Sonic 4 Episode 1

While most would argue that _Sonic the Hedgehog_ has been far from absent on our consoles over the last decade, purists would state that he has been missing for too long. Stripped of all the nonsense sidekicks and Werehogs/Dark Knights/human companions who have come to symbolise the misguided design choices of Sonic’s most recent 3D adventures, _Sonic 4_ hopes to put the spiky blue hero back on track.

Supposedly set immediately after the events of 1994s _Sonic and Knuckles_, we have little but the developer’s word to take on this. The story is Sonic boiled down to its most simple premise. Dr Robotnik, the series antagonist, has once again encased the lovely critters of the world in robotic shells and it us up to Sonic to free them, destroy Robotnik’s evil lair and on the way collect some Chaos Emeralds. Tails and Knuckles are nowhere to be seen, and on the surface, this is unmistakably a return to form for Sega’s flagship franchise and a loving throwback to his better 2D days.

Scratching at that surface leads to a horrible truth, however. This is not the _Sonic_ we grew up with. The four levels which we have access to in _Episode I_ are all blatant homages to the standard pickings of the _Sonic_ universe – verdant green hills, the casino stage, an Aztec temple and a grimy mechanical factory. They are familiar, and while often almost direct copies of levels of Sonic’s first two outings, they are an enjoyable opportunity to revisit our younger gaming days. The lamppost save points, the ‘Badnicks’ and the music of _Sonic_ are a welcome presence, and yet every single part of the game feels wrong. Innovation has never been a friend to _Sonic_, and this persists with the latest instalment.

_Sonic 4, Episode I_ is just another reminder that Dimps and Sonic Team, the developers behind the game, have lost their grip on what it meant to make Sonic an enjoyable character to play. The smooth animations which accompany Sonic leaping into their air may be a technical achievement over the older games jerky transitions from standing to jumping, but it leaves our hero feeling floaty and unnaturally weighted, and worse of all awkward to control. Leaping on the heads of the enemies no longer feels like a decisive attack but an unnecessary risk. We are thus left leaning too heavily on the new action in Sonic’s repertoire of moves, the homing attack.

Pressing jump whilst in the air will send Sonic hurtling in the direction you have him faced or towards one of the many targets he can lock on to such as enemies and jump pads. The developers have naturally designed the game around the gimmicky homing attack such that it helps maintain the momentum Sonic is famous for, arranging flying enemies into rows which can be cleverly utilised as pathways in the sky. Nevertheless, all too often a double tap of the jump button at the wrong moment can send you hurtling into an unseen enemy or off the side of the level and towards to an awkward, unfair death.

What little innovation which has crept into the level design further detracts from the fun. Rotating platforms which force you to stop and work out the safest path, as well as the occasional puzzle segment, are all functional but require you to slow down and take stock of the situation. _Sonic_ at its core is about speed, a reality best actualised in the Nintendo DS release _Sonic Rush_, and it is clear that too much time has been spent with Mario at the Olympic games in the interim. Too many of the plumber’s platforming sections seem to have slipped in under the wire. Most of what’s new boils down to monotonous pattern memorisation, often forcing you into no hope situations which you could never accomplish on the first attempt.

It should hardly be a surprise to anyone by now when a new _Sonic_ title turns out to be less than perfect. Sega themselves recently announced their intention to delist the less-than-well-received _Sonic_ titles in an attempt to unclutter the franchise and make room for newer, better games. Why _Sonic 4, Episode I’s_ failings sting so badly is because for all intents and purposes it is the return to form which the franchise needed. The loss of the third dimension and the increasingly unwieldy list of co-stars are all steps in the right direction, and yet one awkward truth remains. Sonic Team are working hard to recreate the perfect 2D Sonic to cater to this generation of gamers but with _Sonic 4_ they have proven that a veil of nostalgia isn’t always enough to mask the absence of real innovation.