Sonic 4: Episode 2 Screens & Media Topic

[OlenJimi]

Looks nice. Not very interesting though. Oh well.

Edited April 7, 2012 by OlenJimi

[Badnik Mechanic]

When people say 'it looks bland' you lot are aware that person hasn't played the game before or at the very most not often and is taking the 'slower' path... so chances are you're not going to see 'ZOMIGOD epic skills/look at what you can do' kind of gameplay?

And am I the only one that thinks that the snow boulder pushing in White acropolis takes the game to a screeching halt? Seriously, I hate that.

Because they're taking the slower path, looking at the places where the player misses the jump or isn't good enough yet to get to the higher path, it might be a missable section.

[Rusty Spy]

Yeah even I will admit the level design isn't anything special. Not BAD, but boring. Like Dio said, they never do anything with Sonic's abilities, so you're just watching Sonic go without any real involvement.

It's more jarring now because there are lots of genuinely good gimmicks here, but all they do with them is let the player WATCH Sonic get thrown around. The snowboarding sections especially, made even more overt compared to Generation's streetboarding sections in Classic City Escape, which were a lot more involving, fun and rewarding.

[Scar]

Now that I've been watching the game more and more, I actually think it looks quite good. Maybe....JUST MAYBE....it's good enough to be called sonic 4?

And am I the only one that thinks that the snow boulder pushing in White acropolis takes the game to a screeching halt? Seriously, I hate that.

What, kinda like those blocks you had to push in Sandopolis?

Sonic 4 has many problems. This isn't one of them.

[Vic Boss]

Pretty waterfalls, nice.

Once again the whole spammy spammy air dash thing riles me up rotten. I mean i get the game is poorly designed in every way but I hate that shit so much.

Also I don't understand why (other than on vertical stages/gimmicks) why you wouldn't ever stop doing Son x Tailsu 69 ballz. I mean there's no punishment for abusing it right? So why would you just run around the stage playing "like a Sonic game" when you can just hit 69ers and be invincible permanently? Maybe if they made it so you couldn't jump in ballz mode, but you can. I don't get it. At least boost had lolzringpowerplz but this is like running off Son/Tail's ever lastly supply of hormones.

[Sami]

When people say 'it looks bland' you lot are aware that person hasn't played the game before or at the very most not often and is taking the 'slower' path... so chances are you're not going to see 'ZOMIGOD epic skills/look at what you can do' kind of gameplay?

Because they're taking the slower path, looking at the places where the player misses the jump or isn't good enough yet to get to the higher path, it might be a missable section.

Last I checked, the classics weren't as good as your skill.

[McGroose]

What, kinda like those blocks you had to push in Sandopolis?

Sonic 4 has many problems. This isn't one of them.

I didn't like the blocks in Sandopolis either. In fact Sandopolis is one of my least favorite level in S3&K.

[Marcello]

I like that you can jump on to the rolling snow balls and try and stay balanced like the ones in Lost Labyrinth.

[Solid SOAP]

I don't think it looks that bad, really. Seeing 2 full levels played by somehow who isn't horrible is really refreshing, it actually looks kinda fun. I like how the levels are pretty sizeable as well.

[TheOcelot]

Visually the levels look so good - I like the background animations. The graphics look so much better than Ep1. Do you think Ep2 looks better than Sonic Generations 2d stages? I would say they are very close.

Sandopolis Zone (one of my favourites levels) was a really interesting level. I like how the sand rises in the new Oil Desert type level.

Just watched those two playthroughs of White Park and Sylvania Castle. The momentum physics look much better. Even if Sonic is hit hes back up and racing along in no time. I am starting to learn the layout of those acts, I will be ever so pissed if I loose a life (once I have bought the game) when trying to complete the act for the first time.

Looks like Ep2 may just be a half decent game after all.

Edited April 7, 2012 by MilesKnightwing

[Badnik Mechanic]

Another PAX impressions write up... nothing too new or exciting though.

It is at the upper limit of space allowed by XBLA games

Urm.... What? Has that been mentioned before/is that anywhere near correct?

[Spooky Mulder]

Visually the levels look so good - I like the background animations. The graphics look so much better than Ep1. Do you think Ep2 looks better than Sonic Generations 2d stages? I would say they are very close.

Not even close. Episode II looks good, but not that good.

Edited April 7, 2012 by Spooky Mulder

[Tornado]

Aren't their XBLA games that are several gigs in size?

[Carbo]

XBLA games generally switched to a "limitless" filecap in 2008 to accommodate Bionic Commando: Rearmed, and that's been the cap ever since.

Couple that with the fact that S4E2 is a four zone game, and there's been a good deal of bigger, more weighty games with more demanding tech released on the service, I seriously doubt there's any truth in that statement.

[Marcello]

I wish E2's rings would look as nice as Generation's. They looks so pale...

[Autosaver]

I find it hilarious that on every post that dislikes Sonic 4, I see this.

