Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II PC
User Score
6.5 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 37
  3. Negative: 10 out of 37

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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. TheStolken
    May 15, 2012
    8
    One thing that can be said about Sonic 4 Episode 2, is that it is a definite step in the right direction. Episode 2 tends to stray further from the formula of rehashing (while still lightly grasping it) with some new, original moves and new, creative stages. The games has an improved physics engine, along with a much better graphics engine and musical improvement. The only complaints would be some boss fights, as they can drag on a bit, but are still very fun; along with some songs in the soundtrack, sounds pretty bad. The music itself isn't terrible, but there are some nasty tracks and some amazing tracks that balance it out. I would recommend this game to Sonic Fans, Platformer enthusiasts and retro gamers. This is a solid addition for your library and you might have some minor disappointments.… Expand
  3. Streakside
    May 18, 2012
    10
    This game is great and improves greatly on Episode 1. Better graphics, better physics, and multiplayer which can be very addicting. Only real flaw in this game is the pointless collecting of red rings. At least in Sonic Generations we were awarded something like abilities or music. In this its just for an achievement. But this doesn't affect my over all view of the game since it isn't that big of a deal. The multiplayer as I said is really fun. The addition of the partner system makes going through the levels with a friend a different experience than playing solo. Granted this only proves true if you play with someone who knows how to play, but I am not gonna put the game down because of a bad teammate. In my opinion this is a game any sonic fan should buy.… Expand
  4. btylerjr
    May 19, 2012
    10
    This game was not perfect, but It is still great sonic fun. People are too critical, sonic is a very hard game to make you have to make very long stages since sonic moves through them so quickly and still keep them enjoyable. The physics just don't bother me, If you play a sonic game how it's meant to be by racing through the levels quickly you won't have time to notice imperfections in physics. I agree the magic of the original sonic games still isn't here but It's a damn good effort and I will always welcome more games like this over 3d sonic adventures. Please give me more 2d sonic games and more chances to earn chaos emeralds!… Expand
  5. 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 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
  6. TheateraNerd
    May 21, 2012
    10
    Great graphics, great controls, easy but challenging, fun, enjoyable, new physics, very colorful, epic, speedy, new bosses, Tails brought back, Metal Sonic brought back, okay music =A GREAT GAME!!
  7. Panther117
    May 29, 2012
    10
    Blue Blur is back and he is fast as always-Dima Voronovich Russian amateur reviewer.
    Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 is a great example how platformers should be done now. The story takes place immediately after EP1 and now Sonic and Tails must stop Dr.Eggman from destroying the world as always. Game plays much better than previous one. The graphics are better, gameplay is re-designed and     plays more smoothly. Cool boss battles, great looking background. Very colorful atmosphere. Music as always very beautiful to listen. New addition to this is 2 player coop mode. It can be awesome to play with a friend but because you have little screen to keep up it kinda gets frustrating and hard to see what other player is doing. As always you can collect rings, get into â… Expand
  8. Tarnish
    May 27, 2012
    5
    This review contains spoilers. 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.    … Collapse
  9. Darkempire
    Sep 29, 2012
    8
    Game is great! Its Run Fine.to me
    Bosses are also Great , this time more challenging! *Finaly* no copy and paste
    Level design Is also Good. but i prefer Solo, to play,
    Music: neh its not old good one., Effects are much nicer than the previous.
    Controls: its veryy Much better

    My Opinion More Episode!
  10. Parthros
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    While the game isn't perfect, let's examine it as it is: cheap. I pre-ordered it for $15 and was not disappointed. It was fast paced, and in a similar format to the Sonics that were on Sega Genesis. There's loads of new game play features, as well as some familiar ones. Despite its lackluster controls, this game has given me hours of entertainment, almost reliving the Sega Genesis days. (Although I also have Sonic 2 from Steam for that :P )… Expand
  11. Erikchendo
    Mar 14, 2013
    8
    A good game. Excelent soundtracks, Excelent stages, a the game is easy do play.
    The game is fun, and more fun with cooperative mode.

    One simple problem, don't have a good story, the story is too simple.
    I'm comparing my last funny 2D game that i played "sonic & Knucles", but i think if sega do a continuation from this game, like a "sonic 4 ep III" i think the game will be bigger than     sonic & Knucles, that is what i belive.

    My point is 8 for this game, excelent work sega    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
51 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 4 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 4
  3. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. 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
  2. PC Gamer
    Jul 12, 2012
    34
    Play never feels fluid, a problem compounded by the horrible, poorly ported PC controls. [Sept 2012, p.61]
  3. CD-Action
    Jul 6, 2012
    60
    Apart from a couple of nuances it's a collage of elements as old as Sega itself. [August 2012, p.82]
See all critic reviews »