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Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - "Return to form for a beloved series" Eurogamer 9/10

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Posts

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    For me, the thing that made me less inclined to buy the game in that video were the areas where it looked like a chore to actually progress. Which goes beyond the player sucking; it looked like there were a few areas where you HAD to go through some weirdly complicated maneuvers just to get out rather than just saying "screw it, I'll take my chances on the bottom" and proceeding from there. It's the same kind of thing that annoyed me on, say, the airship and pyramid levels of Sonic and Knuckles.

    There's, like, one puzzle in the whole game. The solution to it is in this very thread. Don't let that dissuade you!

    I'm not talking about puzzles, I'm talking about sequences where you have to nail very complex jumps just right or you're stuck, instead of simply taking a less rewarding path forward.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    For me, the thing that made me less inclined to buy the game in that video were the areas where it looked like a chore to actually progress. Which goes beyond the player sucking; it looked like there were a few areas where you HAD to go through some weirdly complicated maneuvers just to get out rather than just saying "screw it, I'll take my chances on the bottom" and proceeding from there. It's the same kind of thing that annoyed me on, say, the airship and pyramid levels of Sonic and Knuckles.

    There's, like, one puzzle in the whole game. The solution to it is in this very thread. Don't let that dissuade you!

    It's not about puzzles, it's about needing to swing from 4 consecutive vines to get out the top exit, or just leave through the bottom knowing you're taking the worse path.

    Of course the old games had this sort of thing too from time to time but it does look tedious in the Quick Look (although I can easily see that they were playing terribly).

    UncleSporky on
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  • OlivawOlivaw good name, isn't it? the foot of mt fujiRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I'm also bothered by how difficult it is to maintain momentum

    In Sonic 1 when you got goin' you were goin', and you didn't have to keep holding right to keep goin'

    At least that's how I remember it

    Olivaw on
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  • elliotw2elliotw2 Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Olivaw wrote: »
    I'm also bothered by how difficult it is to maintain momentum

    In Sonic 1 when you got goin' you were goin', and you didn't have to keep holding right to keep goin'

    At least that's how I remember it

    Having played Sonic 1 yesterday, that's about how it works. That is something that felt off in the Sonic 4 demo, Sonic felt like he was slower and had more control over his momentum. It just feels off and strange to me.

    elliotw2 on
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  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    elliotw2 wrote: »
    Olivaw wrote: »
    I'm also bothered by how difficult it is to maintain momentum

    In Sonic 1 when you got goin' you were goin', and you didn't have to keep holding right to keep goin'

    At least that's how I remember it

    Having played Sonic 1 yesterday, that's about how it works. That is something that felt off in the Sonic 4 demo, Sonic felt like he was slower and had more control over his momentum. It just feels off and strange to me.

    I was afraid Sega would take the fans' clamor for "momentum not speed, dammit!" a little too close to heart.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • IgortIgort Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Olivaw wrote: »
    I'm also bothered by how difficult it is to maintain momentum

    In Sonic 1 when you got goin' you were goin', and you didn't have to keep holding right to keep goin'

    At least that's how I remember it

    Fun fact: you're not playing Sonic 1.

    Igort on
  • OlivawOlivaw good name, isn't it? the foot of mt fujiRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Igort wrote: »
    Olivaw wrote: »
    I'm also bothered by how difficult it is to maintain momentum

    In Sonic 1 when you got goin' you were goin', and you didn't have to keep holding right to keep goin'

    At least that's how I remember it

    Fun fact: you're not playing Sonic 1.

    Well they sure fooled me

    What with all their effort going towards making this feel like an old Sonic the Hedgehog game

    Olivaw on
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    PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    The only thing that bothered me momentum/physics wise is a section in Casio Street. In Sonic 1 & 2 there were moments where you were in a hole with a U-shaped bottom. If you rolled up one side and held down, you'd roll back up the other side, and then you'd keep going across to bottom to the other side until you gained up speed and height to get out of the hole.

