Sonic 4: Episode 2 Discussion

Not anymore
But still I think that game is descent enough to buy it when it's released.
If only Episode Metal wasn't a bonus for buying that pile of shit called Sonic 4 episode 1

 

Basically when it went up for preorder people were some reason able to download the game right then and there. So the first bunch of people to get it did so legally. And although the error was soon fixed to stop it being downloaded or even played through Steam, SEGA said they wouldn't be taking action against leaked info, screens, videos and what have you because people got the game entirely legitimately. So then a crack was made so people could carry on playing it. And then the same thing that happens to every PC game happened.

Fun fact: In this beta, Episode Metal is unlocked initially by Steam detecting E1 in your account. And once it's unlocked it's stored in the save file. All you need to play EM is a save file from someone who already has it unlocked. I'll lol if it isn't fixed in the final.

 

I don't mean to be overly critical, but I think something is wrong with the MIDI 0:47 and onwards. There is some strange discord, which sounds pretty awful to the ears.

 

Where can I get the MIDI's? I don't seem to find them

 

None of my PC controllers are working with this game, and my computer's telling me they're detected and functional. Am I just fucking stupid, or what? I guess I'll play with a keyboard, but...ugh.

 

Like with E1, it only recognises the 360 controller. Try using Joy2Key.

 

You know, it really annoys me when they pull that crap off in games. Okay, so PC ports are based off the XBLA version, but it doesn't mean that everyone will use a 360 controller to play PC games. Because I have known this layout for a long time, I tend to buy gamepads that use a PlayStation layout and my current controller can double as a PS3 controller too. I have no desire to buy a 360 controller right now, it just annoys me that to play Sonic 4 on a game pad (and I think this applies to Sonic CD too due to how it was ported), I have to go through a 360 controller emulator just to play a game not using a keyboard.

 

Great, thanks Blue Blood. Dunno why it didn't detect my 360 controller though. Oh well. It's working with this old Gravis pad just fine.

 

So I played the game, and I figured I'd review it, there's pretty much no spoilers, but anything that might be a bit spoilery has been hidden.

CB's Review of the Game for Those Who Care

You know what. I'm amazed as to what I'm about to say here, as I absolutely hated Episode 1, I couldn't stand it and felt it had literally no redeeming qualities.

Gameplay

The game is great. Everything about the game has been overhauled to the point where it's a different game entirely. Sure the physics are still not perfect, but they're pretty damn good, especially since this game was completed before they got any feedback from Generations. There's very little hold right to win, and actually a lot of platforming. Speed is, for the most part a reward for being good at the game, the fast paced sections now feel genuinely exciting, rather than just watching Sonic be bounced around the stage. The homing attack now feels like a genuine addition to the moveset and doesn't feel forced at all. I tried to play Episode 1 without the homing attack recently and couldn't beat the second level, but in Episode 2 I find myself rarely using the move, but enjoying it when I do. The level design is a million times better; there's multiple paths and many times where I felt resigned to falling down a bottomless pit, I'd be relieved to find that I'd merely dropped to a lower part of the level. The combo moves are great too and feel like a really great evolution of the classic Sonic gameplay. The special stages are great fun and I'd say I actually enjoy them more than the ones in Sonic 2. I was expecting this to be a quick, easy downloadable title but the game doesn't fuck around. There were many points when I died and as it's much harder to gain lives than in Episode 1, getting a Game Over is a fair more common occurrence. However, despite this, the game rarely feels cheap aside from when + - Metal Sonic starts destroying the floor in the second boss   and when + - you have to ditch Tails in the Sky Chase level.   While the levels have gimmicks, they fit into each stage nicely and keep the flow going, swinging vines, mine carts, or flying card based levels will not be found here, and the game is much better off for it. While there are a few Bubbles chains, they are mostly there as alternate pathways. While I was concerned about the idea of multiple hit badniks, they actually provide a way to make the homing attack rather fun. The unique styles of the boss battles reminded me of Sonic 3K and CD. On one small note, it's mildly irritating that they haven't switched the results screen's "Press to go to the next stage" to a "Press to return to the Map Screen".

