And just when fans were about to lose all hope, a good Sonic game comes in. Good is based on opinion, don
Now, this game plays just like the old Sonic games. Hold left and run to the goal ring as fast as you can. OK, so there's more to it then that, but it's a platformer after all. The game has a nice mix of straight ahead platforming, a few puzzles, and boss battles that will remind you of the past. Now, not all of this game does live in the past, in fact they've throw in some new twists to the levels starts in Casino Street where Sonic will fly through the act on top of playing cards. And then there's an act in Lost Labyrinth where he runs on top of a large ball and another where he holds a torch while trying to solve puzzles to move on. They've also given Sonic his Homing Attack from the 3D games, which gets used a lot and is need to complete some levels. All of the new is on top of the old moves and power-ups like Sonic's Spin Dash, Speed Shoes and so on.
I'm just going to come out and say it. There is a problem with the physics in this game. See? There I said it, but I don't think that they render you from playing the game one bit. Sure, go ahead and yell at me because I think it has crappy physics because Sonic can stand on slopes where normal people would fall down. Sure, go ahead a scream at me because I don't think that it detracts from the gaming experience one bit because I'm too busy running forward to care what happens when I stand still.
Past the craptastic physics, this game is cake walk up until the final boss. Really, there's little challenge in the game up until that point. I think this is because of the fact that it lives in the past a lot and we just know the old school Sonic games too well. Even if that's the case, I don't think having 70 lives when you take on the final boss is a good thing. The game is just too easy and even with a hard final boss, you can take him in less then 70 lives. That my big complaint in this game, it's too easy and then they spike it at the final boss. All the boss fights up to it are easy because we've seen them before or they just don't present a real challenge, like Lost Labyrinth's boss. It's also sad that they rehash all of the boss fights and make you fight them before you take on the final boss fight.
One nice thing about this game is that you can play as Super Sonic in the levels for the first time since Sonic & Knuckles. To get the Chaos Emeralds you have to go through Special Stages that are based off of the ones in the first game. There are some differences, like you collect rings to open gates to move on through some of the levels. These become a real challenge when you get down to the last few and it might get annoying to play through a level and get 50 rings before you can give try the Special Stage again, but it's all worth it in the end.
Something that I always wanted in the old Sonic games, though I know it wasn't possible back then, was a level select. When I found out that this game had one, I was pumped. It just has "Replay Value" written all over it because of it. This does make the job of getting all of the Chaos Emeralds easier because you can select any level that you haven't got an emerald from and get on there. You can also replay any Special Stage that you've beat (got a Chaos Emerald from) again. The main reason why you'd do this is because the game has a leaderboard, which also have "Replay Value" written all over it. Just having these two things makes the game that much better in my opinion.
I do have to say, the 2.5D graphics are lovely. More so when you pair them up with the retro-sty-le graphics and the color from the old Sonic games. How detailed the game looks is great. Casino Street is probably my favorite looking level, mostly because Sonic will fly around on playing cards and it's well animated. There is a few spots that's off, but for the most part this game is very detailed and colorful like a Sonic game should be.
Two things can be said about the sounds of this game. One, old-school music. It's great that they stuck to music based off of the old Sonic games. That's one of the things that made those games for me as a kid. Two, no voice acting. If you ask me who may favorite voice actor for Sonic was, I'd say reply with "Why is Sonic talking?" I don't mind the fact that he talks, but I prefer if he doesn't, which is a great thing about this game, no voice acting.
Overall, Sonic 4: Episode 1 is a great game and is well worth the price. It has tons of replay value and stays true to the old-school Sonic games' ways with good platforming mixed with some speed every now and then. Should you buy it? I think so. Does it have it's flaws? Yes, of course. Do I think that this is the start to a bright future for Sonic? I'm hoping that is is.