Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II Review

When Episode I of the Sonic 4 series was released, the central issue among series fans was broken physics and control issues. The game didn’t feel right compared to the old Genesis classics. It ruined the experience for me, and it ruined it for many people. A slow pace for a Hedgehog nicknamed the “Blue Blur” didn’t sit well with many people. The physics problem is fixed, and the game feels a lot more fluid and more like a Sonic game, but even with that problem fixed, there’s not a lot of content to warrant Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II being a full downloadable game. It feels more like a demo.

Story/Gameplay

Episode II combines Sonic CD’s events in this game by incorporating Metal Sonic and Little Planet. Tails returns as well, evening the odds with two main villains and two main heroes. Tails adds a lot to an otherwise straightforward experience with Tag Moves. The first is the helicopter combination, a great way to reach places Sonic could never reach. You can activate it by pressing the square button at any point in the air, and Tails will grab Sonic and start to fly. The second Tag Move is the submarine, which will help you navigate the water quickly. It is nothing more than a helicopter combination in a body of water. The third is what I dub the “ball of destruction,” which combines the two heroes into a giant, speedy ball that destroys everything in its path. Its use is to blast through otherwise impenetrable walls and barriers.

Levels

The levels are sometimes brilliant, sometimes terrible. Sylvania Castle Zone is a blatant rip-off of Aquatic Ruin Zone from Sonic 2. White Park Zone, however, was a great, enjoyable experience thanks to the 2.5D being used to the fullest, making the seamless transition from background to foreground.

Beyond the addition of Tails and the wonderfully crafted White Park Zone, there isn’t much else to look forward to. It’s the same old formula, and while it works, it’s nothing more than an expansion of Episode I. You should get at least double the number of levels for $15, considering the whole game can be completed in an hour or two. The bosses are cool, but nothing innovative. The special stages are essentially the same as Sonic 2’s, but reimagined. The great thing about this game is the co-op, which works as it should. As you start getting into the co-op, you’ll finish the game.

Episode Metal

There’s something extra for purchasers of both Episode I and Episode II. Dubbed ” Episode Metal, you play as Metal Sonic and jump through the zones from Episode I. It’s a nice addition to the package, but you begin to expect something more for the $30 you need to pay to access that content.

Short Experience

There is fun to be had in Sonic 4: Episode II, but it’s honestly too short of an experience to be worthy of much praise. Most of the levels lack character and originality. Tails is used well, but he’s almost used too often, so it becomes a pain to utilize him to do what you need to do to complete the level. Metal Sonic plays exactly as Sonic without any special abilities.

Final Thoughts

When I played Sonic Generations late last year, I thought they had finally found a better formula for Sonic games that catered well to both new and old Sonic fans. That was a well-made Sonic game. Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II is a good game that could benefit from some fine-tuning and additional content. The Sonic Generations formula must be used for Sonic games to succeed. If it’s a 2D Sonic game, then the 2D in that game would have been perfect for this one. Unfortunately, that’s not quite what we got, and the experience is okay at best.