Sonic the Hedgehog 4

ShooterSF

Only seen this now. Can we please go back to Dr. Robotnik too?

fifth

It's out on iPhone today, downloaded it this morning. First impressions are that it is very true to the original Sonic. The animations haven't been fixed really, sonics run, jump and spin animations all need to be changed in my opinion. Soundtrack is pretty close to the original too in terms of musical style.

Looking forward to it on XBLA.

Helix

have played it a fair bit in the last few months and i absolutely love it - though i havent played the mine cart levels everyone is giving out about

chrislad

It's too expensive for a half-experience on the iPhone for me. Sonic needs physical buttons for me, and I wasn't too impressed with the controls for the previous Sonic iPhone games. Will get it on XBLA next week but not ponying up 8 squids for it on a device it's not ideally suited for.

AceCard Jones

Ouch, his running animation is woeful. He looked fine in the original megadrive games or if they even went for an arms out stretched behind while leaning forward and blurred circle for his legs/feet would be better. He looked fine in the original Mega Drive games and in the Sonic adventure series.

If he doesn't look cool when he runs then what's the point?
I'm a complete Sonic Fan boy and would go as far as to say I even loved all his 3D outings. I'm praying currently for Sonic Adventure 2 Battle to come to XBLA.

But I've been also looking forward to this a lot and even something like his animations could put me off. He looks like he's running in between a wheelchair's wheels. Either that or he's got a turtle head poking out.

Helix

AceCard Jones wrote: »

But I've been also looking forward to this a lot and even something like his animations could put me off. He looks like he's running in between a wheelchair's wheels. Either that or he's got a turtle head poking out.

theyve certainly changed it alright, and ive no idea why, but on top of that theyve also messed with mid air direction adjustments - at least in the early code ive been playing. that takes a bit of getting used to, but aside from that its bloody great

i love it

and yes, im a sonic faboy

sonic, mario, street fighter and mortal kombat are my fanboy franchises and i dont care who knows it

sleepyescapade

Tomorrow

Retr0gamer

I wonder if they got the physics right:



Oh....

grimm2005

it's been getting very good reviews. Only complaints seem to be that it's too easy and too short, but apart from that it's pretty much hit everything it promised. I'll be getting it tomorrow on XBLA anyway

calex71

for 1200 points it would want to be as long as or close the original , no way I'm paying 1200 for anything less.

corcaigh07

calex71 wrote: »

for 1200 points it would want to be as long as or close the original , no way I'm paying 1200 for anything less.

yep totally agree. sgea are being very greedy with 1200 points.

AceCard Jones

calex71 wrote:

for 1200 points it would want to be as long as or close the original , no way I'm paying 1200 for anything less.

Yet loads of people (like myself) went and bought Limbo. Everyone ranted and raved about it, yet in my view it was mediocre at best and didn't have a scrap of re-playability. I regret that purchase every day, at least sonic is fun enough to play again, 10 times more than limbo and some of the other 1200MSP games on there.

corcaigh07 wrote:

yep totally agree. sega are being very greedy with 1200 points.

1200 points is becoming the norm for arcade games on XBLA now.
Loads of the top downloads are 1200 points and games people everywhere including boards praise to high heaven. Plants Vs Zombies, Castle Crashers, Shank, Limbo and many more. I suppose shank wasn't really praised that much.

You're lucky now if you pick up a quality game for less than 1200 now, Scott pilgrim at 800 was a rare and happy surprise. I'm not even entirely sure that Sega or any of the other companies have a complete decision on price. The left 4 dead dlc is a good example, free on PC and Valve wanted it free on 360 too, but after the free survival add on Microsoft wouldn't allow it anymore.

Don't get me wrong, you're all entitled to your opinions and if you feel the game isn't worth 1200 to you then that's fair enough. I just have seen games not worth the space they take up on a hard drive sell for 1200 and nobody bats an eye lid. Limbo being my personal pet peeve.

Just on terms of the length of the game, there is meant to be 16 levels, now whether that's acts or zones I can't say. Looking forward to this either way.

calex71

AceCard Jones wrote: »

1200 points is becoming the norm for arcade games on XBLA now.

Unfortunately true, and it's simple economics , people are willing to pay it.

My main issue with this one being 1200 points though is it will likely be short and its tagged as episode 1 meaning they will probably fleece us for the next ones as well, add that up and thats close to full retail pricing :eek:

AceCard Jones

Yeah agreed that the 1200 is a standard the consumer has set itself. I used to make a conscious effort not to buy games for that price but the good games always are. Limbo was horribly short and wasn't even worth another go for me.
Then again Sonic is like my delinquent child that can do no wrong by me and everyone else is wrong and just picks on him for no reason. :rolleyes:

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

well.. how short were sonic 1/2/3 and we would have paid a shedload more than 12euro/1200 points for them.. and it was worth alot more back then too.

I don't want to pay 1200 for it, but really.. if it's even a quarter the length of sonic 1/2/3.. it'll be decent value (provided it's not ****)


--edit

actually, any word on when episode 2 will be out?

AceCard Jones

Well all reviewers are praising it out of the sites I read, Eurogamer being one of them with 9/10. Sonic 3 was very short with a mere 6 zones, but Sega had to rush Sonic 3 out because of some deadline or another and the connectivity with Sonic & Knuckles is mainly there because the 14 zones combined was meant to be Sonic 3 originally. This game is said to me on par in length with the Mega Drive titles so a few hours will tell.

