Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I Xbox 360
User Score
5.4 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 90 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 90
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 90
  3. Negative: 38 out of 90

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  1. caiolopez
    Oct 13, 2010
    3
    Sega managed to almost make me cry - with sadness. I've been longing for a real 2D Sonic since Sonic & Knuckles came out. I even had a name for it: "Sonic 4". Well, years later they came up with Sonic 4. Let me break it down here: Sound FX: 10/10. They are the actual Genesis-Era blips. Music: 10/10. Superb work, kept the spirit of the original catchy songs. Level Design: 10/10. It really feels like a Sonic level, after all this years. Graphics: 5/10. Level graphics are good, but Sonic's model looks dumb, and didn't quite match the games graphic style. 2.5D didn't do the trick, this time. Finally, Controls: 0/10. It's just wrong. There is no inertia, especially when jumping. It doesn't control like Sonic. In fact, it doesn't control like anything I ever played. You release the D-Pad, Sonic stops. Like Pitfall. Nothing should control like Pitfall in 2010, let alone a game in a franchise know for its high quality gameplay.
    I really hope Sega fix that. I could also ask for some vintage skins for Sonic's model, but that would be just a fluff. The important thing here is the controls, and Sega managed to destroy the whole thing with a few lines of code.
    Score: (10+10+10+5+0) / 5 = 7
    7 * how bad the controls are = 2    … Expand
  2. alexrobertsteac
    Oct 21, 2010
    3
    I have been dying for this game for a long time... I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. However... it sucks. It just sucks. I played the original Sonic 1, 2, and 3. I played Sonic and Knuckles. They were fun, and part of it was the freaking controls and sense of speed. Now? Not so much. Those reviews that are defending so harshly... I literally can't imagine why. At best it is an average experience. Most of the time? It is almost unplayable and boring. Oh well. Back to fire up my Genesis collection on my 360.… Expand
  3. Forza182
    Oct 15, 2010
    0
    This game reminds me of the Monkey Island remakes, you know, taking something amazing and spitting on it with a makeover filled with hideous graphics. Sonic doesn't feel fast anymore, not even after hitting a boost or the speed technique. The way he's animated and the physics of it all just make it seem slow, boring and ugly. You know there's a problem when a game like Sonic 3, made over 10 years ago, looks better than one made today. I don't know how they put these games out and expect people to like them. It's like they don't care. "I know how to make more money, since we can't make a decent original game, let's release a new classic Sonic game and the fans will eat it up". Pathetic..… Expand
  4. imaginarysounds
    Oct 14, 2010
    2
    Absolutely awful. Seriously. I was so excited for Sonic 4, downloaded it, and was frustrated by the middle of the 1st level. The homing mechanic is more aggravating than helpful, and the physics feel NOTHING like the original Sonic games. If you don't believe me, watch this video. The footage speaks for itsself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6-1cGzPn3E The only thing they got right is the graphics are pretty, and the music is decent, which is why I gave them a 2.… Expand
  5. luffy_kun
    Oct 18, 2010
    3
    Sonic 4 is a great error. There is more to do real benchmarking and reviews on youtube, phisics are bad, boring music, recycling levels and very few ideas. If we look at Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic 3, Sonic CD and Sonic & Knuckles see that there is a positive progression. Great levels, great difficulty, secrets ... all that is lost completely. Sonic 4 is a remix of the classics without any funding as a continuation of a legendary saga. A Sonic 4 is not as bright as Sonic 2D platform deserves nothing. Bad, bad, bad, VERY BAD Sega.

    Autotarget + wrong phisics + no new ideas for a new sonic = Fail

    Mediocre for a game with a name like Sonic 4.    … Expand
  6. Ryu1908
    Oct 15, 2010
    0
    I hate this game, i really, really hate it...

