Xbox 360

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

Overall Sonic 4: Episode 1 is the best Sonic game I have played for a long time; and I absolutely loved it. While it lasts it’s the perfect example of how to a 2D side scrolling platformer. No doubt some will want to mark it higher, and some will want to mark it lower and that’s fine. All I can say is bring on Episode 2.

The fact is, Sonic 4's first episode is so much fun that it makes you forget about the world and think of nothing but the game. It encapsulates the pure thrill of gaming that many contemporary titles seem to comatosely forget.

So if you fancy a happy afternoon spin-dashing down memory lane, Sonic 4 is well worth the money. There are no 3D environments, no isometric viewpoints, no sidekicks or hoverboards or knights of the round table. Just a blue hedgehog, a fat man in a space helicopter, a good selection of well-designed 2D environments and some of the greatest gameplay mechanics in history.

Still, it's called Sonic 4 for a reason. This is the closest any Sonic game has come to even emulating the feeling of unparalleled joy of simply hold 'right'. No Tails, no Big the Cat, no storyline, no cutscenes and no dialog. The purest Sonic experience in quite some time and a great reminder of what came before. Perhaps the next episode will bring more new content to satisfy the fans.

Die iPod-Fassung hatte noch ein paar Schwächen, welche die Freude über den neuen alten Sonic doch spürbar dämpften: Solala-Steuerung, krümelige (und gelegentlich ruckelige) Grafik, keine Online-Ranglisten und mehr. Auf 360 und PS3 gehört all das der Vergangenheit an - und die Freude ist groß! Sonic ist hier (von seinem schlaksigen Äußeren mal abgesehen) ganz der Alte: Wunderschöne Grafik, perfekte Steuerung, große, clever designte Levels, abgefahrene Bonuslevels, toller Soundtrack. Ja, es ist mal wieder sehr kurz, das waren die früheren Abenteuer auch - aber die waren auch deutlich anspruchsvoller als der im Großen und Ganzen etwas zu einfache Neustart. Nichtsdestotrotz bin ich über diese Richtung meine bevorzugten Igelkumpels sehr glücklich: Zwar ist davon auszugehen, dass Sega auch in Zukunft weitere 3D-Ausflüge mit ihm fabrizieren wird, aber so lange es auch noch Entwickler gibt, die der Pixelfreude treu bleiben, soll’s mir recht sein. Bitte mehr davon!

Sonic vuelve por sus fueros y se adentra en una aventura plataformera 2D muy similar a la que protagonizó en Megadrive allá por principios de los 90. Su único defecto es que resulta corta a todas luces, pero mientras dura es una auténtica delicia, y más teniendo en cuenta que se trata de un juego de distribución digital. Sonic ha regresado en plena forma.

Sonic 4: Episode I's greatest flaw is its label as the first chapter. Its duty was to carefully reintroduce 2D Sonic to the masses, and by default couldn’t veer too far into experimental territory without upsetting the pitchfork wielding hoards. Setting the stage is its main aspiration, and it does so strictly through faithful recreation of Sonic's past, along with a bit of insight toward Sonic’s future. Saying it's the most fun I've had in a Sonic game in 15 years isn't actually saying a whole lot, but it's certainly a great start.

Sonic 4: Episode 1 is a short, but well-crafted entry in the series. It’s hurt by a lack of innovation and a relatively high price given that it’s basically half the length of a regular side-scrolling Sonic, but still carries a pretty hefty $15 price tag. If you’re a casual Sonic fan, you’re probably better off waiting for it to be discounted at some point on PSN or as an Xbox Deal of the Week, but series die-hards will definitely get $15 out of it between playing through it, then replaying stages for better times and leaderboard scores.

Sonic is back doing what he does best, grabbing rings and going really, really fast. With twelve stages (or sixteen if you count boss battles and twenty three if you count the seven Chaos Emerald stages), great graphics, an awesome soundtrack and a buttload of nostalgia to go with it, Sonic 4: Episode 1 is a great game choice for any gamer.

The original Sonic games on the Genesis and Sega CD are classics of the 2D platforming art form, and it’s refreshing to experience a true sequel to that game design, even if it takes a little while for it to shake its roots and blast off for new territory. Sonic’s sprint might be hobbled slightly early on by familiar sights and sounds, but Sonic the Hedgehog 4 eventually offers some new challenges and experiences and presents the game in a stunning package. I’d love to see more classic titles follow Sonic’s lead and chase future adventures through digital distribution. So here’s hoping Sonic 4 sells well and encourages similar game development. At the very least, Sonic is back, and while he might not immediately reach the heights he once graced, it does feel like he’s headed in the right direction.