SuperDude87

Anyone know what time the marketplace updates at?

Cant wait to get my hands on this:D

calex71

SuperDude87 wrote: »

Anyone know what time the marketplace updates at?

Cant wait to get my hands on this:D

Usually between 12pm and 1pm our time

fifth

Is it up yet? Am in work. Wasn't up this morning.

calex71

funkyflea wrote: »

Is it up yet? Am in work. Wasn't up this morning.

Yes is there , 190mb download hmmmm

Edit: Trail game is one level.

Mr E

Add to your download queue.

Refreshing to see a game that isn't a few gigs to download. Looking forward to trying it.

allanb49

small size wonder if that means short.

fifth

On lunch and downloaded. Played through nearly half of it already since 1.15pm..

It looks gorgeous in full HD. Compared to the iPhone version, Sonic runs and jumps slower on the Xbox, it hasn't got the same sense of speed for some strange reason.

Couldn't shake the Sonic Rush-esque feeling from playing it on the iPhone but don't have that niggling anymore since playing it on the xbox.

Music, sprites (not technically sprites) gameplay and boss mechanics are all taken from Sonic 1,2,3 and Knuckles. From the Sega shout at the start, the title screen with wagging finger, to the sound effects for jumping, collecting rings, spinning (which all hold up very well might I add) - This is Sonic as we know it.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

not impressed at all, tbh
it's far too easy, clearly made with this generation of retard gamers in mind. I really dont like how you can just pick whatever stage you want to go to, what the hell happened to earning your way through the game to the final levels.

it's not a bad game by any means, but it's nothing special and i'm no longer in any rush for episode 2.

fifth

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

not impressed at all, tbh
it's far too easy, clearly made with this generation of retard gamers in mind. I really dont like how you can just pick whatever stage you want to go to, what the hell happened to earning your way through the game to the final levels.

it's not a bad game by any means, but it's nothing special and i'm no longer in any rush for episode 2.

I know a lot of people won't like the inclusion of the level select once you complete the first level. It worked well on the iPhone because mobile gaming should be pick up and go, for a few minutes here and there. You couldn't possibly expect someone to start at Green Hill/Splash Hill zone and work their way through the game each time akin to the old megadrive days. (The decision not to have a continue option back then was probably more of a hardware limitation than anything anyway).

To an extent I do agree however, on the console versions, you should be made complete each level in Splash Hill incl. the boss level before gaining access to Casino/Labryinth/Mad Gear zones. Takes the structure out of the game if anything.

Some of the levels e.g. impending doom and trap filled ruins (although short) caused me to lose quite a few lives playing them over and over again. But on a whole it is a bit too easy.

NotorietyH

funkyflea wrote: »

Some of the levels e.g. impending doom and trap filled ruins (although short) caused me to lose quite a few lives playing them over and over again. But on a whole it is a bit too easy.

I'd say that maybe on the first playthrough there shouldn't be a level select, considering though that there's a focus on replaying certain levels to try and place on leaderboards etc. I think it would be a bit much to expect you to go through the whole game again on subsequent playthroughs.

Honestly don't see how this is an issue really. If you want to play through the game in order, play through it in order. Why do you care how other people are playing the game?

Fingleberries

Played the demo at lunch - it's much more like Old School Sonic, and that's a good thing. Although there were a few quibbles I had, number one being the running animations for Sonic (I think someone else may have mentioned it earlier) It just doesn't click with the world around him. It's like there were two teams, one to draw and animate Sonic and the other for the levels.

Another quibble was when you spin dash up a curved ramp and into the air, you don't stay curled up on a ball (a la Sonic 1-3), you go shooting up into the air with arms flailing and vulnerable. I know they're trying to get you to use the homing attack instead, but it doesn't sit right.

Overall, I though it was a good attempt to get back to the Sonic roots. A respectable 'B'

calex71

Fingleberries wrote: »

Another quibble was when you spin dash up a curved ramp and into the air, you don't stay curled up on a ball (a la Sonic 1-3), you go shooting up into the air with arms flailing and vulnerable. I know they're trying to get you to use the homing attack instead, but it doesn't sit right.
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This bugged the bejesus out me.

CMpunked

The lost labyrinth boss stage is bugging the shiv out of me.

Also, completing the first act in less then a minute?!
Anyone had a shot at this one?


For me it feels like old school sonic, which got me so excited, but some of the elements have frustrated me a few times.

For example, when you get close to the edge of a cliff, if you jump he more glides than jumps, fair enough it works if your going at speed but when trying to time jumps he doesnt make it the whole way across.

Another is when you get hit and lose your rings, they disappear super quick.
Before if something happened you could regain about 30% and not feel so vulnerable.


For 1200ms Points it isnt worth it for what you get.
But when i was buying it there wasnt a question if i was going to or not, but thats because its sonic!
When they bring out ep2, unless tails/2 player/heavy online capabilities are added to, then ill be missing it.


All in all i would give this for a Nostalgiabomb addict like me, 8.5/10.

But for an average gamer/not that big about sonic" gamer, 7/10.
Only thing that brings it down is the price.

yawnstretch

Can't find an answer to this anywhere on line - which version of Sonic 4 is most responsive. I hate controller lag and am leaning towards the PS3 version - would hdmi be faster than VGA?

Thanks for any comments!