    Sega wasn't happy enough destroying Modern Sonic, now they had to destroy the Classic Games too. This game is a unplayable abomination that isn't worth your time or money. Clunky controls, poor collision detection, awful level design, horrible music and unchallenging levels and bosses are only the beginning of your problems with this terrible     adventure. Why Sega? Why?… Expand
  7. negaman
    Oct 14, 2010
    0
    Sonic is back and ruined forever!!! Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is quite possibly the worst Sonic the Hedgehog game ever! The music composition is horribly disgusting and the gameplay itself is so low paced that a tortoise could accelerate faster. The graphics are not much better either, I know that Sonic Team is trying to update the appearance of Sonic but to be honest this new Sonic design and program moves like "Paper Mario". I'm sorry to say this (as I am a great fan of Sonic the Hedgehog and friends) but if you spend any microsoft points (or money) on this you might as well be throwing your funds down the porcelain pee hole!… Expand
  8. Even_Adder
    Oct 15, 2010
    2
    For a game trying to throw it back to the Genesis days it fails to nail many of the things that made that game great. The clunky controls and physics fail to convince me I'm playing a Sonic game or a Mario game for that matter.
  9. CyberToyger
    Nov 6, 2010
    4
    As an old-skool Sonic fan, I was elated to find that Sonic Team claimed to be returning to Sonic's roots. Once I downloaded the demo and then played the full version at a friend's house however, I saw otherwise.

    As many people have mentioned, Sonic lacks inertia, or momentum. This means Sonic does not move as quickly or as smoothly as in his Genesis days. It feels more like you're control    ling a plastic toy shaped like Sonic the Hedgehog. Those of you who have played the 2D Sonic games will know exactly what I'm talking about, its similar to the way that experienced drivers can tell how different vehicles handle. In this case, utter trash handling.

    The level designs are pretty vanilla. They have the looks of the old games but something just doesn't feel right about the enemy placements.

    The graphics are decent. Texture-wise Sonic looks a bit shiny and the animations seem off, but graphically the medium-poly models work fine for a Sonic game.

    The homing-attack may be considered another flaw, depending on personal preference. I would say to just ignore this feature, but there are times when you'll need to use the homing attacks on a succession of enemies to cross a gap or make it from Point A to Point B.

    Overall, this game feels like it tried to return to its roots, but too much "creative leeway" and poor choices kept it from being the best it could be. Note: I did not complain about the length of the game as I understand they want to release the game in installments/episodes so they can push the games out quicker, and possibly rectify issues early on/take feedback on Episode 1 and correct for Episode 2, 3, etc.

    As a 21 year old, old-skool Sonic fan, with years of experience playing tons of different video games, including the 3D Sonic games, I almost ironically give Sonic 4

    4 out of 10

    -CyberToyger    … Expand
  10. Jojoee
    Oct 18, 2010
    4
    I had high hopes, bought the game and seemed like all the nitpicking and whining alot of fans had been shouting was true from the beginning.

    I am so dissapointed and feel ripped off big time. People that like this game have no taste in quality and I believe are mostly fanboys. Sonicteam needs to stop listening to them fanboys because they are one of the reasons why sonicteam doesn't get     encouraged to put effort in their games. This game deserves all the negativity it's getting and I hope less people will make the same mistake as I have.

    This game sucks.    … Expand
  11. TechRyze
    Oct 19, 2010
    4
    VERY POOR SHOW SEGA. This is NOT Sonic 4.

    Incompetence from Sammy/SEGA. Someone who has a clue, needs to take Sega away from Sammy and deliver the goods, starting with Sonic, Daytona and Streets of Rage.