Visuals

The game looks incredible, especially for a downloadable title, there's so much more life, colour and vibrancy in this game. The game ditches the cheap, plastic look of Ep. 1 and replaces it with a lush, organic, wacky world that feels very classic whilst still being a fresh experience. The little extra details such as the wabbleing floating platforms in the background in Slyvania Castle [which seem to be inspired by that Marble Garden concept art], or bouncing between planes in White Park, really make the game more engaging and cartoon-like. The switch to using 3D models is highly noticeable and a vast improvement. The animations are for the most part superb, and give the characters a charm that's been missing for a while. The story line is classically simple, communicated nicely through the animated set pieces without resorting to tiring dialogue, and has some genuinely charming and funny moments. While Bubbles is fairly ubiquitous, badniks are rarely shared between zones, and there are some genuinely interesting new additions, such as the flaming Orbinaut in Oil Desert. The visuals as a whole are fair more homage than rehash, even in the self proclaimed "Throwback Zone". The improvements in the visuals alone make running through the stages a far more rewarding experience than in the previous episode. Little things such as the Sonic's running animation and the speed of his jump spin have been improved.

Music

So much better than Episode 1. The music isn't perfect, catchy and amazing, but it's nice and fits the tropes well. The music sometimes pulls a Generations and adds little touches such as a Twinkle Park riff in White Park, and I'm sure I've heard more, which is sure to please fans. The music does away with the cancer kittens and is more ornate in it's composition, but still sounds nicely retro. While the Sonic 1 drums are still there, they're quieter and much less obnoxious than in Episode 1. The loops are far longer as well. One complaint I would have is that the drowning music ends before it should.

Overall

This game is a million times better than it's previous incarnation, and from somebody that hated Episode 1, I've been converted. While it isn't quite the dream sequel to the classics, it's not far off and that sheer improvement excites me for the prospect of future titles, especially following the success of Generations and the feedback they received for that. 8/10

 

I wish I could change more in the settings than resolution. With this gross laptop it runs...okay, with a little input lag. Biggest problem with that so far has been Spacial Stages and

Spoiler

the second part of Oil Desert 1 where you have to fly over a ton of bottomless pits.

I'm not crazy about how flying feels, but I guess I'll have to wait until the XBLA version is released to play it as it's meant to be played. Ugh, I need to just bite the bullet and get a new computer, probably by summer's end, before this one fries itself.

 

I've been having a problem with Sonic 4 Episode II too. (Hopefully it's just a glitch and not because of my PC)

The Frames keep dropping and raising at the exact same places: Zone 1 Act 1 & Act 3, White Park Act 2, White Park Boss, and Oil Desert Act 1.

They keep going from 60fps to 49fps which really messes things up since Sonic SPEEDS UP. Thing is that I can play Generations at almost the Highest Quality (Without AA) and I don't have problems so I don't see why I should be having any problems.

 

Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, T6570 @ 2.1GHz
3GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce 9300M GS, 1520MB

Got it in Spring of '09. Generations demo runs so badly the damn thing cuts off. Sonic 4 runs better when it's not in widescreen (I.e: 800X600). Someday a few months down the road, I'll be upgrading to a custom desktop that'll run this POS into the ground.

 

This is something I made quickly, to see if I could change the song a little bit. (Sky Fortress Act 3) Perhaps it's a little messy, but perhaps you will all enjoy it anyway:

Sky Fortress Act 3 Remix

 

Well, I've found something I hope gets fixed in the final: Tails dropping Sonic when they're flying against a wall. I don't remember the last time I've gotten consecutive Game Overs in the same spot in a Sonic game. ODZ1 is the first Sonic-anything to piss me off this much in a long time. It doesn't help that I picked this weekend to quit smoking, but still, fuck this level, fuck this shoddy flying mechanic, fuck those flaming Orbinaut things, and fuck this stupid drop-Sonic-like-a-fucking-rock [strike]glitch[/strike] feature.

 

Yeah, I was surprised at what the game required to run smoothly. Winter Carnival Act 3, or Act 2 (I think it was 3), was murdering me. The point where you have Tails swim you through the spike obstacles, and then the robots that make giant frozen bubbles ... I wanted to kill something. Probably easy without input lag, but my god, the first robots -- if you don't get there fast enough -- can make a solid wall that you can't bypass, and you have no choice but to drown. Surely a bug.

I ragequitted, and went back and I was able to play Oil Desert Zone. That was really cool, and I definitely appreciate how we still utilize saves, rather than go old school with the Sonic 1 / Sonic 2 method and have to endure playing through the entire game while attempting to keep all your lives.

And, question on controls .. is this game utilizing 3 buttons (not talking about Super Sonic activation) to play through the levels? If so, I'm not a fan of that. What happened to simplicity?