Episode Metal Discussion

[-Mark-]

^ Yeah, to see the cut-scene in Episode 1 again you have to select Splash Hill Act 1, then play all the way through to the end of Mad Gear without returning to the map. If you start your session from any other level, Mad Gear will loop you back to Splash Hill instead.

Ahh, right. I guess that explains why it *seemed* to be random, and sometimes I'd see it, others not.

[TheOcelot]

The harder difficulty is alright. The design changes to the Ep1 levels was interesting. What annoyed me is that the Metal Sonic physics were indentical to Ep1 physics. Brought back all that frustration from Ep1. The cutscenes were excellent.

[Blue Blood]

The harder difficulty is alright. The design changes to the Ep1 levels was interesting. What annoyed me is that the Metal Sonic physics were indentical to Ep1 physics. Brought back all that frustration from Ep1. The cutscenes were excellent.

...

... I don't like EM in the slightest but you can't say the physics were just the same as E1's.

You can moonwalk, but not stick to walls while still

Momentum/inertia vastly improved

No uncurling

Rolling and spindash are identical to E1 in EM.

[JezMM]

I think a fitting name for Episode Metal would be Episode Falling Platforms.

But nah I enjoyed Episode 1 so I enjoyed this, but it was underwhelming. I hated how pointless Casino Street and Splash Hill were, and despite their best efforts (or not best efforts) the stages did actually decrease in difficulty. Hard mode Splash Hill is still easier than Hard Mode Mad Gear.

[Sega DogTagz]

Meh, it was what it was. A free cash in.

I was a little disappointed that Metal didn't pick up a move or two to separate himself from Sonic (I would have loved to see a black shield or an areal hover/boost) but it wasn't in the cards.

It was free, so there is much to complain about, and the cutscenes were nice. But the episode isn't something that will have you clamoring for more.

Edited May 17, 2012 by Sega DogTagz

[Your Vest Friend]

Whoa, I just unlocked episode Metal, and I'm not even that far into the game.

[sjmaster92]

I was incredibly disappointed with Episode Metal. Whatever happened to Metal Sonic playing differently from Sonic? Why are the "exclusive" stages nothing more than remixed versions of EP1's stages with cheap traps and falling platforms? Atleast the custscenes where decent enough.

[WarioBone]

Man...it's way too bad that this was throwaway sales-pitch garbage.

[Pawn]

This was just bad and really forgettable. I only played it yesterday and I can recall is the over-abundance of Mad Gear's crushing pistons.

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

Episode Metal was alright. The level design could use a lot of work, but I love the cutscenes and some of the little details. (Especially Metal passing Sonic signposts and his speed shoes monitor looking like his feet instead of Sonic's.)

[Barry the Nomad]

I can say that of all the Sonic spinoffs starring his rivals, I like Episode Metal the most.

[Indigo Rush]

I can say that of all the Sonic spinoffs starring his rivals, I like Episode Metal the most.

Better than Knuckles Chaotix and Shadow the Hedgehog, I take it?

(imo, the entirety of the Sonic 4 saga, crappy physics and all, was better than Chaotix)

[Blue Blood]

Episode Metal is not better than Puyo Puyo.

(also Chaotix rocks)

[Indigo Rush]

Episode Metal is not better than Puyo Puyo.

To be fair, very few games actually are.

[BlueTidalGamer]

I enjoyed Episode Metal for what it was. I knew it wouldn't be very long and use EP 1 levels but I still enjoyed it. It was more for the story imo.

[Hyper-Shan]

For what it simply was, I enjoyed EM. The cutscenes were really cool, & it's music in the cutscenes (Sonic Boom AND You Can Do Anything in one track?! Sweet!). All it was was a hard version of E1 Zones yet very few Acts, but why complain over something that is a free giveaway? Nice to know that Sega really is trying hard to make a story out of S4!

[speedfreak]

:/ Meh, I thought it was shit and an awful attempt at "lock on" compared to what S&K offered. If the mode was never offered I feel nothing of value would be lost.

[Old dead account]

All it was was episode 1's act ones in hard mode. And by hard mode, I mean spammed with spikes and more enemies.aside from the cutscenes this didn't impress me at all.

