I agree, the loss of control is something that I found frustrating in Sonic 4. I hope SEGA considers this in Episode 2, or puts the change into Episode 3. Food for thought, I wonder if the lack of control is due to the homing attack addition? Kinda hard to detail what I mean, but it makes sense to me to program a spring to send a player in a forced direction if the player has targeted a spring from whatever angle, if that makes any sense.
I don't understand why the homing attack was introduced in the first place, it's not like it was in any of the Rush or Advance games (It wasn't mandatory, I mean). I don't understand what was going through their minds when they decided to put it in the game, it really does not add anything to the level design but confusion and things that simply don't fit in the classic games. If, say, it was a power-up or combo-move that you had to find or earn to use, that'd be fine. It just shouldn't be necessary to complete the game, especially not in a game designed with old school Sonic in mind.
Well, DIAGONAL springs have been there since Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The Spring Chain phenomenon began around Sonic Advanced 3, though. Actually, there were Spring Chains in the Adventure series. I remember plenty of them. However, they are more justified in a 3D environment.
I personally wouldn't mind the Homing Attack if it were just used as an ability that differentiates Sonic from Tails and Knuckles. Unless you would rather have Sonic Boost be that ability.
Fair enough, I can get behind that. The problem is, though, that the homing attack is so overpowered in a 2D setting. Dimps really needs to nerf its range severely. Bring it back to Advance 2 levels of ability.
Or...! We could, you know, perhaps, just maybe, erm... *whispers* 'not have it?' I know this has been said before, but Sonic does not need it. You can bounce on enemies normally or just design the levels without chains of bubbles (it gets old fast). Tails can even fly Sonic places now, so there is no point. Just left-over AIDS from speedrunner, modern hentai fags.
I know you're admitidly (sp) an attention whore but seriously, what's your inate obsession with homosexuality and aids? :v: The homing attack in a classic game isn't a necessity, and when integrated into development of a brand new 2D game it only drives poor level design as evidenced by Episode 1. In a 3D environment the homing attack and jump dash helps (I can speek first hand here BELIEVE me), but Sonic was made for 2D and his style of play worked then and it would work now. Using the lock-on Homing Attack is just... Doing more harm than good. Now that we established the homing attack is a problem, why don't we talk about something else? Anyone notice how short tails' fly time was? :p
In defense of modern Sonic, he hasn't been "hentai" since Sonic 06... or at least it's been toned down a bit. But yeah, fuck the homing attack and the new homo attack as well.
I am not 100% against having the homing attack in this game. The homing attack in very fun in the 3D Sonic games and in rom hacks like Sonic Megamix, but I didn't find it fun in Sonic 4: Episode 1. Not to mention the shield ability from S3&K was a lot more interesting and fun.
I think you're wrong about the Spring Chain fad starting in Sonic Advance 3. If my memory recalls correctly, I remember seeing it in some levels in Sonic Advance 2, mainly the Music Plant Zone.
It kinda fit in Music Plant Zone though, cause of how bouncy everything there was. It was like spring yard, carnival night, etc.
I'd rather have the elemental shields. Interestingly the first ever use of a "homing attack" was a shield (Sonic 3D). It's a necessary addition for the 3D adventures but completely pointless in 2D. However saying that, I don't think Sonic fundementally works in 3D. Sonic Adventure is a very well designed game but it's aged incredibly poorly from a gameplay perspective. Most non-Sonic fans playing Sonic 4 seem to struggle with the homing attack. It's evidenced in those gameplay videos and the deaths which tend to follow. On the plus side, Tails shouldn't have one, so (in theory) the game shouldn't be reliant on the move.
I disagree with you there it really depends what type of 2D Sonic game it is. I personally never liked the homing attack until I played Retro Remix and in that game the homing attack is just as important as the spindash in any classic game. In a classic style game though which Sonic 4 is trying to be it just completely fails, mainly because it's used as a mandatory gimmick at an alarming rate (only really used for springs and bubble chains) and classic level design is not geared for that kind of ability.
So, instead of understanding after all the flack about the reversed spindash sfx, they just replaced the wrongly used spindash release with a wrongly used rolling sound effect. They are trolling. No other rationale.
