Sonic the Hedgehog Review (Diabeto)
This is a considerable improvement from the first Episode. Frankly, Sonic 4's biggest problem is being called Sonic 4. Ultimately Sonic Mania makes both titles irrelevant but there is fun to be had with this second (and now last) installment. There were images in the game's code that suggested a third episode was planned but this was later scrapped. While the story essentially re-tracks the plot from Sonic 2, the addition of Metal Sonic and the Little Planet are nice touches. If you own both episodes you get a little mini campaign with Metal Sonic that sets up this game's events. Level themes are much more original with better platforming and improved physics that are still wildly off from the Genesis/Mega Drive games but a vast improvement over the first episodes. Boss fights are much more creative and generally fun to fight. The returning Tails lets you now do a variety of combo moves with a dedicated button in single player which are nice additions but each combination halts the game to play a short animation. These can also be activated in co-op mode locally or online, a welcome addition to the series that seems to have not been maintained. While a bit clunky to get going, it's mostly fun for those that know what they're doing. Personal accolades for the music in this game; the themes are much more memorable and lack the annoying twang that marked Episode I's songs. The songs are written with the cat puke esc synth choices in mind with some really stellar themes; the Metal Sonic boss theme and Death Egg Mk II in particular being fantastic compositions. The game's graphics aren't stellar but much more appealing from I, using similar scope and scale seen in Sonic Generations' 2.5D levels. Overall this is a fun little romp and a marked improvement from Episode I. It still doesn't deserve to be called Sonic 4 but this is a short, good time on sale and with friends.