Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II

 PC
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 93 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 93
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 93
  3. Negative: 21 out of 93

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  1. mslurr
    May 15, 2012
    7
    It's certainly an improvement over the atrocious Episode 1, that's for sure. It's actually playable. But besides the jump physics and uncurling, as well as new graphics and a pretty cool tails coop gimmick, nothing has changed. Music still sucks, the level design is average, and overall it's just an average platformer. That's not to say I didn't have fun, though.
  2. Zero_Dozer
    May 15, 2012
    5
    Although there was made improvements (Such as graphics and plot), Sonic 4 Episode Two shamefully brings more of the same disappointment brought by his antecessor. Not only with physics this time. About physics, they were fixed in some points, but later it was revealed that there are scripted speed occurring on the game, again getting to ruin your fun. Tails was another broken promise byAlthough there was made improvements (Such as graphics and plot), Sonic 4 Episode Two shamefully brings more of the same disappointment brought by his antecessor. Not only with physics this time. About physics, they were fixed in some points, but later it was revealed that there are scripted speed occurring on the game, again getting to ruin your fun. Tails was another broken promise by SEGA, they didn't bring him back: they brought Tails as a game gimmick, the worst treatment a character on the Sonic series could ever receive. This is summed up with the horrendous music, the same style was brought back from Episode One. So, it turns out that the game has turned to a sad example of DIMPS' abilities and SEGA's incompetence.… Expand
  3. Tarnish
    May 27, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In the past few years I have reached the point that whenever a new Sonic game shows up on the horizon, I'm immediately convinced that it won't be good, regardless all the promises SEGA makes to get it right this time. Sonic 4 is no exception. Reluctant at first to give ep 2 a try (especially after we all saw what happened with ep 1), I eventually did. Was it worth it? Well, I might have gotten picky over the years, but the answer is closer to the 'No' than the 'Yes'.
    Graphically it's definitely better, can't argue about that, but there are some things that made me think. Right at the SEGA chime and the title screen, the first thought that came to my mind was 'another ripoff', rather than 'sweet nostalgia'. SEGA went through all the trouble to use modells for the title screen, but made frames using them to imitate the characters' movement from Sonic 2..In 1992, they did that because that was the best thing they could do, and using sprites there was nothing wrong with that..Today, in the day of 3D and modells, seeing Sonic and Tails pop up like that at low fps, was so out of place, they really should have gone with fluid, smooth movement. And the fact I have to watch that every time I fire up the game since you can't skip it, is a bit annoying.
    Gameplay wise, not much new on the table. Better physics, which is of course greatly welcomed, feels a lot closer to the genesis games, although still not quite there. From what I experienced tho, go Super Sonic, and you get the crappy, broken, momentum lacking movement back from episode 1, which makes you don't want to go Super Sonic. Tag actions with Tails are interesting, gives some new experience and possible ideas to the game, but starting these tag actions feel a bit out of place, as they break the flow of the game, and makes me sometimes think that Sonic Team didn't quite think it through, as some parts of the stages that they meant for Sonic to navigate through, can be basically skipped using Tails. Besides the tag actions, absolutely nothing new in this game gameplay wise. Lot of springs and dash panels to launch you through some parts of the stages, making speed not just an option but inevitable, taking away some joy as these stage areas pretty much take control away from you, propelling you forward either if you want to or not. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with speed in a Sonic game, but forcing it on you is kinda over the limit, as I want to be in charge of the character. The stages themselves are obviously inspired by stages from the classic games, sometimes mixing 2 into 1 like with White Park and Oil Desert. Stages are not bad, but are a bit dull and somewhat boring at least for me, they don't really make me go "Let's play that again!" like they did in the classics.
    Boss Battles are at least new, not rehashes as in ep 1 (excluding one), but the unskipable intro for them is somewhat annoying. Had there been epic boss theme songs in the game, I would say the bosses are pretty enjoyable, but the music made me want to end the bosses as soon as possible. Special Stages are Sonic 2 half pipe copies, no sense sugar coating it, with some additional ideas thrown in, all with a somewhat annoying tune in the background. Nostalgia or rip-off, depends on the person..
    Music wise, has to be the worst game in a long time. Sonic Team really wanted to go old school again with imitating the genesis sound with some modern flavour, but I have some problem with that, and here's what: in 1992, when they made the songs for Sonic 2, their goal was to make the most badass tunes the Genesis could provide, and they succeeded with that hugely. 20 years later, when they literally could make any music for the game (pop, rock, metal, whatever), their goal is to imitate the sound a 20 year old hardware produced, even using some of the original kick and other effects. To me, that doesn't really make sense, and they used some of the most ear-piercing synths I can imagine, that sound inferior even to the Genesis. Jun Senoue, composer for the music, made some of his worst tunes to date in my opinion, them being generic, short, and sometimes just annoying. The worst part is that it's not like he never did similar music, as I recall he made songs for the Genesis version of Sonic 3D Blast, which had some wonderful and catchy tunes. So whatever happened (I would assume lack of ideas after so many games), the music in this game just takes away even the little joy it could provide.
    Replay value is very low, since there are not much of alternate routes and exploring to do and the stages themselves don't really bring you back to this game. Collecting the red rings is pretty much pointless, since they don't do much. In overal, it falls into the 'play once then move on' category for me.    … Expand
  4. hulmej
    Aug 23, 2015
    6
    Quite dull and boring despite the nice graphics and good multiplayer. Unfortunately sonic isn't fast enough and fails to be like the classics. It's mainly quite boring due to the fact you have to use Tails too much in this game basically making the speed lack in this game.
  5. schimidtwas
    Jan 15, 2021
    7
    Although not yet a top game like the others, it literally improves everything the first episode did, better graphics, soundtrack, gameplay, mechanics with Tails, fair difficulty, but not that difficult, Metal Sonic playable in the levels from episode 1, much better levels and much more creative bosses.
    Unlike Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1, I recommend this one, however, get it on a promotion.
  6. referencia
    Sep 18, 2020
    7
    Em comparação ao EP 1, esse jogo é uma obra prima, mas o jogo em si, não é tão interessante, controles melhoram, gráficos, e a música melhorou só um pouco.

