Sega Digital Brand Manager Ken Balough stopped by the GameSpot offices to drop off a trailer for... OH MY GAWD, what's that on his face?! Taking facial hair art to exotic levels, Balough crafted Tails' tails on his punim to reveal that the sub-Sonic sidekick will appear in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2. Metal Sonic will also be the new "old" villain.
The second installment, expected in 2012 for console digital distribution and mobile (iOS, Windows, Android), will have some significant changes from the less-than-enthusiastically received first installment. Balough says the company listened to feedback, and episode two will have a new graphics and physics engine.
"There's going to be a lot of really positive changes and we think the fans are going to be really happy," said Balough, explaining that Sonic won't stick to walls anymore and won't "uncurl" from ball form when going uphill. "They may not sound like a big deal, but when you're playing Sonic and you're so used to the way the Genesis games felt, it's a big step to get closer to that Genesis feel."
Reader Comments (55)
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:16PM type2red said
Hopefully this plays like generations.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:22PM Suckassloser said
@type2red Yea, the way the retro sections were done is the way to go I think.
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Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:18PM type2red said
Hopefully this plays like generations.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:09PM TubaDude49 said
@type2red I'd get on you about double posting, but this comment is worth being posted twice.
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Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:23PM Koming said
Journalists... anything to draw attention to them.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:24PM foxhound said
I'll wait for the demo this time around.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:30PM TheC0A7S said
I don't see tails. Just some weird coloration. He should have tattooed it. That's definitely more of a game announcement thing right? Guess he just doesn't believe in it as much as he should...
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 10:55PM tendoboy1984 said
@TheC0A7S
Watch the teaser trailer. It shows a silhouette of Metal Sonic, and two orange and blue glowing orbs racing around a black background. The orange orb is obviously Tails.
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Watch the teaser trailer. It shows a silhouette of Metal Sonic, and two orange and blue glowing orbs racing around a black background. The orange orb is obviously Tails.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:33PM Roto13 said
I dunno, while I think the physics in Episode 1 could have been better, I'm not sure I want Episode 2 of the same game to feel completely different.
Episodic games are supposed to feel like chapters or episodes of a tv show and come more frequently, but I guess that ship has sailed for Sonic 4 anyway.
Episodic games are supposed to feel like chapters or episodes of a tv show and come more frequently, but I guess that ship has sailed for Sonic 4 anyway.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:33PM DevilSei said
Okay, I haven't played the first "Sonic 4" episode but...
THEY MADE IT SO HE UNCURLED GOING UPHILL?! What in blue blurs were they thinking when they made that choice?
THEY MADE IT SO HE UNCURLED GOING UPHILL?! What in blue blurs were they thinking when they made that choice?
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:35PM Vic Fontaine said
I liked Sonic 4. Not sure where all the hate came from, it felt close enough to Sonic 1/2 to make me happy.
But if people really just want new Genesis games, why not make them using the genesis's game's engine? Seems pretty obvious, and I know I'd prefer 16 bit graphics to the pseudo 3d feel they went with.
But if people really just want new Genesis games, why not make them using the genesis's game's engine? Seems pretty obvious, and I know I'd prefer 16 bit graphics to the pseudo 3d feel they went with.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:42PM (Unverified) said
@Vic Fontaine Part of the hate that came from it was that Ep. 1 was basically a remix compilation of levels that we've played already. If I wanted to play Green Hill or Metropolis or Labyrinth, I can go play one of the hundreds of ports of Sonic 1 and Sonic 2. There's a pretty big difference between "being like Sonic 1 and 2" (implied to mean that the game plays/feels like them but with new levels, etc.) and "being Sonic 1 and 2" which is closer to what Sonic 4 Ep. 1 was.
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Posted: Dec 29th 2011 8:00PM PSOCecil said
@Vic Fontaine
The story goes that Sega 'lost' the source code to the Genesis Sonics, hence why they've only been emulated, or in Sonic Genesis on GBA's case, horribly remade. If Sega REALLY wants to listen to it's fans, they'd either use the Classic Sonic gameplay from Generations, or use the engine that they 'remade' Sonic CD on XBLA and PSN on, which would be the superior choice, I think.