    INCOMPETENCE!
  12. BinarySplit
    Oct 28, 2010
    2
    Sonic 4's level design is atrocious. You can't build any substantial amount of speed without either hitting something or falling off the bottom of the map. There seem to be a lot of "puzzles", which require dexterous jumping and occasionally timing, but they offer no challenge to anybody who has ever played a platform game. To add insult to injury, the graphics aren't even as good as the fan-made "Sonic Fan Remix" game. This game may be fun for children, but most gamers will find it boring and slightly frustrating.… Expand
  13. Zodiacprince
    May 11, 2011
    2
    "Short and to the point" is what Sega was trying to go for with the all-but-glorious return of everyone's favorite speedy blue hedgehog. With a soundtrack to die of, impossible physics, and a cell-shading job done in MS Paint for Windows: ME, this atrocity is a great start for anyone under the age of 4. For hardcore fans from Sonic's glory days it's a better idea to go out to your local Wal-Mart and rummage through the $15.00 and under bin for a copy of "Sonic Classic Collection" for DS. Though a step in the right direction, it's a step made on an ant hill. If you have 1200 MS points and you're tempted to buy this, I have one word for you: DON'T! Spend you're money on Super Meat Boy, or Sonic Adventure (with the DX expansion). However, if you buy it during a sale, and it's 400 points, go ahead and feel free knowing you didn't waste an extra 10 bucks.… Expand
  14. hellgrip
    May 17, 2011
    0
    I hate this game! broken not fun they over charge you for this and they will not even be coming out with sonic ep 2. why are you even going to waste your money? for shame!!!
  15. TheBard009
    Sep 6, 2011
    0
    It has some good ideas, Lost Labyrinth's torch level for example, but goddamn, the broken gameplay and the stupidly excessive rehash just crushed all hopes Sonic 4 had of becoming a good game.
  16. KazAm
    Oct 9, 2011
    0
    This is easily the worst 2D Sonic game ever made. It does almost everything wrong, the visuals are ugly and have no personality at all since they're just carbon copies of Sonic 1 and 2, the physics are horrible, you don't earn your speed like in the classics... Speaking of that, there is no speed whatsoever, Sonic moves way too slow by itself and spindashing is pointless because doing so only makes Sonic slower than he already was before, how did they fix that? They made a horrible automatic level design full of boost pads where you barely interact with Sonic, you can just put your controller down and watch as the game plays itself for you several times, you'll just have to hit chains of enemies with Homing Attack, which gets repetitive and it's not even challenging at all, and the boss fights are also copies of Sonic 1 and 2, but with some pitch movie at the end, was that lack of creativity or what?
    These and many other are the reasons why Sonic the Hedgehog 4 fails not only at being a sequel to Sonic 3 & Knuckles, but at being a Sonic game in itself, it's just an abomination that should never have made it to this generation.    … Expand
  17. TheCriticNerd
    Oct 9, 2011
    0
    To be short and simple, Sonic 4 just really isn't worth anyone's time. It has no progression, the levels look like they're made of plastic and Sonic's animations are awful, but the gameplay is also bad, the "moon jump" feels awkward at best, the physics are non-existent, you can make Sonic stand on walls, slopes, walk through loops and the most laughable thing about this game: It has no inertia, if you roll downhill, Sonic will lose speed instead of going faster, this game is at it's best when you just pass through a dash pad and let the game play itself.

    And this is Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, an epic failure on every level.    … Expand
  18. RamzaBeoulve
    Oct 9, 2011
    0
    Just as fun as cutting your hand off with a sword, dang, i miss the days when Sonic games weren't broken pieces of **** I'm still hoping Episode 2 turns out to be good despit this horrible crap.
  19. TheGreatSonic
    Nov 1, 2011
    4
    Horrible physics, this game haven't relation with classic sonic games in the gameplay, storyline, and the music instrumentation.
    This game doesn't made the function to continue the Sonic 3 & Knuckles history(repetead levels) and gameplay, but the IDEIA to do a classic game was good
  20. BobRichardsin
    Oct 7, 2012
    0
    Sonic 4 is not worthy of the name "Sonic 4" what we got was a Sonic 1 reskin. Hold right to win, bad music. Why is there no Tails or Knuckles its a major step back what an insult

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 43 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 43
  3. Negative: 5 out of 43
  1. Games Master UK
    Dec 25, 2010
    88
    No just a rehash, but a brilliant game in itself. Sonic reigns once more. [Issue#232, p.88]
  2. X360 Magazine UK
    Dec 25, 2010
    70
    A good, if unspectacular, platform outing. [Issue#66, p.104]
  3. Gameblog.fr
    Dec 22, 2010
    40
    Sonic The Hedgehog Episode 4 seems to be more of a Sonic the Hedgehog 1.2 (calling it "A.5" would put it too close to the brilliant Sonic 2...). The levels don't surprise, the soundtrack bores, and more importantly the blue hedgehog's inertia and dullness make it a real disappointment in 2010. We'll try not to resent it too much, since it's a rather cheap downloadable game, but it's still a very short game as well. Love is blind, so some may still enjoy it, but we'd rather advise them to try out the DS games, which are closer to today's expectations of a 2D journey with the supersonic hedgehog.
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