Sonic 4 plays very similarly to the old-school Sonic games: you run, you jump, and you collect rings. It’s simple, and is instantly reminiscent of the Sonic games of yore, only with more modern visuals that are really quite pleasing (even if they don’t quite live up to the fan-produced video of what a Sonic and Knuckles remake could look like).

 

The game does introduce several new elements though, with the most obvious addition being the homing attack. Now you can home-in on any nearby enemy with a simple button tap while jumping. It certainly makes the game feel a bit easier over all, but also less frustrating, and enables some creative use of enemies to reach hidden areas.

Speaking of difficulty, this is, without question, the easiest Sonic game I’ve played. I blew through the entire game in about two hours, with only the final Act and boss fight giving me any trouble (the final battle is actually a doozy!). After just a few levels, I had already racked up more than two dozen lives, which ensured I would never again see the Game Over screen (except for that damn final boss!). Despite this, I actually didn’t mind the less challenging gameplay--I had never actually completed a side-scrolling Sonic before, as I would always get frustrated whenever I had to start from the beginning. But thanks to the plentiful lives, and ability to play from any stage, this is not a problem at all in Sonic 4.

It should be noted that the game attempts to offer some relayability and added challenge with the addition of “Time Attack” and “Score Attack” modes, in which you race to beat your best time at the level, or top your best score, but neither appealed to me on any level.

 

Perhaps the greatest element in Sonic 4 is the level design. Many of the levels employ unique elements or mechanics that do lend this game a rather distinctive feel. Most noticeably, The Lost Labyrinth Acts offer some rather clever gameplay situations, including mine-cart rides, dark temples lit by only the torch Sonic carries, and even some light puzzle-solving mechanics. These go a long ways in making the game feel like less of the same.

However, while pretty much everything I would expect in a Sonic game is here, there are some pretty big shortcomings that hamper an otherwise decent experience. Most notably, the music is god-awful. It neither captures the charm nor catchiness of previous Sonic games' music, instead replacing it with terrible MIDI-like tracks that I can’t imagine anyone will remember fondly. Secondly, the game simply seems slow, at least compared to my memories of previous games--Sonic moves at a snail’s pace when you first start moving, and even his top-speed seems as if it’s limited by the same governor device most fast cars use.

Ultimately, I found Sonic 4 to be an enjoyable, if inoffensive adventure, which is honestly one of the best compliments I could pay any of his recent games. It was a decent way to kill a couple of hours (it’s short!), but failed to leave any meaningful lasting impression. At the least, this game may represent a pivotal point in the Sonic series--a milestone which denotes that Sonic doesn’t always have to star in terrible games. And if the upcoming Sonic Colors is any indication, Sonic may finally be on the path to redemption.

 

Note: This game was reviewed on Wii