Sonic 4 marks the return of Sonic the Hedgehog as one of gaming’s great icons. Sonic Team and Sega have fulfilled their promise to fans that Sonic the Hedgehog will return to his former self with Sonic 4. This is a must play for anyone who grew up playing the fast paced Sonic titles of the 16 bit era. For newer players this game serves in to an excellent introduction to the classic gameplay formula developed during the 90s. The small hitches regarding some of the graphics and sound effects can easily be overlooked because Sonic the Hedgehog is back and he is speeding ahead full force.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 isn’t perfect, but it is pretty good. Perhaps its most serious problem is its short length; you can have everything done in just a few hours, which is odd for a game costing about $15 USD on most systems. The majority of that short time is very fun however, so if you’ve been hoping for a new Sonic game that is faithful to the classic style then this is worth checking out.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 doesn't do very much that's new. Instead, it takes a step back to a time when Sonic was awesome. I would like to have been able to bring a friend along to play as Tails and experience the old Sonic levels in a new way -- in co-op. Otherwise, there's really little to complain about. Sonic 4 is short, but sweet and well worth downloading.

That gripe aside, Sonic 4 is very much a return to form for the series. After so many years of watching poor Sonic put through the wringer time and again, it’s nice to finally see him back in two dimensions. Sonic 4 isn’t a perfect revival of the series’ old-school heritage, and not every gameplay element works perfectly—rolling a giant Indiana Jones-style boulder down a track and having to use pillar switches to solve minimal puzzles come to mind—but there’s enough old-school here to satiate hardcore Sonic fans. With as tarnished as this series’ reputation is, this is pretty good first effort back. I only expect more from here on out (a return of the elemental shield types from Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles would be great, too).

It's good game, but it's mostly just recycled Sonic content with a fresh coat of paint. It's fun, and it has all of the niceties you'll find with modern games, such as leaderboards; however, it still comes up a bit short for all of the hoopla over Sonic returning to 2-D. It's a good buy for new and old fans of Sonic alike, but don't expect it to rock your world.

Those fights, the occasional puzzle, and some really lousy music are the flaws that keep Sonic 4 from besting Sonic Rush as the best game to come out of the franchise in a decade. But for every element that Sonic 4 gets badly wrong, it gets four or five others exactly right. Most importantly, it nails the fun of hitting springboards, bouncing off enemies, and defying gravity with pure speed. While hardly perfect, it's solid enough that even reviving the old "Se-ga!" before the title screen feels appropriate. After a decade of missteps, Sonic has earned it.

It is easy to get caught up in semantics. While I don't think Sonic 4 Episode 1 lives up to the number beside its name, the game remains a lot of fun. It's often quite ugly fun that grates on the ears a bit like a bad tribute act, but nonetheless a lot of fun. The price point is more than cheeky for what is a short two hours from start to finish, but there's a sinkhole of life to be lost to Time and Score Attack Modes. So, despite my profuse nostalgic misgivings, here I am closing off an approving Sonic review. I can scarcely believe it. My world is as upside-down as Sonic halfway through a loop-de-loop.

Sonic 4 voelt als Sonic, klinkt als Sonic en ruikt misschien zelfs een beetje als Sonic, het ziet er alleen een beetje onegels – ja dat is vanaf nu een woord - uit. Natuurlijk is het nog duidelijk herkenbaar, maar de precieze invulling van de graphics laat enigszins te wensen over. De strakke lijnen die we te danken hebben aan het HD-tijdperk doen Sonic zelf, die vooraan een kijkdoos lijkt te zijn geplaatst, niet veel goed. Wel zien de achterliggende omgevingen er aardig kleurrijk en divers uit, al komt het niet levendig over. Maar uiteindelijk draait het toch om het echte Sonic-gevoel. Daarmee zit het gelukkig wel goed en blijkt dat SEGA van zijn fouten heeft geleerd. Wel geven we de ontwikkelaar nog wat huiswerk mee voor de volgende episode, in de hoop wat meer speelduur en creativiteit terug te zien.