[Solid SOAP]

For what it simply was, I enjoyed EM. The cutscenes were really cool, & it's music in the cutscenes (Sonic Boom AND You Can Do Anything in one track?! Sweet!). All it was was a hard version of E1 Zones yet very few Acts, but why complain over something that is a free giveaway? Nice to know that Sega really is trying hard to make a story out of S4!

It was a selling point used to rope people into buying Episode I as well as Episode II if they haven't already, just because it's "free" doesn't mean they have an ulterior motive.

[sonfan1984]

I've beaten Episode Metal just now. It not what I expected at all. It's not worth buying Episode 1 all over again if you don't already have it. You're not really missing much.

Edited May 19, 2012 by sonfan1984

[WarioBone]

Wait...why is Metal Sonic fighting Badniks at all? Shouldn't they recognize him and not attack? That's stupid.

This is all stupid.

[Sean]

Because Metal Sonic fucking shit up is cool.

[WarioBone]

Because Metal Sonic fucking shit up is cool.

...I...can't argue with that.

Marry me.

[DaBatGuy]

Wait...why is Metal Sonic fighting Badniks at all? Shouldn't they recognize him and not attack? That's stupid.

This is all stupid.

You forget that everyone and everything in their universe assumes that all hedgehog shaped creatures are Sonic no matter how black, silver or metallic they are.

[Milo]

I think Episode Metal falls flat on it's face compared to the lock-on tech that S&K did, and even on it's own it still comes off as weak.

Episode Metal I personally think didn't need to tie itself in with Sonic CD, if anything I think I somewhat just messed up the canon some more. Regardless when it takes place, it takes place in Stardust Speedway's Bad Future, which would had meant Sonic got the bad ending and Eggman took over Little Planet and overall had won in Sonic CD. If this was Stardust Speedway's Good Future though, I wouldn't had minded so much. Before anyone mentions it, Generations also had the Metal Sonic Rival Battle took place in SS's Bad Future, but you could argue that it didn't overall change the outcome of Sonic CD. For all we know, shortly afterward in Metallic Madness Zone Sonic got all seven Time Stones in the end and achieved a good ending. Also, Metal Sonic is still shown to be intact in Stardust Speedway, whereas both in the original Sonic CD fight (by a wall) and the Generations rival fight (by a boot to the head by classic!Sonic), Metal Sonic is destroyed.

The events that follow during Episode Metal aren't really necessary, it just seemed like a lame way to give Eggman's zones in Episode I relevance to the story. Like how we didn't need to know how how he got that magic gem and whatnot, because honestly outside of White Park we don't see him use it again. The other two boss fights of Metal Sonic is him in a plane and a rehashed Sonic CD battle. Only scene I thought was relevant to the story was the last one where he hijacked Tails's plane, but otherwise Episode Metal didn't need a plot or needed to tie into anything. It could had simply been about Metal Sonic playable in Episode I's stages.

The gameplay in the end wasn't all that impressive either. He just turned out to be a heavier Sonic reskin (which we are all likely to have been tired of already). They could had replaced the Homing Attack with the electric dash thing he was able to do in CD, or they could have made him harder/easier to control, since he was a robot and whatnot. Heck, they could had even given him his black shield thing from SA2B. Not to mention no changes on physics.

In terms of content, "it could had been much more" is an understatement. Obviously, Metal Sonic could have been made playable in at least all of the main acts of Episode I (let alone all playable levels in Sonic 4), (albeit in a harder variant of them, of course). Maybe some harder special stages that rewarded you with a Super form for Metal Sonic would had been nice as well. Heck, as long as Metal Sonic had at least significantly different gameplay from Sonic, they wouldn't even need to change the level design of the levels!

And of course, last but not least, Tails totally got screwed over in this lock-on oppurtunity (because him being kicked upstairs to a mandatory co-op partner wasn't bad enough). The lock-on thing didn't even need to be solely about Metal Sonic, a "Episode Tails" could have been added, with Tails made playable in Episode I (of course), both with "Tails Alone" modes and a co-op "Sonic and Tails" mode. Episode I levels could had been redesigned to compliment Tails's flight abilities, and I personally think the plot that was given to Metal Sonic to make him made relevant to the events of Sonicwould had suited Tails so much better.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Top Cat