    Sonic 4 doesn't do this. Sonic only goes up to the same height on each side, never gaining any height or speed in the process.

    maximumzero on
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  • InexactQuotientInexactQuotient Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    cloudeagle wrote: »
    For me, the thing that made me less inclined to buy the game in that video were the areas where it looked like a chore to actually progress. Which goes beyond the player sucking; it looked like there were a few areas where you HAD to go through some weirdly complicated maneuvers just to get out rather than just saying "screw it, I'll take my chances on the bottom" and proceeding from there. It's the same kind of thing that annoyed me on, say, the airship and pyramid levels of Sonic and Knuckles.

    There's, like, one puzzle in the whole game. The solution to it is in this very thread. Don't let that dissuade you!

    It's not about puzzles, it's about needing to swing from 4 consecutive vines to get out the top exit, or just leave through the bottom knowing you're taking the worse path.

    Of course the old games had this sort of thing too from time to time but it does look tedious in the Quick Look (although I can easily see that they were playing terribly).

    That part is not difficult, even if you miss a vine the first time and have to go back up, it's still less than 10 seconds to get through that section.

    InexactQuotient on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • RainbowDespairRainbowDespair Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Gave the demo a try. Fun, although the control felt a little off at first. If it was $10, I might pick it up, but there are too many good games out there that I haven't played yet for me to want to pick it up for $15.

    RainbowDespair on
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Gave the demo a try. Fun, although the control felt a little off at first. If it was $10, I might pick it up, but there are too many good games out there that I haven't played yet for me to want to pick it up for $15.

    That sounds about right for me too. I'm sure I'd get a fair amount of enjoyment out of it, just not $15 worth.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • naengwennaengwen Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    The only thing that bothered me momentum/physics wise is a section in Casio Street. In Sonic 1 & 2 there were moments where you were in a hole with a U-shaped bottom. If you rolled up one side and held down, you'd roll back up the other side, and then you'd keep going across to bottom to the other side until you gained up speed and height to get out of the hole.

    Sonic 4 doesn't do this. Sonic only goes up to the same height on each side, never gaining any height or speed in the process.

    I long for a Sonic game wherein they give us the speed and control from the new 2D games while maintaining the roll-physics from the older games.

    The music sorta irked me, too. The songs were fitting, but the instrument choices and lack of variance in the percussion cheapened the experience. This was a collaboration with DIMPS, right? What happened to the music from Advance/Rush?

    Drooling over the rest, though. New special stages gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

    naengwen on
  • BlitzAce1981BlitzAce1981 Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I think I ruined Lost Labyrinth Act 2 for myself. Turns out Super Sonic doesn't need to use the torch to light up the background. Or activate most of the switch puzzle.

    EDIT - Also, turning Super changes Invincibility TVs into 1 Ups, even if they're on screen during transformation.

    BlitzAce1981 on
    PSN ID - BlitzAce1981 FFXIV - Raiden Solitaire (Sargatanas)
  • DomhnallDomhnall Minty D. Vision! ScotlandRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I'm really sad that I decided to just buy the game instead of trying the demo. Really not enjoying the controls or the graphics or the fact that the levels seem absolutely massive.

    The special stages are a nice change though.

    Domhnall on
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  • BlitzAce1981BlitzAce1981 Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Theeeeeere we go. 44"25 on Splash Hill Act 1 (Super Sonic).

    EDIT - Holy crap, just seen that I'm 9th for Score Attack on the same level.

    EDIT 2 - Got it down to 41"18 now. Running out of ideas of where to get more speed, other than nail the first chain of four Bubbles perfectly; I lost momentum on the fourth one, which probably cost me half a second.

    BlitzAce1981 on
    PSN ID - BlitzAce1981 FFXIV - Raiden Solitaire (Sargatanas)
  • naengwennaengwen Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Domhnall wrote: »
    I'm really sad that I decided to just buy the game instead of trying the demo. Really not enjoying the controls or the graphics or the fact that the levels seem absolutely massive.

    Except for parts of 3&K, 2D Sonic levels tend to be pretty huge; most don't notice once they have a circuit down pat.