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The story goes that Sega 'lost' the source code to the Genesis Sonics, hence why they've only been emulated, or in Sonic Genesis on GBA's case, horribly remade. If Sega REALLY wants to listen to it's fans, they'd either use the Classic Sonic gameplay from Generations, or use the engine that they 'remade' Sonic CD on XBLA and PSN on, which would be the superior choice, I think.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:36PM evilkoala said
This would have been exciting a year ago
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:04PM QuintonFlynn said
Also, please make it so Sonic doesn't drop like a suicide bomber when you stop holding an arrow key mid-air.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:07PM Cave Johnson said
I don't see Tails, but I guess I'm not as familiar with him as I would've been 10 years ago.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:07PM Shockwave said
I like how the other guy is leaving as far away from him as possible. As if he's saying, "Dear GOD is that contagious??".
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:08PM ChaseHammerJ said
after Ep1, sorry you blew it. Not a chance in hell am i buying this.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:16PM Once known as Shadsy said
@ChaseHammerJ The first one was bad, so the one where they try to fix all the problems will be bad too...?
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Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:23PM ChaseHammerJ said
@Once known as Shadsy
not necessarily but after them giving me a crappy game and taking my money I dont feel like taking the chance on them.
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not necessarily but after them giving me a crappy game and taking my money I dont feel like taking the chance on them.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:44PM Deathmore said
@Once known as Shadsy If you don't hate on Final Fantasy XIII-2 before release then your comment is valid. If you didn't hate on Modern Warfare 3 prelease then your comment is valid.
I am just saying this because a lot of people say this exact comment but are hypocrytes when it comes to different game. If you say "that you should listen to the developers when they say they have improved over the previous game" then it should be unanimously accepted to all game series.
This isn't aimed at you but to everyone that says this line but then goes against it.
Anyway, yes I will look forward to Sonic 4 episode 2. the first one felt stiff, I did not like the visuals in that game and I was fine with the gameplay, it was similar to the Rush series which I enjoyed.
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I am just saying this because a lot of people say this exact comment but are hypocrytes when it comes to different game. If you say "that you should listen to the developers when they say they have improved over the previous game" then it should be unanimously accepted to all game series.
This isn't aimed at you but to everyone that says this line but then goes against it.
Anyway, yes I will look forward to Sonic 4 episode 2. the first one felt stiff, I did not like the visuals in that game and I was fine with the gameplay, it was similar to the Rush series which I enjoyed.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 4:38PM Vic Fontaine said
@ChaseHammerJ
So if they renamed it something besides Sonic 4 would you get it then? I think you are just being ridiculous, let's wait for reviews/demos.
Hell, at least wait for them to make the damn game before you trash it.
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So if they renamed it something besides Sonic 4 would you get it then? I think you are just being ridiculous, let's wait for reviews/demos.
Hell, at least wait for them to make the damn game before you trash it.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:13PM Calatia said
I'm glad they've learned from their mistakes, and if this games plays anything like Sonic Generations, it will definitely be a great edition to the Sonic series.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:17PM (Unverified) said
Better physics, less chunkier graphics, some actual original levels and bosses and maybe more than just four stages long...this might be a title worth buying.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 7:45PM liquidsoap89 said
@(Unverified) DIFFERENT PHYSICS, not necessarily better, but different...
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Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:20PM Fuzunga said
Will it be... longer?
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:21PM Zoot Suit Jedi Grammar Hammer En said
"Punim" sounds like a place my bathing suit covers.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:37PM EIranzer said
Hopefully they'll remove Sonic's homing attack (and therefor, all puzzle that require it), and add in Tails as a follower for Sonic (and possible playable with the ability to fly straight up), and a playable Knuckles who can float and climb walls.
