varied (and having more zones with fewer acts was a big part of that).

My main complaint with the game (apart from the horrendous physics and lackluster music) is that the zones are complete rehashes. There is nothing new in terms of settings. Casino Streets Zone looks exactly like a 2.5D Casino Night Zone. Mad Gear Zone looks exactly like a 2.5D version of Metropolis Zone. The final boss is the final boss from Sonic 2 (that's the pre-Super final boss; I haven't been buggered to get the seventh Emerald yet and don't know what that boss is). I don't think there's a single new badnik in the entire game. In Sonic Advance, the zones for the most part fit into the classic Sonic archetypes, but they all put a new spin on them or combined them or something.

Sonic Advance is Sonic 4 (other than not being able to play as Super Sonic in the levels). This thing is an example of what not to do when making dumbed-down 21st century reboots (like Star Trek 09 or New Super Mario Bros; both examples of how to do it right).

Wait and see if Episode 2 fixes the Spin Dash, does something original, and is under 1000 points (and has Tails and Knuckles (That's another thing -- Sonic Advance continued the tradition of adding a new character with a unique playstyle with each iteration, and did a better job of it than most people give it credit for)).

(I know I'm going on about Sonic Advance a lot, but it just completely baffles me how Dimps could get it so right back then and so wrong now. Why is it that the only time they can't make a game worthy of being called Sonic 4 is when that's what it's called? Stage fright?)
"Oh man, I wish being a part of a Mario fan community was the most embarrassing thing about my life." - Super-Jesse

The Chef

  • Super
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2010, 04:47:33 PM »
Quote
(that's the pre-Super final boss; I haven't been buggered to get the seventh Emerald yet and don't know what that boss is).
There is no extra boss. :(

Kimimaru

  • Max Stats
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2010, 12:46:02 PM »
Well, the physics are what I'm concerned about most. The physics engine in the Genesis games was magnificent, especially at that time, and I wouldn't want to play a Sonic game that has broken physics. Instead of getting this, I think I'll use my money on Donkey Kong Country Returns, which looks amazing (check out the official site)!

Frankly, I think this is a good idea.  Having such limited opportunities to enter Special Stages in the Genesis games made getting the Emeralds very frustrating.  Not an appreciated challenge - just frustrating.

I know where you're coming from, but the limited opportunities make it that much more rewarding once you get all of them. It was very annoying in the original Sonic the Hedgehog because the Special Stages are at the ends of Acts 1 and 2 of every zone, but the other two games give you many more chances to earn the emeralds. In Sonic 2, you can be Super Sonic as early as Emerald Hill Zone Act 2, and in S3&K, you can be Super Sonic as early as Hydrocity Zone Act 2 and Hyper Sonic as early as Mushroom Hill Zone Act 2. Even if you miss some of the Special Stages in those zones, you have plenty of other opportunities to get them.
« Last Edit: November 16, 2010, 12:59:03 PM by Kimimaru »
The Mario series is the best! It has every genre in video games but RTS'! It also has a plumber who does different roles, a princess, and a lot of odd creatures who don't seem to poop!

Turtlekid1

  • Tortuga
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2010, 05:39:59 PM »
I really sucked at the special stages in Sonic 2, so I really didn't have much of a margin for error.  I didn't get the seventh emerald until Oil Ocean Zone.

The special stages need to be either much easier or repeatable if they're going to be accessible and fun.  Rather than detract from the challenge itself, I would take away the frustrating element of the mechanic.
"It'll say life is sacred and so is death
but death is life and so we move on"

Chupperson Weird

  • Not interested.
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2010, 06:33:35 PM »
You don't know what hard games are, apparently.
That was a joke.

Kimimaru

  • Max Stats
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2010, 07:03:45 PM »
I agree that Sonic 2's special stages were frustrating, and to a certain extent unfair, but I thought Sonic 3 & Knuckles' stages were fantastic. The idea of those games is to play through them again if you fail to get all of the Chaos Emeralds the first time around; it increases the replay value. You'll also feel good about yourself afterwards (although this doesn't apply to me anymore since I've beaten them so many times).
The Mario series is the best! It has every genre in video games but RTS'! It also has a plumber who does different roles, a princess, and a lot of odd creatures who don't seem to poop!

WarpRattler

  • Paid by the word
« Reply #10 on: November 16, 2010, 07:11:05 PM »
A bit of frustration is good. The idea is that you need to get better, rather than be able to blow through stuff on the first try.

In other words, here's Turtlekid's problem:
accessible

Chupperson Weird

  • Not interested.
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2010, 08:30:06 PM »
Yes. Otherwise there's no incentive, no emotional drive to show the game who's boss, as it were. The immense satisfaction of finally beating something is much more desirable than the void of emotion when you are simply allowed to win.
That was a joke.

Turtlekid1

  • Tortuga
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2010, 08:30:52 PM »
A bit of frustration is good. The idea is that you need to get better, rather than be able to blow through stuff on the first try.
No, frustration is never good.  Challenge and difficulty are good.  When they come at the expense of fun, I tend to put down the game.  Because, y'know, I play video games for fun.

I agree that Sonic 2's special stages were frustrating, and to a certain extent unfair, but I thought Sonic 3 & Knuckles' stages were fantastic. The idea of those games is to play through them again if you fail to get all of the Chaos Emeralds the first time around; it increases the replay value. You'll also feel good about yourself afterwards (although this doesn't apply to me anymore since I've beaten them so many times).
S3&K had highly superior special stages.
"It'll say life is sacred and so is death
but death is life and so we move on"

WarpRattler

  • Paid by the word
« Reply #13 on: November 16, 2010, 09:04:20 PM »
"Challenge" and "difficulty" are brought about by frustration.
Frustration and fun are not mutually exclusive.
Clearly we have differing definitions of "fun," because I don't think easy-mode games are very fun.

Turtlekid1

  • Tortuga
« Reply #14 on: November 16, 2010, 09:24:23 PM »
frustrating - discouraging by hindering
discouraging - depriving of confidence or hope or enthusiasm and hence often deterring action; "where never is heard a discouraging word
Sounds pretty unfun to me.

Also, it's the other way around.  Too much challenge or difficulty is what brings about frustration.

Whether a game is easy or hard is not a litmus test for whether it's fun.
"It'll say life is sacred and so is death
but death is life and so we move on"

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