I’m mainly talking about White Park Act 2 which in my opinion is the weakest level in the whole game. Also, those levels that do give you more emphasis on speed tend to be the worst case of “hold right to win” I’ve ever seen. Maybe you can chalk that up to being later levels if you count all the episodes as a whole but that’s still an odd way to start a new chapter. Hell, the first two zones are half land, half water! That’s got to be a first for the series. There are constant stops to use your new abilities with Tails or to do slower, more traditional platforming. Episode 2 seems to be lacking in that aspect a little bit. Despite its many flaws, Episode 1 at least had that fast-paced flow going for it.
Running at full speed while jumping from platform to platform while being bounced around like a pinball and exploring a large, open level. One of the reasons I love Sonic games is the pacing. That said, I will say Episode 1 still has something that Episode 2 is missing. The new zones tend to be bigger, more complex and a bit more challenging than in Episode 1 and don’t rely on as many cheesy gimmicks. In fact while some people may balk at this, the new elements in Sky Fortress work so well I believe this zone is actually better than the original 16-bit version it’s based on.
The only zone to be copied from a previous game (Sky Fortress) has the decency to share a very similar name to its Sonic 2 original, Wing Fortress. While some zones have some mild inspirations (like Oil Desserts’ mix of Oil Ocean and Sandopolis) most of the levels have an fairly original theme and some new badniks to go with it.
There’s definitely not much of this in this new chapter. Both its levels and bosses were either inspired or stolen from previous Sonic games. One of the many complaints about Episode 1 was its complete lack of originality. Only with these HD graphics, the characters are much more expressive without having to say a word. I also really love how they did cutscenes in a very similar style to Sonic 3. In fact, I gotta say I personally prefer this even over Sonic Generations visuals which, while gorgeous, can be too highly detailed for its own good and you can easily lose the little blue blur when running at a fuzzy 30 fps in that detailed world. It’s gorgeous and puts similar 2-D/3-D titles (like NSMB) to shame. Instead, we get quality models of Sonic and his kindred kitsune, Tails running in full moving polygonal backgrounds at 60 fps. No flat 2-D background with a cell-shaded hedgehog who sticks out a bit too much. Also, stay tuned for a second opinion later on.įirst off, the graphics are absolutely gorgeous. Did I say “almost”? Read on for greater detail in my thoughts on the game. It’s almost better in every single aspect. From much better physics, larger and more original levels to great boss fights. It’s a testament to the fact that both Sonic Team and Sega are listening to their fans. This is a shame because Episode 2 is an improvement over its predecessor in almost every way imaginable. Add to that, the far superior gameplay of Sonic Generations and many gamers may already be dismissing this next chapter while critics who praised the first game are already looking at this second chapter with a more discerning eye. While critics loved the first Sonic HD game in 2-D, many fans were outraged by its poor physics, unoriginal levels with cheesy gimmicks and uninspired boss fights. Sonic 4: Episode 2 has got a tough, uphill road to climb.