    The easiest way to trim down the length is to always take the highest path. Doesn't always work, but usually makes long levels beatable in a minute or two.

    naengwen on
  • BlitzAce1981BlitzAce1981 Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Okay, I'm done speedrunning for the night; just did a 38"40, which should put me 8th on the PS3 leaderboards. Top time is now 35"45, and it looks like taking the 2 seconds to go Super is the way to go.

    BlitzAce1981 on
    PSN ID - BlitzAce1981 FFXIV - Raiden Solitaire (Sargatanas)
  • TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    naengwen wrote: »
    Except for parts of 3&K, 2D Sonic levels tend to be pretty huge; most don't notice once they have a circuit down pat.

    Actually, the levels in Sonic 3&K are the longest in the series. They're usually twice as big as Sonic 2's levels.

    Speaking of huge levels, that's one of the best things returning to Sonic Colors - the acts start off small, but they're supposed to get enormous later in the game. They described Aquarium Park as having completely optional underwater segments that are 11-12 screens tall, filled with multiple paths. That's in addition to several completely different above-water paths. And you never have to go under water or above water if you don't want to.

    TheSonicRetard on
  • AegeriAegeri Tiny wee bacteriums Plateau of LengRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I am really excited about Sonic Colours. Despite some complaints about Sonic 4, that are understandable, the game is built on really solid fundamentals. So hopefully they've translated this into Colors.

    Aegeri on
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  • TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Aegeri wrote: »
    I am really excited about Sonic Colours. Despite some complaints about Sonic 4, that are understandable, the game is built on really solid fundamentals. So hopefully they've translated this into Colors.

    Considering it's built off of Sonic Unleashed's daytime levels, which were rock solid in my opinion, I think they've got the fundamentals down.

    TheSonicRetard on
  • jclastjclast Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Dang it TSR I don't have time for so many new games. I still have an unopened Metroid: Other M in my basement and now you're going to make me add Sonic Colors to the pile. :)

    jclast on
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  • TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Mad Gear Zone with Flying Battery Zone's music is pretty awesome.

    TheSonicRetard on
  • agoajagoaj Top Tier One FearRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Mad Gear Zone with Flying Battery Zone's music is pretty awesome.

    Bet it would be better with Snappleman's.

    agoaj on
    ujav5b9gwj1s.png
  • TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    agoaj wrote: »
    Mad Gear Zone with Flying Battery Zone's music is pretty awesome.

    Bet it would be better with Snappleman's.

    Holy shit

    TheSonicRetard on
  • naengwennaengwen Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    naengwen wrote: »
    Except for parts of 3&K, 2D Sonic levels tend to be pretty huge; most don't notice once they have a circuit down pat.

    Actually, the levels in Sonic 3&K are the longest in the series. They're usually twice as big as Sonic 2's levels.

    I realize that; was more a suggestion of non-linearity. Some of the levels in 3&K were fairly straightforward, despite the length(unless you count the branching paths for Knuckles, but since he's normally the only one who can access those...)
    Speaking of huge levels, that's one of the best things returning to Sonic Colors - the acts start off small, but they're supposed to get enormous later in the game. They described Aquarium Park as having completely optional underwater segments that are 11-12 screens tall, filled with multiple paths. That's in addition to several completely different above-water paths. And you never have to go under water or above water if you don't want to.

    Very cool. That gonna be the case for both versions?

    naengwen on
  • RuinsRuins Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I do not like Lost Labyrinth Zone very much. So much stop and go for so little reason. And the boss is really boring. Is that an ode to an old boss from a previous Sonic game? Because so far that's the only one I've faced that I don't remember. The torch puzzle was kind of fun though.

    Ruins on
    ach.png
  • TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Ruins wrote: »
    I do not like Lost Labyrinth Zone very much. So much stop and go for so little reason. And the boss is really boring. Is that an ode to an old boss from a previous Sonic game? Because so far that's the only one I've faced that I don't remember. The torch puzzle was kind of fun though.

