Except for the surprisingly annoying music and the rather short playtime Sonic shows off his best side: The levels are big and invite you to explore, the teamactions are entertaining. If you're into retro-gameplay, this is one for you.
As a well-presented game that looks the part and sells itself on speed and accessibility, Sonic 4: Episode 2 is slightly better than the previous effort in a number of ways and yet, there's still room for improvement.
In the end, it feels like Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 is merely going through the motions (most of which involve spinning). As was intended, it's reminiscent of Sonic's best-remembered adventures, though it never manages to live up to them.
Playing Sonic 4: Episode II co-op is like returning to your favorite family vacation destination as an adult and bringing along a friend. You point at the broken attractions and try to convince them how good things used to be, but no amount of nostalgia can change the fact that the powers that be have let your beloved memory deteriorate.
What we have now is a Sonic game that takes a step forward from Episode 1, but is still a step back from a game half a year old. Sonic 4: Episode 2 certainly isn't the worst game to grace the series over the years, but not even the most steadfast Sonic fans will fondly remember Episode 2 as one of their favorites, if it is remembered at all.