This isn't the sequel we've been yearning for all these years. It’s a fancy looking homage; a game that regurgitates old levels with shiny new visuals. Sonic 4 does a fantastic job of recreating the retro Sonic experience that defined many a childhood, but ironically this could be considered its biggest shortcoming. Depending on which camp you fall into regarding Sonic, however, a homage is no bad thing. The platforming is undeniably good fun, marrying old school platforming with some interesting new mechanics. Despite its shortcomings, there’s a lot of fun to be had here, and its flaws can be easily overlooked. Sonic fans will likely be blind to these blemishes anyway, it’s simply that charming. Sonic Team just need to make sure the blue Hedgehog's shoes are fastened a little tighter for Episode 2.

There are moments of brilliance in Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I, but they are too few and far between. There's a good (albeit unoriginal) game in here somewhere, and we can officially declare that Sonic is on the road to recovery. This is easily the best Sonic game in years. However, there's some trouble under the hood that Sonic Team needs to address before they give us the inevitable Episode II. If they fix these issues, I'll be the first to stand up and applaud. Right now, though, I'm only hearing crickets.

With a toe-tapping soundtrack, glitzy presentation and obvious accessibility, Sonic 4 Episode 1 has much to be proud of. Gamers who recall the early nineties and yearn for a simpler time when true 3d was restricted to bad sci-fi movies should lap this title up, but there’s definitely a sense that it could, or indeed should have been more. We don’t often reference the overall score here at D+PAD, but in this case Sonic misses out on a fourth star by a single blue hair, largely down to the lack of imagination applied to the worlds and that terrible end boss. We hope to see these issues remedied in Episode 2, however, in which case we’ll be happy to offer the speedy hedgehog our full support. Sega, it’s over to you…

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is certainly a nice throwback to how Sonic used to be and offers all the classic 2D platforming fun of old. I feel rotten to have any complaints about such a colourful and childhood memory producing game, although sadly this first episode could have been more – not only does it feel overpriced, but it also could have looked forward as opposed to regularly looking back and taking well used elements from previous games. This is a great starting point, but let’s just hope that episode 2 will build on it and deliver a superior classic 2D platformer.

You've come a long way, made some mistakes, and now you're trying to make amends for them. It shows a great amount of maturity on your part to admit that you're flawed and can be better a perso-er-hedgehog, but you've still got a long way to go before things are back to the way they were between you and me. At least you're taking steps in the right direction. Let's hope you keep it up in Episode 2. P.S. Your son keeps asking me when daddy is coming home and I don't know what to tell him anymore, you bastard!

There are enough good moments in Sonic 4 to demonstrate that an update of the classic Sonic games has the potential to be great. But this is not that great game. Sonic fans hoping for a worthy tribute to the early days of the blue blur will have to keep waiting, and those who aren't familiar with Sonic's earliest adventures won't find out what the fuss is about by experiencing this one. With more episodes of Sonic 4 on the way, we may not have to wait too long. Some may be able to overlook the frustrations of Sonic 4 and have an enjoyable experience, but Sonic deserves better, and so do we.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is a fairly good Sonic game that brings the franchise back to school, but several shortcomings prevent it from reaching greatness.

Sonic 4: Episode 1 struggles slightly to find it’s own identity, at times feeling more like a remake than an entirely new title and if that’s what you want, then this is the Sonic game you’ve been waiting for. What it boils down to though is that this looks like a Sonic game, but doesn’t feel like one, with physics that feel absolutely wrong if you’ve ever played and loved a Sonic game before. Aware of the inherent irony, I was left wishing Sonic had some new tricks (especially when it was the new tricks that we all disliked so much) and it’s with a heavy heart that upon getting the Sonic we “all wanted” I realised that I’d moved on and all the nostalgia in the world and “seygaaa” sounds upon starting the game can’t change that, which is a real shame.

Thank the powers that be for providing some proper new output instead of just re-releasing crappy old Sega games like Columns on the PC and iPod. As much as I dislike it, I know that a lot of people love it. If you’re a Sonic the Hedgehog fan, then you’ve probably already bought this and you might possibly have regretted doing so. For those who want to find out what Sonic the Hedgehog is supposed to be like, and if your heart is set on this game, then I can’t convince you not to get this. If you’re fine with the steep price that is.

Sonic 4 is an utter mess of a game, cobbled together in a manner that puts the entire franchise to shame. It feels sluggish, broken and lazy, but at least it only lasts a couple of hours! This is exactly the opposite of what we were hoping for, and not worthy of its name.