SUPPORT US ON KO-FI!
SAY-GAH!
That's the first thing you hear when you start up Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I. It's been years since you heard it used in a brand-new Sonic title, so you'd be forgiven for forgetting it even existed. The next thing you hear is the title screen theme, which couldn't sound more like a good old 16-bit tune. Throw in a bit of electronic music and you can give Sonic a proper 21st century welcome. It's taken a while, but as far as first impressions go, you're halfway there before you've even started.
SEGA has made sure it's easy to jump right into the action as well, making the game feel even more like the streamlined Sonic games of old. There are six open save files in Episode I, and as soon as you've created one, you're off. Splash Hill Zone, Act 1. No cheesy voice actors. No drawn-out FMV sequences trying their best to explain an overcomplicated story. What is there to explain? Sonic's after Eggman. Go on, then, get on with it.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I brings players four new zones, all inspired by the classics. Splash Hill Zone works fantastically as the "welcome to Sonic 4" zone, with designs lifted straight out of Green Hill Zone and a stunning backdrop with music to boot. Casino Street Zone clearly isn't situated very far from Sonic 2's Casino Night Zone, with near-identical music and gameplay mechanics throughout. Lost Labyrinth Zone is massively inspired by - and even tougher than - the original game's Labyrinth Zone. As far as Mad Gear Zone's concerned, if you thought Sonic 2's Metropolis Zone couldn't get any tougher, you were so wrong.
All it takes is about twenty seconds with the first stage to know that this is a proper Sonic title done properly. Sonic works best in 2D, and it really shows in Episode I. Even without high-definition graphics, it's by far one of the prettiest games on Wii, and it plays beautifully. Sonic's movements feel free and fluid, but most importantly, they feel real. His actions and looks perfectly mimic those of his better days, right down to the spinning feet when he picks up enough speed. The sounds of him jumping around and bouncing between springs are back as well, meaning the game really harks back to days of old.
Just playing through the game with these joyous sound effects is good enough, but tie in a 16-bit soundtrack with elements of electronic music enthused and you've got yourself a corker. Drums and synths from the classic Sonic games make themselves well-known here, with the input of composer Jun Senoue clear the entire time. It might not be the most memorable soundtrack - it'll take a fair few plays at any of the acts to remember its theme at all - but it does its job and it does it well.
Given that, the one question that's still up in the air somewhat is how long you'll actually be playing the game for. Granted, there might only be twelve main acts (plus five bosses and seven special stages, for 24 stages overall), but with the inclusion of a new world map, you have free roam of all the areas in the game right from the off. When you finish an act, just hit the A button to move straight onto the next act. Otherwise, you'll be taken back to the map. At the very start of the game, it might feel like a bit of a cheat being able to access all twelve main acts as soon as you've finished the first, but by the time you're nearing the end of the game, there's no doubt whatsoever you'll cherish the ability to pick and choose where to go next.
That's not to say the game's completely perfect. Advanced gamers and long-time Sonic fans alike might still find the experience over all too soon, with newer gamers no doubt struggling with some of the latter stages at the other end of the spectrum. Regardless, there's plenty for completists and competitors alike, with seven Chaos Emeralds to collect as per the classic Sonic titles, and two different modes for all 24 stages: get through the acts as quick as you can in the default Time Attack mode, or go for the highest score possible in Score Attack mode. The best times, as recorded in Time Attack mode, are recorded on the game's online leaderboards: as always with these, beware of cheaters and naughty words galore, though thankfully those that do manage to cheat their way to the top soon get kicked out.
So, no, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I isn't a perfect game. It has a few little niggles - because we're all supposed to believe that Sonic can comfily stand straight on a 70-degree incline - it can be short if you're not a perfectionist, and the soundtrack, whilst great, can be a little forgettable at times. What makes this exciting, though, is the prospect of more episodes not just like this one, but better. SEGA wants Sonic 4 to be the best game they've ever made: if they didn't, they wouldn't have delayed it for so long to fine-tune it. The end result is a really great Sonic game, one of his best in recent years - and with at least one or two more episodes on the way, it can only really get better.
