I know most of you didn't care for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, but where there is money, there are sequels. Even though the critical response to Sonic's downloadable entry, Sega's moving forward.

"It's [Sonic the Hedgehog 4] for those of us who played Battlefield but also play Sonic," said Sega of America and Europe president Mike Hayes in an interview with me this morning. "We get a blast from that for historical reasons. That's where Sonic 4 was aimed. We were very pleased with the first one."

When Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 was first unveiled, gamers pushed back (carts!). Sega took the reaction under advisement and made some tweaks that funneled into the console and iOS releases. It wasn't enough to get everyone on board, but Sonic fans are a critical bunch.

"I know there were some quality issues that we had there that we've taken on board and there will be further episodes following up on that," added Hayes. "I think the next one's excellent. I think that's going to overcome some of the issues that we had on the first one."

Despite the critics, it's going forward. Why?

"Commercially, it's been hugely successful across all platforms."

Bingo.

I know most of you didn't care for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, but where there is money, there are sequels. Even though the critical response to Sonic's downloadable entry, Sega's moving forward.

"It's [Sonic the Hedgehog 4] for those of us who played Battlefield but also play Sonic," said Sega of America and Europe president Mike Hayes in an interview with me this morning. "We get a blast from that for historical reasons. That's where Sonic 4 was aimed. We were very pleased with the first one."

When Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 was first unveiled, gamers pushed back (carts!). Sega took the reaction under advisement and made some tweaks that funneled into the console and iOS releases. It wasn't enough to get everyone on board, but Sonic fans are a critical bunch.

"I know there were some quality issues that we had there that we've taken on board and there will be further episodes following up on that," added Hayes. "I think the next one's excellent. I think that's going to overcome some of the issues that we had on the first one."

Despite the critics, it's going forward. Why?

"Commercially, it's been hugely successful across all platforms."

Bingo.

cool 
 
sonic sucks

Whatever. :/

More Sonic...... Come on Sega.

Lolz

"It's okay guys, this one will surely be true to the original games!"

Again, and again, and again, and again...

Patrick! Proofreading! Tisk tisk.

I don't really see a need for any Sonic game after Sonic 2 to be honest. I think that represents the limits of the game's potential.

good for sonic if mario could be mario why can't sonic be sonic fuck the haters

I have a friend who is the stereotypical Sonic fan who buys every shitty game after another.  And she still loves them all... hell she bought a Sonic comic the other day just because she 'felt' she needed it.

head esplode!

I have yet to see a game release in episodes where one episode didn't cost more than I'd pay for the whole game. Sonic 4, Penny Arcade . . . you suck.

Do I sense a bit of judgement over them making more because it sold well? I don't know if that's fair.

"  Even though the critical response to Sonic's downloadable entry, Sega's moving forward." 
 
Seems like you left out a couple words, Patrick. 
 
Even though what?  "...entry was tepid, " maybe?

Finish Sonic 4, throw that mess in with Generations.

I really don't think this is a case of the vocal minority. I think everyone is tired of Sonic.

It was a commercial success because it probably costs so little to make, so just about any sales are profit. That's my unresearched, pulled-out-my-ass opinion.

Remake Sonic 3 with knuckles or give us something similar. Stop trying to add nonsense to the pot.

I don't need a 100% authentic throwback Sonic game. This is what pisses me off about Sega - they don't get that it's possible to evolve a franchise properly. They either try (and fail) to directly recreate and siphon off some of the magic of the old Sonic games, or they piss all over the franchise's roots with absolutely fucking terrible 3D action platformers, and scads of forgettable and irritating peripheral characters.

- Scott

just get me some god damn Chemical Plant and anything will be AOK.

@SpunkyHePanda said:

Do I sense a bit of judgement over them making more because it sold well? I don't know if that's fair.

I was confused by that too. Little too snark for snarks sake, for my liking.

- Scott

Sonic doesn't suck,  the people making the games just can't get it right.

If they fixed the physics and cleaned up the animation, it could be great. I still don't know how they messed those up so bad the last time. Is there no one at Sega that played the originals?

If the next episode has a comparable amount of content, they really need to drop the price to $10.

What a damn shame!

@This_Dude said:

Sonic doesn't suck, the people making the games just can't get it right.

It's not that we don't like sonic in 3d, its just that they are not good at doing sonic in 3d and sega doesn't seem to understand this. If they can make a good 3d sonic game, then I'll be happy. 

Wait, there are gonna be more episodes? I wanted this to become the console equivalent of Half-Life 2.