Sigh. No future Sonic is ever going to be Sonic 3 + Knuckles, it seems.
Sigh. No future Sonic is ever going to be Sonic 3 + Knuckles, it seems.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:38PM EIranzer said
Also, here's a tip Sega: Don't make iPhone the lead console this time around.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 3:40PM LittleMofreaky said
I still feel too ripped off by Generations. There's no way I am getting this.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 4:16PM LittleMofreaky said
@ironneko That's not hard to do when you haven't made a good Sonic game in 5 years. Remove the nostalgic value from Generations and it's just not very fun.
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Posted: Dec 29th 2011 5:02PM CaramelZappa said
@LittleMofreaky
Disagree. I thought it was fun from start to finish. The only real complaint I have is the glitchy boss battles.
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Disagree. I thought it was fun from start to finish. The only real complaint I have is the glitchy boss battles.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 5:41PM Calatia said
@LittleMofreaky I completely disagree. I wouldn't even consider myself a fan of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. I don't hold the original games in very high regard, and a lot of the nostalgic value that this game sort-of banks on is pretty much lost on me.
It is however, on its own, a very very good game. I had a blast playing Sonic Generations and hope they make a sequel to it without straying to far from the formula, because it feels as though they finally got it right.
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It is however, on its own, a very very good game. I had a blast playing Sonic Generations and hope they make a sequel to it without straying to far from the formula, because it feels as though they finally got it right.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 4:00PM Anticrawl said
If only they could follow in the footsteps of Ubisoft and create an ACTUAL 2D game with 2D graphics instead of going the lazy route as usual. Screw Sonic I'm just gonna stick with Rayman until SEGA learns.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 6:03PM Undulation said
@Anticrawl
I just picked up Rayman yesterday, played for a few hours and for a further few hours I sat there thinking "why haven't Sega gone down this route for Sonic?".
The bar has been raised so much by the likes of Rayman, Sonic Generations, LBP, Mario 3D Land that there is no place for bad Sonics.
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I just picked up Rayman yesterday, played for a few hours and for a further few hours I sat there thinking "why haven't Sega gone down this route for Sonic?".
The bar has been raised so much by the likes of Rayman, Sonic Generations, LBP, Mario 3D Land that there is no place for bad Sonics.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 4:02PM ColorblindMonk said
Two good Sonic games in a row? I'll believe it when the long overdue episode 2 is out!
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 5:02PM CaramelZappa said
They should just take the Sonic Generations engine and make more levels with it. Those classic levels were as close to perfect as we're gonna get.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 6:02PM Undulation said
Sonic 4 was terrible. I recall all the fans being -very- vocal and loving it at the start, but once they went quiet all the remaining comments were one of dislike. Visually it was poor, the controls were poor, the overall feel of the game was dull and uninteresting.
Then came Generations and nobody else cared for the Episodes. They should have let this die instead of smashing up the memories of gamers with sub-par modern sequels.
Then came Generations and nobody else cared for the Episodes. They should have let this die instead of smashing up the memories of gamers with sub-par modern sequels.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 6:40PM JManND said
They should patch Sonic Episode 1 with these "new physics" otherwise no thanks. I'm sick of spending money on Sonic games with the hope that they're going to be decent. Let's face it, Sonic is dead. There hasn't been a good console game since the Genesis (GBA & DS were pretty good). Time and time again were promised that Sega is listening to the fans and they just don't.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 8:36PM darkinchworm said
@JManND
I'm glad I'm not the only one who came here calling for a patch. Seriously. Make me re-download the game if you have to, I just want it to feel right (Sonic 1-3) or at least pretty close (Generations).
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I'm glad I'm not the only one who came here calling for a patch. Seriously. Make me re-download the game if you have to, I just want it to feel right (Sonic 1-3) or at least pretty close (Generations).
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 7:18PM GlockXIII said
These games aren't even true successors, why is Sega calling it Sonic 4, they couldn't call it something else?








