From Sonic, Sonic 2 and Sonic3&Knuckles comes the sequel we have all waited for: Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode I, where the franchise goes back to its roots to try and redeliver the classic momentum based platformer that carried Sega to success in 1991.

Unfortunately the game does not deserve the complement of its predecessors as for the most part the game insults the classic era of the franchise with a mediocre game that has a inferiority complex - trash can't disguise itself amongst gold.

The level design does not complement the momentum and even the momentum mechanics of the game are poor or rather broken and don't hold their own to the older brothers which will leave you with nothing but a sigh as the game spoonfeeds you dash panels so that you don't earn your speed and you're not punished for mistakes.

The developers don't understand that earning your momentum gives you a fresh experience when you replay the level and you understand the layout well enough not to crash into Badniks or spikes which is why the ring system is there in the first place; so you can fail multiple times, learn from your mistakes instead of punishing you downright so once you finally learn you're allowed to hold the reins of speed and all its goodness.

Taking that away devalues what made the classic games in the first place. The game also introduces the homing attack that is forced on you and drops every bit of speed you've gained so far.

Despite what has been said about the level design, Zone 4 takes a few steps towards the right direction but it doesn't stop the game from falling on its face, you also have the terrible floaty physics and the poor (re-)designed bosses to also thank for that.

The music however is great and with the beautiful visuals are very reminiscent of the classic Sonic games are by far the strongest points of this product which thankfully don't collapse with the disappointment of the game. Even the 2.5D models are great other than Sonic's model itself oddly enough.

What makes this game bearable is the fact that it's a average platformer game when you don't compare it to its far superior prequels, the length is very great for its price and the online time attack where you can compete against other players that can have you playing for hours to see who can break and exploit the game to the finish line the fastest.

The game is by all means worth the £6 but you're better off spending a bit more of that money to buy games like DuckTales Remastered and/or Sonic 4 Episode 2, despite them having lower scores on gaming review sites they're superior in everyway.

Sonic 4 Episode 1 is REALLY not that bad. The physics are off and granted, the levels are rehashed, but it's still a joy to play.

PC version is stuck at 720p resolution, other than that it runs well.

The game itself is ok, not as good as the old Sonic games but if you liked them you will probably like this despite its flaws.

This game does exactly what it set out to do, and nothing more. To satiate the thirst fans of the franchise crying out for a return to the original trilogy. What is still considered to be one of the best games to date by many. But the mark is missed by a want to set the game apart.

The visuals are adequate and pleasing, but are not remarkable or noteworthy. It looks like a derivative cash in on Sonic The Hedgehog 2's success, yet manages to be less inspiring. While vibrant and varied, it still somehow manages to feel soulless. On top of that, the characters themselves seem to have a cell shaded sheen to them that clashes with the rest of the game and ends up looking awkward.

Controls are different from the original games this title was meant to bank on. In order to keep momentum, one must hold in the direction you intend to run in. The spin dash does not gain traction and ends up being the worse option to gain speed in the long run. It's only useful for a short burst if you're looking not to get hit by enemies (which, by the way, seem to be quite scarce and poorly placed). Otherwise the homing attack happens to be your best choice for a speed boost. The stages themselves, though, did feel decently designed and were loyal to the original Genesis games. I, myself, ended up finding more enjoyment in the special stages, though.

For the audio, much of sound effects, and it almost felt like the soundboard itself, was lifted from Sonic The Hedgehog 2. This would have been awesome if the music wasn't so forgettable. Nothing truly outstanding, unlike the game from which inspired all its audio.

True, I have been quite negative, but don't take that as a reason not to play this game. It's still a decent experience worth giving a try. Once you get past the different controls, you can enjoy the game much like you would in the original Genesis titles. If you go into this knowing it's not those games, but instead and game on its own inspired but not completely copied, you can find enjoyment in playing it.

First of all, Sonic 4 is not a bad game. It was perceived as being bad likely because it changed the formula of the classic Sonic games and people didn't like that. Had it not been titled "Sonic 4," a lot of the negative reception would be diminished considerably, since many simply didn't think it was a worthy successor to the classic games. You have to look at a game both as part of a series and individually in order to have a valid opinion of a game, and that's exactly what I plan to do in this review.

To begin with, I like the visuals and art style (although cel-shaded Sonic looks a bit odd). The music is great, despite what some have said, and the level design is definitely on par with the classic games, albeit slightly more linear. Of course, one of the major inclusions this time around is the Homing Attack, a move that many felt didn't work in a 2D Sonic game. I honestly didn't have any problems with it, I actually found it to be implemented quite well. Now onto the physics. Literally EVERY REVIEW I have seen of Sonic 4 mentions the physics being poor or "floaty." In reality, there are no discernable issues with the physics in Sonic 4, and when compared to the classic games, the physics could be considered better. I'm guessing that, once again, these people are using that same "different = bad" principle, as they have with the rest of the game.

Moving on, the bosses are generally pretty easy, although the final boss is relentlessly difficult. The Special Stages are all ♥♥♥♥ing insane, and the last one is quite possibly the cheapest, most unforgiving Special Stage I have ever had the misfortune to play in a Sonic game. I've tried again and again with no luck, so if anyone has some incredible strategy to beat it, please let me know. Anyway, the Zones themselves are actually pretty creative (especially Casino Street), but aren't really memorable, with the exception of Mad Gear Zone. That ♥♥♥♥ is epic.

Of course, as with the classic games, there are a few cheap deaths and unfair tricks in the game that can become incredibly frustrating, but nothing too big besides the aforementioned final boss and Special Stages. Overall, it's actually a decent game. Maybe it's not a real sequel to the classic Sonic games, and maybe it's flawed, but it's still enjoyable and holds up as an individual game. If you want a true Sonic 4, go buy Sonic Advance, but if this review hasn't convinced you to at least give this game the credit it deserves, then I don't know what will.