    É... legalzinho
  7. VyseHD
    Nov 20, 2022
    7
    okey, its short as hell and the bossfights didnt make fun BUT the ice stage is sooo good i cant give it lower yo
  8. SonicFan20
    Nov 17, 2022
    7
    Part 2 Of Everything Should Improve And Be Better Right? While Still Not Earning The Name
    "Sonic The Hedgehog 4" Its A Big Step up over Episode I. You can tell They cared This Time, Original Levels, Way Better Physics, And the List Goes On And On. Music Is Vastley Improved, Graphics Are Pretty Good, Tails Is Now Playable But Only In Multiplayer Kinda sad But Atleast He's here. If You    Part 2 Of Everything Should Improve And Be Better Right? While Still Not Earning The Name
    "Sonic The Hedgehog 4" Its A Big Step up over Episode I. You can tell They cared This Time, Original Levels, Way Better Physics, And the List Goes On And On. Music Is Vastley Improved, Graphics Are Pretty Good, Tails Is Now Playable But Only In Multiplayer Kinda sad But Atleast He's here. If You Have episode I Downloaded You Get Episode Metal. its just stages from Episode I But As metal sonic. Boss fights Have been improved. new ability's, if you press the x button you can team up with tails and do a big spin, fly, and thats it. an overall improvement. sad there is no episode lll but its fine. overall 7/10    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5
  1. Thunderbolt
    Jun 18, 2013
    70
    It’s going to need to become more than a sum of its parts if it wants to compete in this modern gaming era though.
    Read full review
  2. Absolute Games
    Jul 28, 2012
    60
    "Just another Sonic game" is the best description of Episode 2. A colorful, but flavorless platformer.
    Read full review
  3. PC Gamer
    Jul 12, 2012
    34
    Play never feels fluid, a problem compounded by the horrible, poorly ported PC controls. [Sept 2012, p.61]
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