After looking at the video, Sonic 4 seems to have been improved. Dimps definitely looks at the complaints and fixed the problems that were in Episode I. There is a bigger emphasis on platforming this time around. You can see Sonic constantly platforming which is quite nice. Along with that, homing attacks seems to be limited. Finally, you can complete a level without homing attack 100 times. Sure there are still paths with them, but there are only a limited amount of chains in Episode II. It also seems like there aren't forced chains anymore so players don't have to use homing attack to beat a level.

The levels are huge! I remember a ton of complains concerning Episode I's length and how it was overpriced. I was one of the people that bought Episode I for $15. In fact, it still is $15 on Wiiware. The levels were ridiculously short and I'm not so sure it was worth the money I paid for. Yes, it was a good game but the content was just, not enough. Episode II fixes this problem by having enormous levels with tons of secrets and paths. 3 minutes for a level? Woah!

Speaking of secrets and multiple paths, I saw a ton of him. The player didn't even stumble upon all the red rings so I'm sure there are many more paths/secrets we haven't seen. I'm sure the secrets will add in replay value and speed runs will love the fast paths. You could probably play the level at least 3 times and go through a different path each time.

The physics are definitely improved. Rolling actually works, Sonic isn't a rock, everything just works out so smoothly. I know people have pointed out the 69 physics, but I'm pretty sure they're supposed to break them. I mean, come on! Who expects to roll at the speed of sound by grabbing onto each other?

The graphics? I'm loving them. No longer do we have the boring plastic stuff Episode I had. The levels are gorgeous and have tons of little details inside of them. Sure it isn't Generations, but who honestly expects Generations graphics? Episode II is a small downloadable title, not a huge anniversary title that has a budget of SEGA's entire wallet. Also, don't forget that the games has to work on phones too. I'm sure SEGA doesn't want to make the phone version run at 3 frames per second.

Overall, I'm quite happy with what we have now. The physics are improved, the graphics are stunning, the gameplay is much better than what we had in Episode I, and the replay value is high. It would be awesome if SEGA priced it at $9.99, but I'm fine with $14.99 again since it has the bonus downloadable episode.

Now I'm wondering. If I buy this on Wii U (if it comes out) and I have Episode I installed, will Episode Metal come too? Eh.

[Diogenes]

When people say 'it looks bland' you lot are aware that person hasn't played the game before or at the very most not often and is taking the 'slower' path... so chances are you're not going to see 'ZOMIGOD epic skills/look at what you can do' kind of gameplay?

The lower path should not be boring as balls. I'm not asking for balls-to-the-wall intense gameplay 24/7, but I should be seeing interesting gameplay regardless of which path the player takes. Something that shows me they understand that Sonic is more than jumping, homing attacking, and watching springs and boosters bounce him around.

And given recent history, I really have no reason to believe the rest of the level is any better.

[Octarine]

Sonic 4's graphics are weird to me. I'll see them in one screenshot or video and think they look plain, but then a different screenshot or video of the exact same area will impress me. Right now I'm in impressed mode, though I'm a bit dubious about White Park. The snowier sections of the level look a bit boring, and in the places where there's more 'park' going on the two themes never quite seem to fit together. It looks from screenshots like the later acts will blend the two together a little better, but I'm still a little iffy. Points for a unique combination, but it didn't quite work out.

I find it hilarious that on every post that dislikes Sonic 4, I see this.

...

I mean, uh, SONIC 4 IS THE WORST THING

...please?

[Blue Blood]

I find it hilarious that on every post that dislikes Sonic 4, I see this.

Bwahaha! It's not even that I 'like' every post that bashes the game, it's that I like posts that raise points I agree with, be they negative or positive. Just so happens that most of them are negative Like I keep saying though, some things about this game I genuinely do like. There's more pros than cons, but the conniest con is the gameplay. Artistic design, from graphics to characters design but not including music, are plus points.

[Neon]

New Dailymotion interview with Ken.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xpz6tc_from-the-floor-pax-east-2012-sonic-iv-part-2-dev-intervie_videogames

[Spooky Mulder]

"There's more cutscenes in Episode: Metal than in all of Episode II"

Ken, why do you say that like its a good thing?

[Scar]

"There's more cutscenes in Episode: Metal than in all of Episode II"

Ken, why do you say that like its a good thing?

Well, if its anything like S3K, then it is a good thing.

[Spooky Mulder]

My point is that some random unlockable content shouldn't be bigger/more important to the story than the actual game.

If he said "more than in all of Episode I" that would be great, but he said "all of Episode II." Episode Metal has more cutscenes than the real Episode II. That's weird.

Edited April 7, 2012 by Spooky Mulder

[Marcello]

Well, if its anything like S3K, then it is a good thing.

I think he means the fact that the side story has more than the main part. Which is pretty damn stupid.

[Tornado]

I dunno. They certainly have their work cut out for them trying to explain exactly what the hell happened after Sonic CD.