Confession time: the only game in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise that I’ve ever played is the very first one, on the Genesis. It was alright, but it didn’t really thrill me. I felt that the platforming, while great, was still subpar compared to other heavy hitters, like the “Mario” series. The sense of speed that the game was trying to convey felt lost in some areas. Oh, and I really, really hated the Labyrinth Zone. (Sonic should absolutely never find himself underwater.)
Those issues are mostly fixed in “Sonic 2”, however. The sense of speed is improved due to a new move that lets you crouch, charge in ball form, and then go really, really stupid fast. Whoever came up with this awesome new move should’ve received a huge raise. Also, there are fewer moments where you come to an unnecessary stop. Areas like the dreaded Labyrinth Zone are now few and far between.
The levels are also much better than the ones in the first “Sonic”. If you asked me to pick a favorite, I honestly wouldn’t really have an answer. The Chemical Plant, Casino Night, Hill Top, and Sky Chase Zones all stand out among the rest, but it seems like every world was well thought-out.
The soundtrack is also phenomenal. Again, Chemical Plant and Casino Night stand out. Most, if not all, of the songs are very catchy and cool. And the final boss theme stands out as one of the best final boss themes in the industry, right up there with “Final Fantasy VI” and “Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story”.
But, speaking of the final boss, there is one minor complaint: the difficulty. I was able to easily breeze through most of the game, but there was a huge difficulty spike when the final stage came around. I don’t think I’ve ever been as pissed at a video game as with “Sonic 2” during it’s last stage. I’m not going to spoil anything, but let this be a warning to those who have not played this game before: the final boss will piss you off.
But this is a very minor complaint for what is a huge, huge improvement over the original “Sonic”. If you didn’t really care for the first game, this one just might change your mind. And it’s only five dollars on Steam, so what do you have to lose?
Rating: ****
Those issues are mostly fixed in “Sonic 2”, however. The sense of speed is improved due to a new move that lets you crouch, charge in ball form, and then go really, really stupid fast. Whoever came up with this awesome new move should’ve received a huge raise. Also, there are fewer moments where you come to an unnecessary stop. Areas like the dreaded Labyrinth Zone are now few and far between.
The levels are also much better than the ones in the first “Sonic”. If you asked me to pick a favorite, I honestly wouldn’t really have an answer. The Chemical Plant, Casino Night, Hill Top, and Sky Chase Zones all stand out among the rest, but it seems like every world was well thought-out.
The soundtrack is also phenomenal. Again, Chemical Plant and Casino Night stand out. Most, if not all, of the songs are very catchy and cool. And the final boss theme stands out as one of the best final boss themes in the industry, right up there with “Final Fantasy VI” and “Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story”.
But, speaking of the final boss, there is one minor complaint: the difficulty. I was able to easily breeze through most of the game, but there was a huge difficulty spike when the final stage came around. I don’t think I’ve ever been as pissed at a video game as with “Sonic 2” during it’s last stage. I’m not going to spoil anything, but let this be a warning to those who have not played this game before: the final boss will piss you off.
But this is a very minor complaint for what is a huge, huge improvement over the original “Sonic”. If you didn’t really care for the first game, this one just might change your mind. And it’s only five dollars on Steam, so what do you have to lose?
Rating: ****
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