"  Even though the critical response to Sonic's downloadable entry, Sega's moving forward."  Seems like you left out a couple words, Patrick.  Even though what?  "...entry was tepid, " maybe?

There Will Be More Sonic 4 Episodes, Sega Knows There Were Problems

Seems they didn't pick up on the fact that the actual problem is they're making more Sonic games.

I enjoyed episode 1. Probably since I was used to the different physics due to the DS games.

Hey, I'll admit it, I played and fully enjoyed Sonic 4 simply for the fact that it was the first sonic game in like a decade to not completely suck... Then Sonic Colors came out the month after that and was way better, so now I don't really care about 4 at all. I DO care about Generations, though, 'cause it basically looks like the follow up to Colors.

For the love of god... Fix the floaty controls. I found episode one to be unplayable. Or at least unejoyable. I want my old, fat sonic back.

After playing Episode 4, I just figured that I don't give a shit about Sonic anymore.

I don't really see anything bringing me back.

If Sega is still making Sonic games and they're still earning solid bank from the franchise then I say "more power to them".  It tough enough to make a buck in the games industry these days and Sonic is pretty much all Sega have going for them.  I personally don't like Sonic games but that's probably because I'm 36 and these games aren't marketed at my age group. I used to like them when I was a kid though. :)

Good on them.

@This_Dude said:

Sonic doesn't suck, the people making the games just can't get it right.

I don't think Sonic fans exist any more. I loved what Sonic was in the 90s, not the monstrosity he became further down the track.

The more accurate term would be a Sonic Observer. As soon as they release a good game, I'll hop right back in.

The fact that the first episode was commercially successful saddens me.  Can we please just let Sonic die in peace?  Must we continue beating a dead horse?
 
inb4 "More like beating a dead hedgehog hur hur hur"

"It's okay guys, this one will surely be true to the original games!"

Again, and again, and again, and again...

I liked it. I'd play a new one.

@TadThuggish said:

"It's okay guys, this one will surely be true to the original games!"

Again, and again, and again, and again...

IIRC, the actual Japanese development team had no idea that the US community people were trying to promise Genesis Sonic-like physics and gameplay.

And for people saying they'll jump back in when they release a good game, try Sonic Colors. It's not classic Sonic, but it takes the stuff from modern Sonic and puts it into a very fun platformer without being broken or bogged down with dumb story.

@Crushed said:

@TadThuggish said:

"It's okay guys, this one will surely be true to the original games!"

Again, and again, and again, and again...

IIRC, the actual Japanese development team had no idea that the US community people were trying to promise Genesis Sonic-like physics and gameplay.

And for people saying they'll jump back in when they release a good game, try Sonic Colors. It's not classic Sonic, but it takes the stuff from modern Sonic and puts it into a very fun platformer without being broken or bogged down with dumb story.

I distinctly remember a time before Sonic said "epic".

@TadThuggish said:

I distinctly remember a time before Sonic said "epic".

That was a dumb line, but it's not like that's the entire game. For God's sake, it's a 3D Sonic game where you spend 80% of the time in 2D, Robotnik in a big robot is the final boss instead of some eldritch abomination from space, and Super Sonic is actually playable in the regular stages.

Also, the game's requisite gimmick is something that actually makes sense instead of forcing you to do some dumb shit like be Big the Cat or play as a Werehog: it's just a series of neat powerups that let you get score bonuses or access alternate paths while you still go fast.

Took long enough.

I really really hope this goes well. Sonic 4 was painful because it was so fucking close...

@omfgzell said:

I really really hope this goes well. Sonic 4 was painful because it was so fucking close...

I couldn't have said it better myself!

I'll play a Sonic 4:2. Didn't really like the way Sonic moved in Sonic 4, hope they improve that.

The quality of the game wasn't an issue.  It was the lack of momentum to Sonic's movements.  He felt so...stiff.  He had no forward momentum like he did in the older, and even more current, games.  It felt weird to play.

Not too amped for Sonic 4.2 outside of seeing what they do with Sonic 2.  4.1 seemed like Sonic 1: Remix so I've assumed 4.2 = Sonic 2 and 4.3 = Sonic 3.  3 Is my favorite so 4.3 is the one I'm really excited for, but I will be interested in seeing what they do with the Sonic 2 bonus stage in 4.2 .  It feels like that bonus stage kinda became the premise for post Dreamcast sonic games. 
 
They need to bring back Streets of Rage though.

I've gotten to the point now where I don't even know if the old "good" sonic games can even be called such anymore, though that might just be my cynicism at its peak. Yeah, they were fast without being lame and floaty like this game, but are you really going to compare them with the likes of Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World?