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1406771492852020940#

    skip to 6:17

    TheSonicRetard on
  • agoajagoaj Top Tier One FearRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Not nearly as hard as the original, with it's shear vertical climbs. Twelve times as tall as everest I tell you!

    agoaj on
    ujav5b9gwj1s.png
  • RuinsRuins Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Ruins wrote: »
    I do not like Lost Labyrinth Zone very much. So much stop and go for so little reason. And the boss is really boring. Is that an ode to an old boss from a previous Sonic game? Because so far that's the only one I've faced that I don't remember. The torch puzzle was kind of fun though.

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1406771492852020940#

    skip to 6:17
    Oh yeah, I remember this now.

    Ruins on
    ach.png
  • elliotw2elliotw2 Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    That video reminds me of the big problem of Sonic 1, all the copy and paste within levels. I'd feel like I was going in circles in some parts of zones.

    elliotw2 on
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  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    The level design of Sonic 1 is in general pretty slap dash.

    They did a much better job with Sonic 2 and CD.

    Xenogears of Bore on
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  • TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    elliotw2 wrote: »
    That video reminds me of the big problem of Sonic 1, all the copy and paste within levels. I'd feel like I was going in circles in some parts of zones.

    That's because Sonic 1 used 256x256 level chunks. Sonic 2 onward used 128x128 level chunks. Sonic CD also used 256x256 level chunks, but coming from a CD, size wasn't a limitation, so they were able to include fucking tons of level chunks to make the levels layouts so unsimilar.

    TheSonicRetard on
  • Linespider5Linespider5 ALL HAIL KING KILLMONGER Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I've got a weird question here, I bet TSR might know of an answer. Playing Sonic 4 right now, I started thinking how cool it would be to have a 2D Sonic game with a giant extended world-a Metroidvania Sonic, if you will, with switches and mechanisms to open areas and whatnot, big on exploration but not split into discrete stages like the traditional games. Somehow I imagined a Sonic game with a map screen, and the rest fell into place.

    Has there ever been a Sonic game of this sort, official or fan-made?

    Linespider5 on
  • TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I've got a weird question here, I bet TSR might know of an answer. Playing Sonic 4 right now, I started thinking how cool it would be to have a 2D Sonic game with a giant extended world-a Metroidvania Sonic, if you will, with switches and mechanisms to open areas and whatnot, big on exploration but not split into discrete stages like the traditional games. Somehow I imagined a Sonic game with a map screen, and the rest fell into place.

    Has there ever been a Sonic game of this sort, official or fan-made?

    The Xbox Indie game I've been working on for 3 years now. Thats pretty much it.

    TheSonicRetard on
  • TicaldfjamTicaldfjam Snoqualmie, WARegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Just bought this via PSN network for the PS3. This is one of the best remakes of the Sonic Series yet.

    Edit: My mistake, according to Wiki its right after Sonic and Knuckles. Still though, the way this plays on HD is awesome.

    Ticaldfjam on
  • maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Tempted to download the trial on my 360 to see it in HD.

    maximumzero on
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  • InexactQuotientInexactQuotient Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Tempted to download the trial on my 360 to see it in HD.

    doo eet

    InexactQuotient on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • HeleorHeleor SeattleRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Eggman's final attack is just mean.

    That said, I did beat the final boss, and am now having trouble with Emerald 5.

    Heleor on
  • DratatooDratatoo Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    The onscreen controls in the iPhone port tend to get annoying in the later zones. You don't have the split seconds to react if you are fighting with "Don't run right - Duck and spin dash, DUCK AND SPINDASH, goddamit!'. I can't count how many times I died to that drill because of this.

    Dratatoo on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Domhnall wrote: »
    I'm really sad that I decided to just buy the game instead of trying the demo. Really not enjoying the controls or the graphics or the fact that the levels seem absolutely massive.
    The special stages are a nice change though.
    This is just curiosity, not 'lawl you are wrong for not enjoying the same things', but why are massive levels a problem?

    Glal on
This discussion has been closed.