You may not be aware that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is even a thing. Well, it is. Sega has been releasing “episodes” of what is supposed to be an old fashioned, oldschool Sonic adventure for the past couple of years, and I finally broke down and bought them the other day, despite some misgivings.

Well, I’ve played both Episode 1 and 2 quite a bit, and here’s what I’ve got to say about them:

THE VERDICT:

The games play pretty much like Sonics 1 – 3&K. Sonic gets the homing attack which he got later on his life, and which at first annoyed my inner purist before I realized that it actually fit in rather nicely and adds some neat new play mechanics and allows for new level design ideas. In Episode 2, you also get Tails as a sidekick, which introduces a couple additional new moves which also fit in nicely. The Episode 1 Sonic feels a bit “floaty” to me but Episode 2 fixes that right up.

The levels are almost entirely based off of classic ones from the Genesis era. That’s not to say they’re remade with few changes, or even rebooted a la Sonic Generations. Rather, they’re all new levels that feel like they could take place in Aquatic Ruin Zone or Oil Ocean Zone or Metropolis Zone or a combination of them. You will recognize many, many familiar enemies and level mechanics. Unfortunately none of them seem to stand up as strongly as their original inspirations, even though some moments come close. Oddly, the best levels are the ones that are the most unlike prior Zones. (A level where you dash along roller coaster tracks and another that takes place during a night filled with fireflies come to mind.)

The art is passable and fits the style of the game. Episode 1 goes for a sort of… halfway-cel-shaded thing that is kind of weird but, like as with many other odd things with Sonic 4, this gets axed with Episode 2.

The music is the weakest part of Sonic 4 by far. I wish I could say it wasn’t, because I love classic Sonic music, but in this game it ranges from being “almost good” (one or two tracks) to “barely tolerable” (most of it) to “MUTE, MUTE NOW, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING” (a few unfortunate tracks).

OVERALL: I don’t know if the steep price (Somewhere in the vicinity of $30 for both episodes) is worth it for anyone who isn’t a die-hard Sonic fan, but if you can snag these on sale and you enjoyed the Genesis Sonics then they’re not bad buys. If you’re just going to get one, get the second, although getting both will open up a secret “third” episode featuring Metal Sonic which is kind of fun. Sonic the Hedgehog 4 may not live up to the first 3 (and a half) “numbered” Sonic games, but if you like going fast, it’ll keep you entertained for more than a few hours and give you a few thrilling moments that remind you of your very first time playing Sonic. And isn’t that worth almost any price?