Sonic the Hedgehog 4

[Dogg Thang]

I got the iDevice version. Why did I get it? I honestly don't know. I feel shame. It was first thing in the morning, I was tired and it just sort of happened. Like waking up with someone unexpected beside you in the morning.

Is it bad? Let me count the ways. Firstly some negatives that I would hope are iPhone/iPod Touch specific and won't apply to the larger versions:

- it doesn't run well at all on my 3rd Gen Touch. Apparently it runs worse on iPhone 4. Stuttery, inconsistent frame rate that peaks at 30fps if it can get there, which it often doesn't.
- it's zoomed in far too much, meaning you can see very little on screen.
- Touch control. Need I say more? Well, yeah, maybe because, to be honest the touch controls aren't the real problem...

Now on to what's wrong with the rest of it -

- Sonic Rush Sonic. The game teases with a classic Sonic graphic and then dumps you into the body of slippy, slidy Rush Sonic. He handles terribly when slow. When fast, you've got to deal with the weird and pointless 'extras' - homing attack, rolling movements for some unknown reason and more. So, quite often, it feels like he's just doing his own thing. He just doesn't work very well.
- Graphics. Maybe these are better on the bigger versions but I kind of doubt it because the main issue with the graphics comes down to one thing - messy design. Individual elements are actually really nice (their Green Hill zone equivalent has some lovely parts) but, in many cases, they merge together to create this messy, busy look.

And speaking of equivalents...

- The levels. Almost every single good part of the level design here is taken directly from previous games (mostly Sonic 2). Not just old tricks dressed up. Just old tricks. Exactly as they were used the first time around in exactly the same way in exactly the same levels. This game contains Green Hill Zone, Casino Night, Metropolis and Aquatic Ruin. They give them different names and managed to lay them out in such a way that they don't feel as fun but those are the levels.

- The play system. You play the first level of the first zone and then you can play any zone you like. It feels like you've already beaten it or used a cheat but that's just the game system. It doesn't feel like there's progression. Maybe that's just the iVersion? Is it?


So there it is. The good? The music. It feels pretty classic Sonic while bringing new tunes. There are the odd (very few) new design elements in the game which are actually pretty good. I imagine control will feel better on non-i versions and the zoomed in view should hopefully also not be a problem there too. But, overall, this is a mockery of Sonic.

But, you know, I wanted Sonic 4. Like, building on Sonic 3, after 2 and 1 before it. This isn't it. Firstly, it really doesn't build at all and, secondly, it's Sonic Rush Sonic and control is such a big part of any game that that alone makes it more of a Sonic Rush sequel. So the chances of me being surprised and liking it were very, very slim.

So I would hope that fans of Sonic Rush could give a more balanced view. Perhaps the game has more merits than I give it credit for...


Edit: Oh, one more positive (reminded by Billy in the Headline thread) - the whole screen rotates when you go through a loop. That's pretty cool.

[Silvergun X]

I've also been playing the iDevice version and I can't understand the hate.

I have an iPhone 4 and the framerate is constant - Not a single bit of juddering at all. I can't understand why that's happening for some people but it's solid as a rock without the slightest drop for me.

The touch controls are actually perfect - I've not had a single slip-up to do with the controls at all, and they've been incredibly precise. If you don't like that, there's always tilting control.

I did find it weird that all the areas opened up, but I guess they're there for score attacks and time attacks which, to be honest, are what i'd play this game for anyway.

Yes it has homing attacks, but to be honest I find the game very solid.

I've really, really been enjoying it and think it's very good.

[rmoxon]

Dogg Thang, i think when you woke up this morning and bought the game you also got out of the wrong side of bed.

been playing it today, its really good, the framerate isnt perfect but im not really a framerate obsessed person and its nothing that bad or game disrupting so its not important to me, you still get that sense of speed most of the time on a 3GS.

The game plays very well, its old school sonic through and through and I feel it invokes alot of memories of the earlist games in the series.

I'm really enjoying it.

[Dogg Thang]

Dogg Thang, i think when you woke up this morning and bought the game you also got out of the wrong side of bed.

Quite possibly!

And I must defer to Silvergun on the iPhone 4 - I haven't seen it running on that, so was just going on second hand info on the TA boards. If it runs well on the 4, that's very good news for the 4 owners.

[Silvergun X]

I'd record a video if I could, but the screen recorder app I use only tends to give stable results at 15fps so that defeats the point.

[Strider]

I'm playing the PS3 version and really like it. I do love how the levels are very similar to the original stages and it controls fine for me. The only thing I don't like is Sonic's running animation. It looks strange.

[rmoxon]

Yeah I agree with that, I certainly don't feel it's that much like sonic rush, you can't just run straight through virtually every level.

It's actualy most like sonic 2, brilliantly done multiple tier levels and it has buckets of that speical Sega charm. The homing attack actualy adds to the game as the levels have parts that require you to utilise it to progress rather than it just being there for the sake
of it. The musics pretty good too, original tunes that still have the sonic feel to them.

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah I agree with that, I certainly don't feel it's that much like sonic rush, you can't just run straight through virtually every level.

This is very true. But therein lies the problem. Sonic Rush Sonic was designed for those left to right dash levels. This game has much more of the classic level design. It needed a Sonic that handles more like the classic Sonic. The two elements are totally at odds. At least in my humble 'wrong side of the bed' opinion...

[rmoxon]

I don't even get what you mean really, it plays like old style sonic to me, bar the homing attack.

[Dogg Thang]

There's more than the homing attack. He slides strangely when not at top speeds, there's odd physics at work at times, there's some extra flip or roll thing he does from jumping and some other flip that's happened on the ground a couple of times that I haven't quite figured out. The big one is simply that he's awkward when not going fast. Not a major issue for Rush. This is different.

[rmoxon]

It plays virtually just like the megadrive games to me, infact the only real slow down I have seen is when you lose rings and even that happens on the megadrive too. It plays just like the old games, you mention some extra flip or something which means nothing to me at all really.

[Silvergun X]

I've just done a vid so people can see what it's like. I'm uploading to youtube now.

Must say I really, really like the special stages too - They remind me a LOT of Cameltry.

[Silvergun X]

It's just the first act + special stage. Make of it what you will.

Framerate is entirely due to the fact that I recorded at 15fps.

[Riskbreaker]

My only gripe is that some of the Emerald stages are a pig with the tilt controls. Pretty decent otherwise, feels like good ol' Sonic.

[Phar]

But, you know, I wanted Sonic 4. Like, building on Sonic 3, after 2 and 1 before it. This isn't it.

I've got to agree with this, if your promising to take the game back to it's roots and have the balls to call it Sonic 4 then at least improve on what came before it which this doesn't.

As I said in the headlines thread the game is decent enough as I wouldn't call it terrible but I just find the entire game pretty uninspiring, from the graphics, level design, recycling of the sonic 1 style special stages and mediocre bosses. I'd give it a 6 as it stands but I have heard that the iPhone version is based on an old build so I kind of want to give the console versions a chance first.

Was also looking at a few fan Sonic projects in 2.5D and this video actually makes Sega's effort look quite sad in comparison.